Veganuary Launches Two New Cookbooks Featuring Celebrity-Backed Festive Vegan Recipes
22 Dec 2025 4:07 PM IST22 Dec 2025 4:07 PM IST
The cookbooks provide a perfect opportunity to enjoy festivals and family gatherings while supporting better health.
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Ahead of Christmas and New Year festivities, Veganuary has released two new digital cookbooks that contain vegan recipes which are both healthy and delicious and feature endorsements from celebrities for holiday cooking. The Veganuary Celebrity Cookbook and Veganuary Plant Protein Cookbook have been published at a time when people worldwide, including Indians, are leaning towards sustainable dietary practices. The cookbooks provide a perfect opportunity to enjoy festivals and family gatherings while supporting better health.
The collection of vegan recipes includes contributions from Hollywood actors, world-class athletes, celebrated comedians and nutrition experts who want to help people start their New Year with healthier and more compassionate eating. Their plant-based creations demonstrate how holiday dishes can become flavourful main attractions for family gatherings. These celebrity recipes help you prepare fun and plant-forward meals for your Christmas feast and New Year’s celebrations.
From the Veganuary Celebrity Cookbook
Evanna Lynch’s Three-Bean Shepherd’s Pie Evanna is an actor, animal advocate and beloved star of the Harry Potter films. Her recipe is a hearty, comforting baked pie loaded with aduki, kidney and borlotti beans, herbs, carrots and peppers, topped with velvety vegan mashed potatoes – perfect for a festive family dinner.
Ingredients
For the mashed potatoes:
750 g peeled and coarsely chopped potatoes
1 tablespoon vegan butter
Black pepper, to taste
For the bean filling:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 peeled and chopped onion
2 peeled and crushed garlic cloves
150 g sliced mushrooms
1 deseeded and diced red pepper
1 deseeded and sliced yellow pepper
2 medium-sized carrots, peeled and finely chopped
200 g aduki beans
200 g kidney beans
200 g borlotti beans
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 handful fresh parsley, chopped
A glug of vegan red wine (optional)
375 millilitres vegetable stock
1 heaped tablespoon cornflour
1 tablespoon tomato paste or purée
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling water until they are tender. Drain, then mash with the vegan butter and season with black pepper. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, soften the onion by gently frying it in the olive oil in a large pan. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring to prevent the garlic from burning.
4. Add the herbs, beans, carrots and peppers. Stir well.
5. Pour in the stock and a glug of wine, if using. Bring to the boil and simmer, uncovered, for about 8 minutes, until the carrots are tender.
6. To make a rich gravy, combine the cornflour and 2 tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl and stir. Add the tomato paste or purée and mix, then stir this into the pan.
7. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture into a baking dish. Spoon the mashed potato on top and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the top begins to brown.
Kellie Bright’s Favourite Raw Vegan Bajadera Cake
Kellie is a celebrated British actor known for her role in EastEnders. This is a decadent, no-bake festive dessert inspired by Balkan flavours – layers of an almond–hazelnut–date base, a cashew–almond middle layer and a silky cacao–coconut oil topping.
Ingredients
For the base layer:
½ cup almonds
½ cup hazelnuts
¾ cup dates
1 tablespoon almond butter
For the middle layer:
1 cup cashews, soaked in warm water for 8 hours or overnight
½ cup almonds
1 tablespoon almond butter
3 tablespoons coconut oil
½ cup maple syrup
For the upper layer:
3 tablespoons organic cacao
1 cup coconut oil
3 tablespoons maple syrup
Method
1. In a food processor, combine all the base-layer ingredients to create a thick paste. Press this into the bottom of a cake pan and place it in the freezer for about 20 minutes.
2. Using a food processor, blend all the middle-layer ingredients to create a smooth, creamy paste. Spread this over the base layer and return to the freezer for approximately 30 minutes.
3. Combine all the upper-layer ingredients, then pour over the cake to cover it completely. Chill until set before slicing.
