These vegan Thanksgiving recipe ideas will be loved by meat eaters and vegans alike!
By Lora O’Brien
The American tradition of having the President pardoning a turkey started with the hottest of leaders (if you ask me): John F. Kennedy. When presented with the bird destined for his dinner, he apparently said: “Let’s keep him going,” and won the hearts of a nation (and surely, of one very lucky turkey, too).
Subsequent Presidents have carried on the tradition, but for vegans and vegetarians everywhere, many turkeys have been ‘kept going’ thanks to plant based Thanksgiving dinner menus.
In fact, a birdless Thanksgiving dinner is actually pretty easy to do. After all, most of the side dishes served on T-day are pretty much vegetable based anyway, right? Think root veggies, pumpkins, nuts…
The trick is to keep the meal varied and exciting for everybody at the table – be they vegan or not. You can do that by serving various courses. Start out with an appetiser while you’re preparing everything for the table. A nice dip with some crudites, pita chips or crackers will be a definite crowd pleaser! Then, move on to a soup and/or salad, before serving up your main attraction, accompanied by a few side dishes. End the meal with a fabulous dessert, and maybe a hot chocolate or two!
Here below, I’ve found over 30 great vegan Thanksgiving recipe ideas that will take you and your lucky guests from soup to sweets.
Main image credit: Ordinary Vegan.
30 Vegan Thanksgiving Recipe Ideas
1. Thanksgiving Pumpkin Soup
Warm and sweet with a detectable hint of spice, this rich pumpkin soup is easy to make and acts as the perfect starter to an autumnal meal. Serve with some bread rolls for dunking, or a sprinkling of sesame seeds on top.
Get the recipe here.
2. 10 Spice Veggie Soup
If you prefer your soups chunky, then this is the one to go for. With over 10 spices, it’s gluten free and is actually easy to make, and is a great way to spark up appetites for the feast to come.
Get the recipe here.
3. Best Vegan Spinach Dip
What would a list of vegan Thanksgiving recipe ideas be without a dip or two? Usually a highly calorific dip (mayonnaise AND sour cream? Eek!), spinach dip is giving a way healthier makeover with this vegan version. Put it on the table whilst people are waiting for their mains to be served – you can dip in some bread, crudites, or even tortilla chips.
Get the recipe here.
4. Vegan French Onion Dip
This wonderfully rustic-looking French Onion dip takes a bit of time to make, but it’s worth it. Caramelised onions, tofu and crunchy cashews make a great substitute for sour cream in this recipe. Ideal for dipping chunks of bread, crudites or crackers into before the big meal starts!
Get the recipe here.
5. Pickled Red Cabbage
Crunchy and sweet, this pickled red cabbage recipe seems to go especially well with a few raisins or cranberries thrown in. I love the tartness, mitigated by the sticky sweetness of the dried fruit. It’s a great side dish, adding both texture and taste variations to add to a really interesting dinner mix.
Get the recipe here.
6. Yummy Cranberry Sauce
We couldn’t do a list of vegan Thanksgiving recipe ideas without a cranberry sauce. But yeah, I get it. I feel like cranberry sauce hasn’t got the best reputation. Often dumped out of a can, it’s only on the table during Christmas time for the, uh, older members of the family who seem to love it (hi, Nan). No one else usually touches it. Until now. This cranberry sauce is bursting with flavour and will beautifully compliment so many dishes this Thanksgiving.
Get the recipe here.
7. Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms
As delicious as veggies are on their own, sometimes we want something a little special. That’s where these little mushroom appetisers come in handy. Whether you serve them up beforehand to your guests as an appetizer, or put them on the table for all to enjoy, these mouth-sized mushroom bites will go down such a treat!
Get the recipe here.
8. Brussels Sprouts Sliders
These brussels sprout sliders with tempeh ‘bacon’ make for a different starter. Served with little sticks, they’re perfect for passing around before dinner, and they’re bursting with different textures, from the softer outsides of the sprouts to their crispy tempeh.
