Your Vegan Thanksgiving Guide: 25 Plant-Based Holiday Recipes
It's the most fun time of the year for cooking and eating: Thanksgiving! 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 even 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? Why even mention it's dairy-free?
This Thanksgiving, make your menu one that is full of plant-based dishes that everyone will love and come back for seconds. Chances are unless you tell them, 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 25 recipes (plus a host of cocktails to add to the mix) include vegan sides, plant-based mains, dairy-free desserts, and plenty more. Check out the chef's special plant-based recipes to really take it up a notch. Vegan does not equal boring. At least not to them!
So Whether your crowd has one, two, three, or more vegans or vegetarians at the table, or everyone wants to eat vegan Thanksgiving dishes so they can say they did at work or on Zoom calls on Monday, The Beet has you covered. These dishes will be the talk of the meal and for years to come since they taste as good as they look.
Note to self, and grandpa too: 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.
Vegan Appetizers
- Cashew-Crusted Herb & Garlic Cheeseball
- Bruschetta Toast
- Autumn Pear Salad with Maple Mustard Vinaigrette
- Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup
Vegan 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 special. 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
Vegan recipes by famous plant-based chefs
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 Holiday 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 Festive Cocktails
You probably assume that all alcohol is vegan, but actually, 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.