Thanksgiving Vegan Dishes

We have had vegetarians at our Thanksgiving table my entire life. My sister and her daughters are vegetarian and now vegan, and my mother became a vegetarian later in life. Believe me, there are plenty of people at the table who want to enjoy the turkey and all of those trimmings, but there are a significant number of folks who are all about the vegetarian or vegan sides. And there is no way anyone leaves a Workman family Thanksgiving anything less than full and happy, so we bring it.

Fall Vegetable and Farro Salad

Vegan Recipes for Thanksgiving

Below is a hefty collection of vegan options for the Thanksgiving meal, with some of the recipes being adaptable. You can also click here to see the full scope of vegan recipes on this website, and there are loads of cookbooks and websites with a very robust selection of vegan options. The following are fairly traditional recipes with Thanksgiving-flavors, but you can and should feel free to experiment outside of the classic Thanksgiving styled offerings.

Some of the things we do: make a separate stuffing with vegetable broth and butter substitute. Lean heavily into mushroom dishes, which are very satisfying. Make sure to have vegan mashed potatoes (very important). Create a dazzler of a salad with roasted vegetables, seeds, dried fruit, etc. Roast vegetables with olive oil only.

Also, bring the same approach to substitutions to the holidays as you do to everyday vegan cooking. Think about substituting in vegan cheeses, vegan butter or olive oil, vegan dairy products, and so on. We have done a tofurkey in the past, though now we concentrate on the side dishes, and make them as robust as possible. This year maybe I’ll use a vegan chorizo in one of the stuffings. Hoping your Thanksgiving is rich and lovely, no matter what you choose to put on the table!


32 Thanksgiving Vegan Recipes

Asparagus with Scallion Chimichurri Sauce

Asparagus with Scallion Chimichurri Sauce

An easy herby sauce brings some simply cooked asparagus to a whole other level.

Cilantro Lime Rice

Cilantro Lime Rice

(As good as Chipotle's!) A perfect side or companion to Mexican and Southwestern dishes as well as Asian dishes and lots of other simple meals.

Very Mushroomy Mushroom Barley Soup

Mushroom Barley Soup

A hearty cold weather soup for mushroom lovers. Rich and satisfying (and also vegan)!

Roasted Lemon Brussels Sprouts

Roasted Lemon Brussels Sprouts

Two ingredients and 5 minutes of prep time gets you to a layered, interesting Brussels sprouts side, perfect for any cold weather meal or holiday.

Sautéed Cauliflower with Mustard Seeds

Sautéed Cauliflower with Mustard Seeds

A simple cauliflower side, enlivened with the pop of lightly spicy mustard seeds.

Fall Vegetable and Farro Salad

Fall Vegetable and Farro Salad

A perfect salad for autumn, bursting with color and texture.

Sauteed Broccolini and Corn

Sauteed Broccolini and Corn

This quick (15-minutes!) and easy side dish is a colorful companion to all kinds of entrees.

Caponata

Caponata

This classic Sicilian eggplant salad, made with vinegar, some sweetness, olives, capers, and tomatoes is amazing heaped on bruschetta or just served as a hearty side.

Turkey Picadillo

How to Make Crispy Potatoes on the Stove

Crispy sautéed potatoes are a perfect side to just about anything, morning, noon or night.

How to Make Croutons

How to Make Croutons

Homemade croutons are easy to make and head and shoulders above packaged croutons.

How to Saute Broccolini

How to Saute Broccolini

Sauteed broccolini is the world’s simplest vegetable dish, and pairs perfectly with all kind of dishes. A go-to weeknight side.

Simple Couscous Salad

Simple Couscous Salad

Just a few vegetables turn quickly cooked couscous into a beautiful salad that rounds out any meal perfectly.

How to Cook Perfect Millet on the Stove

How to Cook Perfect Millet on the Stove

Storing, cooking, using millet…here's everything you need to know about this delicate grain!

Garlicky Shrimp and Broccoli with Meyer Lemon

Sautéed Broccoli

Turn a ho-hum side of broccoli into a dish that will have everyone asking for seconds.

Sautéed Broccoli Rabe / Evi Abeler / Katie Workman themom100.com

Sautéed Broccoli Rabe

Broccoli rabe is very popular in Italian cooking. It's pleasantly bitter deep broccoli-ish flavor is a great companion to all sorts of main dishes.

Green Salad with Chickpeas and Spicy Honey Tahini Dressing

Green Salad with Chickpeas and Spicy Honey Tahini Dressing

A crunchy salad studded with chickpeas is tossed with a creamy, lemony savory dressing with a tiny kick of heat.

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

A bowl of this (ridiculously inexpensive and satisfying) soup on a cold night is the best kind of comfort food around.

Mushroom, Tomato and White Bean Ragout

Mushroom, Tomato and White Bean Ragout

This substantial and satisfying vegetarian dish can serve as a main course, or a side.

Roasted Baby Squash

Roasted Baby Squash

Baby squash are tender and adorable and make the perfect simple side to any late summer/early fall meal.

Roasted Carrots with Tapenade Dressing

Roasted Carrots with Tapenade Dressing

These roasted carrots have a tangy dressing and are a gorgeous and colorful side side to all sorts of meals from holiday feasts to weeknight dinners. Serve warm or room temp!

How to Make Perfect Roasted Potatoes

How to Make Roasted Potatoes

Roasted potatoes go with just about anything, and couldn't be easier to make.

Mixed Greens Salad with Pears and Balsamic Dressing

Mixed Greens Salad with Pears and Balsamic Dressing

This is a super-simple gorgeous salad recipe that features fresh pears and dried apricots – perfect for a fall or holiday meal.

Braised Cipollini Onions with Dried Cherries

Braised Cipollini Onions with Dried Cherries

Cipollini in Agrodolce, a wonderful sweet and sour preparation for these charming little onions.

Lentil, Red Onion and Avocado Salad

Lentil Salad

This easy lentil salad with a balsamic-lemon dressing is bursting with color, flavor, and textures.

Shredded Brussel Sprouts / Sarah Crowder / Katie Workman / themom100.com

Shredded Sauteed Brussels Sprouts

An easy-elegant Brussels sprouts side.

How to Saute Spinach

How to Saute Spinach

A colorful, versatile, nutritious and delicious side dish for any night of the week.

Orange and Herb Orzo / Katie Workman / themom100.com / Photo by Cheyenne Cohen

Orange and Herb Orzo

A pretty and simple side dish to have in your back pocket, that goes with almost anything.

Roasted Cauliflower with Chimichurri Sauce / Photo by Cheyenne Cohen / Katie Workman / themom100.com

Roasted Cauliflower with Chimichurri Sauce

Chimichurri sauce turns roasted cauliflower into something special.

Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries / Carrie Crow / Katie Workman / themom100.com

Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries

I ate half of these before my family got home so I pretended they were an appetizer.

Sautéed Swiss Chard / Carrie Crow / Katie Workman / themom100.com

Sautéed Swiss Chard

Cooking chard in a pan is the best way to prepare these beautiful greens.

Sesame-Honey Quinoa and Carrot Salad with Sliced Avocado / Carrie Crow / Katie Workman / themom100.com

Sesame-Honey Quinoa and Carrot Salad with Sliced Avocado

A very nice thing to happen to a bowl of quinoa.

Carrot Raisin Salad

Carrot Raisin Salad

Pretty, inexpensive, satisfying, colorful, and portable – we all need a perfect carrot salad recipe in our repertoire!

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