Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes

Looking for the perfect vegan Thanksgiving Recipes? Here you’ll find everything delicious, from tasty sides like vegan stuffing, main dishes like vegan turkey, and desserts like vegan pumpkin pie. You’ll love all the delicious options to make your plant-based Thanksgiving dinner perfect!

Vegan stuffing is in a white baking dish. There's a loaf of bread in the background.

Thanksgiving is one of the most special times of the year, especially when you’re hosting. But can you host a vegan Thanksgiving dinner? What are your options when it comes to family members who aren’t vegan?

Here I’m providing answers to those questions in addition to my absolutely favorite vegan Thanksgiving menu. You’ll get everything from breakfast ideas, appetizers, main meal, side dishes (oh how I love the side dishes), and dessert.

How to Host Vegan Thanksgiving

If you’re hosting or attending a Thanksgiving gathering, here are some ideas on how to make it entirely or partially vegan.

  • Imagine you’re hosting dinner and some of your family members are not vegan. Can you provide the vegan feast and allow the family to bring their own dishes? If you’re comfortable with that, it’s a nice compromise.
  • If you’re attending dinner hosted by a family member, ask if you can bring your own vegan feast. You’ll need an oven to heat up your food.
  • I have family members who sometimes attempt to make us a vegan side dish. I truly appreciate their efforts and usually eat it, even if I question some of the ingredients included (for example, using a vegetarian cheese instead of vegan cheese). You’ll need to think through how you want to handle situations like these.

Here are the recipes I love when it comes to our vegan Thanksgiving menu:

Breakfast

It may be tempting to skip breakfast to save up on calories for the big meal, but if you’re hosting overnight guests, providing a delicious breakfast is a nice touch. Besides, starting your day with breakfast is always a good idea.

Syrup is being poured over a stack of vegan French toast. There's a plate with more French toast in the background.

These vegan breakfast recipes are easy to make and can be made the day ahead and reheated for a quick and delicious start to the day.

Vegan French Toast

Imagine waking up to the best weekend breakfast that’s easy to make and everyone loves! That’s what this vegan French toast is all about.

Vegan Blackberry Muffins

These vegan blackberry muffins are packed with blackberries and topped with a simple vanilla glaze. They are the best berry muffins ever!

Vegan Breakfast Casserole

This tasty vegan breakfast casserole has layers of biscuits, sausage, tofu scramble, and is topped with cheddar cheese. And it’s all vegan!

Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

These tasty Vegan Pumpkin Muffins bring together the best of pumpkin spice flavors into each delicious bite. It’s a perfect start to any day.

Cocktails & Beverages

I’m always tinkering with making the best vegan Thanksgiving recipes. That includes cocktails and beverages. Having some drinks ready for the pre-dinner hour can be a nice way to get your guests relaxed and ready for the big meal. Here are some of our favorites.

Raspberry Mojito Cocktail

This Raspberry Mojito is the most refreshing cocktail ever! You’ll love the flavors of raspberries, mint, and lime combined with white rum.

Easy Christmas Punch

This festive Christmas punch is made with fruit juices and a simple syrup. It’s ready in 5 minutes and is served with fresh cranberries.

Hibiscus Margaritas

Enjoy the refreshing taste of this hibiscus margarita recipe made with simple, low-sugar ingredients. You can make it with a splash of lime, orange, and of course, tequila. This is a low-carb way to enjoy a classic cocktail.

Appetizers

If you have guests who arrive early, having some light finger foods on hand is a great way to get people mingling. This takes the pressure off of you, the cook, who is also the host. Set out these vegan finger foods and a few beverages, and you can continue master chef-ing in the kitchen!

Vegan Grape Jelly Meatballs

Enjoy the perfect blend of sweet and savory with these vegan crockpot grape jelly meatballs. They’re easy to make and irresistibly delicious!

Vegan French Onion Dip

This creamy vegan French onion dip is fantastic served hot or cold with potato chips, crackers, baked potatoes, or even toasted crostini.

Vegan Spinach Pinwheels

These delicious vegan spinach pinwheels make a an easy, cheesy appetizer that’s perfect for a party or even a weeknight occasion or snack.

Vegan Cheese Ball

This tasty Vegan Cheese Ball is made with vegan cheese, spices, and green onions, all blended together and rolled in crunchy toasted pecans.

Sweet Potato Hummus

This sweet potato hummus recipe is made with sauteed sweet potatoes infused with spices. Made with only 7 ingredients, it’s a tasty dip!

Gluten-Free Chex Mix

This gluten free Chex Mix is the perfect snack to bring to a party, because it’s salty, crunchy, and delicious for so many diets: from vegan to gluten-free.

Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

These stuffed cherry tomatoes make a perfect snack, and they’re also great appetizers for parties. They’re easy to make and delicious!

Stuffed Dates

This stuffed dates recipe is easy to make and a delightfully sweet treat you can make for celebrations or snacks. Date appetizers are perfect party foods for people with allergies because they’re naturally gluten-free, and these are even dairy-free as well.

Green Hummus

It’s time for a spinach-infused Green Monster Hummus. Bright green goodness served on crackers, chips, or on a sandwich!

Vegan Spinach Dip

This vegan spinach dip is a creamy, garlic dip that makes snack time a treat. Serve this dip with chips, crackers, or veggies and enjoy.

Main

What can vegans do for the main dish? Plenty! Here are some of my favorites.

Chickpea Pot Pie

Craving comfort? This easy vegan chickpea pot pie bubbles with veggies and tops with fluffy biscuits. Ready in in one pan in 35 mins!

Vegan Chicken Pot Pie

Craving comfort? This easy vegan chicken pot pie bakes in one skillet with golden puff pastry and creamy filling. Perfect cozy dinner!

Vegan Thanksgiving Casserole

This vegan Thanksgiving casserole features roasted potatoes, gravy, stuffing, roasted carrots, and tofu. It’s a holiday meal in one dish!

Vegan Meatloaf

Enjoy healthy comfort food with this vegan meatloaf made with lentils, quinoa, and lots of savory flavorings and a sweet tomato topping.

Vegan Ham

This vegan ham is perfectly seasoned with smoky sweet flavors and topped with a pineapple glaze. Serve it as a loaf or sliced on sandwiches.

Vegan Turkey

This vegan turkey recipe delivers a delicious roast full of flavor and plant-based protein. Serve it for the holidays or any time of year.

Vegan Pot Pie

This vegan pot pie features a buttery crust filled with your favorites, like vegan chicken and vegetables in a creamy gravy-like sauce.

Vegan Chicken

This super-easy Vegan Chicken recipe has fantastic texture and flavor! Serve fillets in a lemon sauce or add it to your veggie stir fry.

Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

This Vegan Shepherd’s Pie is made is perfect for those comfort-food cravings. It’s made with a stew infused with veggies and mashed potatoes.

Beefless Vegan Pot Pie Casserole

Ready for a hearty dish that yields lots of delicious leftovers? You’ll want to dig into this Beefless Vegan Pot Pie Casserole with a cheesy biscuit topping. Be prepared for lots of oohs and ahhs!

Salads

I include salads as their own category here because I may pick and choose from different sides, but I ALWAYS include a salad. It’s non-negotiable for me. I’m from the Midwest, so we can really do a salad right here. These are what I consider to be some of the best!

Vegan Harvest Salad

This tasty vegan harvest salad features smoky chickpeas, roasted sweet potatoes, pecans, apples, and a creamy vegan pumpkin ranch dressing.

Tahini Kale Salad With Avocado

This easy kale salad recipe is a nutritious dish to serve at your next plant-based party. It’s so tasty, no one will know it’s healthy, too!

Vegan Wedge Salad

This vegan wedge salad is bursting with fresh and flavorful ingredients like smoked apple bits, tomatoes, and a vegan blue cheese dressing.

Vegan Caesar Salad

You’ll love that this crowd-pleasing Vegan Caesar Salad recipe has an authentic taste and creamy texture, but is made without raw eggs or sardines! It’s a delicious side or main meal salad, served with croutons and your favorite toppings.

Vegan Broccoli Salad

Easy, healthy Vegan Broccoli Salad complete with veggie bacon is a creamy, tasty recipe. This is a vegan keto summer salad recipe with healthy ingredients.

Vegan 7-Layer Salad

This vegan 7-layer salad is a makeover of a Midwestern classic. It features layers of greens, veggie bacon, and a creamy dressing on top.

Sides

The side dish is one of my favorites when it comes to the holidays. These tasty vegan side dishes are delicious and easy to make, too.

Vegan Cranberry Sauce

Enjoy this easy vegan cranberry sauce infused with orange and a hint of nutmeg. This homemade cranberry sauce is better than store-bought!

Vegan Dinner Rolls

Soft, tender, buttery, these easy vegan dinner rolls are a perfect and easy recipe to add something extra to your next family dinner.

Vegan Roasted Vegetables

Make some vegan roasted vegetables a part of your regular meal, adding the perfect roasted veggie flavor and nutrition.

Vegan Mashed Potatoes

These fluffy vegan mashed potatoes are perfectly buttery and creamy. Serve them as the perfect side dish for any plant-based meal.

Vegan Cauliflower Gratin

This vegan cauliflower gratin is the ultimate in creamy side dishes with a crispy, buttery bread topping. Serve it with any meal!

