VEGGIE & VEGAN MAINS

Meat-free marvels

VEGETARIAN WINNER Lidl Deluxe 2 Caramelised Onion & Goat’s Cheese Tartlets

(pictured) £1.69 for 2 x 120g tartlets 82/100

Testers loved these buttery puff pastry tartlets each topped with a thick slice of creamy, delicately salty goat’s cheese, beautifully balanced by the sticky sweet and tangy caramelised red onion chutney.

VEGAN WINNER

Waitrose & Partners Vegan Festive Swirls

£6.99 for 481g 79/100

Caramelised tomatoes, red peppers and spinach are flavoured with Moroccan-style spices, chilli and herbs. It’s all packed in crisp, golden filo. Testers loved it, but didn’t think they would work with Christmas accompaniments.

RUNNERS-UP Vegetarian

Aldi Specially Selected Vegetable Bakes – Butternut Squash & Wensleydale

£2.99 for 400g 76/100 Moist, earthy mushrooms, caramelised onion and sweet squash are mixed with nutty chestnut pieces, dried cranberries and a cheese sauce – a lovely combination of flavours and textures, all packed into a puff pastry case.

Vegan

COOK Butternut Squash & Red Onion Galette

£15 for 910g; cookfood.net 76/100

This rustic-looking pastry galette is packed with tangy red onion and slices of squash topped with crunchy pistachios and pomegranate seeds. The flavour is well balanced, with a touch of cumin and cinnamon, and testers really enjoyed the texture of the barley and quinoa.

Vegan Iceland No Bull Wellington

£2.50 for 560g 76/100

This flavoursome meat-free Wellington is filled with a soy, sage and onion stuffing, which has a subtle herby, nutty flavour that is balanced by an onion relish. While the pastry is crisp, some of our testers found it slightly bland.