A little organization goes a long way when it comes to Christmas Dinner. That’s where my Vegan Christmas Dinner Menu comes in. It comes with all the recipes you need, a handy timeline and a shopping list, so all you have to do is save/print it, do the shopping then get cooking!
PREP TIME: 1 hourhour40 minutesminutes
COOK TIME: 4 hourshours12 minutesminutes
TOTAL TIME: 5 hourshours52 minutesminutes
Servings: 5
Ingredients
Don't forget to go through the shopping list and cross off anything you already have. There are probably quite a lot of items on there that you keep in your kitchen all the time and won't need to buy.
Produce
600 g / 3 very largeGranny Smith apples
1mediumapple, any variety
400 g / 2very largepears, ripe but not too soft and ripe
980 g / 35ozcranberries, fresh or frozen
4mediumonions
1shallot, or small sweet onion
1mediumcarrot
1ribcelery
1headgarlic
900g / 2lbpotatoes, I love Yukon Gold,but any variety suitable for roasting are ok
1 lb / 16 oz / 453gfresh green beans, not frozen
400g / 14 oz / 5heaping cupscremini (brown) mushrooms
600 g / 5heaping cupsfresh Brussels sprouts
1pomegranate, optional, don't worry if it's hard to find
2largeoranges
2vegetables of choice (for sides), to be steamed - peas, Brussels sprouts, beans, carrots, broccoli, cabbage (red cabbage looks particularly festive), kale, rapini. Just whatever you fancy and whatever everyone likes
100 g / ½ cupdried green lentils, or 198 g / 1 cup cooked green lentils
100 g / ½ cupdried red lentils, or 198 g / 1 cup cooked red lentils
30 ml / 2tablespoonsmaple syrup
30 ml / 2 tablespoonsapple cider vinegar, or white wine vinegar
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
Alcohol
320 ml / 1⅓cupred wine , use a wine you would drink and not a cheap cooking wine (plus more for drinking!)
INSTRUCTIONS
UP TO 1 MONTH BEFORE
Make the cranberry sauce as per the instructions up to 1 month before Christmas. Freeze in an airtight container and remember to defrost a day or two before Christmas. Or, if you have no room in your freezer make it up to 2 weeks before and store in clean jars in the fridge. RE the optional Yorkshire Puddings - If making cook up to 1 month ahead. Allow to cool on a wire rack then freeze carefully in containers or freezer bags, being really careful not to squash them.
3 DAYS BEFORE
If you are going to be making your own breadcrumbs for the meatloaf and green bean casserole rather than buying them ready made, make sure you have some bread going stale now, ready to turn into crumbs at a later stage.
Make the Red Wine Gravy and store it in a sealed container in the fridge. You can even make it as much as a couple of weeks before if you freeze it, then remember to take it out to defrost the night before you need it.
Cook the lentils for the meatloaf, drain them, then store them in a container in the fridge.
Make the crumble topping for the Cranberry, Apple Pear Crumble and then transfer it to a sealed container or bag and put it in the freezer.
2 DAYS BEFORE
Prepare the meatloaf, pack it all into the pan as directed, then wrap it up well in cling wrap or foil and store in the fridge ready to cook on the day.
Make the topping for the Green Bean Casserole and store it in a sealed container or bag in the fridge. You won't be putting the topping on the casserole until just before you are going to cook it on the day.
Make the salad dressing and store in a sealed container in the fridge.
1 DAY BEFORE
If you froze the gravy remember to take it out of the freezer and put it in the fridge to defrost.
Peel the potatoes for the roasted potatoes, cut them into chunks and leave them in a pan covered with water on the stove top ready to par-boil as per the directions tomorrow.
Make the green bean and sauce part of the Green Bean Casserole. Combine them and leave in the skillet to cool, or transfer it to whatever oven proof container you want to serve it in tomorrow then cover in cling-wrap and refrigerate.
Make the Cranberry Apple Pear Crumble as per the recipe directions. Once the filling part of it is in the dish, remove the crumble topping from the freezer. It should still be quite loose but if it's got any big hard lumps, break them with your fingers or bash them gently through the bag with a rolling pin to break them up. Top it and cook as directed, then let it cool, then cover it. It will be fine left out on the counter top until tomorrow if you don't have room in the fridge. If you need your counter space, something I often do is store things like this in the microwave so they are out of the way.
Set the dining table ready for tomorrow.
In the evening, just before you go to bed, mix up the focaccia dough (it will only take 5 mins) and leave it covered on the countertop overnight.
ON THE DAY
When you wake up, preheat the oven to 400 °F (200 °C) and carry on with the Focaccia as per the directions so that it's baked and you have the oven freed up. It will take you no time at all to get it in the oven. Once it's done, transfer it to a cooling tray and leave it until dinner time.
Take the meatloaf out of the fridge in the morning and leave it come to room temperature. If you forget this step, don't worry, just cook it for 5 minutes longer.
Make the Cranberry Pecan Brussels Sprout Salad sometime in the morning (reserving the nuts to add when serving to retain the crunch). Use your food processor to shred the Brussels sprouts. It makes it so easy. You can even dress it now (the dressing is all ready in the fridge remember!). Have it in the salad bowl you plan on serving it in and cover it with cling wrap. If you can, put it in the fridge, but if there is no room it will be ok on the counter top for a few hours.
Clean and prepare the vegetables that you will be serving on the side and have them ready in your steamer or in a pan for later.
About 1 hour 50 minutes before you want to serve up, preheat the oven to 375°F (190 8C). Once it's to temperature unwrap the meatloaf and bake it for about 1 hour as directed in the recipe.
After the meatloaf has been in the oven for about 30 minutes, parboil the potatoes as per the roasted potato directions, then coat with aquafaba and semolina and tip out onto a lined tray and spread them out so they don't touch each other.
Remove the meatloaf from the oven, cover the whole thing in some foil, pressing it tightly around it whilst wearing oven gloves, so that all the heat stays in, and leave it resting on a trivet or cutting board on the counter. Don’t be tempted to peek because we want to keep the heat in. Turn the oven up to 450*F (230 °C).
Roast the potatoes in the hot oven on the top shelf. The potato directions say to roast for 25 minutes, flip them, then roast for 20 minutes more, but today I want you to roast them for 30 minutes, then turn the oven down to 400°F (200°), flip them all over then put them back in the oven.
Right after flipping the potatoes, sprinkle the Green Bean Casserole topping over the filling and put it in the oven with the roast potatoes. Cook them both for a further 25 minutes.
Make sure the cranberry sauce and focaccia bread are on the dining table. Give the salad a quick toss, sprinkle it with the nuts and a few dried cranberries and pomegranate arils (if using), and put it on the table too.
Steam or boil the vegetables you will be serving on the side about 10 to 15 minutes before the potatoes and Green Bean Casserole will be done, and put the gravy in a small pan and warm it through gently on the stovetop.
If you did make the Yorkshire Puddings and freeze them, as soon as the potatoes and Green Bean Casserole are removed from the oven, turn the oven up to the hottest setting. Put the frozen puddings (straight from the freezer) on a baking tray and cook them for 6 to 8 minutes while you get everything else on the table.
Serve everything up, (not forgetting the Yorkshire Puddings still in the oven if you included them) but before you go off to enjoy your feast, set the oven to 350°F (175 °C) and quickly pop the Cranberry Apple Pear Crumble in the oven to warm through while you eat. It will take about 30 minutes.
Don't forget to take the ice cream out of the freezer about 5 minutes before you want to eat the crumble so it has a chance to soften.
You did it! Relax and enjoy your dinner with a big glass of wine or 3!