Vegan Thanksgiving recipes from green bean casserole, to a vegan pot roast, to pumpkin pie jars! Here are 20+ recipes to choose from to celebrate the holiday.
20+ Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes
It’s almost here. Everyone’s favorite food holiday of the year – Thanksgiving! The history of the holiday is full of unfortunate truths, which I think is very important to acknowledge. But like most holidays, Thanksgiving has become a time when we get together with family and friends, appreciate each other, and eat tasty food.
Thanksgiving can be a little intimidating for vegans since the main dish is literally a whole turkey, and the sides often contain dairy and more meat. But there are a ton of recipes for Thanksgiving that are totally vegan – and you’re going to LOVE them! These recipes are broken down by course: Vegan appetizers, main dishes, sides, salads, and desserts.
If you make one of these recipes, I would LOVE to see your recreation! Snap a photo, then tag me on Instagram and use the hashtag #karissasvegankitchen.
Appetizers
Vegan Thanksgiving appetizers that everyone will enjoy!
Asparagus Fries
These asparagus “fries” make for a yummy appetizer OR side dish. Serve with some garlic aioli – it really takes the flavor up a notch!
Creamy Hot Broccoli Dip
Move over spinach & artichoke dip, creamy broccoli dip is taking over! This is a simple recipe, and you’re eating veggies so. Health!
Mini Carrot Dogs in a Blanket
I’m definitely the most excited about these vegan “pigs in a blanket”. No pigs though – just marinated carrots! Surprisingly delicious.
Stuffed Mushrooms
These mushrooms are stuffed with quinoa, sundried tomatoes, pecans, and more delicious flavors. Top with some vegan parmesan, bake, and serve!
Main Dishes
Turkey and ham, who?! These vegan main dishes are hearty and satisfying. You won’t even miss the meat.
Whole Roasted Cauliflower
Pot roast, vegan style! The gravy is definitely the star of this roasted cauliflower. This dish has a “meaty” flavor, without containing any animal products. SO GOOD.
Stuffed Squash
Acorn squash stuffed with lentils, crumbled tempeh sausage, kale, and pepitas. I like to top mine with some vegan parm. This is a recipe I love to make even when it’s not Thanksgiving.
Vegan Lasagna
Classic lasagna flavors, but vegan! This dish might be a little unconventional for Thanksgiving, but who says we have to follow “tradition”?!
Sides
Side dishes are my favorite part of Thanksgiving. Stuffing, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, oh yes. If you don’t want to make a main dish because you’ll be the only one to eat it, a plate full of sides is just as delicious.
Vegan Stuffing
We always called this stuffing growing up, but a lot of folks call it dressing. Whatever you refer to it as, this classic side dish full of tasty fall flavors and definitely deserves a spot on your table.
Green Bean Casserole
After some reader requests, I made this healthy green bean casserole recipe last year. It is a TOTAL hit. You can’t even tell it’s dairy-free and oil-free.
Instant Pot Mac & Cheese
You can make this mac & cheese on the stove, too, but I love the Instant Pot method because it frees up some space. The stove and oven are notoriously jammed pack on Thanksgiving. This is the Instant Pot I have.
Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
My husband literally requests this “side dish” for dinner. It’s so good, it can stand alone. But it also makes a great addition to your vegan Thanksgiving table! The “cheesy” flavor comes from nutitional yeast, which I’m totally obsessed with.
Mashed Cauliflower
Garlicky mashed cauliflower is a great option if you want to avoid eating so many carbs (makes more room for stuffing, amiright?)
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
I personally think the best way to get perfectly creamy vegan mashed potatoes is by cooking the potatoes in the Instant Pot. They don’t get water-logged like potatoes sometimes do when boiled, and the texture is just amazing.
Salads
These vegan salads also make for great Thanksgiving sides.
Kale & Cranberry Quinoa Salad
Quinoa mixed with kale, cranberries, walnuts, and an INCREDIBLE apple sage dressing. All the fall flavors!
Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad
Roasted sweet potato, quinoa, and greens drizzled with a super flavorful maple mustard dressing. This filling salad could even pass as a main dish.
Apple Lentil Salad
Not only is this salad super delicious, but it’s also just BEAUTIFUL. Lentils, pepitas, apples, celery, and more tossed with apple sage dressing. Totally guilt-free.
Vegan Chopped Salad
Just your classic chopped salad made with vegan cashew “bacon” bits and vegan ranch. The perfect light first course, if your family does that sort of thing, or a refreshing side to offset that heavy holiday food.
Desserts
Thanksgiving is that holiday where we make a bunch of desserts and then look at them wide-eyed because we are JUST TOO FULL. But it’s basically mandatory. Just wait a couple hours and then indulge!
Vegan Pumpkin Pie
Is it even Thanksgiving without the perfect pumpkin pie?!
Carrot Cake Cookies
Hello, carrot cake in cookie form! Vegan cream cheese frosting nestled in between two carrot cake cookies. Yes please.
Vegan Pumpkin Pie Jars
These no-bake pumpkin pie jars encompass the best part of pumpkin pie, and they’re super simple to make
Orange Cake
This beautiful vegan orange cake is a nice deviation from the traditional Thanksgiving/fall flavors.
These all look amazing!!! Thank you!!!❤️❤️
I am a bit disappointed. All of these recipes look great but I was hoping to find a scalloped corn recipe. I’m going to have to wing it and substitute vegan items in place of dairy items and see how it turns out using my old faithful scalloped corn recipe BV. (Before Vegan)
Sorry to disappoint. I have never heard of scalloped corn until reading your comment. I am always open to recipe requests though.