Get the recipe here.
9. Sweet Potato Casserole with Crunchy Nut Crumble
If you’re stuck for a main dish – one to serve up to everyone like the turkey normally is – then a casserole may be the solution. This one is rich, a touch sweet and filling. It’s easy to make, and also makes a great side dish if you prefer. I love bits of toasted pecans on top!
Get the recipe here.
10. Vegan Cornbread Stuffing
I live for stuffing. No joke, I’m barely waiting for it to be cooked and out the oven before I’m yielding my fork and digging in like I’m seeing food for the first time! But not everyone is a fan, especially since it’s usually cooked in the orifice of a bird, so it’s great to find ways of reinventing traditional dishes like this. This recipe is packed with all the fresh herbs that make stuffing tasty, plus the autumnal flavour of corn! (just be sure you buy organic polenta or you’re eating nasty GMOs!)
Get the recipe here.
11. Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash
Now, I’m a fan of carbs, but if you’re looking to serve something a little less starchy, then roasted acorn squash is the solution. Here, it’s stuffed with a tasty quinoa and mushroom pilaf mix, making it both healthy and filling. I’d highly recommend adding chestnuts into this just because y’know, it’s Thanksgiving. Serve these up on plates with some green salad and cranberry sauce. Yum!
Get the recipe here.
12. Hasselback Butternut Squash With Sage
Impress your guests with this beautiful – but really easy to make-dish! Serve this seasonal squash up either alongside potatoes, or instead of them. The Bay Leaves infuse a fall-like flavour, and of course, to make this 100% vegan, sub in vegan butter or coconut oil for butter.
Get the recipe here.
13. Vegan Mushroom, Chestnut & Cranberry Tart
This tart is perfect for Thanksgiving, and you can even recycle it for Christmas, too! And the best part is you can actually make this the day before and simply warm it through once your guests have arrived the following day. It’s hearty, packed full of delicious flavours from the mushrooms and chestnuts and cranberry sauce. I guarantee someone will want seconds!
Get the recipe here.
14. Stuffing-Muffins with Mashed Potatoes & Gravy
This is one of my favourite vegan Thanksgiving recipe ideas! These bite-sized muffins present a multitude of Thanksgiving flavours. You’ve got the stuffing based muffin topped with fluffy mashed potatoes and then drizzled with gravy. It’s a meal in a muffin! And they look lovely on the plate, too.
Get the recipe here.
15. Melting Sweet Potatoes with Maple-Pecan Sauce
Crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, the name of the recipe alone is enough to induce drooling, right? . Though these are drizzled in butter, you can sub in coconut oil for the same texture. And in my opinion, an even better taste. Once they’re out of the oven, top with the maple-pecan sauce and devour!
Get the recipe here.
16. Roasted Vegan Thanksgiving Bowls
Buddha bowls aren’t just for breakie – they’re great for special occasions, too! This is really easy to make. You just roast your veggies, toast your pecans, mash those potatoes, then whip up a little vegan gravy to go over the top and voila! This is perfect if you’re getting together with a few friends to watch the football – no fuss!
Get the recipe here.
17. Stuffed, Roasted Butternut Squash
Of all the vegan Thanksgiving recipe ideas here, this probably makes the most wonderful main! It can be carved up like a turkey, and it’s packed with wholesome veggies and grains, making it quite hearty. Got super hungry guests? It goes really well with some roasted potatoes and parsnips, which you can pop in the oven whilst this is cooking.
Get the recipe here.
18. Vegan Ravioli with Pumpkin & Ricotta
Who said Thanksgiving can’t be a little fun and inventive? Pumpkin puree inside this pasta dish adds some fall flavour. This could be an interesting side dish for your Thanksgiving feast, or serve as a main with an array of salads or roasted veggies to accompany the ravioli.
