36 Best Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes (2024)

By: Author Joy Shull

Posted on Last updated:

A collection of 36 Thanksgiving recipes that are vegetarian friendly. Use this post as a guide for your holiday planning!

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Make planning your vegetarian Thanksgiving easy with these recipes!

Whether it’s your first year cooking a vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner, or you are just looking for some delicious recipes for your vegetarian guests, we’ve got you covered!

In this post you will find all of our favorite vegetarian thanksgiving recipes, tips for cooking and prepping ahead, and so much more.

From vegetarian thanksgiving side dishes to drool worthy desserts, you will find recipes that will please everyone!

I made most of this menu last year for Thanksgiving and everyone I served loved the recipes (and most of those people were not vegetarians!)

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Vegetarian Thanksgiving Main Dish

When you are a vegetarian at Thanksgiving, the first question most people ask is well what do you eat besides turkey? Although I firmly believe that the most delicious part of Thanksgiving is all of the amazing side dishes, we still do a “meat” every year.

After trying multiple brands of vegetarian “turkey” roasts, we found the golden one. It’s worth saying that the others were so bad that we could not eat them.

So be warned before you spend $10 – $15 on a roast! The quorn brand Turk’y roast is vegetarian and gluten free and tastes almost exactly like turkey! This post is not sponsored by them, I just genuinely want to share the best one that our family has found and buys every year.

I even had a meat eater ask what on earth was in it because it tasted like meat.

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It’s delicious, easy to make, and tastes amazing with gravy. What we usually do is defrost the roast in the fridge overnight, then bake it on Thanksgiving.

Once it is done baking, we dice it into chunks, and place in a crockpot to keep warm with enough gravy to keep it from getting dry.

You could also go another route and make your own non meat loaf, or other vegetarian main dish recipe. Last year I hosted Thanksgiving and my guests brought some meat for themselves to eat along with all of the other dishes.

This was a great compromise and everyone raved about the vegetarian and vegan dishes!

Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Planning a vegetarian Thanksgiving menu is so much fun! Here are our favorite holiday side dishes.

1. Vegan Stuffing

This easy vegan stuffing recipe is the perfect addition to your holiday table. A family favorite that is sure to impress anyone who tries it!

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2. Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows

This is a classic favorite dish to make for the holidays and it’s simply divine. If you want this to be truly vegetarian, buy vegan marshmallows that do not use gelatin.

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3. The Best Vegetarian Gravy

Vegetarian or not, your guests will be begging for seconds of this gravy! It is the most delicious gravy I have ever tasted. It’s also easy to modify this recipe to make it vegan and or gluten free if needed.

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4. Cheesy Potatoes with Corn Flakes

Thesecheesy potatoes with corn flakesare always a hit side dish! Also known as funeral potatoes, this classic family favorite makes addition to your Thanksgiving spread.

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5. Green Bean Casserole

Another must have for Thanksgiving! You’ll love this version that features fresh mushrooms and cheddar cheese for extra flavor!

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6. Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream

The best delicious mashed potatoes with sour cream recipe. Use the perfect blend of sour cream, milk, and butter to make these buttery perfect mashed potatoes.

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7. Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan

Crispy brussels sprouts are baked to perfection with delicious parmesan cheese edges.

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8. Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans (Gluten Free)

This sweet potato casserole is everything delicious: buttery sweet potatoes topped with a salty sweet pecan crumble. It’s also gluten free for your gluten free guests!

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9. Creamed Corn

Homemade creamed corn with cream cheese is so simple to make, but the flavors are so decadent. Creamed corn for Thanksgiving is always a hit!

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10. Cranberry Sauce

Once you make your own cranberry sauce, you’ll never go back. This is so easy to make and absolutely delicious!

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11. Honey Butter Skillet Corn

This creamy honey butter corn is easy and requires just a few ingredients!

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12. Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Thisbaked macaroni and cheeseis the ultimate cheesy recipe complete with a crunchy panko topping

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13. Roasted Garlic Butter Carrots

Carrots roasted in garlic butter are a great super simple side dish.

