Vegan Holiday Main: Holiday Dinner Torte

What’s a great vegan holiday main dish?

For as many years as I’ve been vegan (and that’s over 25 now), this question comes up during the holidays.

And, it seems to be a real source of stress when planning a holiday menu.

So, let’s remove that source of stress, yes?

Because the holidays – as fun as they are – do not need the added stress.

And, the food should be part of your fun, not your troubles!

So, let’s talk about your vegan holiday main dish. I have shared plant-based holiday mains in other posts, including my . Any of the recipes in will make for a delicious and festive vegan main course during the holidays (or anytime).

And, with the release of Dreena’s Kind Kitchen (I can now say my “award-winning cookbook“!), you have a full chapter of whole foods vegan holiday recipes.

Today, I’m highlighting one of those recipes from the book, my Holiday Dinner Torte!

This dinner torte, to me, really looks like a holiday main dish. It looks quite festive and also yields a sizeable dish. Pair with Golden Gravy and some other sides from my holiday chapter, and you’ll have quite a beautiful vegan holiday menu.

And, to round out your vegan holiday menu, have a look at this post for ideas. And, remember I have a full holiday recipes chapter in Dreena’s Kind Kitchen.

Finally, watch this video for more tips on cooking for the holidays…

Enjoy the recipe, and share your feedback in the comments. x Dreena

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4.50 from 4 votes

Holiday Dinner Torte

This will make a beautiful centerpiece for any holiday dinner, and looks so festive all flecked with cranberries and herbs. Plus, it offers traditional savory flavors that are homey and comforting. Serves 6-8.

Course entree, Main Course

Keyword chickpeas, christmas, holidays, thanksgiving

Equipment

• food processor
• 9" springform pan

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups diced apple not large chunks
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine or water
• 11/2 cups diced onion
• 2 large cloves garlic roughly chopped
• 2 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning (see note)
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt for saute
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cans 15-ounce chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 3 1/2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce, plus 1-2 tablespoons for topping
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves optional
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 1/2 tsp rounded salt (for puree)
• 21/2 cups cooked brown rice
• 3/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds + 2 tbsp for topping, see note
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 2 -3 tablespoons dried cranberries or sliced fresh cranberries, for topping (optional)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375. Prepare a 9" springform pan with a swipe of oil (optional). In a small bowl, toss the apples with the lemon juice and set aside.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Pour in the wine and add the onion, garlic, poultry seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Cook for 9–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened and is turning golden. If the mixture is sticking while cooking, add a few teaspoons of water. Use a teaspoon of water to deglaze the skillet after cooking.
• With a silicone spatula, scrape the contents of the skillet into a food processor. Add the chickpeas, 3 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire, tahini, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon sea salt to the food processor. Puree until fairly smooth, then add the brown rice, pumpkin seeds, and oats and pulse to mix. Scrape down the food processor and process again, just until the mixture reaches a fairly uniform consistency, but it’s fine to keep some texture. Don’t overprocess or the rice will become sticky. Scrape the bowl again if needed. Remove the blade from the food processor. Add the apple and mix with a spatula.
• Transfer the mixture to the prepared springform pan. Use a spatula to smooth out the mixture, lightly pressing down as you spread mixture evenly. Add the additional vegan Worcestershire to the top and spread over the surface. Sprinkle on the additional pumpkin seeds and the optional cranberries.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until slightly firm and the top is lightly browned. Remove and let sit for 5–10 minutes. Remove the outer ring from the springform pan and slice the torte to serve.

Notes

Poultry Seasoning Note: Poultry seasoning is a blend of dried herbs that can
include sage, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, nutmeg, black pepper, and/or
celery seed. If you don’t have poultry seasoning, try a mix of 1 1/2 teaspoon
dried marjoram or oregano, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon dried
rosemary or sage, and a pinch of ground nutmeg.

Food Processor Note: Use a large capacity food processor, mine is 16 cups.

Pumpkin Seed Note: Toasting the pumpkin seeds will add greater depth of flavor to this torte. To toast, place seeds on a baking sheet lined with parchment (I use my toaster oven). Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes, moving the seeds around a few times through cooking, until seeds are golden. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.

Serving Suggestion: Serve with Cran-Apple Compote from Dreena’s Kind Kitchen, and Golden Gravy.