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10 delicious vegetarian Christmas main courses

From perfect pies and tarts to stuffed squash and impressive nut roasts, our top 10 vegetarian Christmas main courses prove that festive meat-free mains can be just as spectacular and delicious.

Stuffed hasselback squash
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Stuffed hasselback squash

Need a vegan main for your Christmas dinner? Look no further than this stuffed hasselback butternut squash recipe. A sweet and spicy glaze caramelises to complement the herby, fragrant stuffing and sweet, tender flesh of the squash. Serve with a side of Tenderstem broccoli for a vibrant main course that will impress everyone who tries it.

  1. Put all the stuffing ingredients except the spread and 5g parsley in a food processor and pulse until broken down. Add the spread and pulse again until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs; season.

  2. Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Lay each squash half cut-side down and slice into the skin at 0.5cm intervals, leaving 1-2cm uncut at the bottom.

  3. Turn each squash over and stuff the cavities with half the stuffing, pressing it in well. Transfer the squash to the prepared tray, stuffing side down. Rub with 1 tsp oil, season and roast for 30 mins.

  4. Mix the remaining oil with the sweet chilli sauce and 1½ tbsp maple syrup. Remove the squash from the oven and brush over half the mixture. Roast for another 10 mins, then brush over the remaining glaze. Roast for a further 10 mins.

  5. Meanwhile, mix the reserved squash seeds with the remaining 1 tsp maple syrup. Remove the squash from the oven, spoon over the remaining stuffing, letting it fall into the slits, and scatter over the seeds. Return to the oven and cook for 10-15 mins until golden and tender. Scatter over the remaining parsley, then slice lengthways and serve with steamed Tenderstem, if you like, along with your favourite vegan Christmas trimmings.

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  • Ingredients
  • 1 butternut squash (roughly 1kg), halved lengthways, seeds removed and reserved
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1½ tbsp sweet chilli sauce
  • 1½ tbsp maple syrup, plus 1 tsp
  • steamed Tenderstem broccoli, to serve (optional)
  • For the nutty stuffing
  • 50g walnuts
  • 50g porridge oats
  • 50g plain flour
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon​
  • pinch of ground nutmeg
  • 1 rosemary sprig, leaves picked and chopped
  • 15g fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 40g dairy-free spread