Balsamic Roasted Carrots

Balsamic roasted carrots are the perfect side dish for your favorite meals. They’re cooked until tender with a flavorful balsamic glaze.

Vegan Broccoli Casserole

This vegan broccoli casserole bakes up tender broccoli and rice smothered in a homemade vegan cheese sauce. It’s a perfect side dish!

Vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes

You’ll love the hearty flavor of these vegan garlic mashed potatoes made with only 5 ingredients! It’s a perfect side dish for any meal.

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

This homemade vegan green bean casserole boasts tender green beans in a creamy, cheesy mushroom filling and topped with crispy fried onions.

Easy Vegan Corn Casserole

This easy vegan corn casserole recipe is a cheesy cornbread dish sure to please any crowd. It’s a savory side that goes perfectly with any meal.

Vegan Stuffing

This easy vegan stuffing is quick and delicious. Prepare it the day of your big dinner or make it ahead. It tastes so good, and it’s vegan!

Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole

This vegan sweet potato casserole uses caramelized pecans to create a crunchy topping over mashed sweet potatoes with tasty spices!

Desserts

Now we get to the real star of the show. These vegan desserts are great any time of year, but they are especially loved on Thanksgiving.

Vegan Pecan Pie Bars

Indulge in our vegan pecan pie bars—gooey, nutty, totally plant-based and gluten-free friendly. It’s a holiday dessert you’ll want on repeat.

Vegan Carrot Cake

This moist Vegan Carrot Cake is soft, spiced, and loaded with carrots. It’s an easy cake with a luscious dairy-free cream cheese frosting.

Vegan Pecan Pie

This vegan pecan pie is a vegan version of the classic favorite. You’ll get simple ingredients, easy instructions, and a delicious pecan pie!

Irresistible Vegan Oreo Cheesecake

Get your forks ready for this decadent Vegan Oreo Cheesecake full of cookie crumbles in the crust and throughout the cheesecake, too.

Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake

This smooth and creamy, rich Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake is a combination of flavors such as pumpkin and ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.

Oreo Truffles

This easy No Bake Oreo Truffles recipe is made with only a few ingredients. The tasty base of these truffles is Oreos and dairy-free cream cheese.

Vegan Apple Pie

This gooey vegan apple pie has tender spiced apples baked in a buttery, flaky crust. Includes lattice tips for a bakery-style finish!

Vegan Red Velvet Cake

The most incredible Vegan Red Velvet Cake is moist, soft, buttery, and is topped with a simple, homemade frosting. It’s a crowd favorite!

Easy Vegan Pumpkin Pie

This amazing Vegan Pumpkin Pie recipe is what you want to display on your holiday dessert table. It’s gorgeous, and delicious too!

Best Vegan Brownies

These rich, fudgy Vegan Brownies are moist, chewy, and absolutely loaded with chocolate. They’re perfect for the chocolate brownie lovers!

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Bars

Fall in love with these vegan pumpkin bars, with a buttery crust and delicious dairy-free pumpkin pie filling, topped with golden crumbles.

Thanksgiving Week Meal Prep

Now that you’ve got your vegan Thanksgiving recipes in order, it’s time to create a plan for how to go about making them all. Here’s how I break down my week:

Sunday

  • Clean out the fridge and freezer to make room for the extra dishes and leftovers created this week.
  • Create a shopping list
  • Shop for any ingredients you don’t have on hand.

Monday

  • Prepare the stuffing (but don’t bake it), cool, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake on Thursday.
  • Make the pie crust dough, wrap tightly and refrigerate.
  • Prepare the dinner rolls and chill until ready to bake.
  • Make the vegan turkey.

Tuesday

  • Prepare the red velvet cake, but don’t frost it. Wrap tightly and refrigerate.
  • Prepare the vegan cream cheese frosting (for the red velvet cake). Store in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to frost the cake.
  • Prepare the vegan gravy, set it aside to cool, then cover and refrigerate.

Wednesday

  • Make the salad dressing and refrigerate.
  • Make the green bean casserole, cool, cover, and refrigerate.
  • Peel and chop the potatoes, cover with water, and refrigerate.
  • Make the pumpkin pie, set aside to cool, then cover and refrigerate.
  • Make the pecan pie, set aside to cool, cover, and refrigerate.
  • Prepare the salad, but do not top with dressing.
  • Make coconut whipped cream, cover, and refrigerate.

Thursday

Some of this can be done ahead of time, but the rest you can do an hour or so before guests arrive.

  • Boil the potatoes until tender, then mash them according to the recipe instructions.
  • Bake the dinner rolls.
  • Frost the cake and place it on your dessert table.
  • Place the pies on your dessert table.
  • Transfer the stuffing to a baking pan and bake.
  • Heat the vegan turkey, green bean casserole, and gravy.
  • Add the dressing to the salad.

