Vegan Thanksgiving recipes
Vegan Thanksgiving recipes
While I still have at least four new celebration-worthy recipes in the works and I promise to release them well ahead of 23rd of November, I dedicate this round-up post to all of my readers whose thoughts are turning towards the upcoming Thanksgiving celebration.
Similarly to Christmas, or any large family celebration for that matter, it’s not always easy being vegan at a Thanksgiving table, but it’s totally worth it. Whether you are celebrating on your own turf, and therefore make the rules, or turning up to someone else’s house, it is good to be prepared.
Hopefully everyone around the table will be welcoming and respectful of your choice not to eat animal products, but even if you are not that lucky, having banging vegan food will make you feel more included and will maybe convince those who remain unaccepting or even hostile towards veganism that vegan food is just food. It provides just as much sustenance and enjoyment as any food and can certainly be just as delicious as anything non vegan. Here are some dishes that will make your vegan Thanksgiving experience delicious.
Centerpieces
A table centerpiece is always the biggest challange when it comes to a festive table that is free from animal prodcuts. There is a range of possibilities here, but my personal go to is puff pastry wrapped Vegan Wellington featuring smoky & savoury interior surrounded by a layer of fragrant mushroom duxelles. It’s not quick to make but it’s not that complicated to make either. Plus, you can (and should – they get better for it) make the gravy, the duxelles and the beet log in advance, wrap them in pastry and bake on the day. If you avoid gluten and have trouble finding gluten-free puff pastry, why not try my latest recipe for vegan roast (no seitan) as it can easily be made gluten-free.
If neither of these options appeals, how about any of the following dishes instead? They feature a range of fillings and a multitude of flavours and textures. If you are after less labour-intensive one, why not try Giant Vegan Sausage Roll instead – golden puff pastry stuffed with a smoky mushroom filling and served with a side of mushoom and miso gravy. If you are not planning to celebrate in a large crowd, but still want to mark the occasion somehow, these individual Thanksgiving Pithiviers would be my choice.
Vegan mushroom pie
Vegan pumpkin filo pie
Giant vegan sausage roll
Vegetarian Wellington
Vegan pumpkin galette
Vegan Thanksgiving pithiviers
Vegan squash Wellington
Beet Wellington with balsamic reduction
Mains
If you are after something less like a conventional ‘meat’ & two veg meal, how about making a big casserole style dish and inviting everyone to dig in?
Vegan spinach lasagne
Vegan lasagne
Vegan lasagna with pumpkin and mushroom
Vegan pastitsio (Greek lasagna)
Vegan moussaka with creamy bechamel
Vegan bourguignon with celeriac mash
Or if Thanksgiving meal prepping is giving you the creeps, how about a communal meal whereby you rope all of your fellow diners to make the meal with you!?!? After all, everyone gotta eat, right? That sort of labour division is very easily achieved when making all sorts of dumplings, for example. We did that with friends once for Christmas and it was so much fun – making over 200 pierogi together while chatting and sipping mulled wine was even more memorable than the meal itself – possibly because the quality of your dumpling making seems to deteriorate the more wine you drink 😉
Vegan gluten-free ravioli
Vegan gluten-free pierogi with mushrooms
Vegan beetroot ravioli
Vegan mushroom and cabbage pierogi
Sides
You can never go wrong with preparing a bunch of delicious sides and combining them with each other for a true flavour and texture explosion. There are so many options, it’s hard not to get all giddy and indecisive. I have three more delicous sides up my sleeve in the next week or so, but in the meantime here is a bunch you may like the look of.
Leek gratin (vegan)
Vegan pâté with balsamic jelly
Roasted carrots with dukkah brittle
Vegan potato gratin (easy)
Roasted acorn squash on white bean mash
Baked vegan cabbage rolls (gołąbki)
Smashed potatoes with sage pesto
Roasted green beans with almond bacon
Skordalia with roasted beetroots
Vegan stuffed mushrooms
Vegan mushroom stuffing
Vegan potato gratin
Maple roasted carrots with cranberries
Miso roasted brussel sprouts with cranberries
Roasted new potatoes with rosemary garlic dip
Green beans with miso croutons
Gochujang carrots
Georgian eggplant rolls (nigvziani badrijani)
Vegan cauliflower mash with balsamic beets
Vegan hasselback potatoes in herby oil
Vegan scalloped potatoes
Vegan beet hummus
Lebanese pumpkin hummus
Smooth hummus topped with chilli oil
Salads
You do want something green and crunchy in amongst all that rich food that you’ll be indulging in, but it does not need to be boring. Here are some of my favourites…
Roasted squash salad
Beetroot salad with maple walnuts
Vegan Caesar salad with charred lettuce
Roasted aubergine salad
Green vegan salad
Vegan Brussels sprouts Caesar salad
Roasted grape and fennel salad
Brussels sprout slaw with almond bacon
Chickpea salad with grilled vegetables
Lentil and roast pepper salad with vegan feta
Easy vegan BBQ salad
Fennel and roasted cherry salad
Grilled zucchini salad
Vegan BLT salad
Vegan potato salad with pesto
Vegan Caesar salad
Vegan winter salad
Vegan Christmas salad
Spiced carrot and chickpea salad
Red cabbage and avocado salad
Pies
If you are after a traditional pie to end the meal on, here is a bunch of recipes you may want to check out. Pecan pie and apple pie are my personal favourites and I could have them at any time of the year…
Other sharing desserts
If pies aren’t your thing – who even are you!? – then perhaps a tart, a tray of luxurious brownies or a a tiramisu might be more up your street? Here some of my personal favourites…
Vegan chocolate hazelnut tart
Vegan pavlovas with cranberries
Cranberry baked vegan cheesecake
Vegan tiramisu
Vegan chocolate tart with peanut caramel
Vegan blondies
Cranberry vegan frangipane tart
Gingerbread amaretto chocolate tart
Vegan pumpkin cake with cheesecake swirls
Vegan carrot cake with cream cheese frosting
Vegan cheesecake brownies
Vegan bakewell tart with blackberries
Vegan caramel brownies
Perfect no-bake vegan cheesecake
Easy eggless brownies
Flourless vegan brownies
Vegan chocolate torte with amaretto
Vegan chocolate hazelnut torte
Vegan walnut cake with coffee frosting
Vegan bread and butter pudding
Vegan chocolate mousse raspberry tart (almost raw)
Gooey chocolate orange brownies
Vegan baklava cigars
Individual desserts
If you aren’t a keen baker, or perhaps are celebrating in a small group, an individual dessert may be more appropriate.
Vegan pumpkin cheesecake jars
Vegan hazelnut mousse
Peanut butter caramel chocolate mousse
Vegan peanut butter mousse
Vegan lemon mousse
Strawberry vegan cheesecake jars
Vegan raspberry mousse – 4 WAYS
Vegan tiramisu jars
Healthy vegan chocolate mousse
No bake vegan cheesecake jars
Vegan black forest chocolate mousse
Fluffy vegan chocolate mousse with aquafaba
Snacks
I’m pretty sure that you are not very likely to need any snacks, but here are a few ideas just in case…
Pumpkin phyllo triangles
Pumpkin crostini with rocket pesto
Vegan blinis with red pepper relish
Vegan spanakopita triangles
I hope you will enjoy this simple round-up and that it will spark some Thanksgiving meal ideas for you and if you have any questions about any of these recipes, contact me on Instagram or Facebook or leave a comment under the recipe and I will get back to you as soon as I can.