3 recipes to delight your vegetarian Christmas guests

Here are easy ways to use cauliflower, mushrooms and tomatoes to elevate a vegetarian plate.

Dec 23, 2023

Wait a minute. What are the vegetarians going to eat at Christmas?

The Christmas table contains ham, turkey, and maybe a standing rib roast, or porchetta.

It looks great. But there’s one problem.

Estimates vary on the number of Americans who consider themselves vegetarian. Some believe it’s 4% of the population, and others estimate twice that much. Vegetarians generally don’t eat meat, fish, or fowl and avoid stocks made from animals, according to the Vegetarian Society.

Mushroom risotto — Vegetarians don’t have to be left out of an excellent Christmas meal, like this mushroom risotto. (Photo credit: Adobe Stock)

One large study confuses matters even more because it stated up to 64% of vegetarians reported eating the aforementioned meat, fish, or fowl at least on occasion.

It’s no wonder people can be perplexed when cooking for those who say they’re vegetarian.

Still, it’s easy to make a scrumptious holiday meal while following the tenets of vegetarianism. Here are a few ideas, and each recipe serves four people.

Mushroom risotto with roasted cauliflower steaks

You’ll need 1-1/2 cups of Arborio rice, 4-1/2 cups of water, 8 ounces of shiitake mushrooms, 1 cup of peas; 1 large head of cauliflower cut into 4 thick pieces, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Mushrooms are a popular meat substitute because they’re thick and flavorful. Shiitakes have a rich flavor that will add bold character to the risotto. The cauliflower steaks make a perfect complement.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Slice the cauliflower into 4 steaks. Salt and pepper both sides, rub olive oil on both sides (about 1 teaspoon per side), and then carefully add to the parchment-lined baking sheet.
Place the steaks in the oven for 20 minutes, flip them, and cook them for 20 minutes more until tender and brown.
While the steaks cook, make the risotto. Following the package directions, add the risotto and mushrooms to the pan, and when cooked halfway, add the peas.
Add the risotto to a plate and top with the delicious browned cauliflower steak.

Stuffed portobello mushrooms

You’ll need 4 large portobello mushroom caps, one 16-ounce can of black beans, one 8.75-ounce can of corn, 1 medium-sized onion, 1 bell pepper, 2 tablespoons of cream cheese, 2 cups of cheddar cheese in all, and olive oil. If it’s too cold outside to grill, bake in a 400-degree oven.

Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Rinse the black beans. Dice 1/2 cup of onions and 1/2 cup of peppers. Add one tablespoon of oil to a skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add the beans, onions, peppers and corn to the skillet and cook for about two minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cream cheese and one cup of cheddar cheese to the skillet. Stir until the cheese is melted and thoroughly combined. Take the skillet off of the heat.
Gently remove the gills and stems from the mushrooms and clean the exterior to prepare them.
Coat both sides of the mushroom with olive oil and then place, cap side down, on the baking sheet. Divide the mixture into four heaping portions and gently stuff the portobello. (This makes a lot of stuffing. You can save some and use the filling for nachos or in tortillas.)
Bake for 10 minutes, remove the mushrooms, top with another 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese, and cook for another 10 minutes. The cheese will be melty and gooey.

A green salad makes a terrific accompaniment.

Pasta with tomatoes, garlic, and lemon

Ridiculously simple. Incredibly delicious.

You’ll need 8 ounces of pasta (any type will do, but farfalle works very well), one 12-ounce container of cherry tomatoes (sliced in half), 2 cloves of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of butter, 1/2 of a lemon (juiced), and 1/2 cup (or more) of reserved pasta water, 1/3 cup of chopped basil, 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.

Cook the pasta. Drain and reserve one cup of pasta water.
Place a skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add the butter, sliced tomatoes, and garlic. Cook until the tomatoes start to break down but retain their shape, about 3 minutes. Add in the lemon juice, pasta water, and Parmesan cheese. The mixture will thicken.
Add the cooked pasta to the mixture, stir, and top with basil.

Note: You may want to add more Parmesan or lemon, depending on your taste.

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