Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes

Skipping the turkey? No problem. Fill up on these delicious vegetarian dishes and you won't even think about the bird!

September 21, 2021

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Vegan Scalloped Potatoes

Nutritional yeast, which is grown on molasses and then dried out, adds a nutty cheesiness (plus an extra helping of vitamin B12) to these bubbly spuds. Silken tofu and tender new potatoes add creaminess without dairy and browned onions give the dish a deep savoriness.

Get the Recipe: Vegan Scalloped Potatoes

Quinoa, Roasted Eggplant and Apple Salad with Cumin Vinaigrette

Giada combines fluffy quinoa and roasted eggplant, then tops the salad with cranberries, walnuts and thinly sliced apple, and tosses it all in her homemade cumin vinaigrette.

Get the Recipe: Quinoa, Roasted Eggplant and Apple Salad with Cumin Vinaigrette

Caramelized Butternut Squash

Make the most of the fall harvest by including butternut squash in your Thanksgiving spread. Roasting the squash with brown sugar and butter in the oven creates a toasted, caramelized flavor.

Get the Recipe: Caramelized Butternut Squash

Vegan Stuffing

All the usual suspects are here (minus the butter and eggs) to recreate the comforting flavors of traditional stuffing. Although green tea may seem like an oddball ingredient, the earthy flavor makes it a better replacement for chicken stock than vegetable stock, which can be too sweet and high in sodium.

Get the Recipe: Vegan Stuffing

Roasted Beets

Ina dresses tender roasted beets in a sweet-tangy dressing made of raspberry vinegar and orange juice.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Beets

Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Bananas with Honey

Make meal preparation a breeze by roasting the bananas and sweet potatoes ahead of time. On Thanksgiving day, whip the ingredients together with butter and honey, top with Tyler's brown sugar-pecan crumble and heat it up in the oven just before serving.

Get the Recipe: Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Bananas with Honey

Stuffing-Stuffed Whole Cauliflower

This roasted cauliflower is filled with classic stuffing and makes for a holiday-worthy main. Even the turkey eaters are going to be jealous.

Get the Recipe: Stuffing-Stuffed Whole Cauliflower

Creamed Kale with Caramelized Shallots

The caramelized shallots add a subtle sweetness to kale's mild peppery flavor. Bobby's quick, creamy sauce holds it all together.

Get the Recipe: Creamed Kale with Caramelized Shallots

Glazed Carrots

Damaris's eye-pleasing carrot dish gets its warm, sweet notes from honey and bright flavor from fresh chopped parsley. For spice, she uses togarashi, chile pepper spice blend available in specialty markets and some supermarkets—although cayenne works just as well.

Get the Recipe: Glazed Carrots

Mock Mashed Potatoes

This creamy, garlicky mash is made from cauliflower instead of potatoes. We use garlic and thyme for depth and nonfat Greek yogurt and a little Parmesan for dairy richness and tang.

Get the Recipe: Mock Mashed Potatoes

Kale Casserole

Tender kale and sweet butternut squash come together in this creamy casserole. We added a touch of nutmeg to enhance the squash's natural sugars, then a generous dose of salty Parmesan for balance. Serve alongside your favorite main for an equally beautiful and flavorful side dish.

Get the Recipe: Kale Casserole

Vegan Gravy

Umami is the Japanese name for savoriness, an essential characteristic of foods, like sweetness or saltiness. This gravy features vegetables that are high in glutamate, an amino acid that plays an important part in umami. Give them a quick char before simmering them down to a rich, flavorful stock used for gravy.

Get the Recipe: Vegan Gravy

Twice Baked Potatoes

These potatoes still taste buttery and rich but are much lighter than the full-fat version. They're made with a small amount of butter and reduced-fat cream cheese.

Get the Recipe: Twice Baked Potatoes

Spinach Gratin

The secret to Ina's gratin is 3 pounds of frozen spinach, which is broken up into the creamy base until it absorbs all of the wonderful sauce. After spooning it into a baking dish, top it with more cheese before baking.

Get the Recipe: Spinach Gratin

Sweet Potato Casserole

A Thanksgiving spread simply isn't complete without sweet potatoes in some shape or form. If you're looking for a way to work this autumn staple into your holiday meal, why not keep things simple with a classic sweet potato casserole? The combination of brown sugar, butter and fall spices is sure to make this recipe a mainstay year after year.

Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Casserole

Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup

Make-ahead soups are just the thing to shorten your to-do list on Thanksgiving Day. Ina's creamy concoction comes together with the help of three different types of mushroom: portobello, shiitake and cremini. Brighten the flavor with stems of fresh parsley.

Get the Recipe: Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup

Cauliflower Gratin

Ina whips up a creamy bechamel sauce as the base for her indulgent gratin before adding nutty Gruyère and Parmesan. For a golden crumb topping, combine breadcrumbs and the remaining Gruyère and drizzle with melted butter.

Get the Recipe: Cauliflower Gratin

Smoked Chile Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

Bobby's four-ingredient scalloped potatoes are as simple as they are satisfying. A heaping tablespoon of chipotle pepper puree lends the dish a balanced, smoky-sweet flavor.