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14. Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese

If you’re making mac and cheese and low on oven space, I highly recommend this Instant Pot Mac and Cheese recipe!

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15. Broccoli Casserole

This easy classic Ritz Cracker Broccoli Casserole is another guaranteed crowd favorite side dish.

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16. Brussel Sprouts Gratin

Brussels Sprouts Gratin is a cheesy baked vegetable side dish that everyone will love!

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17.

Looking for a lightened up version of mac and cheese? Try this protein packed version!

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18. Honey Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots

These glazed carrots are a classic side dish for Thanksgiving and so easy to make.

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19. Skillet Corn for Thanksgiving

This buttery skillet corn is the absolute favorite in our home. We always make this one for Thanksgiving!

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20. Vegan Mashed Potatoes

For vegan mashed potatoes, this recipe is easy to make and uses no dairy!

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21. Creamy Garlic Mushrooms

Mushrooms cooked in a creamy garlic sauce are an indulgent and delicious side dish.

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Thanksgiving Appetizers

For when you need something to snack on while you are cooking your big Thanksgiving dinner!

22. Pumpkin Cheese Ball

This pumpkin shaped cheese ball is not only adorable, but it’s really a cinch to make. You needjust a few classic cheese ball ingredientsand some rubber bands to make this fun appetizer!

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23. Classic Cheese Ball

This classic cheese ball recipe features cream cheese, green onions, and cheddar cheese. This is my favorite appetizer for holiday parties and gatherings!

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Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes

Just when you think you are too full to move…then comes dessert! It’s just not Thanksgiving without a delicious dessert (or 5!) Here are some tried and true favorites.

24. Pecan Pie Bars

These pecan pie bars with shortbread crust are made with real maple syrup and are absolutely irresistible!

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25. Pumpkin Cream Pie

This no bake version of the classic favorite pumpkin pie is so delicious!

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26. No Bake Peanut Butter Pie

This no bake peanut butter pie is another one of our favorite easy pie recipes that you can make ahead.

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27. Oreo Pie

Another make ahead favorite, you can’t go wrong with this delicious Oreo pie!

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28. Pecan Pie

This pecan pie made with real maple syrup is a must make!

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29. Pecan Cream Pie

Speaking of pecans…please tell me you’ve heard of pecan cream pie? Another no bake pie that we have fallen in love with!

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30. Pecan Pie Brownies

Pecan pie and brownies in one dessert? Yes please!

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31. Vegan Apple Crisp

You can’t go wrong with a warm apple crisp served with vanilla ice cream!

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32. Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie

Just as good as the classic favorite, this gluten free version of pumpkin pie will be a hit with the whole family!

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33. Cranberry Blueberry Crisp

This cranberry blueberry crisp is a seasonal dessert that is so colorful and flavorful!

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34. Cranberry Apple Crisp

Cranberry Apple Crisp is another seasonal favorite that would be great for Thanksgiving.

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35. Gluten Free Apple Crisp

For your gluten free guests, this Gluten Free Apple Crisp is made with a buttery crunchy oat topping that is simply delectable.

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36. Dark Chocolate Pecan Cookie Bars

Maybe you don’t think of cookie bars for Thanksgiving, but these Dark Chocolate Pecan Cookie Bars are the perfect different dessert!

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Did you make a recipe?

Good luck planning your Vegetarian Thanksgiving Menu! If you try one of these recipes please be sure to leave a comment on the post. Happy Thanksgiving!

36 Best Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What does vegetarians eat on Thanksgiving? ›

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Main Dishes
  • Vegetarian Mushroom Wellington. Alexa Weibel. ...
  • Spicy Roasted Mushrooms With Polenta. ...
  • Ombré Gratin. ...
  • Baked Brie and Caramelized Vegetable Pie. ...
  • One-Pot Vegetable Biryani. ...
  • Broccoli Cheese Casserole. ...
  • Butternut Squash and Fondue Pie With Pickled Red Chiles. ...
  • Roasted Mushrooms in Ata Din Din.

