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Credit:
©️Catherine Black
Opinion A very Nanna Christmas: 12 plant-based recipes for your festive table
Christmas at Nanna’s is all about gathering around those well-loved dishes that bring everyone together. You know the kind — recipes that fill the kitchen with familiar smells, bring everyone to the table, and always have you going back for just one more serving.
But when Nanna Mirella’s granddaughter Claudia went vegan, she feared it meant giving up those family recipes she’d grown up with. But Nanna didn’t see her granddaughter’s new way of eating as an obstacle. Instead, she saw it as an opportunity to create plant-based versions of all her most-loved recipes and for them to build new traditions — together.
This Christmas, we’re taking a leaf out of Nanna Mirella’s (cook)book and bringing vegan versions of her most-loved dishes to the festive table. From her famous lasagne and homemade gnocchi to marble cake and apple frittole, these dishes show that a plant-based Christmas can still feel very much like home.
Consider this your 12 days of Christmas, Nanna-style: a dozen delicious plant-based recipes, made with love and made to be shared. Whether you’re cooking for a crowd of plant-based guests or simply looking to try something new, here are some of Nanna’s most delicious dishes to inspire your festive spread…
1. Nanna’s Marble Cake
A little slice of old-school Nanna magic for the Christmas dessert table. This chocolate–vanilla marble cake is jazzed up with lemon zest and a splash of vermouth, then finished with a snowy dusting of icing sugar. A boozy beauty that looks right at home among the Christmas treats, it’s the perfect way to finish a festive feast.
2. Nanna’s Meatballs
Credit:
©️Catherine Black
Nanna’s plant-based meatballs are a perfect side, showstopping main, or straight-out-the-pan snack while your fam puts together the festive spread. Simmered in rich Napoli sauce and vegan parmesan, we guarantee you won’t be able to stop at one.
3. Nanna’s Carrot Cake
There’s always room for cake at Christmas, right? This aromatic spiced carrot cake combines grated carrot, apple, sultanas, walnuts and a hint of lemon, topped with a vegan cream cheese icing. Best served with a cuppa when Christmas lunch inevitably turns into an all-arvo affair.
4. Nanna’s Lasagne
The dish that started it all! Nanna’s famous lasagne layers rich plant-based Bolognese, pasta, and plenty of vegan cheese, baked until bubbling and golden. Lasagne has a way of making any gathering feel like a proper family occasion, and Nanna’s is no different — just 100% plant-based (and grandkid-approved).
5. Nanna’s Apple Frittole
Looking to finish with something sweet? These little apple frittole are made with grated Pink Lady apples, orange zest, cinnamon and sultanas, and finished with a dusting of icing sugar. Serve them warm and watch them disappear in seconds.
6. Nanna’s Eggplant Schnitzels
Nanna’s eggplant schnitzels are sure to bring some crunch to the Christmas table. Coated in breadcrumbs and fried until golden, sprinkle with parmesan, pile them onto a platter, and serve with Napoli sauce for dipping. Yum!
7. Nanna’s Zucchini Chips
This crispy dish gives the humble zucchini a very snackable makeover. Coated in batter and shallow-fried until crunchy, Nanna’s zucchini chips are a perfect side, snack, or quick nibble to put out while everyone waits for lunch.
8. Nanna’s Sautéed Potato & Silverbeet
Some of the best sides are the simplest. Nanna’s sautéed potato and silverbeet is a comforting combination of tender potatoes and greens cooked with garlic, olive oil and chilli. It’s a great option if you’re looking for a veggie-packed dish to offset all the indulgence.
9. Nanna’s Gnocchi
You truly can’t go wrong with a big bowl of homemade gnocchi. These gnocchi are soft, pillowy, and best made in generous quantities. Best served with Nanna’s Napoli and alongside cringy Christmas cracker gnocc gnocc jokes!
10. Nanna’s Apple Cake
This timeless apple cake is the kind of dessert that’s delicious without making a fuss. Studded with sultanas and spiced with cinnamon, it’s lovely for afternoon tea, a late-night snack, or even a cheeky Boxing Day breakfast.
11. Festive Roast
While this recipe isn’t Nanna’s, it’s officially been Nanna-approved! This festive roast is stuffed with a savoury filling made of walnuts, tofu, and cranberries, wrapped in a golden, flaky puff pastry. It’s the perfect Christmas centrepiece for your plant-based spread.
12. Italian Trifle
We’d argue it’s not really Christmas without a trifle — plus, you’ve always gotta finish with something sweet! This plant-based Zuppa Inglese is an elegant Italian trifle-style dessert featuring soft sponge cake, velvety custard, and a dreamy, whipped topping. This recipe has us officially counting down the days ‘til Christmas!
There’s room for everyone at Nanna’s festive table
Credit:
©️Catherine Black
These plant-based versions of Nanna’s most-loved recipes prove that Christmas traditions can evolve and still feel like home.
Plus, when the menu expands, the table does, too. Suddenly there’s room for the grandkid who’s gone vegan, the cousin cutting back on meat, and even the family friend who’s always leaned a bit veggie (and always goes back for seconds).
After all, while the magic of Christmas lunch is about the food on the table, it’s also about sharing it with the people we love 💚
Happy cooking, happy holidays, and have yourself a very Nanna Christmas! 
Win Nanna’s festive hamper!
Want to bring some of Nanna’s Christmas magic home? We’ve packed a festive hamper worth over $550, filled with plant-based treats and goodies. Enter now for your chance to win! Entries close 6 December. Terms and conditions apply.
Meet Kelsie!
Kelsie is a writer, editor, and storyteller with a passion for plants, puns and making a difference. A longtime vegan, animal advocate, and dedicated plant-based foodie, she loves wordplay almost as much as she loves tofu. When she’s not writing about (or eating) delicious vegan food, you’ll find her making music with her band, Damaged Goods Club, or playing with her two loveable rescue cats, Smol Cat and Pikachu.
