Easy Vegetarian Brunch Recipes
The holidays are quickly coming upon us, so here are some of my best vegetarian brunch recipes! Many of these can be made beforehand so you don’t miss out on the fun! Or they can easily be made during the family gathering as part of the merry-making preparing it together.
Let’s first start with some easy vegetarian brunch recipe ideas and menus! Here are ten vegetarian Christmas recipes that you love!
Vegetarian Brunch Recipe and Menu Ideas
Make Ahead Christmas Breakfast Ideas
When I think about fix-it-and-forget-it breakfasts, I think about vegetarian Christmas casseroles, vegetarian breakfast strata, and a variety of baked goods like muffins and coffee cakes.
The first half of these vegetarian Christmas menu ideas can be almost completely made ahead of time, while the last three menus can be partially made ahead of time but need to be finished right before serving. It can be a fun idea to enlist help from your guests to help with the last-minute touches as a fun family and friend activity.
Vegetarian Brunch Menu
Vegetarian Chilaquiles Menu One
Vegetarian Chilaquiles with Butternut Squash & Poblano Pepper
Orange and Cherry Fruit Salad
Coffee, Hot Tea, or Hot Chocolate
Vegetarian Breakfast Menu Two
Cheese Breakfast Strata Casserole
Mini Sweet Potato Dessert
Wild Blueberry Non-alcoholic Sangria
Easy Huevos Rancheros Recipe Menu Three
You can make almost everything ahead of time except for the eggs, which can be prepared quickly while everything else is removed and the beans are warmed up in the microwave or stove.
Huevos Rancheros Vegetarian
Tomato Cilantro Fresh Salsa
Bloody Mary Mocktail
Berry Coffeecake Recipes Menu Four
A salad with protein could be a delicious pairing with this cake in addition to these high-protein plant-based breakfast sausages.
Low Fodmap Cranberry Walnut Coffee Cake
Tempeh Pecan Sausage
Orange Missouri Mule
Breakfast Scramble Menu Five
Vegan Breakfast Scramble
Southwestern Potato Salad
Apple Cider Punch
Vegetarian Breakfast Bowl Menu Six
Make the layers of this easy breakfast bowl ahead of time, then put it together in individual bowls and heat separately just before serving. If you have heat-proof bowls, that would work perfectly, but heating each in a microwave also works.
Veggie breakfast Bowls
Orange Avocado, Strawberry Walnut Spinach Salad
Mexican Hot Chocolate
Vegan Breakfast Salad Menu Seven
Vegan Breakfast Salad
Pumpkin Donuts or Muffins
Hot Wassail
Healthy Breakfast Tacos Recipe Menu Eight
Breakfast Tacos Vegetarian
Colorful Mexican Cabbage Slaw
Blueberry Tropical Smoothie
Easy Gluten-Free Pancake Recipe Menu Nine
Gluten-free Cornmeal Blueberry Pancakes
Bacon Tempeh
Orange Juice
Breakfast Burritos Vegetarian Menu Ten
Breakfast Burritos Vegetarian
Pear Bread Pudding
Chai Eggnog
Vegetarian Brunch Recipes for the Holidays
Here are the easy vegetarian brunch recipes for your holiday season. I hope that you will enjoy them!
Menu One
Butternut Squash, Poblano Pepper & Coconut Vegetarian Chilaquiles
These vegetarian chilaquiles feel warm and cozy! It is gluten-free because it uses corn tortillas and arrowroot starch for the thickening. I made the sauce out of coconut milk, giving it a rich flavor to make the cheese sauce, but feel free to use vegan or no cheese to make this menu totally plant-based!