Get the Recipe: Smoked Chile Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

Roasted Eggplant with Garlic and Herbs

Toss eggplant with walnut oil infused with fresh flat-leaf parsley, garlic and shallots, then roast to perfection in only 30 minutes.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Eggplant with Garlic and Herbs

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Use a few vegan-friendly stand-ins for this can't-believe-it's-vegan pie. Unrefined coconut oil provides a flaky, buttery texture for the crust, and silken tofu lends creaminess to the filling.

Get the Recipe: Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Vegan Wild-Rice-Stuffed Butternut Squash

This impressive autumn-inspired dish can be served as a main course for vegan and vegetarian eaters or can be enjoyed by everyone at the table as a side dish. The small amount of curry powder gives the squash a nice warmth and depth.

Get the Recipe: Vegan Wild-Rice-Stuffed Butternut Squash

Spice-Roasted Cauliflower and Jerusalem Artichokes

Cauliflower florets and diced Jerusalmen artichokes are seasoned with cumin and cayenne, then roasted until brown and tender in this fragrant vegetarian side.

Get the Recipe: Spice-Roasted Cauliflower and Jerusalem Artichokes

Green Bean Oven Fries

Valerie’s green beans are extra crunchy (and extremely delicious) thanks to a topping of panko bread crumbs and chopped fried onions.

Get the Recipe: Green Bean Oven Fries

Spaghetti Squash and Potato Gratin

This recipe takes creamy potato gratin to a new level. By pairing it with spaghetti squash, you're adding amazing texture and great flavor to this traditional dish — plus finding yet another reason to buy spaghetti squash!

Get the Recipe: Spaghetti Squash and Potato Gratin

Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Shallots

Ellie makes a lighter vegetarian version of green bean casserole by using low-fat milk for creaminess and plenty of thyme and parsley for earthy flavor.

Get the Recipe: Green Bean Casserole With Crispy Shallots

Dinner Spanakopitas

Switch up your Thanksgiving menu this year and try this classic Greek dish — delicate phyllo triangles stuffed with spinach, feta and toasted pine nuts — that boasts plenty of earthy, autumnal flavor.

Get the Recipe: Dinner Spanakopitas

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter

Giada's surprisingly easy homemade gnocchi is an irresistible Italian twist on the classic sweet potato side dish.

Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter

Southern Cornbread

The Thanksgiving bread basket isn't complete without a few hearty slices of southern-style cornbread. Cornmeal adds great, gritty texture while the buttermilk keeps the slices perfectly moist.

Get the Recipe: Southern Cornbread

Sweet Potato Gratin

Instead of marshmallows this year let the extra sweetness in this dish be the maple syrup and ginger snap cookie crumble. Yum!

Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Gratin

Roasted Acorn Squash and Portobello Mushroom Salad with Radicchio, Apples and Pumpkin Seeds

This salad combines all of your favorite fall ingredients: roasted squash and mushrooms, tart apples and pumpkin seeds.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Acorn Squash and Portobello Mushroom Salad with Radicchio, Apples and Pumpkin Seeds

Twice-Baked Butternut Squash

This simple sheet-pan squash is a show-stopping side your family will love. It's easy and delicious — perfect for a big holiday dinner.

Get the Recipe: Twice-Baked Butternut Squash

Deep-Dish Vegan Apple Pie

Extra-virgin coconut oil is a great substitute for butter in both the pie dough and the apple filling to make this all-American fruit pie vegan-friendly. We use a mix of apples for the filling: The Golden Delicious keep their shape and are a nice contrast to the soft McIntoshes, and the Granny Smiths give a nice tartness.

Get the Recipe: Deep-Dish Vegan Apple Pie

Sweet Corn Bread Pudding

Alton's dish improves with time, so you can make it earlier in the day and then reheat it when your guests arrive.

Get the Recipe: Sweet Corn Bread Pudding

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Roasting Brussels sprouts brings out their nutty flavor. Coat them in olive oil and red pepper flakes, then drizzle with white wine vinegar and honey for a simple yet satisfying side.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Vegetarian Gravy

This vegetarian-friendly gravy uses ingredients with lots of umami. Shiitake mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and flavorful vegetables make it a gravy that everyone can enjoy.

Get the Recipe: Vegetarian Gravy

Mushroom Wellington with Creamy Carrot Sauce

We took inspiration from an important part of traditional beef Wellington, the duxelles (a paste of finely chopped mushrooms, shallots and herbs cooked in butter), and made a hearty filling for a satisfying, low-fat vegetarian version. Serve this impressive main course with the bright carrot sauce, which gets its creaminess from just a touch of cream cheese. (Don't be afraid to use full-fat cheeses — a little can go a long way!)

Get the Recipe: Mushroom Wellington with Creamy Carrot Sauce

Stuffed Mushrooms

Valerie skips the sausage and stuffs her mushrooms with sauteed mushroom stems, minced onion, chopped garlic, fresh spinach, cherry tomatoes and more.

