14 Delicious Vegetarian Thanksgiving and Holiday Recipes (2024)

Thanksgiving can be a weird time for vegetarians, especially at big family gatherings. Because turkey or ham are usually the stars of dinner, it can be awkward to bring up vegetarian options to whoever’s in charge.

The last thing you want to do is assume certain things will be meatless. Stuffing is the only traditional Thanksgiving dish I enjoy (I LOVE it!). One year, I mistakenly assumed the stuffing would be vegetarian, but the person in charge of making it added sausage – talk about disappointment.

Maybe this year you offer to bring your own vegetarian entree to dinner. Or maybe you take the plunge and host your own fully vegetarian Thanksgiving!

Either way, a vegetarian Thanksgiving can and should still have all the fall flavors and traditional holiday ingredients. Here are 14 Delicious Vegetarian Thanksgiving and Holiday Recipes to try…. Who knows, you might even convert some turkey-lovers to the meatless side with how yummy these are!

Note: Any recipe with a (V) after the name is vegan (no dairy, eggs, or animal products)!

Check out some of our other vegetarian and vegan recipe posts:
11 Amazing Vegan Spaghetti Squash Recipes
14 Vegetarian Breakfast Sandwich Recipes
27 High-Protein Vegan Salads
15 Hearty Vegan Chili Recipes
22 Vegan Xmas Cookie Recipes

1. Thanksgiving Stuffed Acorn Squash

If Thanksgiving could be wrapped up in acorn squash, this is what it would taste like. It’s a big shame that acorn squash is so underutilized in fall and winter recipes – it is simply delicious! If you’re tired of the same old butternut or spaghetti squashes, give this one a try.

Squash, farro, chickpeas, cranberries, pecans, and kale make up the bulk of this recipe. Add in some delicious warm spices, and you have yourself a vegetarian Thanksgiving winner.

Get the full recipe here.

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2. Vegan Mushroom Wellington (V)

This is a mushroom lover’s dream! Portobello mushrooms have a great texture that keeps the meatiness of the dish present. And, I don’t know about you, but caramelized onions on literally anything means I will be chowing down.

This is one that both vegetarians and meat-eaters alike will enjoy, so make sure to prepare more than needed to account for those that sneak a piece onto their plate next to their turkey and ham. The structure of this recipe makes it excellent to make ahead of time, keep in the refrigerator, and bake later at whatever location you might be.

Get the full recipe here.

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3. Baked Gnocchi with Pumpkin Sauce

Gnocchi might be a little unconventional for Thanksgiving, but don’t knock it til you try it. This recipe still has amazing fall flavors such as pumpkin, nutmeg, and sage.

Any vegetarian recipe with goat cheese is a winner in my book. (Click here for more yummy goat cheese recipes). Plus, it’s another easily transportable and re-heatable recipe, if you are traveling for Thanksgiving.

Get the full recipe here.

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4. Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Cranberry Apple Chutney (V)

These cauliflower steaks could definitely be served as either an appetizer or as an entree. This is a really fun and unconventional way to cut and cook cauliflower, but it works. Its thickness and heartiness truly makes it feel “meat-like” while eating.

While cauliflower is delicious no matter how you cook it, the chutney is what really makes this dish shine. The flavor adds tartness, sweetness, and a warm spiciness, making it perfect for a vegetarian Thanksgiving! The chutney has apples, cranberries, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon.

Get the full recipe here.

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5. Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Crispy Baked Tofu with Honey-Sesame Glaze (V)

I couldn’t make this list without putting at least one tofu recipe on it! Bring a little Asian flair to Thanksgiving with this delicious fully rounded dish. This recipe can be made vegan if maple syrup is used instead of honey.

This is a very simple vegetarian Thanksgiving dish – what you see is what you get. But it certainly doesn’t lack flavor because of it. This has rice, brussels sprouts, tofu, and a delicious glaze that coats the entire plate. Serve it as a main dish or a protein-packed side dish for all to enjoy.

Get the full recipe here.

