With Christmas festivities in full swing, it seems that many of us are already gearing up for the holiday ahead as #Christmascountdown trends in the UK, acquiring over 38M combined TikTok views*. But before we whip up our classic Christmas recipes – from the traditional roast turkey to the unmissable delights of a mince pie, curiosity for a #veganchristmasdinner is also turning heads, acquiring over 1.9M views alone.
With this in mind, the experts at DR.VEGAN have collated TikTok’s most sought-after traditional Christmas dishes in the UK to provide alternative ways to make these classic festive dishes vegan-friendly.
6 vegan-friendly alternatives for a traditional Christmas feast
Roast turkey – 17.4 million TikTok views
DR.VEGAN can reveal that many are looking to make a vegan alternative to roast turkey the most, acquiring over 17.4 million TikTok views. A Christmas dinner would not be complete without this classic main dish and if you are opting for a meat-free version, James Wythe from TikTok suggests making your own nut roast by adding a selection of nuts (walnuts, cashew etc) and dried apricot in a food processor then pulse. Then, combine additional ingredients such as onion, garlic, carrots and seasonings, along with flour and water before placing this in the oven until golden brown.
Gravy – 2.1 million TikTok views
Vegan gravy is next on the list, with over 2.1 million views on TikTok. Another classic item that we simply can’t miss out on in our Christmas dinner. According to Oli Brandon, whipping up your own vegan version has never been easier – start by simply browning onion, celery and repurposing peels from carrots or parsnips in a pan. Then, stir in your seasonings, tomato puree, flour and vegetable stock then let this simmer. Pass this through a sieve to squeeze out all the flavourful juice and make additional adjustments to your liking.
Pigs in blankets – 779.6 thousand TikTok views
Another Christmas classic, pigs in blankets acquired more than 700 thousand TikTok views for vegan recipes. While there is now a wide range of vegan bacon and sausage readily available to recreate this, Veganezer suggests using thinly sliced aubergine soaked in soy sauce and maple syrup dressing as a bacon substitute.
Stuffing – 537.1K thousand TikTok views
A Christmas dinner won’t be complete without stuffing, acquiring more than 537 thousand TikTok views. While there are a wide variety of stuffing recipes available, for a traditional sage stuffing, combine breadcrumbs, freshly chopped sage and sautéed onion then slowly add some vegetable stock – enough to form into a ball. Eleanor from TikTok suggests adding dried cranberries and chopped nuts to elevate your stuffing recipe.
Yorkshire pudding – 223.8 thousand TikTok views**
Yorkshire pudding is fifth on the list with 223.8 thousand combined views. When making your own vegan version, opt for vegan alternatives such as aquafaba (chickpea water) as substitute for eggs, or by using plant milks such as oat or cashew to make the batter.
Mince pie – 26.8 thousand TikTok views
Nothing conveys a classic Christmas food more than mince pies. A vegan-take on a traditional mince pie can easily be done by swapping regular dairy ingredients with vegan alternatives such as cold vegan butter to make a dairy-free crust. Veganandthat also suggests using a few splashes of cold orange juice to help bind the crust.
*According to TikTok insights for the term #christmascountdown in the United Kingdom recorded on Nov. 23rd 2023, and is accurate as of then but subject to change. Total views for #veganchristmasdinner was also collected from TikTok and is accurate as of Nov. 23rd 2023 but subject to change.