Get the recipe here.
19. Veggie Wellington
Another perfect main, this strudel can sit in the table as the centrepiece dish, then get ‘carved up’ and distributed to guests. It’s surprisingly simple to make and so ridiculously delicious!
Get the recipe here.
20.Vegan Caesar Salad
Creamy, garlicky and rich. Who doesn’t love a great Caesar salad? But for vegans, it’s usually impossible to enjoy, thanks to the anchovies, cream and eggs. Until now! This recipe has all the tangy flavours and zero of the animal ingredients.
Get the recipe here.
21. Vegan Thanksgiving Wraps
Need vegan Thanksgiving recipe ideas for a big crowd? These vegan veggie wraps contain all the flavours of autumn’s seasonal harvest, look sweet, and are easy to serve up. Alternatively, if you’ve had a sit down dinner, you can make these with the leftovers the next day.
Get the recipe here.
22. Beetroot Tarts with Vegan Cream Cheese
Sometimes we don’t want vegan versions of meat dishes. We want something totally new and vegan to feed to our guests, and these beetroot tarts are perfect! Whether they’re an appetizer or a main, these are simply divine when served hot. PS: you’ll need to get some vegan cream cheese and parmesan, but you can do that right here and here.
Get the recipe here.
23. Stuffing with Almonds and Cranberries
Even if none of your guests are vegan or gluten free, they’re going to love this dish! It can be served as a main or as a stuffing, and the nutty wild rice and cranberries taste of everything autumn, whilst the mushrooms give the stuffing a lovely savoriness and depth.
Get the recipe here.
24. Wild Rice Stuffed Pumpkins
This is definitely one of the most gorgeous of all our Vegan Thanksgiving Recipe ideas! They make the perfect, stunning main course for a vegan Thanksgiving. All you need to do is serve up some mashed potatoes, salad and cornbread, and you’ve got yourself a healthy feast.
Get the recipe here.
25. Roast Stuffed Seitan Roulade
I absolutely love this seitan roulade simply because it reminds me of the roasts I grew up on, and yet no animals had to suffer for me to eat it. It’s packed with veggies, brimming with goodness and as with every good roast – it goes wonderfully the next day as leftovers into sandwiches and wraps, hurrah!
Get the recipe here.
26. Mini Vegan Pumpkin & Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
Personally, I don’t discriminate when it comes to donuts. I eat them all year round. But when they have the spices of winter infused in them, it’d be rude to not make these especially for Thanksgiving. Dip them into a bit of coffee or tea for a fun, informal dessert.
Get the recipe here.
27. Easy Vegan Pumpkin Pie
What’s a list of vegan Thanksgiving recipe ideas without a delish pumpkin pie? This is a really quick and easy recipe if you don’t have much time to spend baking this year. And why not add a bit of pumpkin ‘N’ice’ cream on the side? (recipe below).
Get the recipe here.
28. Homemade Caramel Chocolates
Why not treat your guests to one of the most delicious vegan Thanksgiving recipes ever? These chocolates are crunchy on the outside, and creamy on the inside. Perfect for serving with coffee!
Get the recipe here.
29. Gingerbread Hot Chocolate
Everything about this recipe screams warmth and love! Of course you don’t have to wait for Thanksgiving to enjoy this hot chocolate, but I guarantee it will taste that little bit sweeter drunk in the presence of loved ones whilst sat round a crackling fire.
Get the recipe here.
30. Festive Pomegranate Smash Cocktail
I couldn’t do a list of vegan Thanksgiving recipe ideas without something boozy, right? This fruity cocktail is the perfect glass of fizz to cheers over the festive period. Pomegranate juice, vodka and prosecco create a delicious drink, finished off with pomegranate arils and rosemary. So festive, I want to drink it until January!
Get the recipe here.
Would you like to share any of your own Vegan Thanksgiving Recipe ideas? Let us know in the comments, below!
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