Christmas is for comfort food, but New Year’s Eve is for more refined celebrations. These New Year’s finger foods taste special, but they’re not as heavy as other holiday indulgences.
Here are four vegetarian party snack ideas that are perfect for New Year’s Eve.
Phyllo Snacks
Phyllo dough is the perfect gourmet food wrapping. It works with both sweet and savoury fillings/toppings, and is suitable for vegans because it’s free from eggs and milk products. Brush your phyllo with butter or vegan margarine to keep it moist while you’re working. Phyllo dough dries quickly, so keep the sheets moist as you work with them – cover them with a damp paper towel when not in use.
Use multiple sheets of phyllo dough for a thicker crust. Fold and bake according to package directions then fill with one of these tasty combinations:
- Mushrooms, spinach and dill cooked in olive oil and concentrated vegetable broth (vegan)
- Bruschetta topping with or without olives (vegan if no cheese is added)
- Ricotta cheese and cooked spinach
- Sun-dried tomatoes and tempeh bacon or cheese
Baked Brie
This classic (and classy) party food calls for a wheel of Brie cheese topped with your favourite sweet or savoury toppings. Choose a piece of brie cheese that is the close to the size of your baking dish, and don't cut it before baking or the cheese will ooze out. Heat just until the toppings are warm and serve with breadsticks, multi-grain crackers, or other sturdy breads that will hold up to the weight of the cheese.
Try one of these combinations:
- Caramelized onions and cranberries cooked in olive oil
- Fruit or pepper compote with walnuts
- Blue cheese with hot pepper jelly
- Maple syrup and walnuts
Endive Leaf Wraps
Versatile endive leaves add a slightly bitter crunch as the wrapper for a variety of salad fillings. Artfully spoon one of these toppings into washed and dried endive leaves for a different and elegant appetizer. Or, create your own filling combination using something rich (e.g. avocado, cheese), something sweet (apple, beets) and something sour (balsamic vinegar, tomatoes).
- Waldorf salad (celery, apple, walnuts mixed with mayonnaise)
- Roquefort or other blue cheese and apple chunks
- Avocado slices, blue cheese, sunflower seeds and balsamic dressing
- Beet or carrot coleslaw
- Cream cheese and salsa mix
Dark Chocolate Fondue
For a casual but classy dessert course try dark chocolate fondue served with fresh fruit. Try winter-friendly fruits like apples, grapes, pears, pineapple and mangoes. Or, try classic dippers like like strawberries and bananas, if available.
For adults only, add flavoured liqueurs to the fondue or provide some cookies (amaretti, ladyfingers, or ginger snaps) to dip. Avoid marshmallows as they are not vegetarian.
Join the Conversation