4-6 servings
One small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into bite-sized pieces
One poblano stemmed, seeded, and cut into bite-sized pieces
One can of black beans, rinsed and drained
One tablespoon olive oil
One can of coconut milk
One teaspoon of ground cumin
1 cup white cheddar cheese (use vegan cheese if desired to make vegan)
One tablespoon of chili powder
1 cup kale or arugula
One tablespoon Earth Balance margarine
Two teaspoons of arrowroot starch
Two tablespoons of water
Six corn tortillas
Optional toppings
Salsa
Sliced avocados & sliced grape tomatoes
Light sour cream or yogurt
Chopped cilantro
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the butternut squash in half and roast until it is just beginning to get soft. Turn the heat down to 350 degrees. Allow to cool, peel, and cut into bite-sized pieces. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and sauté the butternut squash and poblano until they begin to soften. Take the skillet off the heat and cool.
Add drained beans and greens. In a small bowl, whisk arrowroot starch into water. In a medium saucepan, melt Earth Balance chili powder and cumin. Add coconut milk. Slowly whisk arrowroot slurry into the coconut milk and allow it to thicken. Please take off the heat and allow it to cool. After cooling it but still warm, stir in 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and let it melt. Cut corn tortillas into pieces that fit into an eight-by-eight pan.
Grease an eight-by-eight baking pan and grease with Earth Balance. Add a small coconut cream sauce and 1/3 corn tortillas to layer the casserole. Add 1/2 cup vegetable mixture and 1/3 of the coconut cream sauce. Add the next 1/3 of the corn tortillas and vegetable mixture.
Finally, top off the casserole with coconut cream sauce. You can allow the casserole at this point to sit in your refrigerator for a day, and when it’s time to bake for 30-40 minutes until it is bubbly, top it with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes.
Hot Chocolate
Check out this delicious hot chocolate mocktail recipe.
Menu Two
Vegetarian Breakfast Strata
I love the thought of making cheese breakfast strata casserole the day before, and just popping it in the oven makes it very appealing! It makes 4-6 servings without doubling. Many greens can be a local food this time of year!
- Butter or Earth Balance margarine for greasing the baking dish
- Four thick slices of hearty whole-wheat/wholemeal or multigrain artisan bread {I used some wholegrain bread that my husband made)
- Two large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup milk
- 8 oz grated Fontina cheese or locally made cheese {about 1 cup}
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup sauteed greens
- 1/2 cup of caramelized onions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a small 4-cup ovenproof baking dish.
Remove the crusts from the bread if desired and cut them into slices. This should make about 3 cups. Lay the slices on the bottom of the baking dish; they can overlap slightly, and some edges hang over the side of the pan.
Whisk together the eggs and milk in a large bowl. Add half of the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Pour three-fourths of the egg mixture over the bread cubes. Add sauteed greens and caramelized onions. Pour the remaining egg mixture over the top and finish with the cheese.
You can bake the strata immediately or save them to make later by covering them with plastic wrap and refrigerating them overnight. Then, they’ll be ready for your holiday brunch! Bake the vegetarian breakfast strata until just set, 30 to 35 minutes.
Let cool slightly and serve in the baking dish. This recipe easily doubles for a large crowd, and watch it disappear at every holiday brunch or potluck. Bake for 1 hour in a 9-by-13-inch pan. If you have additional guests coming, you can double the recipe.
Mini Sweet Coconut Potato Casserole
Check out this recipe for this delicious sweet potato dessert.
Menu Three
Festive Wild Blueberry Sangria
Here is the recipe for this delicious blueberry holiday beverage.
Wild Blueberry Huevos Rancheros Vegetarian
Tomato Cilantro Fresh Salsa
Much of this easy huevos rancheros recipe and tomato salsa can be made ahead for a quick brunch recipe!
Bloody Mary Mocktail
This delicious Bloody Mary mocktail will provide comfort and joy without the alcohol!
Menu Four
Cranberry Walnut Coffee Cake
Here is the link to a delicious cranberry coffee cake recipe.
Tempeh Pecan Sausage
Using the flax egg instead of the egg becomes a delicious vegan breakfast sausage recipe.
Orange Missouri Mule
Here is the recipe for a refreshing orange mocktail!
Menu Five
Vegan Breakfast Scramble
This vegetarian Christmas breakfast idea makes an easy and delicious meal! I hope that you enjoy this breakfast scramble recipe. I love a Mexican tempeh recipe idea!
