Discover How to Prepare an Italian Vegan Holiday Meal: Recipes, Wines, and Gastronomic Experiences in Florence

Introduction:

This holiday season, we invite you to honor our animal friends and the planet by embracing a festive vegan feast. Celebrating tradition is wonderful, but introducing something new, especially something that reduces your carbon footprint, can be both fun and rewarding. Not only will the animals appreciate it, but your guests will relish the healthful alternatives to conventional holiday fare. As you’re likely aware, in Italy, food and wine are not just passions—they are a way of life, especially during the festive season. We gather with friends and family at every opportunity to share meals, celebrate, and, of course, plan the next delicious gathering!

Vegan Dinner Recipes:

Vegan Appetizers with Vegan Cheese:

Kick off your antipasti with a delightful twist by opting for cashew cheese instead of traditional cheese. This can be a purchased premade item or easily made at home. You’ll need 150g of natural cashew nuts, 1 ½ tablespoon of nutritional yeast, ½ lemon (juiced), 1 teaspoon of mustard, a pinch each of salt, garlic powder, and pepper, 30g of cranberries, and 20g of pumpkin seeds. After soaking the cashews and blending them with the other ingredients, shape the mixture into a “cheese” and refrigerate. Once set, garnish with cranberries and pumpkin seeds and serve with crackers or breadsticks for an appetizing start.

Vegan Homemade Pasta with Broccoli:

For the primo, a vegan lasagna is a fantastic alternative to the traditional meat-based lasagna, offering both comfort and taste. Our favorite is a vegan lasagna with pumpkin and broccoli (or cime di rapa), using a béchamel sauce made with oat milk. Ingredients for the béchamel include unsweetened oat milk, flour, olive oil, sunflower oil, nutritional yeast, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Layered with roasted pumpkin and blanched broccoli or cime di rapa, this lasagna is a hearty and satisfying first course.

Vegan Secondo: Seitan Stew:

If your guests have room for more, a seitan stew (spezzatino) serves as a wonderful vegan alternative to the traditional beef stew. Using veggie stock and seitan, this dish maintains the classic flavors while being entirely plant-based.

Join a Vegan Cooking Class in Florence to learn how to prepare traditional Italian dishes with a vegan twist

Dessert:

Keep it simple and refreshing with a selection of fresh, seasonal fruits.

Vegan Wines:

Pair each course with a vegan wine to complete the meal. Choose wines that are certified as vegan to guarantee they are free from any animal products. We suggest offering one bottle for every two guests to complement the meal perfectly.

Explore Vegan Wine Tours in Tuscany to discover organic vineyards offering exquisite vegan wines or check out our curated list of Vegan Wines perfect for any occasion.