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Tofurky? More Like No-furky — Here's 60 Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes Everyone At The Table Will Love

All the classics are here and accounted for.

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whole roasted cauliflower
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

You might think that it isn't Thanksgiving without the turkey, but we beg to differ. Vegans can enjoy ALL the Turkey Day classics, sans animal products. Whether you’re making a whole vegan meal or are just looking for options for that vegan friend or cousin (they’ll be saying thanks to YOU all night long), we’ve got lots of ideas for you here. Check out our 58 vegan Thanksgiving recipes—you might just find you like these plant-based options even better than their meat- and-dairy-filled counterparts.

Thanksgiving is all about tradition, and just because you’re eschewing animal products doesn’t mean you can’t make all the same classics you know and love. We’ve got them all here, from apps and sides to mains and desserts. Make sure you’ve got our vegan green bean casserole, vegan mashed potatoes, vegan gravy, vegan mac & cheese, and vegan stuffing, then fill out your meal with veggie sides, cranberry sauce, salads, and soups. For dessert, try our vegan pumpkin pie, our fruit sorbet (try it with cranberries!), our vegan cheesecake, or our vegan sweet potato pie. Absolutely no one will miss the turkey with this feast on the table.

As many vegans know, one of the best parts about eating a plant-based diet is how much it expands your palate. When you give up eggs, cheese, and meat, you’ve really gotta get creative. On Thanksgiving, you could stick with the classics above, but it’s YOUR meal, so feel free to switch it up. We like to keep with the general fall theme by focusing on dishes featuring some of the best fall produce, but really, you do you. Try our butternut squash curry, our vegan meatballs (great as appetizers or over pasta as a main), our brown sugar BBQ whole roasted cauliflower, or our vegan meatloaf. These are perfect to bring to more traditional Thanksgiving potlucks and Friendsgivings too. The added variety will please even the most strident of omnivores.

And don’t forget the drinks! Most alcohol is vegan (check Barnivore if you’re concerned), so make up a big batch of one of our Thanksgiving cocktails to share.

1

How To Cook Acorn Squash

roasted acorn squash on a sheet pan
PHOTO: MURRAY HALL; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

Acorn squash might be the overlooked middle child of the squash family, but that doesn’t mean she can’t shine bright on any weeknight dinner table. With a tender edible skin and a soft creamy interior, this often-ignored squash is a perfect canvas for both sweet and savory flavors.

Get the How To Cook Acorn Squash recipe.

2

Easy Vegan Green Bean Casserole

easy vegan green bean casserole
Parker Feierbach

Plant-based eaters don't have to miss out on classic green bean casserole, thanks to this simple recipe. We're super into the onion topping on this casserole—it's SO much better than the fried ones that come in a can. Because this casserole is less heavy, you can also enjoy it all season long (and not just on Thanksgiving!).

Get the Vegan Green Bean Casserole recipe.

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3

Thanksgiving Cauliflower

whole roasted cauliflower
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

Skip the turkey—this Thanksgiving cauliflower is the vegetarian Thanksgiving centerpiece your holiday needs. A whole-roasted cauliflower is a favorite holiday centerpiece of ours when we're serving a vegetarian crowd (just swap your favorite non-dairy butter to make it vegan), but this recipe is filled with warming herbs, complete with a homemade vegetarian gravy.

Get the Thanksgiving Cauliflower recipe.

4

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

roasted sweet potatoes in a bowl beside a plate of black peppers
PHOTO: MURRAY HALL; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

If weeknight cooking were a rom-com, roasted sweet potatoes would be the best friend. Whether you’re prepping a quick salad, building an epic burrito bowl, or simply looking for an easy side, they’re always there for you and will never let you down. Learn the ultimate technique for making them, and you’ll call on their support at least once a week.

Get the Roasted Sweet Potatoes recipe.

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5

Toasted Sesame Oil Mashed Potatoes

toasted sesame oil mashed potatoes
Andrew Bui

Vegan mashed potatoes that are just as creamy and delicious as the real thing? You betcha! Toasted sesame oil adds tons of flavor and creaminess. Green onions and extra sesame seeds round them out for some of the best mashed potatoes we've ever made.

Get the Toasted Sesame Oil Mashed Potatoes recipe.

6

Easy Vegan Stuffing

vegan stuffing
Parker Feierbach

Because of the butter, eggs and chicken broth that usually go into classic stuffing, it's a dish that vegans can't always enjoy—until now! For the best results, use a quality, hearty loaf of bread and a nice olive oil

Get the Easy Vegan Stuffing recipe.

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7

Butternut Squash Steaks

butternut squash steaks with creamy yogurt and farro and pomegranates on a plate
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

If you're tired of cauliflower steaks, then you should turn to butternut squash. It's a great plant-based ingredient because its texture is quite meaty yet tender, and it works with a variety of seasonings and recipes, whether blended into a soup or roasted in planks (and brushed with smoked paprika oil), like this recipe. Just swap your favorite non-dairy plain yogurt for the Greek yogurt and you'll have a dreamy Thanksgiving main on your hands.

Get the Butternut Squash Steaks recipe.