Southwestern Potato Salad
Try this breakfast diced potato recipe.
Apple Cider Punch
Here is a tasty apple cider punch.
Menu Six
Best Breakfast Bowls
Veggie Breakfast Bowls
This Christmas vegetarian breakfast bowl uses a meat chorizo substitute called No Evil Foods Plant Meat, available in my hometown of Asheville. I used sweet potatoes and spinach, but you can use a variety of food combinations for these breakfast bowls! Change the ingredients based on the seasons!
These would also be delicious with eggs and cheese if you like! If you can’t find No Evil Foods, Field Roast also makes a great vegan chorizo.
Breakfast Bowl Ingredients
Makes 4-6 vegetarian breakfast bowls
1/2 cup of stoned ground grits
Two baked sweet potatoes, firm enough to cube
1 pound of spinach, washed and drained well
Two large links No Evil Foods chorizo (or another meat substitute equivalent
Olive oil to cook chorizo
How to make breakfast bowls:
To make grits: let 2 1/4 cups water boil, and take 1/2 cup grits, turn down the heat below, and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and one tablespoon of your choice of fat, whether it be olive oil or Earth Balance tub margarine.
You will have to stir often to prevent grits from sticking and scorching. You may need additional water. These grits will finish cooking in about 30-40 minutes, depending on if they are okay or coarse ground. You can taste them to see if they are done. They can also be cooked ahead of time and reheated to make your bowls quick.
Crumble or chop chorizo in a small amount of oil in a skillet and cook until crispy and crunchy. Drain, if necessary, on a paper towel. The chorizo is spicy, so if you need a mild version, try their Italian “sausage.” Layer the grits, sweet potatoes, and spinach, and top with chorizo! You can top it with cheese if desired.
This makes a delicious vegan Christmas breakfast without the cheese or eggs.
Orange Avocado, Strawberry Walnut Spinach Salad
Can you eat salad for breakfast?
You can eat a salad anytime that you like. Just make sure that it’s a tasty one! This Orange Avocado, Strawberry Walnut Spinach Salad would be a delicious side with a veggie breakfast bowl.
Mexican Hot Chocolate
One year, my grandson asked for this Mexican hot chocolate for the holidays, and I became a fan. Proceeds from some of the sales go to protecting the Monarch butterfly.
Menu Seven
Breakfast Salad
Can you eat salad for breakfast?
Yes, you can! Having a salad for breakfast is a delicious way to add more vegetables to your diet! One of my favorite breakfast spots in my neighborhood in West Asheville is the Sunny Point Cafe.
They are known for many legendary dishes, and one of my favorites is their breakfast salad. Theirs inspired my breakfast recipe below. It is something special to have for a breakfast brunch! This can be a vegan breakfast salad if you skip the eggs and cheese.
Makes four servings.
4 cups mixed lettuce
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
Four eggs prepared your favorite way, like mine, scrambled
Add roasted potatoes and a choice of breakfast protein.
Drizzle with Mustard Maple Dressing (below) and top salad with pecans if desired.
Recipe of tofu bacon (see below)
Recipe of roasted potatoes (see below)
Make the dressing, tofu, and potato recipes. Add lettuce and carrots to 4-6 bowls. Scramble the eggs. Next, add potatoes, tofu, bacon, and eggs to the bowls. Drizzle mustard maple dressing over the top.
Mustard Maple Breakfast Salad Dressing
1/4 cup pecans, if desired
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup olive oil
One tablespoon of cider vinegar
Two teaspoon Lusty Monk Mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix the ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the salad.
Roasted potatoes
Three small potatoes
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Cube potatoes into small pieces. Toss potatoes with salt and pepper on a small board. Add to a small pan. Roast potatoes at the same time as tofu, and they should be done around the same time. Turn every 5 minutes.
Breakfast Tofu
Tofu has a bland flavor and takes on whatever seasonings you add. In this recipe, this marinade makes tofu into a tasty bacon!
