5 Vegetarian Entree Recipes For Christmas

If you are looking for delicious, easy-to-make, vegetarian entree recipes for the Christmas season, any one of the following savory main entree dishes will be an instant hit with your family and friends. Enjoy!

Baked Acorn Squash with Spinach and Gorgonzola Cheese (from SparkPeople)

Ingredients:

•  2 acorn squash
•  10 oz. fresh spinach
•  1 tbsp. Gorgonzola cheese crumbles
•  1/2 tbsp. olive oil
•  Salt
•  Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Slice squash into four halves. Remove seeds.
3. Moisten halves with olive oil and add salt and pepper.
4. In baking dish, place the squash halves cut-side up and cook for 30 to 35 minutes.
5. Cook spinach and evenly distribute into squash halves.
6. Spread Gorgonzola cheese over spinach and bake in oven until cheese is melted.

Polenta with Zucchini and Tomatoes (from People for Ethical Treatment of Animals [PETA])

Ingredients:

• 2 medium zucchini, sliced
• 1 package ready-to-eat polenta, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tbsp. olive oil (optional)
• 1/4 cup tomato or spaghetti sauce
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1 tsp. salt

1. Sauté garlic in olive oil with salt, zucchini, tomato sauce and tomato. Stir occasionally until the zucchini is tender.
2. Slowly add polenta pieces and stir. Cook until well done and serve warm.

Cabbage Rolls (from The Veggie Table)

Ingredients:     

• 15 large green cabbage leaves
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 medium red or yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 7-1/2 oz. package of Spanish-style rice mix
• 15 oz. can stewed tomatoes with juice
• 10 oz. can tomato soup
• 2-1/2 oz. vegetarian ham or pepperoni, diced**
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup water   

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a large glass or ceramic baking dish.
2. Put cabbage in a large pot and cover with water. Cook over medium-high heat and bring to a brisk boil.
3. Reduce heat to simmer, add vinegar, cover and cook for ten minutes. Drain water, set aside and cool.
4. Prepare rice according package directions. Use the stewed tomatoes for the liquid tomato requirement. Set aside once prepared.
5. Sauté ham, onion and pepper for five to seven minutes, then add to the rice mixture.
6. Divvy up the mixture and evenly place a scoop inside each cabbage leaf. Tightly roll up the leaves and arrange seam-side down in the baking dish.
7. In a medium bowl, mix water and tomato soup. Slowly pour over cabbage rolls. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 90 minutes or until cabbage is soft and tender.

**Vegetarian and vegan ham, bacon and pork alternatives can be found in refrigerated "health food" sections at health food stores and online.

Seitan Roast with Mushroom Gravy ("Vegetarian Times," November 1991)

  Ingredients:

• 1 pound seitan
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cups onion, sliced
• 1-1/3 oz. tofu scrambler 
• 1 tbsp. fresh basil leaves, chopped 
• 1 tbsp. fresh sage leaves, chopped

1. Preheat a Dutch oven at medium-high heat.
2. Slice seitan into half-inch slices and cook in Dutch oven for about two minutes. Stir and place onions and mushrooms on top of seitan and continue cooking.
3. In a medium bowl, add sage, basil and water with the dry tofu scrambler. Mix well and pour over vegetables and seitan. Bring this mixture to a boil, then simmer until gravy thickens.

Harvest Wild Rice ("Gourmet," November 1994)

Ingredients:

• 2 large leeks (use white and pale green parts)
• 3 cups vegetable or imitation chicken broth
• 3 cups water     
• 3/4 cup wild rice
• 1/2 lb. dried flageolet or Great Northern beans
• 1/4 lb. shiitake mushrooms, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and chopped
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter

1. In a large saucepan, simmer beans, broth and water. Cover and cook for 40 to 45 minutes.
2. Add wild rice and simmer for another 45 minutes or until both the rice and beans are fully cooked and tender. Drain.
3. Cut leeks into one-half inch slices crosswise and soak for five to seven minutes. Swiftly agitate to dislodge any present sand, dirt or grit. Rinse and drain.
4. Sauté leeks, mushrooms and salt to taste in butter until tender, about four to five minutes.
5. Combine the rice and leek mixtures. Add cranberries and hazelnuts. Stir well and serve warm. The rice mixture can be made a day in advance. Cover and refrigerate. Add water when re-heating mixture.