Even though pop remixes of Christmas songs are all over the radios and decorations are crowding department stores, there’s another holiday to celebrate first: Thanksgiving! And one of the most important parts of this day is having a great meal. That’s why I’ve compiled a list of 25 classic vegan Thanksgiving recipes to fulfill your holiday cravings.
This list is mostly focusing on vegan twists of classic dishes that a lot of us grew up eating (with a couple of twists and turns). If you want more unique ideas for your holiday meals, let me know in the comments!
Salads and Appetizers
If Thanksgiving dinner is a marathon, your salads and appetizers are your warm up jog. Get started right with these delightful items.
Thanksgiving Kale Salad with Maple-Tahini Dressing
This refreshing salad has great classic fall flavors such as sweet potato, cranberries, maple syrup, and walnuts. The sweet, creamy dressing complements the ingredients perfectly.
Wild Rice Salad
Here’s another fantastic salad that checks off a bunch of fabulous fall flavors. Here we have a hearty combo of wild rice, acorn squash, pumpkin seeds, and pomegranate. Adding a bit of curry powder to the dressing gives it just enough of a spicy kick to really set it apart.
Smoky Vegan Cheddar Cheese
by Vegan Huggs
Cheese and crackers are a very common appetizer to snack on while the rest of the meal is being finished. Vegan Thanksgiving recipes like this one are great if you prefer to make your own cheese rather than buy it from the store. (You get more variety and it usually tastes better that way!)
Cranberry & Thyme Vegan Cheese Ball
by It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken
Another vegan cheese, but this one is completely different in terms of flavor and ingredients. Creamy, herby cheese with sweet cranberries made with a base of cashews and coconut oil that will make everyone’s mouth water.
Herb Stuffed Mushrooms
Gotta love stuffed mushrooms. These ones combine sun-dried tomatoes, mint leaves, and fresh parsley to create a decadent flavor profile in an easy-to-enjoy finger food.
Smoky Little Devils
Deviled eggs have long been served at my family gatherings as an appetizer. Honestly, even before I went vegan I wasn’t a huge hardboiled egg fan, even though I otherwise enjoyed the flavors of deviled eggs. That makes this variation even more perfect, because it uses yummy potatoes instead of trying to replicate an egg. I’m definitely bringing these to Thanksgiving dinner!
Main dishes
Here we have the stars of the show, the main dish vegan Thanksgiving recipes for you and your loved ones to fill up on.
Thanksgiving Vegan Holiday Roast
A traditional Thanksgiving roast starts us out. This one is made of seitan, a wheat-based protein that tastes great as a meat substitute. It’s packed with fresh herbs like chives, parsley, sage, thyme, and rosemary. When you cook this roast, your family will flock to the kitchen to see what smells so good.
Roasted Cauliflower
Maybe instead of a seitan-based roast you’re looking for something gluten free or made from vegetables. In that case, this delightful, savory cauliflower roast might be perfect. With mouth-watering harissa and shawarma spice blends, this healthy roast is sure to please the whole family.
Vegan Lentil Nut “Meatloaf”
If roasts aren’t your thing (or if you like to have a variety of options) check out this lentil loaf. This high-protein, nutritious comfort food is absolutely to die for. Even traditional meatloaf fans need to get a taste of this.
Vegan Pot Pie
by Nora Cooks
This delicious pot pie ticks off all the boxes for a delightful, warm comfort food. It tastes extremely similar to a traditional chicken pot pie and has nearly all the normal ingredients and flavors.
Creamy Fall Soup in Acorn Squash Bowls
Not only is this rich, creamy squash soup delicious, it’s also adorable! If you don’t have the time or energy to go all out with the acorn squash bowls, it still tastes just as good in regular bowls. Still, I can’t get over how aesthetic the presentation is.
Vegan Portobello Pot Roast
Everyone loves a good, savory pot roast. This version cooks hearty portobello mushrooms in herbs and a red wine sauce to bring out complex flavors.
Side Dishes
Honestly, side dishes frequently steal the show at Thanksgiving dinner. These were always my favorite parts of the meal growing up. Luckily, there are lots of vegan Thanksgiving recipes to choose from for these scrumptious dishes.
Simple Vegan Stuffing
Of course a traditional stuffing had to start us off here. This recipe is delightfully crispy on the outside and moist and wonderful on the inside. It’s full of loads of healthy ingredients like veggies and lentils, too.
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are another traditional Thanksgiving staple. And who doesn’t love garlic?
Mushroom Gravy
What are mashed potatoes without gravy? Take a base of mushrooms and add vegetable broth, spices, and some umami flavors, and you’re ready to party.
Easy Vegan Cranberry Sauce
Can I tell you a secret? Most cranberry sauce recipes are vegan! But here’s a recipe just in case you don’t have one, so you can be sure this Thanksgiving staple is perfectly plant-based.
Vegan Dinner Rolls
Of course buttery, fluffy dinner rolls made the list. They may be simple, but Thanksgiving dinner wouldn’t feel complete without them.
Green Bean Casserole with Cashew Cream
Growing up in the Midwest, casseroles were a fact of life at family gatherings. And I’m so happy to see a vegan version of my beloved green bean casserole.
Vegan Cornbread
Just a couple of simple swaps for a cornbread recipe to be vegan, and this one helps you through it to create a dazzling dish to blow your guests away.
Desserts
Finally, we have some desserts! As someone with a massive sweet tooth, this has always been my favorite part of the meal.
Apple Crumble
What can I say about apple crumble that you don’t already know? It’s delicious, apply, crunchy, and so so sweet. You know you love it.
Pumpkin Pie
by Nora Cooks
Pumpkin pie is a classic. Substitute coconut cream to get a vegan version that’s just as rich and creamy as the original. And don’t forget to top with vegan whipped cream!
Sweet Potato Pie
I grew up on pumpkin pie, but recently my boyfriend’s family has introduced me to the wonderful world of sweet potato pie. Like the pumpkin pie above, this recipe uses coconut cream to achieve that signature texture.
Vegan Pecan Pie
I didn’t like pecan pie as a kid–probably because it was brown and had nuts–but as an adult I love it! This recipe hits all the right notes of sweetness.
French Silk Pie
When I first read that this recipe calls for silken tofu, I was dubious to say the least. But I got over myself and tried it, and oh my goodness it’s good. It just tastes like creamy chocolate perfection.
Vegan Cherry Pie
Cherry pie has always been my grandpa’s favorite. These days, he picks one up from Costco because he trusts the Costco bakery implicitly. Unfortunately, Costco isn’t fully vegan, so here’s a recipe you can make yourself.
Thanksgiving dinner is a great opportunity to show off your cooking skills with some of these fantastic vegan Thanksgiving recipes. Which ones will you be making this year?
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