9 Delicious Vegetarian Main Dishes to Serve This Thanksgiving
These elegant holiday entrées will never make your vegetarian guests feel like an afterthought.
Elaine Johnson and Nicole Clausing
It almost feels like turkey is mandatory at Thanksgiving, but I like to look at it a different way: To me, Thanksgiving is really about sharing a feast, the more rich and filling the better. A centerpiece dish is important, but it doesn’t have to be turkey, or any other kind of meat, for that matter. The important thing is that it be easily shared, adaptable for a crowd, and worthy of a celebration. (Sorry, Tofurky.)
To that end, we’ve come up with some hearty, tasty vegetarian dishes that are perfect for sharing at Thanksgiving. No one will miss a dry old turkey after a bite of cheesy risotto, spicy lentils, or toothsome gnocchi.
When looking to bump turkey from its accustomed position at the center of the table, cheese is a go-to ingredient, providing a burst of fat and flavor, as well as some protein. Unsurprisingly, it features in many of these dishes. Vegetable broth is your friend, too; you can almost always swap it in when meat broth is called for without sacrificing flavor. Flavorful vegetables like caramelized onion or umami-rich mushrooms provide a lot of the same flavor profiles as meat and traditional stuffing and feel satisfying at Thanksgiving while still strictly toeing the vegetarian line.
If you’re looking for a high-protein substitute for the bird, try some spiced lentils. Or, if you’re looking to achieve that belly-bursting feeling of satiation without necessarily indulging in a lot of fat, consider chewy gnocchi (which literally give you something to sink your teeth into), or pasta-like pearl couscous and fall vegetables.
You really can’t go wrong with any of these dishes, and whatever you end up making, your guests will all be thankful for your choice.
1 /9Leigh Beisch
Sweet-Potato Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Spinach
This grand and very colorful vegetarian dish takes a little time to prepare, but you can make the gnocchi ahead and freeze them.
2 /9Annabelle Breakey
Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi
Browned butter, pine nuts, parmesan, and lemon zest put this vegetarian pasta dish over the top.
3 /9Leigh Beisch
Flaky Feta Tart
We created this crisp, cheese- and herb-rich tart as an appetizer, but you can also serve it as a special-occasion vegetarian main dish for 5 to 6.
4 /9Annabelle Breakey
Caramelized Carrot Risotto
Everyone loves the jewel-like carrot pieces and mix of two cheeses in this elegant risotto. Feel free to swap in vegetable broth for the chicken broth if you’d like to make it vegetarian.
5 /9Alex Farnum
Gorgonzola and Radicchio Risotto
This creamy risotto features a younger, milder version of gorgonzola called gorgonzola dolce. To make it vegetarian, just use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
6 /9Annabelle Breakey
Golden Cauliflower “Risotto”
Robust Italian fontina and white truffle oil add loads of flavor to low-carb “pasta.” The recipe is flexible if you want to increase quantities to serve a bigger group or use vegetable broth instead of chicken so the dish is vegetarian.
7 /9Iain Bagwell
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.
8 /9Rachel Weill
Pearl Couscous with Fall Vegetables and Caramelized Onions
A fragrant, brothy pile of chewy couscous, spicy Thanksgiving vegetables, and tangy-sweet onions: Move over, turkey!
9 /9Leigh Beisch
Spaghetti Squash with Jalapeño Cream
We’ve tossed spaghetti squash with a spicy cream sauce and baked it, mac-‘n’-cheese-style, for a warming, hearty dish that doubles easily and reheats beautifully.
1 /7Courtesy of Made In Cookware
Made In Cookware’s Blue Carbon Steel Roasting Pan
Cheaper than the competition and induction-burner-compatible.
Made In Cookware's Blue Carbon Steel Roasting Pan, $139
2 /7Courtesy of Willams Sonoma
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.
Shun Classic Blonde 8-Inch Chef's Knife, $180
3 /7Courtesy of Sur la Table
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.
John Boos Cutting Board, $110
4 /7Courtesy of Filson
Filson Tin Cloth Apron
Sturdy and large enough to protect you from errant cranberry juice, spattering turkey fat, and spilled Pinot Noir.
Filson Tin Cloth Apron, $125
5 /7Courtesy of OXO
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.
OXO 9-Inch Pie Plate with Lid, $15
6 /7Courtesy of Amazon
OXO Good Grips 4-Cup Fat Separator
Gotta love a fat separator for easily discarding the lipids while tidily reserving the drippings (which have about 10 times the flavor of the turkey itself). Plus it doubles as a measuring pitcher you can use the rest of the year.
OXO Good Grips 4-Cup Fat Separator, $33
7 /7Courtesy of Anthropologie
How to Style Your Thanksgiving Table
The finishing touch your Thanksgiving feast needs might not be another pie—it might be one of these stylish and functional accessories.
Essential Thanksgiving Tools
We only recommend things we love. If you buy something through our site, we might earn a commission.
1 of 7Courtesy of Made In Cookware
Made In Cookware’s Blue Carbon Steel Roasting Pan
Cheaper than the competition and induction-burner-compatible.
Made In Cookware's Blue Carbon Steel Roasting Pan, $139
2 of 7Courtesy of Willams Sonoma
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.
Shun Classic Blonde 8-Inch Chef's Knife, $180
3 of 7Courtesy of Sur la Table
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.
John Boos Cutting Board, $110
4 of 7Courtesy of Filson
Filson Tin Cloth Apron
Sturdy and large enough to protect you from errant cranberry juice, spattering turkey fat, and spilled Pinot Noir.
Filson Tin Cloth Apron, $125
5 of 7Courtesy of OXO
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.
OXO 9-Inch Pie Plate with Lid, $15
6 of 7Courtesy of Amazon
OXO Good Grips 4-Cup Fat Separator
Gotta love a fat separator for easily discarding the lipids while tidily reserving the drippings (which have about 10 times the flavor of the turkey itself). Plus it doubles as a measuring pitcher you can use the rest of the year.
OXO Good Grips 4-Cup Fat Separator, $33
7 of 7Courtesy of Anthropologie
How to Style Your Thanksgiving Table
The finishing touch your Thanksgiving feast needs might not be another pie—it might be one of these stylish and functional accessories.