food
By Katherine Gillen
•
Published Dec 15, 2020
Additional reporting by
Taryn Pire
Navigating the holiday table can be tough when you’re avoiding dairy. But it’s not all butter-laden cookies and creamy eggnog. There are plenty of dairy-free options that still feel festive and fancy. From appetizers to desserts, here are 36 dairy-free holiday recipes everyone can enjoy.
RELATED
17 Dairy-Free Holiday Side Dishes That Are Still Totally Decadent
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Aran Goyoaga
1. Roasted Winter Vegetable Platter With Miso Aioli And Romesco Sauce
If you ask us, it’s just not a holiday without a robust crudités spread. This one skips the typical ranch dip in favor of two irresistible vegan options.
Get the recipe
The Fearless Baker
2. Gluten-free Flourless Cocoa Cookies
These beauties are made without flour or butter for maximum chocolaty goodness, and since the recipe calls for bittersweet chocolate (as opposed to milk), they’re totally dairy-free.
Get the recipe
Jacqui Melville/Apple
3. Cauliflower, Pomegranate And Apple Salad
It’s as festive as it is delicious, thanks to crisp apples, deepy caramelized cauliflower and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds at the end.
Get the recipe
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Aran Goyoaga
4. Radicchio, Lentil And Apple Salad With Vegan Cashew Dressing
A creamy dressing sans actual cream? You better believe it. (Psst: You can also sub the dressing anywhere you’d use ricotta cheese.)
Get the recipe
Nisha Vora
5. Vegan & Gluten-free Dark Chocolate Ginger Tart
Sometimes dairy-free desserts can taste a little healthy, if you know what we mean. This one is the total opposite.
Get the recipe
A New Way to Food
6. Salmon And Fennel Dinner Salad
Plant-based yogurt lends the dressing an indulgent feel, but it’s actually pretty healthy. (So you can eat more cookies, of course.)
Get the recipe
Henry Hargreaves/Avocaderia
7. Avocado Chocolate Mousse
It’s so rich and intensely chocolaty that no one will suspect it’s made from something green. We’re sneaky like that.
Get the recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
8. Balsamic Cranberry Roast Chicken
Hands off? Check. Minimal cleanup? Check. Yep, we’re making this ASAP.
Get the recipe
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Heath Goldman
9. Delicata Squash Rings With Garlic-lemon Sauce
Want to know a secret? You can doctor up store-bought mayonnaise and pretend it’s a homemade aioli. So fancy.
Get the recipe
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Heath Goldman
10. Crispy Bacon-wrapped Brussels Sprouts
These will definitely stand out in a sea of sad party appetizers. Make a double batch—they’ll go fast.
Get the recipe
Photo: Michael Marquand/Styling: Jake Cohen
11. French Onion Brisket
Skip the decorative centerpieces and let this stunner—courtesy of our chef in residence Jake Cohen—have the spotlight.
Get the recipe
Michael Graydon and Nikole Herriott/Nothing Fancy
12. Alison Roman’s Swordfish With Crushed Olives And Oregano
You’re ten ingredients and 30 minutes away from an elegant main course.
Get the recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
13. Dairy-free Butternut Squash ‘fondue’
Who said cheese eaters get to have all the fun? This squash fondue is just as dippable as the real thing.
Get the recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
14. No-bake, Gluten-free Rose Petal Brownies
Swap the rose petals for red and green sprinkles if you want to get extra festive.
Get the recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
15. Pistachio-crusted Pork Tenderloin With Apple And Escarole Salad
Nope, pork tenderloin isn’t a sad, dry relic from the early 2000s. It’s actually a buttery, tender meal that comes together on a single sheet pan.
Get the recipe
Erin McDowell
16. Whole Roasted Carrots
Looking for a simple yet elegant side dish with a ton of flavor? Look no further.
Get the recipe
Ellen Silverman/Everyday Dorie
17. Dorie Greenspan’s Roasted Acorn Squash Wedges
Serve these as a side to a fancy cut of meat or paired with an uncomplicated green salad for a vegetarian main.
Get the recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
18. Vegan Golden Mylk Cheesecake
The trendy dairy-free beverage got a sweet, silky, almost-no-bake makeover. Can we have a second slice?
Get the recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
19. Pomegranate-maple Glazed Lamb Chops
If it’s too cold to fire up the grill, you can make these chops just as easily in a super-hot cast-iron skillet.
Get the recipe
Chloe Flavor
20. Vegan Butternut Mac And ‘cheese’ With Smoky Shiitake ‘bacon’
Make this and everyone will think you’re a professional chef. (Or a magician.)
Get the recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
21. Spicy Orange-honey Glazed Ham
It’s a holiday. There has to be a ham involved. Especially one that's this delicious.
Get the recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
22. Brussels Sprouts Latkes
These crispy guys are already dairy-free, just skip the side of sour cream. We promise you won’t miss it.
Get the recipe
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Aran Goyoaga
23. Vegan And Gluten-free Apple Blackberry Crumble Tart
Coconut oil takes the place of butter in this easy press-in crust. Even better, you can swap the fruit for any type your heart desires.
Get the recipe
24. Vegan Mashed Potatoes
Garlicky, fluffy and oh so creamy, thanks to vegan butter.
25. Green Bean Casserole
Bye, canned cream of mushroom. We're using cashew cream, vegetable broth and oil instead.
26. Honey Mustard Sheet-pan Chicken With Brussels Sprouts
There's no need to fuss over a whole holiday ham if you're only serving a few people. And this sheet-pan wonder will leave you with only *one* dirty dish.
Get the recipe
Henry Hargreaves/Avocaderia
27. Vegan Avocado Caesar Salad
You won't find any anchovies or dairy in this wow-worthy crowd-pleaser. (It's all about the cashew Parmesan.)
Get the recipe
Nicole Franzen/Food: What the Heck Should I Cook?
28. Roasted Beet And Citrus Salad
This gorgeous spread of multicolored produce is here to show you what citrus season is all about.
Get the recipe
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
29. Dairy-free Cheesecake With Blueberry Topping
We can't decide what we love more, the cashew-coconut milk base or the three-ingredient blueberry topping.
Get the recipe
Nisha Vora
30. Creamy Vegan Lentil And Roasted Vegetable Bake
Winter comfort food at its dairy-free finest. Crispy pine nut topping FTW.
Get the recipe
31. Easy Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
Oh, almond milk. What would we ever do without you?
AMANDA FREDERICKSON/SIMPLE BEAUTIFUL FOOD
32. Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Sriracha And Lime
We may or may not be planning to chop these beauties up for a killer meatless taco filling.
Get the recipe
Erin McDowell
33. Spicy Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Odds are you already have every ingredient you need for this ridiculously easy veggie side.
Get the recipe
Nisha Vora
34. Vegan Instant Pot Farro Risotto
We can hear your guests now: "Wait...is there really no cheese in this?" (The secret is white bean purée.)
Get the recipe
35. Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
Don't knock it 'til you try it. Serve it with sliced bread, crackers, pita chips or crudités.
36. Coconut Cinnamon Buns
Christmas morning just got a whole lot merrier.
RELATED
20 Allergy-Friendly Christmas Cookie Recipes Everyone Can Eat
Katherine Gillen
Senior Food Editor
Katherine Gillenis PureWow’s senior food editor. She’s a writer, recipe developer and food stylist with a degree in culinary arts and professional experience in New York City...
read full bio
Taryn Pire
Food Editor
Taryn Pire is PureWow’s food editor and has been writing about all things delicious since 2016. She’s developed recipes, reviewed restaurants and investigated food trends at...
read full bio