Your Vegan Thanksgiving Guide: 50+ Plant-Based Holiday Recipes
Make these delicious, beautiful, super-satisfying vegan Thanksgiving recipes for any vegetarians, vegans, or plant-based guests at your table. (And for anyone with a wheat allergy, you can make most of these gluten-free just by switching out the flour.) Then watch everyone else dig in since these will be the most popular dishes at the gathering. Chocolate Vegan Pecan Pie anyone? No need to mention it's dairy-free.
This Thanksgiving, make your menu one that is full of vegan dishes that everyone will love and come back for seconds. No one will even know that these are vegan recipes, because they are so rich in flavor – with all the traditional seasonings and richness, of regular recipes – except these are dairy-free, egg-free, and made without any animal products – who says you need turkey to be thankful and satisfied? Not us. These 50 recipes (plus a host of cocktails to add to the mix) include vegan sides, vegan mains, dairy-free desserts, and plenty more.
You don't have to be vegan or even plant-based to enjoy meatless, dairy-free Thanksgiving options. These incredible plant-based Thanksgiving recipes will elevate your holiday menu and please whatever sized crowd you have while nourishing everyone with better-for-you ingredients that taste absolutely amazing.
Your Recipe Guide to a Vegan Thanksgiving
Vegan Thanksgiving Appetizers
- Cashew-Crusted Herb & Garlic Cheeseball
- Bruschetta Toast
- Autumn Pear Salad with Maple Mustard Vinaigrette
- Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup
- Vegan Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
- Pumpkin and Crispy Kale Pasta with Vegan Parmesan
- Vegan Butternut Squash & Chickpea Wraps
- Easy Vegan Pumpkin Curry
- Easy Butternut Squash Orzo Salad with Dairy-Free Feta
Vegan Thanksgiving Side Dishes
The key to a successful Thanksgiving menu lies in the sides – the devil is absolutely in the (dairy-free) details. After all, without a rich gravy, hearty stuffing, and a classic green bean casserole, your main dishes aren't as memorable. We don't want to take your Great Aunt's sweet potato casserole away from you – we just want to show you how easy it is to swap animal-based ingredients for plants and create new, healthier traditions.
- Green Bean Casserole
- Easy Vegan Stuffing
- Mac 'n Cheese
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Mushroom Gravy
- Cornbread
- Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
- Loaded Sweet Potato Rounds With Vegan Goat Cheese and Cranberries
- Vegan Cheddar Biscuits
- Roasted and Seasoned Potatoes
- Caramelized Brussels Sprouts With Almonds and Chiles
- Vegan Mashed Butternut Squash
Famous Chefs' Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes
Want to really impress your guests? We asked famous plant-based chefs to share their favorite autumnal culinary traditions exclusively with The Beet. If you're adept in the kitchen, try making these innovative plant-based options for your guests to elevate your feast to a new level of sophistication.
- Matthew Kenney's Pumpkins Roasted in Almond Oil With Makrut Lime Leaf
- Bettina Campolucci Bordi's Swedish Non-meatballs, Carrot Mash, Gravy, and Nan’s Quick Pickle
- Ellen Charlotte Marie's Festively Stuffed Pumpkin
- Tal Ronnen's Roasted Parsnips
- Eddie Garza's Mexican Chocolate Dessert Tamales
- Guy Vaknin's Butternut Squash Soup
Vegan Thanksgiving Main Dishes
Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same without all of your favorite family food traditions, whether you want vegan Thanksgiving for the sake of being healthier or the planet, nothing needs to be sacrificed when it comes to taste and satisfaction.
For a list of the best plant-based turkey alternatives you can buy, The Beet has taste-tested the top five, and here are the best ones that we recommend. Or you can make your own vegan Thanksgiving main dish from these plant-based recipes. Here are four vegan holiday main dishes to make that are packed with protein and bursting with taste.
- Vegan Wellington
- Vegan Hummus Lentil Loaf
- Stuffed Quinoa and Lentil Acorn Squash
- Vegan Meatloaf
- Vegan Pumpkin Ravioli With Sage Butter
- Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Vegan Whipped Feta
- Creamy Vegan Lentil Stuffed Butternut Squash
Vegan Thanksgiving Desserts
There's no better way to close a feast than with decadent desserts, and without any dairy, these treats are both delicious and better for you. Stick to a classic like pie, or try something new by making a baked apple, topped with plant-based ice cream, of course. You can modify an existing recipe by checking out our guide to egg replacers.
- Vegan Pumpkin Pie
- Vegan Chocolate Pecan Pie
- Baked Apples
- Chef Chloe Coscarelli’s Vegan Caramel Apple Pie Bars
- Vegan Apple Pie Parfait
- Vegan Microwave (or Bake) Apple Crisp in a Mug, Ready in 3 Minutes
- Vegan Pumpkin Spice Bread With a Warm Streusel Topping
- Dairy-Free Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream
- Easy 5-Ingredient Vegan Apple Pie
- Vegan Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese Filling
- Vegan Apple Crisp Topped with Dairy-Free Ice Cream
- Easy Vegan Slow Cooker Stuffed Apples
Vegan Thanksgiving Cocktails
You probably assume that all alcohol is vegan, but that is not the case – since many alcohol brands use animal products in the filtration and fining processes. Check out our guide to choosing healthy, vegan wine, or make these festive, delicious holiday cocktails.
- Grapefruit and Rosemary Sparkler
- Apple Cider Mimosa
- 5 Holiday Cocktails Everyone at Your Party Will Love
Need more winter recipe inspiration? Check out The Beet's Vegan Holiday Recipes to find more festive, plant-based dishes that will impress everyone at your Thanksgiving table.