5 Vegetarian Meals for Thanksgiving (Beyond Side Dishes)

Alice Gao, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
By Anna Seils
On a day that is all about turkey, you can still find yourself quite stuffed from a meal made entirely vegetarian-friendly or, if you’re hosting vegetarian friends, serve an option beyond green bean casserole. Here are five flavor-packed recipes that can stand up to the big bird competition.
Damaris uses mushroom stock instead of heavy cream to coat the roasted vegetables that fill her individual pot pies. Swap carrots for sweet and buttery parsnips, and include new potatoes, yams and even mushrooms to fill each ramekin to the brim.
Spanakopitas are a classic Greek recipe that features crispy phyllo dough wrapped around spinach and feta cheese. You’d need a huge pot of fresh spinach to make this recipe, so use frozen instead. Ina Garten’s dish is versatile enough to add or subtract ingredients according to your taste.

Take tamale dough and give it a fall spin by incorporating butternut squash into the masa harina mash. Fill each corn husk with the dough plus a butternut squash and olive mixture before tying and steaming. You can make these tamales entree size or finger size, depending on who is doing the snacking.

Persimmons add a subtle sweetness that melds beautifully with the sharpness of pickled shallots and the creaminess of crumbled Gorgonzola in this pretty fall-inspired kale salad. If you can't find persimmons, dried apricots plumped in orange juice will stand in nicely.

Con Poulos
Mushrooms aren’t just for stuffing; they’re a hearty addition to any macaroni and cheese recipe as well. Wild mushrooms and cremini mushrooms are featured in this creamy pasta that uses Taleggio and pecorino cheeses for a new take on the classic pasta dish.