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From hearty main dishes to scrumptious sides and decadent desserts, these are some of the best vegetarian and vegan Thanksgiving recipes!
This year, I’ve curated a collection of our favorite vegan Thanksgiving recipes that will not only impress your guests but also make sure everyone at your Thanksgiving table has something delicious to eat.
Vegan Thanksgiving Side Dishes
To be honest, side dishes are my favorite part of the meal. There’s something special about being able to taste four to five different dishes in one sitting, each bursting with fall flavors and textures. They include comforting classics like sweet potato casserole and vegan mac & cheese, to new vegan recipes meant to shake up your menu.
Maple Balsamic Brussel Sprouts
These sweet and savory roasted Brussel sprouts are baked (or air fried) until crispy, charred and caramelized. The combination of balsamic vinegar with sweet maple syrup creates a tangy yet balanced marinade.
Vegan Miso Mushroom Gravy
This vegan gravy has a thick, velvety, creamy texture, a beautiful golden brown color, and a rich, savory, umami flavor. Use it to top mashed potatoes, vegan seitan, Tofurky, or roasted vegetables!
Classic Herbed Vegan Stuffing Casserole
This vegan and vegetarian stuffing casserole has rustic bread cubes tossed in salty vegan butter, mixed with aromatic veggies and fresh herbs like sage, rosemary, and thyme.
Vegan Charcuterie Board
This charcuterie board is a fan favorite in my house and a great way to have a light appetizer before dinner. It’s full of sweet fruits, savory vegan meats (some homemade & some storebought!), and creamy plant-based cheeses.
Best Vegan Mac & Cheese
This is the BEST vegan mac and cheese without any cashews, hands down. The nut-free and dairy-free sauce is beyond creamy, dreamy, and cheezy!
Fluffy Vegan Dinner Rolls
Easy vegan dinner rolls with an insanely soft and fluffy texture. Only 6 ingredients, plus no eggs or dairy are needed to make them!
Buttery Vegan Cornbread
This easy homemade vegan cornbread is super moist, perfectly sweet, incredibly buttery, and slices beautifully. These vegan cornbread muffins would also be great.
Vegan Brioche Rolls
These slightly sweet, rich, yeasted vegan brioche buns are super soft, fluffy, and ultra buttery. They’re perfect for soaking up extra gravy and mashed potatoes.
Classic Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
This classic vegan sweet potato casserole is silky smooth with golden brown toasted marshmallows and crunchy candied pecans on top.
Maple Glazed Rainbow Carrots
These Roasted Maple Tahini Rainbow Carrots are savory and slightly sweet. This hearty and filling veggie side dish is coated in a maple butter tahini glaze.
Flaky Pumpkin Biscuits with Maple Butter
These vegan biscuits are flaky, puffy, and buttery with a subtle fall-inspired pumpkin flavor.
Warm Kale Salad with Roasted Honeynut Squash
Such a bountiful autumn salad with seasonal ingredients like roasted squash, maple dressing, walnuts, and pomegranate seeds.
vegan thanksgiving Main courses
Below are some of our favorite vegan main courses, a delightful change from the typical store-bought vegan turkey roast. Don’t get me wrong… I do love a good Tofurky roast but sometimes it’s nice to switch things up.
Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash
The roasted squash is filled with savory wild rice that’s been infused with sage and thyme. Everything is topped with crunchy walnuts, in-season apples, and juicy pomegranate seeds.
Vegan Beyond Meat Meatloaf
A reader favorite, this vegan meatloaf is topped with a tangy, homemade BBQ sauce that’s sweet yet savory. It will be a hit with both vegans and omnivores!
Vegan Roast Dinner with Root Veggies
This epic vegan roast is complete with chewy and savory seitan, marinated tender root vegetables, and a creamy mushroom gravy.
Savory Root Vegetable Galette
This hearty savory vegan galette is filled with a flavorful rosemary-infused cream sauce and layered with in-season root vegetables like beets, sweet potato, and Yukon Gold potatoes.
Vegan Shepherd’s Pie with Creamy Mashed Potatoes
This tasty, simple recipe uses lentils as the base instead of the traditional ground beef found in non-veg recipes. This pie has the best fluffy potatoes on top of hearty lentils cooked to perfection with fresh-cut vegetables.
Glazed Vegan Ham
This vegan ham recipe features a sweet and tangy caramelized marmalade and brown sugar glaze, giving the seitan a beautiful golden-brown color and a deliciously sticky finish.
Baked Vegan Chicken
Make this vegan chicken instead of buying a store-bought vegan turkey roast this year! It’s juicy, high in protein and has the best ‘meaty’ texture.
Vegan Thanksgiving desserts
Thanksgiving just isn’t complete without a few indulgent desserts to round out the meal. Below are a few favorite pies and other sweet treats.
Classic Vegan Pumpkin Pie
This easy dairy free, eggless and vegan pumpkin pie has a creamy spiced filling made with coconut milk.