8

Vegan Sweet Potato Pie

vegan sweet potato pie
Kat Wirsing

This sweet potato pie is extremely good, thanks to an oat pecan crust and a creamy, spiced filling. Look for vegan marshmallows to top it, or keep it simple with your own vegan whipped topping using coconut cream.

Get the Vegan Sweet Potato Pie recipe.

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9

Fennel Salad With Apples & Radishes

fresh fennel salad with apples, radishes, shallots, pomegranate seeds, and walnuts
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

When you're looking for a side dish that tastes extremely fresh even in the depth of winter, look no further than fennel salad. It’s crunchy, slightly sweet, and perfectly light and refreshing, especially if you serve it alongside heavier cold weather comfort foods.

Get the Fennel Salad With Apples & Radishes recipe.

10

Polenta with Wild Mushroom Ragú

mushroom and polenta ragu
Emily Hlavac Green

Make this showstopper with a custom blend of your favorite funghi! If wild mushrooms are not accessible, creminis or button mushrooms would also work perfectly. The ragú can be made up to three days in advance (great for prepping for Thanksgiving!); just reheat gently on the stovetop while you make the polenta.

Get the Polenta with Wild Mushroom Ragú recipe.

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11

Roasted Potatoes

roasted potatoes with herbs
PHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

We suggest parsley, rosemary, and thyme as a classic and simple way to season these potatoes, but really, any herbs or spices are welcome here. Try hot smoked paprika and turmeric for spicy, herbal potatoes or za’atar and cumin for floral, smoky potatoes.

Get the Herb Roasted Potatoes recipe.

12

Cauliflower Soup

cauliflower soup
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

Even though there are minimal ingredients, this soup has TONS of flavor. In fact, it's delicious even without the cream (great for vegan Thanksgiving guests!). Want to add a little more complexity and nuttiness to the soup? You could roast the cauliflower before you add it.

Get the Cauliflower Soup recipe.

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13

Roasted Fennel With Delicata Squash & Apples

roasted fennel with delicata squash, apples, shallots, hazelnuts, pomegranate seeds, and parsley
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

You may have seen crisp, anise-y fennel bulbs dotting the famers' market stands, nuzzling up alongside sweet delicata squash and tart apples. The three find their way into this healthy side dish that's perfect for elegant dinner party menus and rich holiday spreads.

Get the Roasted Fennel With Delicata Squash & Apples recipe.

14

One-Pot Creamy Vegan Greens

greens in a creamy sauce with onions in a skillet
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

Creamed spinach without the dairy? Yes, please. Not only is it a bit more nutritious, but it’s also just as delicious. This recipe is packed full of iron-rich spinach, which becomes tender as it cooks in the flavorful sauce. To make this one-pot side dish, we use a few simple ingredients to make these greens something truly special.

Get the One-Pot Creamy Vegan Greens recipe.

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15

Vegan Mac & Cheese

vegan mac and cheese topped with panko breadcrumbs
Parker feierbach

Delicious vegan mac & cheese might sound like an oxymoron, but trust us, this cheese sauce is good enough to satiate the strongest dairy craving. Don't skip the thyme-panko topping—the added crunch takes it over the top.

Get the Vegan Mac & Cheese recipe.

16

Slow Cooker Vegan Butternut Squash Soup

slowcooker vegan butternut squash soup garnished with coconut milk and cilantro
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER PHOTOGRAPHY; FOOD STYLING: ERIKA JOYCE

This vegan butternut squash soup is made in a slow cooker, so after you chop up all your vegetables, it’s essentially hands-off. A quick blitz with an immersion blender at the end, and you’ve got a silky, drinkable butternut squash soup.

Get the Slow Cooker Vegan Butternut Squash Soup recipe.

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17

Vegan French Onion Stew

vegan french onion lentil stew
Andrew Bui

Finishing the cheese toasts right in the soup pot makes for an impressive presentation that rivals even regular French onion soup. Be warned: if you're prepping ahead of Thanksgiving, it’s best to do that job on a sheet tray instead to avoid losing soggy pieces of bread in your leftovers.

Get the Vegan French Onion Stew recipe.

18

Butternut Squash Curry

butternut squash curry
PHOTO; ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLIST; MARY RUPP

The butternut squash is toothsome and savory, the kale is earthy and green, and the coconut milk here wraps everything together in a creamy sauce. The curry spice adds a little warm punch to each spoonful, while a squeeze of lime juice and fresh parsley brighten each bite, cutting out some of the richness. Sunflower seeds are a fun addition that adds a little crunch to your bite, but feel free to omit (or swap for something else!).

Get the Butternut Squash Curry recipe.

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19

Vegetarian Gravy

vegetable gravy
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

Vegans and meat-eaters alike will be piling this flavor-packed gravy on top of all the Thanksgiving sides. This gravy comes together in minutes—and you won't miss roasting a whole turkey or chicken to make it.

Get the Vegetarian Gravy recipe.

20

Miso Roasted Carrots

miso roasted carrots
Erik bernstein

These sweet-savory carrots are topped with the most delicious mix of crunchy nuts and spices. We like pistachios and black and white sesame seeds, but feel free to swap in your favorites.

Get the Miso Roasted Carrots recipe.

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