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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 for everyone.
Vegan Recipes for Thanksgiving
Below is a hefty collection of vegan options for the Thanksgiving meal, and some of the recipes are adaptable. You can also explore the full scope of vegan recipes on this website. The following are fairly traditional recipes with Thanksgivingesque flavors, but you can and should feel free to experiment outside of the classic Thanksgiving-styled offerings.
Tips for Making Vegan Thanksgiving Dishes
Some of the things we do to make sure the vegans have plenty of choices:
- 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.
- Use vegan sausage in vegan stuffings.
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.
Hoping your Thanksgiving is rich, abundant, and lovely!
29 Thanksgiving Vegan Recipes
Roasting apsaragus in olive oil and topping them with an herby vegan sauce makes a great side dish.
This simple but flavorful vegan rice creates a nice base for all kinds of sides and dishes.
We actually always serve a vegan mushroom barley soup for lunch. It is just filling enough to stave off hunger but still allows you to save room for the big meal just ahead.
With just 2 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep, these lemony Brussels are perfect for everyone.
Sautéing or roasting your vegetables with olive oil instead of butter ensures that everyone can dig in.
I know not everyone thinks salad belongs on a Thaksgiving table, but we wouldn't skip it for anything. A nice balance to heavier dishes, and this one has beautiful color and hearty texture thanks to the addition of some simply cooked grains.
This easy side dish is a colorful companion to whatever else you're serving at Thanksgiving, and you can use frozen corn so it's very convenient. Use olive oil instead of butter to sauté.
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.
You can definitely make vegan mashed potatoes with dairy subsitutes or olive oil, but you might also think about adding these crunchy vegan pan-fried potatoes as well.
Homemade croutons are easy to make and add heft to vegan salads and soups.
Another simple, vegan green to add to the menu.
A grain salad is a must on a vegan Thanksgiving table. Here, just a few vegetables turn quickly cooked couscous into a colorful salad. (Leave out the optional cheese, or use a vegan cheese instead!)
With its delicate corn flavor, millet is a perfect grain to add to the menu.
A bit of olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes turns a ho-hum side of broccoli into a dish that will have everyone asking for seconds.
The richness of many Thanksgiving dishes is nicely balanced by the slight bitterness of sautess broccoli rabe.
A robust, crunchy vegan salad studded with chickpeas provides protein for those not easting animal products. This one is tossed with a creamy, lemony savory dressing and very satisfying.
This is another nice way to make sure the vegans at the table have a protein-rich dish to anchor the meal. Or, again, think about serving this for lunch with some crusty bread while the main event is being pulled together!
A rich vegetable ragout is definitely a great go to Thanksgiving offering.
There must be potatoes for everyone on the table, and this is another vegan option!
This is a super-simple, gorgeous salad recipe that features fresh pears and dried apricots — perfect for a fall or holiday meal.
Cipollini in Agrodolce, a wonderful sweet and sour preparation for these charming little onions.
So many flavors, textures, and colors in this vegan lentil salad.
One of the easiest stovetop methods of cooking Brussels sprouts. You can buy pre-sliced Brussels sprouts or shred them yourself.
Not only is sauteed spinach a beautiful vibrant green addition to the menu, but it's also packed with nutrients.
A simple and colroful orzo side, that can easily be made ahead.
Another moment where a simply roasted vegetable becomes center-of-the-palte worthy with the addition of an easy sauce.
This beautiful vegetarian (or vegan!) salad is a satisfying combination of earthy grains, crunchy carrots, and creamy avocado with a sweet-savory dressing.
A veritable rainbow on the plate.