14-ounce box, extra firm tofu, drained
To make tofu marinade:
One tablespoon of soy sauce
One teaspoon of sesame oil
One tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
One tablespoon sorghum
1/2 teaspoon fresh garlic (or substitute garlic oil)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Cut the tofu into three pieces, cutting cross-grain. Then, cut each of these pieces into four pieces and cut each of those pieces diagonally to make little triangles. Make the marinade mixture in a nine-by-12 12-glass pan.
Place the tofu in the marinade and bake at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes. The marinade should soak into the tofu, making it crisp.
Pumpkin Donuts or Muffins
These moist gluten-free pumpkin donuts and the Breakfast Salad make delicious breakfast ideas for vegetarians.
Hot Wassail
Try this best ever hot wassail recipe.
Breakfast Tacos Vegetarian
Mexican food and eggs are two of my favorite breakfast foods! A combination of the two is even better! I love this healthy breakfast taco recipe and burritos, tostadas, frittatas, and huevos rancheros! All of these combinations can be plant-based on meals or include lean meat.
Makes four servings
Meal prep breakfast tacos:
Four corn tortillas
Four eggs
1/4-1/2 cup of veggies of your choice, such as chopped onions, green peppers, and mushrooms
2-3 ounces of protein, if desired, of your choice of sausage, bacon, tofu, tempeh, or seitan desired
One tablespoon of olive oil
Toppings include greens such as scallions, cilantro, cabbage, lettuce, spinach, chopped bell pepper, and shredded cheese.
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the corn tortillas on a cookie sheet, brush both sides with two teaspoons of oil, and bake for 5 minutes.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a skillet and add vegetables. Saute them until they are soft. While the veggies are cooking, beat eggs in a small bowl and add salt and pepper.
Add eggs to the tortilla with fixings.
Colorful Mexican Cabbage Slaw
This beautiful Mexican Cabbage Slaw makes a beautiful topping for your tacos. Along with other fixings, prepare them ahead so breakfast comes together quickly, and everyone can top their own taco!
Wild Blueberry Tropical Smoothie
Here is a colorful smoothie recipe to add to the menu!
Menu Nine
Easy Gluten-Free Pancake Recipe
This gluten-free pancake batter is also low fodmap! You can mix the dry ingredients the night before, and in the morning, mix the other ingredients and make breakfast together!
You can marinate the tempeh bacon ahead of time, cook it ahead of time, and reheat it. You can also cook them when your family is helping you make the pancakes on a large griddle, so most of them are done quickly so everyone can eat simultaneously!
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These gluten-free pancakes with almond flour also contain cornmeal and blueberries!
Tempeh Bacon
This tempeh bacon recipe can be cooked and added in the morning. It makes a great sandwich and a great vegetarian lunch! Be brave and try some tempeh, and let me know what your experience is with my tempeh bacon recipe!
Tempeh Bacon Marinade
This bacon starts with tempeh bacon
1/8 cup maple syrup or brown sugar
One teaspoon of liquid smoke or smoked paprika
Two tablespoons of cider vinegar
One teaspoon of black pepper
One tablespoon garlic oil
How to cook tempeh bacon
Mix maple syrup or brown sugar, liquid smoke or smoked paprika, vinegar, garlic powder, and pepper in a 9-inch Pyrex pie plate.
Take the block of tempeh, cut it into strips about 1/4 inch thick, and marinate it for about 30 minutes, turning it over once.
Heat a skillet and add the olive oil. Add the tempeh (keeping the remaining tempeh on the plate) and cook for 2-3 minutes, then turn over and cook a little more.
I want to add the rest of the marinade and cook this flavor in tempeh. When browned on both sides, remove it from the skillet.
Makes enough for 3-4 sandwiches.
To make sandwiches, put toasted bread on top, add lettuce or other salad greens, tomato, mayonnaise, and mustard. You can also use this bacon tempeh recipe as a side dish.
Orange Juice
Squeeze your own or try a freshly squeezed, already packaged one.