Get the Recipe: Stuffed Mushrooms

Perfect Cranberry Sauce

Even if you're not serving a turkey, you can still make this citrusy-sweet cranberry sauce that enhances the flavor of nearly everything.

Get the Recipe: Perfect Cranberry Sauce

Wild-Mushroom Bread Pudding

Guests won't be able to resist diving into Tyler's savory bread pudding for seconds and thirds: The creamy egg custard isn't complete until you pile the bowl with toasted bread chunks, sauteed mushrooms and rosemary.

Get the Recipe: Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding

Vegan Mac and Cheese

A classic comfort food goes vegan with special substitutions of diced potatoes, butternut squash and coconut milk. Guaranteed creamy and delicious!

Get the Recipe: Vegan Mac and Cheese

Roasted Potatoes, Carrots, Parsnips and Brussels Sprouts

Giada's vegetable medley transforms ordinary root vegetables into a celebration of fall flavor. Roast the ingredients on an oiled baking sheet and season generously with dried herbs.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Potatoes, Carrots, Parsnips and Brussels Sprouts

Creamed Spinach

Sunny adds Parmesan cheese to her creamed spinach for a kick of salt and nutty flavor. Using frozen spinach is a great money-saver—one container is equal to about four bags of fresh spinach.

Get the Recipe: Creamed Spinach

Veggie Pot Pie with Cornmeal Pie Crust

Build these individual pot pies with fall vegetables like celery, yams and potatoes. Don't worry about rolling out perfectly round pie crusts — your guests will appreciate the rustic, homemade touch.

Get the Recipe: Veggie Pot Pie with Cornmeal Pie Crust

Vegetarian Lasagna

Forget the faux meat. This cheesy lasagna, with its hearty sauce of tomatoes, onions and carrots layered with spinach and creamy ricotta cheese, is the perfect vegetarian main even meat eaters will love.

Get the Recipe: Vegetarian Lasagna

Skillet Potato Galette

This simple, cheesy potato side dish is bound to become one you’ll make again and again — even if you’re not vegetarian. If you’re serving it for a holiday dinner, give it a pretty finish by topping it with a little fresh rosemary.

Get the Recipe: Skillet Potato Galette

Roasted Garlic Brussels Sprouts

Cumin, lemon juice and cilantro invigorate Brussels sprouts' mellow flavor in this simple, refreshing side dish.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Garlic Brussels Sprouts

Whole Cauliflower Wellington

Herb-butter roasted cauliflower gets a golden puff pastry blanket — the perfect main dish for vegetarians (or anyone who loves cauliflower).

Get the Recipe: Whole Cauliflower Wellington

Creamed Pearl Onions

Tyler's creamy side dish is super satisfying and great in a pinch: it only requires four ingredients and one minute of prep work. Using frozen thawed onions will save on time.

Get the Recipe: Creamed Pearl Onions

Caramelized Vidalia Onion and Potato Gratin with Fresh Sage

To build this decadent side dish, Bobby layers sauteed onions and sage on top of thinly-sliced Idaho potatoes and then coats it all in heavy cream, repeating the process until there are twelve heaping layers.

Get the Recipe: Caramelized Vidalia Onion and Potato Gratin with Fresh Sage

Vegan Pie Dough

Unrefined virgin or extra-virgin coconut oil gives this pie dough the same flakiness that butter does. Plus, it's more forgiving to work with: You don't have to worry about it getting too soft or melting while you're rolling out your crust.

Get the Recipe: Vegan Pie Dough

Classic Candied Yams

With just the right amount of sweetness and spice, these sweet potatoes are cooked on the stovetop until they are tender, freeing up valuable oven space at your holiday meal.

Get the Recipe: Classic Candied Yams

Mashed Parsnips and Potatoes

For a twist on mashed potatoes, Tyler adds parsnips to the mix. They bring a nice, nutty sweetness to the classic side dish.

Get the Recipe: Mashed Parsnips and Potatoes

Mustard-Parmesan Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Even meat eaters will want a piece of these impressive, high-fiber veggies. The Dijon mustard concentrates in flavor as it roasts, resulting in a powerful punch of umami. Prep and brush your cauliflower ahead of time, then let them sit at room temperature until you're ready to cook.

Get the Recipe: Mustard-Parmesan Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Kale and Parm

This crazy-simple recipe is the best way Guy Fieri knows how to show off spaghetti squash. If transforming the vegetable from its original form into thin strands of "spaghetti" doesn't impress your guests alone, generously topping the nest of earthy-sweet "noodles" with crispy kale chips and freshly grated Parm surely will.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Kale and Parm

Whole Stuffed Butternut Squash

This recipe offers an entire vegetarian Thanksgiving meal in one dish: creamy butternut squash, crisp green beans, cornbread with savory herbs, cranberries and pecans, plus buttered carrots. It makes a beautiful centerpiece of the feast or a deluxe side. Save the extra squash you scoop from the middle before stuffing to make soup or for roasting. It’s a little work removing the flesh with a melon baller, but consider it prep for another meal.

Get the Recipe: Whole Stuffed Butternut Squash

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