6. Roasted Carrots with Farro & Chickpeas

I never used to like cooked carrots as a kid. I even specifically (and embarrassingly) remember throwing a fit at the dinner table and being late to basketball practice in middle school because I wasn’t allowed to leave the table until I ate 2 cooked carrots. Yikes.

But now that I’m older, I love how sweet they get after they’ve been roasting for a while. This vegetarian Thanksgiving recipe really shows off that candied flavor of cooked carrots while balancing it with a yummy herbed creme fraiche. The farro and chickpeas provide some hearty substance that completes this dish wonderfully.

Get the full recipe here.

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7. Stuffed Roasted Butternut Squash (V)

While it obviously doesn’t taste like turkey, this is the closest recipe I could find that visually commands the room like a stuffed bird does. This stuffed butternut squash is just beautiful and has all of the traditional Thanksgiving flavors inside. This recipe is sure to be a jaw-dropper when it comes out of the oven, and again when guests put it in their mouths.

Get the full recipe here.

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8. Herby Mushroom Croissant Stuffing

Have you ever heard of a stuffing made out of croissants? Me either, but it sounds totally dreamy, especially with mushrooms in it. This recipe puts a little twist on the traditional stuffing, but in my experience, twists are usually unexpectedly delicious.

Get the full recipe here.

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9. Fall Harvest Honeycrisp Apple and Kale Salad

Instead of the usual garden salad served at Thanksgiving, try something a little more in season. Apples, kale pomegranate, feta, pumpkin seeds, and a shallot vinaigrette will darken up your table, but delight your stomach. The recipe calls for prosciutto, which you’ll obviously need to leave out to keep vegetarian. The other ingredients provide enough substance and flavor that meat is not needed.

Get the full recipe here.

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10. Sweet Potato Goat Cheese Appetizer

Sweet potatoes, goat cheese, honey, cranberries, and pecans make the perfect bite of heaven. These are definitely bite-sized, so don’t expect them to last long. Heck, they’re so good, I’ll be making them long after Thanksgiving has come and gone.

Get the full recipe here.

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11. Cranberry Brie Bites

I’m not a big fan of cranberry sauce, and without turkey to put it on, where’s it going to go anyway? Instead, try these easy and yummy cranberry brie bites. Made with crescent rolls, brie, cranberry, pecans, and rosemary… you simply can’t go wrong.

Get the full recipe here.

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12. Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Cinnamon Butternut Squash with Pecans and Cranberries (V)

Brussels sprouts are not only nutritious and delicious, but they’re also trendy. With this recipe, you don’t have to visit a restaurant to get a yummy version of the vegetable. Vegetarian Thanksgiving isn’t complete without at least one brussels sprouts dish!

Get the full recipe here.

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13. Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Rosemary

Absolutely no Thanksgiving would be complete without potatoes – whether mashed, roasted, or fried. Potatoes are usually vegetarian, which is why I only put one recipe for them on this list. For me, the creamier (more butter), and the chunkier (not all the way mashed), the better.

Get the full recipe here.

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14. Traditional Herb Stuffing

As mentioned above, stuffing is my favorite Thanksgiving dish. There are many recipes and people who make their stuffing with sausage in it – this is wrong. Here’s a classic stuffing recipe without sausage, and all the herbs your little heart desires.

Get the full recipe here.

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14 Delicious Vegetarian Thanksgiving and Holiday Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How to host a vegetarian Thanksgiving? ›

  1. Roasted Butternut Squash. This Roasted Butternut Squash recipe is easy to make and packed with flavor. ...
  2. Crispy Mashed Potato Cakes. ...
  3. Wild Rice Pilaf. ...
  4. Roasted Parsnips. ...
  5. Green Beans Almondine. ...
  6. Garlic Mashed Potatoes. ...
  7. Glazed Carrots. ...
  8. Cornbread Stuffing with Cranberries and Pecans.
Nov 1, 2023

How do vegetarians celebrate Thanksgiving? ›

Serve up a meat-free feast for Thanksgiving. We've got lots of celebratory vegetarian recipes, from stuffed pumpkin and squash, to nut roasts, vegetable tarts and roast cauliflower.

