These Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes Are Ethical, Healthy, Festive, and—Above All—Delicious
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 hopeless 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.)
Green Beans with Crisp Meyer Lemon Bread Crumbs
Olive oil and citrus-toasted crumbs make this Thanksgiving staple special.
Warm Brussels Sprout Leaves with Toasted Garlic and Lemon
These Brussels sprouts are just 34 calories per serving, making them a healthy addition to your meal. You need only a splash of oil on the leaves because you cook them quickly, like a warm salad, and they stay crisp.
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Chicory Salad with Persimmons, Pomegranates, and Walnuts
Fuyu persimmons and pomegranates add autumn color and a sweet-tart punch to bitter chicories (frisée and radicchio).
Cabbage, Cashew, and Fennel Salad
Cookbook author Andrea Nguyen and her family serve this crunchy Vietnamese-flavored slaw the day after Thanksgiving with leftovers. But we think it’s worthy of a spot on the holiday menu.
Broccoli Romanesco with Green Herb Sauce
Whorled broccoli romanesco is an exotic treat, yet it’s very easy to prepare—just steam until tender. If you can’t find small heads, just break a full-grown head into florets (cauliflower works, too).
Cashew, Coconut, and Squash Curry
A curry might not be the first dish that comes to mind when planning your holiday menu. However, the depth of flavor and delicious use of squash, a Thanksgiving staple, makes this recipe a crowd-pleaser for vegans and omnivores alike.
Spiced Red Lentils with Caramelized Onions and Spinach
Though the Indian seasonings are a departure from traditional Thanksgiving flavors, the bright vegetables in this vegan main dish are right in keeping with the holiday’s harvest theme. You can easily double it to serve a bigger group.
Roasted Cauliflower and Shallots with Chard and Dukkah
The secret ingredient in this recipe, inspired by one served by chef Matthew Dillon at the Corson Building in Seattle, is an easy-to-make Egyptian nut-and-spice blend called dukkah. Dillon likes to serve the roasted vegetables as a side dish, but in more generous portions it serves 4 as a main.
Black Rice Salad with Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Seeds
This colorful salad combines autumn ingredients with an unusual-for-Thanksgiving grain. The result is as eye-catching as it is delicious.
Warm Buckwheat Salad with Roasted Shallots, Apples, and Frisée
Earthy buckwheat serves as the base in this tasty whole grain salad, which would make a delicious side or filling main dish at the holiday meal.
Brussels Sprouts and Wheat Berry Slaw with Smoked Paprika Dressing
Vegetarians or vegans will love this hearty salad with smoky flavor.
Pearl Couscous with Fall Vegetables and Caramelized Onions
Use olive oil instead of butter to make this hearty vegetarian dish all-the-way vegan.
Coconut Pan-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Sesame Seeds
Virgin coconut oil is unrefined and cold-pressed, like extra-virgin olive oil, and isn’t hydrogenated. It has a clean, slightly nutty taste that’s delicious in this dish. Deborah Madison, who adapted this recipe from her book Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, likes to use a mix of sweet potatoes, but it’s fine to go with just one kind. Paler sweet potatoes tend to be drier, so if you use them, add more oil.
Roasted Broccolini
Leggy, small-flowered broccolini is great steamed, but glorious roasted: The color and flavor deepen, and the florets get delectably crisp—almost as though they’ve been fried. Roasted regular broccoli is also delicious, though it won’t get quite as crisp.
Cashew-Lime Cilantro Hummus
This bright, fresh version of hummus is great with any combination of raw vegetables.
Green Apple Sauvignon Blanc Sorbet
Light and refreshing, this sorbet is the perfect final dish on a day of feasting.
Essential Thanksgiving Tools
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Made In Cookware’s Blue Carbon Steel Roasting Pan
Cheaper than the competition and induction-burner-compatible.
Shun Classic Blonde 8-Inch Chef’s Knife
Don’t bother with the single-purpose carving knife. Buy this chic, blonde, Pakawood-handled, Japanese-made chef’s knife that’s got all the ceremonial swagger but year-round usefulness.
John Boos Cutting Board
You’re going need that little juice groove. Made of antimicrobial maple, it’s handsome enough to use as a rustic serving platter.
Filson Tin Cloth Apron
Sturdy and large enough to protect you from errant cranberry juice, spattering turkey fat, and spilled Pinot Noir.
OXO 9-Inch Pie Plate with Lid
Slightly deeper than competition, this updated version of the classic glass pie plate also comes with a handy domed lid that’ll protect even the loftiest cream pies.
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