Pardon the turkey and enjoy these vegan thanksgiving recipes. Time tested and crowd pleasing, these delicious dishes are celebration ready!
article originally published November 25, 2010
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Vegan Thanksgiving
As much time as we spend planning menus, Thanksgiving isn’t just about the food. I won’t get into a Linus style soliloquy of what Thanksgiving really is, and the history which few focus on. Our modern gatherings on this day are far from that.
For some, Thanksgiving is about snacking on appetizers while watching football. It’s about card games and the annual family viewing of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
It’s about getting up early to run the local Turkey Trot 5k in the freezing cold. Volunteering at the rescue mission like dad taught you at an early age. Then heading home to spend the day with loved ones.
Thanksgiving is a day of giving thanks and being grateful. It’s about spending time with the ones you care for and being thankful for all of the blessings in your life. Whether you are hosting Thanksgiving, bringing a dish, or staying home with your family, we have plenty of recipes you will love.
What to Cook
There are plenty of vegan entree options, even if you want a show stopper centerpiece to replace that turkey. Even with an impressive entree, it is all about the side dishes for me!
For vegans and non vegans alike, it is important to me that everyone enjoys the food! It is very easy to make traditional Thanksgiving side dishes without eating animals. Vegan butter is delicious, I make a super impressive cream sauce, the softest rolls can indeed be vegan, and most everything else is… vegetables.
Make a plan
As much as I love hosting and having loved ones in my home, it is a lot of work. For me, part of the fun is in the planning. No matter the size of the guest list, it is guaranteed that the event – the food, the entertainment, everything – will match my enthusiasm. I love a party and all the details that come with throwing a great one.
How to make your Thanksgiving effortless and fun:
- Write a menu
- Divide the menu into make ahead vs. day of recipes
- Write shopping lists (grocery, liquor store, etcetera)
- Make a detailed schedule with extra time built in
- Set the table a few days ahead – dishes, glasses, silverware, linens
- Set out serving dishes and utensils (label them with sticky notes!)
- Assign baking dishes, pots and pans for each recipe (label these too!)
This is my planning template for any party I host. By the time I hear the first doorbell ring, I have a glass of wine in my hand and am able to relax and enjoy the time with our guests.
Kid Kristina making pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving morning!
more vegan holiday ideas!
Thanksgiving is just the beginning of the holiday season. We have everything you need for all the celebrations, big or small.
- Vegan Cranberry Recipes: find new ways to add the deliciously tart holiday berry to sweet and savory dishes. ideas here range from fresh berries to dried, and leftover cranberry sauce as well.
- Festive Holiday Cocktails: shake up a new libation to toast your friends and family all season long. deliciously spirited drinks to match all kinds of party spreads.
- Vegan Holiday Recipes: a comprehensive recipe collection that has everything you need from Thanksgiving to Christmas and all of the holiday events in between!
- Best Vegan Treats for Holiday Gifting: all of the essential recipes for your gifting lists and cookie trays. give to delivery and mail carriers, hairdressers, friends, neighbors, and coworkers!
- Party Snacks to Ring In the New Year: welcome the new year with all sorts of festive snacks and dips. end the year on a tasty note – cheers!
Did you make one of these vegan Thanksgiving recipes?
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Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes
From entree ideas that let you pardon the turkey to ideas for scrumptious side dishes and desserts, a vegan thanksgiving is definitely a delicious one!
a classic appetizer gets veganized! from the tangy goat cheese to the crispy bacon, you'll want to make a double batch of these.
lightly sweet and spiced with the flavors of pumpkin, this tangy dip is a great addition to any holiday snack table.
another colorful one bite appetizer to snack on. a colorful platter of Herb Cheese Peppadew Sweet Peppers brings fresh flavorful snacking!
a beautiful entree fit for a celebration, this is an incredibly flavorful and cozy comfort food dish. also: how to cook amaranth.
these individual entrees are plant based fancy! crisp pastry surrounds rich and savory goodness.
another recipe that can stand in as a plant based holiday entree. this comfort food stew has flavors that closely match those in a classic meat stew recipe - hearty and satisfying.
a delicious comfort food recipe just like mom used to make is a perfect Thanksgiving dish! the classic baked mac and cheese recipe made vegan and gluten free!
naturally sweetened, this quick and easy to prepare sauce is a definite must on your holiday table. even if you insist on the can shape also...
because after a day of snacking on delicious appetizers, I definitely need a big bowl of flavorful crispy greens on my Thanksgiving dinner table. this is the salad we always make.
a flavorful and fun food that works as a side dish or appetizer - you will want these all through the holiday season!
using creamy cauliflower as the base, this plant based update on the steak house classic is rich and creamy and incredibly flavorful!
rich roasted garlic and flavorful olive oil bring perfect flavors to this holiday staple side dish. this quick and easy recipe is anything but basic.
this tasty low carb alternative to mashed potatoes is rich and flavorful and has the consistency of mashed potatoes. straight up comfort food you will crave.
whichever potatoes you choose for your plate - or if you choose both - you will need this rich, aromatic and deliciously creamy mushroom gravy. an easy make ahead recipe!
this Cranberry Fluff Jello Salad is a retro classic! a new holiday flavor of the nostalgic Lime Jello Salad we all grew up with, just as tasty!
instead of the traditional pumpkin pie, make this pumpkin cheesecake with the buttery gingersnap crust. deliciously decadent, even if you wait for breakfast the next day to enjoy it!
everyone knows leftovers are almost better than the day of, right? the day after holiday food creations are what we look forward to, especially when it is as epic as this colorful flavorful stacked sandwich!
about Kristina:
Kristina is spabettie! She found cooking at an early age, and created spabettie in 2010 to share vegan recipes. Kristina turned her culinary training into sharing vibrant vegan food! Read more…
spabettie / Kristina Sloggett is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
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Heather says
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Love the old picture!