What can I serve on Thanksgiving instead of turkey? ›

For smaller crowds, swap the turkey with chicken, Cornish game hens, or stuff and roast individual quails for each guest, which is very elegant for a plated meal. Our roast chicken with sourdough stuffing, pomegranate roast chicken, and cranberry stuffed cornish game hen bring a festive Thanksgiving vibe to the table.

What is the most popular vegetarian alternative to turkey at Christmas? ›

Nut Roast. The most popular Christmas meal for vegetarians and vegans is the nut roast. This typically describes a mixture of nuts, breadcrumbs, leeks, onions, broth and either oil or butter. However, this recipe is malleable and offers the opportunity for many alterations according to personal preference.

What are 5 meat alternatives for vegetarians? ›

The 10 best vegan meat alternatives
  • Meat alternatives are growing in popularity. More and more consumers are questioning the consumption of meat and the effects that our diets have on animals, the environment, and our health. ...
  • Tofu. ...
  • Soy protein. ...
  • Tempeh. ...
  • Seitan/wheat protein. ...
  • Lupin protein. ...
  • Green spelt. ...
  • Oat flakes.
Oct 10, 2023

What is a vegetarian that eats chicken and turkey? ›

The term "pollo-vegetarian" was first used in nutritional textbooks in the 1980s to describe a semi-vegetarian diet that incorporates poultry. Historian Rod Preece describes pollotarians as "those who refrain from mammals but are willing to eat the flesh of birds notably chickens."

What is a vegetarian fed turkey? ›

Vegetarian Fed

Worms, bugs, leaves, grasses, fruits, berries, seeds, and more. But on the turkey farm, they get turkey chow. Old-style turkey chow had animal protein in it. The new wave, though, is to feed turkeys only plant-based protein. That way, the marketers can slap a seal on the bird that says “vegetarian.”

Why should people eat chicken instead of turkey on Thanksgiving? ›

It's Smaller

Chickens are much smaller than turkeys, which make them a great alternative for smaller families or gatherings. Unless, of course, you want to eat leftover turkey for weeks. Because chickens are smaller, cooking them is also so much easier to manage.

What is the number one side dish for Thanksgiving? ›

Mashed potatoes are a traditional Thanksgiving side dish for a reason, and we definitely look forward to serving up this delicious dish every November. Click here for the recipe!

What is a good non traditional Thanksgiving meal? ›

Think: pumpkin risotto, crab-stuffed mushrooms, mashed potato pancakes, and cauliflower steak. Looking to skip the traditional main course? No problem! Try a tender roast beef or a chicken fried turkey recipe instead!

What is the least common Thanksgiving food? ›

The Least Popular Thanksgiving Foods, Ranked
  • Sweet Potatoes or Yams — 25.12%
  • Stuffing/Dressing. — 22.33%
  • Pumpkin Pie. — 21.44%
  • Carrots. — 16.95%
  • Mashed Potatoes. — 15.45%
  • Corn. — 14.36%
  • Macaroni and Cheese. — 14.36%
  • Apple Pie. — 12.86%

What is an alternative bird to turkey for Thanksgiving? ›

As for cooking methods, duck, pheasant and goose can roast in the oven just like you would a turkey. The fattier duck and geese should be slow-roasted so the fat renders and you get a crispy skin. A quick reminder: Just like all poultry, make sure your bird reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F.

What is the name of the vegetarian turkey? ›

Tofurkey (a portmanteau of tofu and turkey) is a plant-based meat substitute patterned after turkey, in the form of a loaf of vegetarian protein, usually made from tofu (soybean protein) or seitan (wheat protein) with a stuffing made from grains or bread, flavored with a broth and seasoned with herbs and spices.

What is meatless turkey made of? ›

Ingredients. Mycoprotein (60%), Egg White, Onion, Milk Proteins, Canola Oil, Yeast Extract.

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