Delicious dishes to satisfy vegans at Thanksgiving, from apps to mains to desserts.

Thanksgiving, with its semi-set-in-stone menu, can seem like a daunting project to make vegan. Everything traditional, from the gelatinous cranberry sauce to pan-dripping gravy, oyster stuffing, and, of course, the canonical main dish of turkey all seem hopelessly meat-based.

There are two things to keep in mind when looking for vegan Thanksgiving options. The first is that many recipes can be made vegetarian or even vegan with a few simple swaps that don’t radically change the recipe. Vegetable or mushroom broth work just as well as chicken stock or beef bullion. (Just watch the salt—veggie broth tends to have a lot so you may have to adjust how much additional sodium you add.) Oil and vegetable shortening work just as well as butter, and with a few umami sources like mushrooms or caramelized onions, you won’t miss any richness.

The second thing to remember is that there are almost always alternative dishes you can serve. Don’t want oyster dressing? Try a mushroom-based one. Can’t see a way around bacon in the green beans? Try adding lemon and breadcrumbs. And as for the turkey? Yes, it’s traditional, but there’s no rule. Any hearty, tasty dish that can be made to feed a crowd will work. Thanksgiving is about sharing and appreciating what we have. All of the dishes below are so satisfying and rich in flavor that you’re sure to feel a real sense of bounty—and that’s definitely something to be thankful for. (And being able to host dinner for all your friends and family, regardless of their dietary choices? That’s priceless.)


Essential Thanksgiving Tools

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