Christmas Recipes: Vegan Festive Focaccia Bread & Side Dishes

Hello, dear friends,

The holiday season is here, bringing with it all the cosy vibes and festive flavours.

This year, I wanted to create a simple yet delightful Christmas menu featuring recipes that anyone can recreate at home. The star of the show? A festive focaccia bread adorned like a Christmas wreath—perfect for sharing with loved ones. Alongside this beautiful bread, I made a few side dishes using seasonal vegetables, all vegan and incredibly flavorful.

Before we dive into the post, I want to remind you to check out my FREE Holiday Gift Guide for even more inspiration this season and the Cosy Winter Magazine available in my Etsy shop to help you create your dream winter atmosphere.

Whether you're hosting a holiday gathering or just enjoying a quiet evening, these recipes will bring warmth and cheer to your table. Let’s dive in!

🌲 How to make focaccia bread 🌲

This centrepiece-worthy focaccia is decorated with rosemary, cherry tomatoes, and green olives, creating a charming wreath design. The bread is soft, golden, and wonderfully aromatic—ideal for pairing with dips or roasted vegetables.

Ingredients:

For the yeast:

1 1/3 cup warm water
2 teaspoons raw sugar
7g (1 package) dry yeast

For the dough:

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup olive oil + 2 tablespoons for drizzling
1 teaspoon salt

Garnish:

Rosemary, cherry tomatoes, green olives or any vegetables and herbs of your choice

Instructions:

01. Activate the Yeast

Combine warm water and sugar in a large bowl. Stir until dissolved, then add the yeast and whisk. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.

02. Make the Dough

Add flour, olive oil, and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir to form a shaggy dough. Knead on a floured surface for 5 minutes until smooth.
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let it rise for 1 hour in a warm place.
Roll out the dough (about 2cm thick) and shape it. Let it rise for another 20 minutes under a towel.

03. Decorate and Bake

Transfer the dough to a sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and dimple the surface with your fingers.
Decorate creatively—I chose a Christmas wreath with cherry tomatoes, rosemary, and green olives.
Bake at 220°C for 20-30 minutes until golden.

This recipe is featured in this video:

Watch Video

Vegan Side Dishes

Potato Stacks

These crispy stacks are made with thinly sliced potatoes tossed in melted vegan butter and rosemary. Simply bake until golden and serve warm.

Festive Carrots

Carrots are cut in half, seasoned with olive oil, dried herbs, and spices, then garnished with blanched almonds and cranberries for a holiday touch. Roast until caramelized.

The spices and herbs I used were: dried oregano, dried rosemary, paprika powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and ginger powder.

Baked Mushrooms and Tomatoes

A simple yet flavorful mix of mushrooms and cherry tomatoes roasted with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Perfect for pairing with the focaccia bread.

While I didn’t include them in the video, I love serving the focaccia with dips—hummus, vegan cream cheese, guacamole, olive tapenade, or even a rich tomato relish. It’s a fantastic way to add variety to the table.