Deep Dish Vegan Apple Pie
Can we all agree that apple pie is a fan favorite? This apple pie recipe is one of my family’s favorite desserts, and I completely understand why. It’s completely vegan but I promise you won’t even be able to tell!
Classic Vegan Pecan Pie
Gooey, nutty and rich with the best flaky vegan pie crust! You can’t go wrong with this vegan pecan pie.
Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cream Cheese Danishes
Love pumpkin pie but want an easier recipe? These pumpkin danishes are made with flaky pre-made puff pastry and have all the pumpkin pie flavor without the hassle.
Vegan Cinnamon Cupcakes
Looking for a non-traditional Thanksgiving dessert? Try these cinnamon cupcakes! They’re moist, light, and fluffy with a warm cinnamon sugar flavor reminiscent of snickerdoodle cookies.
Ginger Pear and Walnut Crumble
This easy pear crumble is packed with warm spices like cinnamon and ginger and features a sticky pear filling with a sweet, buttery, crunchy walnut topping.
Vegan Sweet Potato Pie
This classic vegan sweet potato pie is super creamy, full of warm spices, and has a flaky, buttery crust. Top it off with coconut whipped cream!
Vegan Peach Pie
If you love fruit pie, then this easy recipe will be a new go to for you! It has a crispy crust and a filling made with tender, sweet, and lightly spiced peaches.
Baked Hasselback Apples
These hasselback baked apples are topped with a pecan crumble and whipped cream. Certainly a dessert to impress!
Sweet Potato Muffins with Pecan Streusel
These fluffy and moist sweet potato muffins are a delightful blend of cozy spices and sweet, earthy flavors, topped with a crunchy pecan crumble.
Vegan Pound Cake
This vanilla vegan pound cake has a perfectly moist, buttery, dense crumb.
Vegan Apple Cinnamon Cake
This cake is chock full of in-season apples and lots of fall spices. It’s topped with a rich streusel crumble topping, thinly sliced apples, and a dusting of powdered sugar.
Snickerdoodle Pumpkin Bread
This vegan pumpkin bread is packed with pumpkin flavor and is topped with a sweet cinnamon sugar topping that will have you wanting one more slice.
Chewy Vegan Pumpkin Cookies
These vegan pumpkin spice sugar cookies are fudgy & soft on the inside, chewy on the outside, full of pumpkin flavor, and coated in cinnamon sugar.
Cherry Apple Crisp
This cherry apple crisp is a twist on two classic desserts: apple crisp and cherry pie. It has a juicy filling made with ripe, fresh cherries and Honeycrisp apples.
Vegan Pumpkin Banana Bread
Super moist and fluffy, this vegan loaf combines two of the best desserts: banana bread and pumpkin bread.
Breakfast Ideas for Thanksgiving Morning
Start your Thanksgiving morning with these cozy and delicious vegan breakfast ideas from spiced maple coffee cake to pumpkin spice French toast. Plus… here are some creative coffee or tea recipes that will keep you energized while you cook and help set the perfect tone for the festive day ahead.
Vegan Coffee Cake Muffins
These vegan coffee cake muffins are moist, soft and so fluffy. A delicious treat!
Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai Latte
Topped with a dollop of whipped cream, this chai tea is the perfect cozy beverage for the holiday season, whether you prefer it hot or iced.
Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes
These pancakes have a light and airy, fluffy texture that pairs perfectly with crunchy toasted pecans.
Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
These vegan pumpkin cinnamon rolls have tons of pumpkin flavor in every bite, with pumpkin purée in the soft dough and the cozy spiced filling.
Apple Pie Overnight Oats
A healthier treat for Thanksgiving: apple cinnamon overnight oats with lots of caramelized apples on top.
Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte
This cozy iced pumpkin cream chai tea latte is the perfect blend of creamy oat milk, spiced chai tea concentrate, and homemade pumpkin sweet cream.
Creating a Perfect Vegan Thanksgiving Menu
When it comes to crafting a vegan menu for this festive occasion, the key is to balance tradition with new recipes. Here are my top three tips for creating a Thanksgiving menu that will be a hit with vegans, vegetarians, and non-vegans alike:
1. Start with the Classics, Vegan-Style
Begin with what people know and love. Traditional dishes like stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie can easily be made vegan without losing their familiar charm.
Use plant-based butters, creams, egg substitutes and veggie broth to veganize these favorites. This approach offers comfort and familiarity to guests who may be new to vegan cuisine.
2. Incorporate a Variety of Textures and Flavors
Pick vegan Thanksgiving recipes that include a range of textures and flavors. Pair creamy dishes like mashed sweet potatoes or creamy soups with something crunchy like roasted Brussels sprouts.
Balance savory dishes with a hint of sweetness, like glazed carrots or a sweet and tart store-bought cranberry sauce.
3. Don’t Forget the Centerpiece
While traditional Thanksgiving focuses on turkey, a vegan dinner should also include a hearty centerpiece. Use a store-bought vegan turkey alternative or try a homemade recipe like our Vegan Meatloaf with Beyond Meat.
Did You Make One of these Thanksgiving Recipes?
I’d love to know! Leave a comment below!