Vegan Festive Falafel & Cranberry Sandwich for Christmas

Rock lunchtime with these delicious vegan falafel Christmas sandwiches with the festive flavours of cranberry and red cabbage.

The festive season is approaching and on the Christmas menu are a variety of festive sandwiches in every supermarket. cafe and coffee shop on the high street.

However, these Christmas sandwiches can be so disappointing and there aren't always vegan options.

So, let's make our own sandwiches to get in the spirit of the holiday season and really enjoy our lunch break with big fresh flavours on the lead up to the big day.

Jump to:

• 🥪 What makes a good Christmas sandwich?
• 🍞 Which type of bread makes a good Christmas sandwich?
• 🥪 What you need to make a festive falafel and cranberry sandwich
• 🥣 Try flavoured mayo on your sandwiches
• 🍟 What to serve with a festive sandwich?
• 👩🏻‍🍳 Can you make festive sandwiches ahead?
• 🌡️ Can you freeze festive sandwiches?
• 🧾 More easy vegan Christmas recipes
• 🥙 Festive sandwich ingredients
• 🍲 Soup with a sandwich
• ⭐ Save your favourite recipes for free!
• 👩🏻‍🍳 How to make Vegan Festive Falafel & Cranberry Sandwiches
• 📖 Recipe
• Comments

🥪 What makes a good Christmas sandwich?

So what makes a top-notch vegan Christmas sandwich?

It should have a savoury element, a sweet element and some salad or vegetables. because we do want it to be a least a bit healthy.

Let's face it there will be lots of unhealthy snacking and overindulging at this most wonderful time of the year.

Also, make sure you include a Christmas flavour.

Here are a few ideas:

1. Beetroot - roasted or pickled
2. Chilli Jam - try this smutty sweet chilli jam, it's addictive stuff
3. Cranberry sauce - try this easy homemade orange cranberry sauce made with frozen cranberries
4. Dairy-Free Feta Cheese - or Greek cheese
5. Festive Chutney
6. Mincemeat - the Christmas sweet mixture not a meaty mixture
7. Onion & Sage Stuffing
8. Parsnip Crisps - try these easy parsnip crisps, but use maple syrup instead of honey
9. Peppery Rocket - also known as arugula
10. Pistachios
11. Quick Pickled Red Onions - try these quick pickled red onions
12. Red Cabbage - try my quick pickled red cabbage
13. Sweet Chestnuts
14. Vegan 'Bacon'
15. Vegan Cheddar Cheese
16. Vegan Sausages
17. Whipped Feta - try this whipped feta with lemon and herbs

I'm sure you have some great ideas for a vegan Christmas feast sandwich too.

For more sandwich inspiration check out 101 Vegan Sandwiches - Back to School Kids Lunch boxes.

🍞 Which type of bread makes a good Christmas sandwich?

You can keep it quite simple with your regular brown bread or change it up for a totally different vibe.

Here are a few ideas. Leave them plain, toast them before adding the fillings or grill them after you have added the fillings.

1. Baguette
2. Bloomer's bread
3. Ciabatta
4. Flatbreads
5. Foccacia
6. Naan bread
7. Pitta bread
8. Tiger bread
9. Tortilla Wraps
10. Vegan brioche bread or buns
11. White bread
12. Wholemeal bread

The same Christmas vegan sandwich made with different breads (toasted/broiled or untoasted) will taste totally different if you change up the bread.

🥪 What you need to make a festive falafel and cranberry sandwich

Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this Christmas lunch sandwich.

• Wholemeal Bread
• Vegan mayo
• Fresh spinach - or baby spinach
• Cranberry sauce - shop bought or homemade cranberry sauce
• Falafel - plain or sweet potato falafel
• Vegan cheddar - we like Cathedral City Vegan Cheddar
• Pickled cabbage

It really is one of my festive favourites at this time of year.

See the full printable recipe card below for quantities, tips and tweaks.

🥣 Try flavoured mayo on your sandwiches

I used plain vegan mayo on my sandwich, but mayo can really be perked up with a few added flavours.

Try one of these swirled through mayo, to change it up completely.

• Cranberry sauce
• Fresh herbs
• Garlic - fresh garlic or garlic powder
• Gochujang - a Korean chilli paste
• Marmalade - a Scottish preserve (like an orange jam) made with Seville oranges
• Mustard - English, French or American mustard
• Sriracha - Thai hot sauce
• Sweet chilli sauce - a sweet Chinese sauce with a kick

🍟 What to serve with a festive sandwich?

A very merry vegan wrap or sandwich can be served as it is, but you can make it more of a meal by adding a side or two.

Here are a few ideas:

1. Apple wedges
2. Cherry tomatoes
3. Chips (fries)
4. Coleslaw - try this carrot & dill slaw
5. Dressed green salad
6. Homemade soup - try this cream of parsnip soup
7. Pear wedges
8. Potato salad - try this dill potato salad
9. Spiced potato wedges
10. Sweet potato crisps (chips)
11. Vegetable crisps (chips)

👩🏻‍🍳 Can you make festive sandwiches ahead?

Sandwiches are at their best when they are freshly made and it's just the same for festive sandwiches.

If you're making them for work the next day or adding to a lunch box and just don't have the time to make them in the morning, heck yes make them the night before and pop them in the fridge.

They will still be a super tasty vegan festive feast.

However, if you are going to be home, do make them fresh.

They will only take two or three minutes to pull together.

🥙 Festive sandwich ingredients

Here are a few simple layers that can be added to a festive sandwich.

🍲 Soup with a sandwich

Serving soup with a sandwich is a classic lunchtime favourite.

Here are a few homemade soups to serve with your Christmas sandwich.

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👩🏻‍🍳 How to make Vegan Festive Falafel & Cranberry Sandwiches

These step-by-step photos will show you how to make these quick and easy festive sandwiches.

The printable recipe follows these photos and tips.

Step 1

• Spread each slice of bread with a generous layer of mayo.
• Slather on a layer of cranberry sauce and be generous.
• Add a layer of fresh spinach (or other crisp greens).
• Next, add the falafel, crumble them over the spinach and smoosh them down.

Step 2

• Add slices of vegan cheddar (use your favourite vegan cheese).
• Drain the red cabbage, but don't pat dry and add to the sandwich.
• Top with the other mayo spread slice, cut in half and eat.
• Enjoy!