Written on: May 2024 / Updated on: April 2026
Orthodox Easter is almost here, and I'm excited to share some of my favourite vegetarian and vegan recipes perfect for your festive table! Whether you follow a plant-based diet or are simply looking to reduce meat consumption, these flavourful dishes are sure to impress.
Experience the Full Flavour of Vegetables
Transitioning to a plant-based diet opened my eyes (and taste buds!) to the incredible flavours of vegetables. It's like the meat was masking their potential all along. Trust me, you won't miss the meat in these vibrant dishes!
Now, Let's Get Cooking!
Greek Delights:
Dolmadakia (Greek Stuffed Vine Leaves): These savoury parcels are bursting with rice, herbs, and aromatics. Traditionally made with meat in Cyprus, this Greek version relies on the delicious combination of rice, dill, onions, olive oil, and lemon juice.
Paputsakia (Greek Stuffed Eggplant): Don't be intimidated by the name! This recipe may have several components, but your oven will do most of the work. Follow the steps, and you'll be rewarded with melt-in-your-mouth stuffed eggplants.
Mussaka: A classic for a reason! Layers of creamy béchamel sauce, savoury vegetables, and hearty vegan mince make this dish a crowd-pleaser.
Creative Vegan Options:
Vegan Mince and Mushroom Roll: This recipe, originally created for Christmas, is a versatile crowd-pleaser perfect for Easter as well.
Stuffed Onions: A beautiful centrepiece dish that's sure to impress! Filled with flavourful ingredients and served with accompaniments like hummus or yogurt, this recipe is a recent favourite among my readers.
Quinoa Stuffed Tomatoes: A sophisticated vegan dish for your celebration. The tender tomatoes are filled with a flavourful quinoa mixture, creating a light and elegant dish that's both delicious and visually stunning.
Veggie Mushroom Rice: This veggie rice, is one that we have been eating in my family for ages. My mum makes it for every special occasion, birthdays, Christmas, Easter - it's my sister's favourite, so it's a must! So, today, I present to you my vegan version, since hers it's with prawns and I hope you like it as much as I do!
Rustic Tart With Savory Mince & Creamy Hummus: A sophisticated, plant-forward centerpiece designed for the festive table. A buttery, vegan puff pastry base holds a smooth layer of creamy hummus, topped with a deeply flavored savoury mince that's secretly loaded with garden vegetables. Finished with a vibrant garnish of fresh herbs, this beautiful, rustic dish proves that creative plant-based cooking can easily be the star of any holiday feast.
Simple Yet Flavourful Sides:
Roasted Cauliflower with Sumac: This dish is deceptively simple. Sumac adds a touch of tanginess, creating a perfect balance with the tahini sauce.
No Easter table is complete without a refreshing salad! Choose between my Festive Salad, the Spinach and Dried Fig Salad or my Green Apple Salad for a delightful addition to your meal.
Don't Forget the Starches!
Looking for a potato side? Try my tangy Lemon Potatoes or my crunchy Smashed Potatoes.
Soup
For me, an Easter table isn’t truly complete without a soup. Traditionally, in Cyprus and Greece, the first meal after the Holy Saturday midnight service is always a warm, comforting soup. Although I haven’t followed this tradition in years, I felt inspired to bring that nostalgic feeling back to my Easter feast this year. While this Mushroom and White Bean Soup isn't a traditional Magiritsa, it honors those classic flavors with plenty of fresh lemon and dill. It’s quick, incredibly delicious, and a perfect light start to the celebrations! If you’re looking for something even heartier for Saturday night, my Revithada (Greek chickpea lemon stew) is another fantastic, soul-warming option.
Flaounes:
In Cyprus, Easter isn't just a holiday, it’s a season defined by the aroma of mahlep, mastic, and fresh mint filling the air. For years, I’ve spent the days leading up to Holy Sunday in the kitchen with my mother-in-law, traditionally hand-rolling and stuffing dozens of flaounes. This year, I decided to bring a new seat to the table by creating a completely vegan version of this iconic Easter pastry. It captures that same savory-sweet balance and golden, sesame-crusted crunch we all love, proving that our most cherished traditions can evolve beautifully with a plant-based twist.
Dessert
Last but not least, the dessert of the season tsureki, but maybe you want to make something simpler like my banoffee pie, these cute puff pastry Easter nests or my Easter chocolate cookies! This festive season, I wanted to marry the rich traditions of the Greek Easter table with the timeless appeal of a Tiramisu. The result is the Tsuramisu (tsureki + tiramisu), as my husband named it, a sophisticated layered dessert featuring tsureki and a refined, airy cream made from tofu. It’s a lighter, plant-based interpretation of two beloved classics that proves tradition can always be reimagined.
Happy Easter!
Nat x