Thanksgiving Meal Tips

After years of hosting big dinners, here are my favorite tips to share with you. My hope is these tips will help make your day as wonderful for your guests and you as possible.

  • Plan your menu. What is the number of guests you’ll have? Does anyone have a gluten intolerance? Keep these things in mind as you prepare your menu. If you have only one vegan turkey, plan to make more side dishes.
  • Take it Easy Where You Can. It’s ok to use store-bought, such as a store-bought stuffing mix (as long as it’s vegan). This is a big meal you’re planning for, and keeping it simple (while also delicious) is the way to go.
  • Meal Prep Thanksgiving Dinner. I’ve found that doing as many recipes ahead of time rather than the day of the big meal helps me have dinner on the table on time.
  • Don’t Use an Untested Recipe. Thanksgiving Day is not a time to be testing a new recipe. I recommend planning your menu early and testing a new recipe before making it for Thanksgiving. That way, you know you’ve got a winner!
  • Plan the Scene. Where will you be serving dinner? At the dining room table? Clean that room early and plan what each place setting will look like. Do you need place mats? Napkins? Do you have enough plates and silverware for everyone? Do you have enough serving utensils? Will you serve the food buffet style (in the kitchen) or family style (on the table)? Thinking through these logistics ahead of time can make the day of the big event run more smoothly.
  • Set the Scene. Go ahead and clean the dining room and set the table early. That way, it’s one thing out of the way.
  • Clean the Fridge. Making space in the fridge ahead of time is important! It will help create space for dishes you make ahead, but also leftovers on the big day!

Keeping the Peace

Try to make space to enjoy this special time with family. That means preserving peace, whatever that means for you.

I used to be a huge Bee Gees fan, so I watched the recent documentary with Barry Gibb. They showed all the struggles that he and Robin went through, and then one day, Robin died. Barry said afterward how much he regretted letting those little things get in the way of their relationship. So, my advice to myself is not to let differences of opinion get in the way of relationships.

Use the friendship model to guide yourself through this day. Create a spirit of friendship, even among family. That means being playful and/or fun, listening, and enjoying each other’s company.

On a very basic level, I like to imagine that on this day we come together over a meal created with love. It doesn’t have to be anything more than that.

Being Grateful

Holistic coach Mally Alliman says that taking a moment of calm before eating not only helps with digestion, but it can also help to create space for mindful eating. I love these terms of gratitude/blessings that can be expressed before any meal.

  • Itadakimasu — This is an expression of gratitude for everyone who had a hand in creating the meal.
  • Universe Blessing — Thich Nhat Hanh said in his book that he says this prayer before meals, “In this food I see clearly the entirety of the universe supporting my existence.”
  • The Humanist Benediction — For the meal we are about to eat, for those who made it possible, for those with whom we are about to share it, we are thankful.
  • Buddhist Meal Blessing — We receive this food in gratitude to all beings who have helped to bring it to our table, and vow to respond in turn to those in need with wisdom and compassion.
  • Native American Blessing (variation) — We give thanks to the plants that have given themselves so that we can enjoy this meal together. We give thanks for our friends and family who have traveled here today. May this meal bring us strength and health.
  • Nature Blessing — Blessed be the Earth for providing us with this food. Blessed be the Sun for helping it to grow. Blessed be the wind and Birds for carrying its seed. And blessed be the Rain for the water’s loving flow. Blessed be the hands that helped prepare this meal. Oh, blessed be our friends, our families, and all of our loved ones. Blessed be our Mother Earth.
  • Secular Blessing — Dear earth, who gives us this food, dear sun, who makes it ripe and good. Sun above and earth below, our loving thanks to you we show.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about vegan Thanksgiving.

What do vegans east for Thanksgiving?

Vegans have a number of options to eat for Thanksgiving, including plant-based turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and more. Side dishes are always a favorite because they’re often vegetable-focused. Substituting plant-based milk, butter, and cheese transforms side dishes into tasty plant-based alternatives. The same is true for dessert.

What can I serve besides meat for Thanksgiving?

There are plenty of non-meat options you can serve for Thanksgiving. These include vegetarian shepherd’s pie, Tofurkey, Field Roast, or even making a homemade vegan turkey.

Is pumpkin pie vegan?

Pumpkin pie is typically made with evaporated milk and eggs and is therefore not vegan. However, it’s easy to make it vegan by substituting plant-based milk and cornstarch as an egg substitute.

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I hope you love these Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes and tips. Do you have a favorite vegan Thanksgiving side dish? Please share it in the comments below!

One Response to Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes

  1. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly Reply

    You’re welcome, Becca. Glad you like them!

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