Carl Donnelly’s Turkish Delight Chocolate Cupcakes
Carl is an award-winning British comedian with a love for indulgent vegan bakes. This recipe is for soft, fragrant cupcakes infused with rose water and cocoa, ideal for Christmas gifting and party dessert tables.
Makes 12 large cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cakes:
200 ml soya milk
20 ml cider vinegar
170 g self-raising flour
30 g cocoa powder
200 g caster sugar ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder A pinch of salt
80 ml vegetable oil
1 tablespoon rose water (add a little extra if you prefer a stronger Turkish Delight flavour)
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Combine the soya milk and cider vinegar in a jug or bowl, stir gently and set aside to curdle slightly while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients. Create a small well in the centre.
4. Pour in the wet ingredients – including the milk–vinegar mixture and the vegetable oil – and gently fold until the batter is just combined. Avoid over-mixing.
5. Spoon the mixture into cupcake cases arranged in your baking tray.
6. Bake for 15–18 minutes, checking around the 15-minute mark. If needed, bake for an extra minute or two until cooked through.
7. Once baked, remove the tray from the oven and allow the cupcakes to rest for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Tip: If preparing cupcakes ahead for a party, bake them in advance and freeze them. Ice them straight from the freezer on the day of the event – this helps the icing set faster as the cakes thaw.
From the Veganuary Plant Protein Cookbook
Emile Ritter’s Protein Pizza
Emile is an Olympian skier and fitness enthusiast.
This recipe is a high-protein twist on pizza with a courgette–chickpea–flaxseed base, topped with cashew cream and colourful vegetables – perfect for guilt-free festive snacking.
Ingredients
For the base:
3 grated courgettes (zucchini)
90 g (1 cup) chickpea flour
100 g (1 cup) flaxseed flour For the cashew sauce:
140 g (1 cup) cashew nuts, soaked in water and drained
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
120 millilitres (½ cup) water
Juice of ½ lemon 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Salt, to taste
Toppings:
Your preferred vegetables (for example, avocado, cherry tomatoes, basil)
Olive oil, for drizzling
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Wrap the grated courgette in a clean cloth and squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible.
3. In a bowl, combine the flours and courgette and stir until thoroughly mixed. Add a little water if necessary to help bind the pizza base.
4. Press the dough into an oiled baking dish and bake for about 25 minutes.
5. While the base is in the oven, make the cashew sauce. Discard the soaking water from the cashews. Place all the sauce ingredients in a food processor and blend, adding a little more water if necessary until you reach the desired consistency.
6. After 25 minutes, remove the base from the oven and top with the cashew sauce and your preferred vegetables, such as avocado, cherry tomatoes and basil. Drizzle with olive oil and return to the oven briefly if you like your toppings warmed through.
Rhiannon Lambert’s Salad-Bag Pasta
Rhiannon is a leading nutritionist, bestselling author and wellness expert. This is a vibrant, nutrient-packed pasta tossed with greens, almonds, vegan parmesan and toasted seeds – ideal for holiday lunches.
Ingredients
500 g penne, farfalle or fusilli pasta
2 peeled garlic cloves
60 g whole almonds 250 g watercress, spinach and/or rocket (arugula)
125 g (½ cup/4½ oz) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 tablespoons vegan parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
3 tablespoons roasted pumpkin seeds
3 tablespoons roasted sunflower seeds
Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt
Method
1. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked pasta into a colander and keep aside. Bring the water back to the boil.
2. Add the almonds and garlic to the boiling water and simmer for 2–3 minutes, or until the garlic is just soft. Then add the greens. Push them under the water until just wilted, then drain into a sieve (strainer). Place the almonds, garlic and wilted leaves in a food processor or blender (or use an electric hand-held blender), add the parmesan and olive oil, and blitz until you achieve a vibrant green purée. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Return the sauce to the pan and set over low heat. Add the cooked pasta and stir to ensure everything is heated through and well coated.
4. To serve, divide the pasta between dishes, sprinkle with extra parmesan and toasted seeds, and drizzle with a little more olive oil.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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