5 Seasonal Veggies to Use In 15 Last-Minute Vegetarian Recipes for the Holidays

Are you and your family exploring the benefits of a vegetarian, vegan, or plant-based diet? Dont let the holiday season tempt you! Shop these 5 seasonal vegetables and enjoy them in last-minute vegetarian recipes for the holidays. They work as side dish recipes for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any meal you plan to share with family and friends.

Last-Minute Vegetarian Recipes for the Holidays


1) Tomatoes

Dont throw shade at this nightshade! Tomatoes have a surplus of health benefits such as antioxidants that help in reducing heart disease. Their abundance this time of year, makes them a great ingredient to inspire your Thanksgiving recipes. You might want to consider eating them raw, as even two minutes of heat decreases the vitamin C content of tomatoes. However, theres also a case for heating them up, which makes the antioxidant lycopene easier to absorb. Why eat tomatoes in a few different ways to balance a mix of vitamin C and antioxidants? They are in season for Fall in the U.S. Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, and Northeast.


Vegetarian Recipes with Tomatoes:

  • Moroccan Salad with Tomatoes and Cucumber This simple dish is really delicious and can accompany most meals as a side. Dont go too heavy on the parsley or you will regret it! Its also great for dipping bread into.
  • Homemade Guacamole Make something everyone loves in the summer for holidays with colder temps. Alton Browns iconic guacamole recipe is worth memorizing or bookmarking, trust me, Im drooling.
  • Tomato-Beet Salad Bored with a standard salad? Beets are another great healthy vegetable to enjoy this time of year.

2) Radishes

The cutest vegetable of them all, if you ask me, with their pink hue, round-ish shape, and little green sprout-top-hat. Besides being adorable, radishes are high in vitamins A, C, and E as well as great for your digestion and immune systems. Eat them on their own or with a touch of butter and salt, pickled, or roasted. Theyre also great to add sliced to salads or sandwiches. They are in season for Fall in the U.S. Northwest, Southwest, Midwest, and Northeast, as well as in Winter for the Southwest.

Vegetarian Recipes with Radishes:

3) Fennel

This root is another great source for Vitamin C as well as a helpful aid to keep your heart and blood pressure healthy. My favorite way to eat fennel is raw, cut into bite-sized slices with white onion and drizzled with olive oil. Its also great grilled or in salads. Fennel is in season for Fall in the U.S. Northwest and Northeast, as well as Winter for the Northwest.


Vegetarian Recipes with Fennel:


4) Porcini Mushrooms

These fungi are high in protein, Vitamin B, magnesium, and more. Theyre delicious grilled, sauted, added to pasta or risotto. If the texture of mushrooms isnt your thing, then use a food processor to liquify them into a soup so you can appreciate their great nutty flavor. They are in season in the U.S. Northwest, Southwest, and Midwest, as well as in Winter for NW, SW, MW, and NE.

Vegetarian Recipes with Porcini Mushrooms:


5) Peppers

Aside from boosting your immunity, giving your skin a glow, and helping with weight loss, peppers are also great for frying or munching fresh. They can stand slicing or stuffing and add great crunch and flavor to whatever youre cooking up and are in season in the U.S. Northwest, Southeast, South, and Northeast.


Vegetarian Recipes with Red Bell Peppers:

Use this website to find seasonal fruits and vegetables in your U.S. region!

Image credit: NGOC MINH NGO via MarthaStewart.com

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