Menu Ten
Tempeh, Sweet Potato Spinach Burrito
I like to make my best vegetarian breakfast burrito for lunch or supper! This breakfast burrito vegetable inspiration came from one I had in Boone, NC, about ten years ago at a restaurant that is no longer there. It has been enjoyed by vegetarians and meat eaters alike. Toasting the tempeh in the skillet gives it a beautiful brown color and a nutty flavor.
Makes 4-6 servings
One large sweet potato, organic if possible, and local
One package of tempeh (I like to use the local Smiling Hara Smoked Salt and Pepper)
2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed and drained ( if you are sensitive to oligos, choose lentils or garbanzo beans)
1/2 medium onion chopped (or the greens of scallions if you are sensitive to oligos)
1-2 cloves garlic minced or substitute 1 teaspoon of garlic oil if you are sensitive to oligios
One teaspoon of ground cumin
One tablespoon chili powder Here is a low fodmap chili powder.
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups fresh spinach or other local greens
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (I have been using some from my window seal).
1/2 cup salsa (if you are looking for one without onions or garlic
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4-6 whole wheat tortillas
Breakfast Burrito Prep:
To Roast Sweet Potatoes and Onions: Cube sweet potatoes into 1/2 by 1/2 pieces. Place on a cookie sheet and toss with about one teaspoon of olive oil. Roast in oven at 425 degrees and add onion. Roast for 5-8 minutes or until potatoes and onion are soft and caramelized.
To make tempeh, cut the tempeh into 1/2 by 1/2 pieces. Saute it in a small amount of oil in a cast iron skillet on medium heat, turning every 5 minutes, until browned on most sides. Add chili powder, cumin, and garlic to brown lightly. Add about 1/3 cup of water, turn down low, and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Mix sweet potatoes and tempeh. Add your choice of beans or skip them if desired. Add 1 cup filling, 1/3 cup spinach, one tablespoon cheese, and one tablespoon salsa to assemble a burrito.
Roll it up like a burrito, or fold it in half like below. You can make a quesadilla or even use it for nacho filling! You can also add sour cream or Greek yogurt and guacamole if desired!
Other vegetarian breakfast burritos filling ideas include tofu, broccoli, tomatoes, potatoes, mushrooms, and bell pepper.
This makes a delicious Mexican tempeh recipe!
Pear Bread Pudding
Chai Egg Nog
Here is a refreshing Chai Eggnogg.
If your holiday celebration includes a smaller breakfast instead of brunch, here is a little twist from the usual oatmeal.
Breakfast Quinoa with Apples and Pecans
Where I live, local apples are excellent in the fall and winter unless you are lucky enough to have a “keeper apple.” As we head into spring, you can use local produce like strawberries and, in the summer, a variety of black, blue, raspberries, and peaches. Next fall, in addition to apples, try pears and figs. When fresh fruit is sparse in the winter, try drying and freezing fruit during the season for a welcome treat when it’s cold and dark outside!
Makes two servings.1/2 cup light coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup rinsed quinoa
Two teaspoons of pure maple syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of ground cardamon
Pinch of salt
One chopped apple (or you can substitute for berries or use less apple if you are sensitive to it)
¼ cup pecans
Bring milk, water, and quinoa to a boil in a small saucepan. Cover and simmer. Cook until most coconut milk is absorbed (about 12-15 minutes). Remove from stove and stir in maple syrup, cardamon, and chopped apples. Top with pecans.
As a nutritionist in Asheville, I hope you love these ten vegetarian Christmas breakfast recipes. Stay tuned for more recipes on the Vine Ripe Nutrition blog all season long! If you enjoy plant-based eating and want to learn more about its health benefits, you might be interested in signing up for A Fresh Approach to Plant-based Eating!
In addition, here are some additional recipes for the holidays!
Christmas, Hannukah & New Years
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Italian Christmas Soup (vineripenutrition.com)
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Dessert
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This post may inspire you if you want to make handmade holiday items. You may also enjoy learning more about the season of hygge here!