What is the most popular vegetable dish served at American Thanksgiving dinner? ›

Green Bean Casserole

This classic dish made with green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and crispy fried onions is a staple on many Thanksgiving tables. It's easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser. Green Bean Casserole is a classic American side dish, typically served during Thanksgiving.

What is a level 5 vegan? ›

Level 5 vegans are those who are seen as incredibly committed to the vegan lifestyle, and are often hailed as “extreme vegans”. Level 5 vegans go to an extensive effort to follow a vegan lifestyle that is free of any type of animal product or animal exploitation.

What is the most popular vegetarian alternative to roast turkey? ›

Nut roast is a popular vegetarian alternative to a turkey dinner. It is a savory dish made primarily from a mixture of ground nuts, breadcrumbs, and various vegetables, herbs, and spices.

What do vegetarians eat instead of ham? ›

1 Vegan Ham With Seitan

Because of its meaty texture and appearance, seitan is a common ingredient in vegan ham. This recipe combines it with tofu to get a really juicy, chewy result that even looks almost identical to the real deal.

What foods can replace meat for vegetarians? ›

Some whole foods, such as beans, lentils, chickpeas, and mushrooms, contain protein or have a meaty texture and can work well as meat substitutes. Food manufacturers often include these types of food in their vegetarian and vegan products.

What is the least popular 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 the most loved Thanksgiving food? ›

Popular Thanksgiving foods ranked
  1. Stuffing.
  2. Potatoes. ...
  3. Pies and other sweets. ...
  4. Other random foods. ...
  5. Rolls. Though rolls are certainly not a main dish, they are a key element of any Thanksgiving meal. ...
  6. Turkey. The classic entree for Thanksgiving is definitely a large turkey dish. ...
Nov 10, 2023

What is the most popular side dish served at Thanksgiving? ›

What are Americans' favorite Thanksgiving Day dinner side dishes? Most enjoy dressing, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, corn casserole, yams, mashed potatoes, and hot rolls. This will vary from home to home, of course, but these are the more traditional.

What are 4 commonly consumed foods at Thanksgiving other than turkey? ›

Cornish game hen, goose, duck, ham, beef, salmon, and mushroom recipes make worthy centerpieces for holiday meals.

Can you make Thanksgiving side dishes ahead of time? ›

In fact, you'll cut a lot of stress out of turkey day if you prep a few side dishes now. Just stash them in the freezer for up to a month, and you'll have even more to be thankful for on Thanksgiving. These top recipes and prep tips for make-ahead Thanksgiving side dishes will save precious time on the big day itself.

What do African Americans cook for Thanksgiving? ›

Black Thanksgiving is an extension of the large Sunday dinners that many families had after church, she said. Her table is usually filled with four proteins — turkey, ham, pot roast and fried chicken. There are close to a dozen side dishes that include sauerkraut, mashed root vegetables, dressing and corn pudding.

How to be vegetarian on Thanksgiving? ›

Start off your meal with crispy kabocha squash fritters or a flavor-packed caramelized onion dip. For your main, serve a presentation-worthy Greens-and-Cheese-Stuffed Cinderella Pumpkin, Carrot Steaks with Roasted Garlic Hollandaise, or a rainbow gratin with six layers of colorful vegetables.

What food groups do vegetarians eat? ›

To get the most out of a vegetarian diet, choose a variety of healthy plant-based foods. These include whole fruits and vegetables and whole grains. Nuts and legumes, such as lentils, beans and peanuts, also are considered healthy plant-based foods. At the same time, cut back on less healthy choices.

Can you be a vegetarian and eat turkey? ›

Also known as pollo-vegetarian, the pollotarian diet is considered to be a type of semi-vegetarianism, as some forms of animal meat are allowed. While the prefix “pollo” literally translates to “chicken” in Spanish, pollotarians generally eat all forms of poultry, including turkey and duck.

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."

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