After almost a decade of attending Thanksgiving gatherings as a vegan, I'm confident that everyone at the table will look forward to trying these delicious vegan Thanksgiving recipes. From appetizers to main dishes, sides, and desserts, I've compiled this list of the best plant-based recipes for the holiday. They're so good that non-vegan guests might not even realize that they're vegan-which I think is the best kind of surprise!
As a vegan whose family mostly consists of omnivores, I'm all about finding recipes that will please vegans and meat eaters alike. I know that my favorite way to indulge in the holiday spirit is to enjoy my favorite comfort foods, so this list is full of them. To make it easier, feel free to simply skip ahead to the category of recipes you are looking for.
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For an easy, pre-planned Thanksgiving dinner menu, you can simply make my 5-course vegan Thanksgiving dinner! Here's a step-by-step video tutorial of how to make this holiday feast.
Watch the full tutorial for the 5-course vegan Thanksgiving dinner video on YouTube, featuring recipes for seitan wellington, vegan mac and cheese with sweet potato, roasted garlic green beans, caramelized onion gravy, and a no-bake pumpkin cheesecake. And now, let's get to all the plant-based Thanksgiving recipes!
Vegan Thanksgiving Appetizers
Beet Mutabal (Mediterranean Beet Dip)
This beet mutabal is a vibrant-colored, Syrian roasted beet dip. This Mediterranean recipe is a great appetizer when you are looking to switch it up from the usual hummus. Sweet beets are accompanied by fragrant roasted garlic, making a colorful dip that will wow your guests as part of your Thanksgiving appetizer spread.
Vegan Cheddar Dip with Kale and Bac'n
You won't believe this creamy, bacon and kale cheddar dip is vegan and gluten-free! This dip has a sharp, tangy flavor and is infused with smoky coconut bacon and garlicky kale.
Stuffed Mushrooms with Vegan Ricotta and Spinach
These stuffed mushrooms are packed with cheesy vegan ricotta, spinach, and garlic, making them a perfect bite-sized appetizer. With a golden, crispy topping, they're an irresistible mix of rich and hearty flavors!
Hummus & Vegan Cheese Appetizer Platter
This colorful fall-themed appetizer platter features almond cheese, three types of hummus and all the seasonal goodness you can imagine from figs to winter squash and crunchy pecans. Totally customizable to your needs, this snack board is sure to wow your guests with minimal preparation time!
Vegan Thanksgiving Mains
This vegan wellington makes a hearty and filling centerpiece for any table! It's filled with "meaty" seitan, covered in an aromatic mushroom duxelles, and wrapped in flaky puff pastry. It makes a beautiful centerpiece for a holiday dinner, especially when served with vegan onion gravy.
These stuffed honeynut squash are filled with a fragrant quinoa and pear stuffing and topped with a maple-balsamic drizzle. The sweetness of the pear perfectly complements the squash, while nutmeg, walnuts, and toasted sage add warm, earthy flavors.
Lentil-Stuffed Delicata Squash
This delicata squash is stuffed with mushrooms, lentils, cranberries, and pecans! This vegetarian stuffed squash recipe is loaded with cozy, sweet, and savory flavors, perfect for a meatless holiday.
This vegan pot roast is a hearty, filling, and comforting dinner for the holidays. The variety of veggies as well as the large portobello mushroom caps will make it as a full course meal for the whole family.
Vegan Thanksgiving Sides
This herbed caramelized onion gravy is packed full of aromatic flavor. It has a subtle sweetness, umami richness, and a complex flavor profile from the delicate herbs. Also gluten-free, this gravy is the perfect accompaniment to my vegan wellington, a hearty main dish that is perfect for the holidays.
Vegan Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese
This is the best ever vegan mac and cheese! It's also nut-free, gluten-free, oil-free, sweet-potato-based, and cheesier than ever, so everyone at the table can enjoy it. This is a twist on a classic Thanksgiving side that the whole family will love.
These lemon garlic green beans are topped with crispy, chickpea-fried onions! If you are not the biggest fan of green beans, try this recipe-it's packed full of flavor and the crispy onions make all the difference. The green beans are simply roasted in the oven while you fry the onions, to make a dish that's ready in under half an hour!
Brussels Sprouts with Mushrooms
Once you make these roasted brussels sprouts, for the first time, you are going to want to have them alongside every meal. They are so addicting! The sweet, balsamic-roasted brussels sprouts pair with shiitake mushroom bacon and an irresistible, creamy, maple dijon sauce.
If you're not the biggest fan of quinoa, you need to try this recipe! This creamy coconut quinoa and greens dish is super savory, flavorful, and has a creaminess that makes it feel like a comfort food dish.
Oven-Roasted Rainbow Carrots with Orange & Thyme
These rainbow carrots are roasted with sweet maple syrup, tangy fresh orange juice, earthy cumin, and herby thyme. It's all a perfect combo to make these veggies tender and flavorful. Topped with crunchy toasted walnuts, it's a stunner of a side dish fit for your Thanksgiving table.
Dauphinoise potatoes, or gratin dauphinois, is a traditional dish from southeast France that is similar to scalloped potatoes. This vegan version will make any holiday special.
Mashed Potatoes & Gravy with Cannellini Bean Cream
When you taste the satisfying combination of mashed potatoes, stuffin' muffins, and gravy, you'll understand how wild it is that these deliciously creamy favorites begin with a simple can of beans! These three classic gluten-free holiday faves come together in mere minutes, and they're so hearty, you'll have to remind yourself to save room for sides!
This vegan stuffing recipe tastes just like the classic. It's buttery, flavorful, and filled with well-seasoned vegetables and the best herbs.
This vegetable divan, the vegan version of the traditional comfort-food dish, is a delicious, hearty meal baked to perfection and perfect to serve at your holiday table. It uses the same fresh vegetables as the original but leaves out the heavy dairy and oils.
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
This roasted butternut squash salad is comforting, hearty, and delicious. It's loaded with cranberries, pecans, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, and caramelized squash with a hint of spices! Plus, an exciting maple dressing blends it all together.
This farro sweet potato salad is the perfect side dish that will satisfy all of your guests, vegan and non-vegan alike. This hearty grain salad combines farro with slightly spicy roasted sweet potatoes, massaged kale, and crunchy pepitas, all coated in an apple cider vinaigrette.
Vegan Thanksgiving Desserts
No-Bake Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
This no-bake pumpkin cheesecake is perfect for the holiday season. You would never guess that this decadent dessert is also raw and gluten-free, without sacrificing any of the rich and indulgent flavors.
This spiced vegan pumpkin coffee cake has a cinnamon swirl and is generously topped with pecan crumble! It's tender, moist, and utterly delicious.
This chocolate sweet potato pie makes a great holiday dessert. It is vegan, gluten-free, and has a rich, dark chocolate taste.
These lovely pumpkin tarts are the perfect way to finish a holiday meal! Serve with coconut whipped cream for a lovely alternative to pumpkin pie, no baking needed!
This vegan apple crumb pie is warm, cozy, and perfectly spiced! It has a crisp, buttery crust with a gooey, apple inside, and a homemade crumble topping. It's gluten and oil-free.
I hope you love these vegan holiday recipes and that you all have a wonderful holiday with loved ones. If you end up making these recipes, make sure to tag me on Instagram @zenandzaatar, or pin this post to save for later!
Vegan Thanksgiving Menu Picks
This curated set of vegan Thanksgiving recipes includes tried-and-true, crowd-pleasing dishes for a plant-based holiday menu that everyone at the table will enjoy.
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