Meat-free Christmas

Craving a meat-free Christmas? Long gone are the days when vegetarians and vegans were reduced poor food substitutes or just the two vegs of a meal. With more than 3.5 million Brits now identifying as vegan. Plant-based diets are more popular than ever before. We’ve tried  some of the new range of vegan and vegetarian festive food from Tesco. Hosting a dinner party with veggie or vegan guests doesn’t need to be a panic-inducing ordeal. Now hosts can impress guests with plant-based centrepieces, tasty sides and even delectable vegetable canapés. The variety was superb and I was impressed with the quality and scrumminess!

MAINS

Vegan Stuffed Butternut Squash, 710g, £10 (Vegan) Sweet butternut squash, stuffed with a tangy beetroot and apple filling that has been cooked with a touch of sherry vinegar and garlic to complement the creamy squash. Finished with a topping of crunchy pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

Cauliflower Wellington, 450g, £6 (Vegan) This British-grown whole cauliflower is generously coated in turmeric oil, followed by a mushroom and butternut squash Duxelles sauce, rich in red wine and warming Christmas spices of cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon. The cauliflower is then carefully hand-wrapped in golden, flaky puff pastry, and decorated with hand-placed pastry leaves and sprinkled with onion seeds to finish. A perfect centrepiece for Christmas Day.

SIDES

Spiced Parsnip Mash, 450g, £2.00 (Vegetarian) A twist on a classic mash recipe, this festive parsnip mash is spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon to make it extra Christmassy. A touch of honey gives the mash a rich, creamy and sweet texture, a festive accompaniment to any Christmas feast.

Red Cabbage and Apple, 300g, £2.00 (Vegetarian) Braised red cabbage is a classic accompaniment to any Christmas dinner. Flavoured with tangy apple, cinnamon, cloves and red wine and taking the hassle out of making it from scratch, the cabbage has been reduced to create the perfect texture that still has some bite.

Tesco Christmas Shapes Roasting Tray, 300g, £1.75 (Vegan) Ready to roast, everyone around the table will love this selection of seasonal shapes including stars and Christmas trees, made from sweet potato, butternut squash and swede.

CANAPÉS

Tesco Finest Brie and Cranberry Filos, 218g, £2.60 (Vegetarian) These hand made bite-sized filo parcels featuring the classic Christmas combination of brie and cranberry can feed hungry guests during festive parties throughout the season and into the New Year.

Tesco Finest Wild Mushroom Pâté Kilner, 125g, £4.00 (Vegetarian) This pâté Is made with a blend of wild and roasted mushrooms, onions, rosemary and thyme. Crème fraiche and cream cheese is added for extra creaminess. The pâté is finished with nutmeg, tarragon and lemon juice and topped with a caramelised shallot and red wine chutney for an extra festive aroma.

Tesco Finest Thai Inspired Butternut, Coconut and Lemongrass Rolls, 208g, £5 (Vegan) These Thai-style hand-wrapped spring rolls are filled with creamy coconut and butternut squash, topped with coconut, parsley and smoky paprika.

Tesco Vegan Roll Selection, 270g, £2 (Vegan) This selection includes three Moroccan Spiced Cauliflower Rolls with roasted cauliflower, sultanas and harissa, wrapped in puff pastry with a turmeric and fennel seed crumb; three Roasted Butternut Rolls containing roasted butternut squash, spiced pearl barley and herbs, wrapped in puff pastry with a mixed seed crumb; and three Katsu Rolls – katsu curry vegetables, wrapped in puff pastry and sprinkled with a katsu crumb.

Tesco Finest 12 Mushroom Arancini Bites with Caramelised Onion Dip, 280g, £4 (Vegetarian) Mouthfuls of chestnut and porcini mushroom risotto, with a white wine and three cheese sauce in crisp breadcrumbs. The caramelised onion dip adds a sweet accent to the bites.

Also the canapes can all be cooked at the same temperature -which makes life so much easier! Take a look at Tesco Christmas food