This is the week each year I get asked for vegetarian Thanksgiving recipe ideas, so I thought I’d update my list of favorite recipes and ideas from the archives. I’ve also added a few recipes I’ve come across on other sites that looked exciting. I hope those of you preparing and celebrating have a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with friends and loved ones. Also, here’s a dedicated selection of vegan Thanksgiving recipes (and suggestions). xx, -h
Vegetarian Thanksgiving Main Dishes
Any one of these would be a welcome main dish as part of a modern Thanksgiving spread. I usually focus on one vegetarian main dish and then a collection of sides and salads to go along with it – creating new classics is part of the fun.
A Rustic Scallion & Chive Panade – A show-stopping centerpiece of a meal. The combination of simmering broth, Gruyere cheese, onions, garlic, chives, and sourdough combine into a decadent pot of savory magic. If you make this you can skip making stuffing. Or make this in place of your classic stuffing. It’s *so* good.
Hazelnut & Chard Ravioli Salad – I made this a couple years back, and it makes a great vegetarian main dish. Plump raviolis tossed with toasted hazelnuts, sautéed ribbons of chard, and caramelized onions are at the heart of this ravioli salad recipe. It’s finished off with a dusting of cheese, snipped chives, and lemon zest. You can prepare most of the components ahead of time. These ravioli are stuffed with butternut squash, but use whatever you like. Mushroom stuffed ravioli are great in this dish too.
Vegan Red Pozole – This favorite meatless red pozole is grounded with cascabel and chipotle chiles and spiked with citrus olive oil. It’s wonderful for feeding a crowd, perfect addition to your Thanksgiving menu and you can do many of the components ahead of time. Be sure not to skimp on the toppings!
Sourdough Galette with Delicata Squash – I love this SO much. It’s a fully loaded winter sourdough galette topped with delicata squash, green chile yogurt, shallots, and scallions. Feel free to swap in another winter squash – butternut squash or acorn squash would both work well.
Thousand Layer Lasagna – My favorite and best lasagna recipe. I first posted it in 2006 we still love it. Dozens and dozens of whisper-thin sheets of fresh pasta brushed with the most vibrant red tomato sauce imaginable all intersecting layer after layer of warm, oozy, fresh mozzarella.
Shredded Brussels Sprouts & Apples – Another favorite way to cook brussels sprouts. Shredded brussels sprout ribbons, apples, garlic, pine nuts, and tofu in a skillet with a hint of maple syrup.
Vegetarian Thanksgiving Side Dishes & Salads
Roasted Vegetable Orzo – So good and veggie forward! This is roasted delicata squash and kale tossed w/ orzo pasta & salted yogurt dressing.
Mashed Potatoes – This is the way to do them. Buttery peaks and cloud-like drizzled with a saffron garlic butter, and topped with a toasted almond, coriander, sesame sprinkle. Simple, but with enough of a twist to make them special.
Golden-Crusted Brussels Sprouts – These are the best. A quick and easy brussels sprouts recipe that will convert the biggest skeptics. Vibrant green, tender brussels sprouts that become deeply golden and crusty where they touch the pan, dusted with cheese. There’s also an oregano version linked down below.
Heirloom Apple Salad- A favorite Autumn salad. You’re looking at heirloom apples, shaved celery, and toasted nuts of your choosing. The dressing is crème fraîche spiked with rosemary, garlic and champagne vinegar. The mix of textures and flavors is magic.
Roasted Delicata Squash Salad – So tasty! Pretty, scalloped-edged cross-cuts of the delicata squash, a few small potatoes, chopped kale, radishes, Marcona almonds – and a bold miso harissa dressing.
Oregano Brussels Sprouts – Pan-fried and then finished with a drizzle or oregano deliciousness, and toasted almond slices.
Pomelo Green Beans – A one-pan green bean side with a walnut-garlic dressing and highlighted with pomelo segments. Transform it into an easy main with the addition of some seared tofu or a poached egg.
Vibrant Tasty Green Beans – Or, this one, another favorite green bean recipe and a great alternative to green bean casserole – dill, green beans, leeks, salt and olive oil. That’s it – five ingredients, one skillet – tasty green beans.
Lentils with Wine-Glazed Vegetables – These simple, wine-glazed lentils, from Deborah Madison, are a long-time favorite. Perfect addition to a Thanksgiving spread.
Raw Tuscan Salad – A red chile spiked, shredded raw kale salad tossed in a vibrant, lemony-pecorino dressing.
Quinoa Skillet Bread – If you’re ready to switch it up a bit, this is a completely over-the-top alternative to your favorite corn bread recipe. Or, better put – a rustic, minimally structured, custard-topped, crusty-edged, herb-scented corn-quinoa skillet bread.
Spiced Spinach with Walnuts – The gist: a hot pan filled with all manner of things that work well with spinach – toasted walnuts, shredded mint, lemon, a host of spices, and a good amount of leeks that are cooked until silky tender.
Miso Sesame Winter Squash – Inspired by a Bryant Terry recipe – roasted winter squash (and tofu) with a miso, maple, sesame, citrus sauce.
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds – Not a side or a salad, but great on both. You can’t go wrong by having lots of toasted pumpkin seeds on hand for Thanksgiving. Toasted pumpkin seeds are the tiny, edible trophies you get for carving pumpkins and other winter squash. There are a couple of tricks to roasting perfect pumpkin seeds that I talk through.A Little Something Sweet
A list of vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes isn’t complete with a bit of sweet! A Favorite Pie – You could do apple-huckleberry, straight berries, pear-cranberry, etc.
And these? They look delicious as well.
Jenni Kayne + Daphne Oz + Thanksgiving (The Chalkboard Mag)
Kale & Brussels Sprout Soba Noodles (Deborah Madison via Sprouted Kitchen)
Coconut Creamed Spinach (Love & Lemons)
Green Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk & Warm Spices (Orangette)
Shaved Cauliflower Salad (Happy Yolks)
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