26 Great Vegan Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes (2024)

When I started this blog in 2017, I had no idea that it would become what it is today. Then, as now, my biggest concerns have been pursuing delicious flavor, and making easy vegan “ugly food” or vegan comfort food. I want to thank you for supporting Ugly Vegan Kitchen (UVK) along the way. As a way to show my appreciation, I’ve put together this collection of UVK’s best vegan Thanksgiving dinner recipes.

It means so much that you stop by, try recipes, tell other people about the blog, subscribe, share it on socials, and serve UVK recipes to people you love. It’s the highest praise. And it encourages me to continue to develop new vegan recipes and revisit some of the older ones to keep them at their best.

If you’re trying to put together some vegan dinner recipes for Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving, maybe this post makes it easier? If you don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, this is still a tasty collection of vegan fall recipes, including main dishes, side dishes, salads, and soups. They’re all perfect for when there’s a chill in the air.

From Ugly Vegan Kitchen to your kitchen, I bring you some absolutely delicious and savory vegan Thanksgiving dinner recipes! 💚

26 Great Vegan Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes (1)

Vegan Thanksgiving Main Dishes

Whether you’re into vegan pot pie, veggie loaves, stuffed veggies or more, UVK’s got you covered with a range of vegan Thanksgiving main dish recipes! Most of the recipes are gluten free or can be easily modified.

Vegan Tofu Pot Pie

Growing up vegetarian always meant one thing at the holidays–tofu pot pie! May this recipe make your celebration as special as ours. And remember, it loves to be drenched in gravy!

Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Wild Rice, Apples and Walnuts

This delicious gluten free vegan stuffed acorn squash looks fancy, but is easy to execute. And best of all, it can be assembled ahead of time!

Vegan Lentil Loaf with Porcini Mushrooms, Walnuts and Cashews

Part lentil loaf and part nut loaf, this gluten free vegan loaf is the best of all worlds. Flavorful, savory, and stays together.

Stuffed Collard Green Rolls with Smoky Jackfruit and Sweet Potato

These slow cooker vegan stuffed collard green rolls take time to put together, but the pay off is savory, smoky deliciousness. They’re gluten free, incredible with a side of mashed potatoes and freeze well!

Chickpea Millet Loaf

This is a simple, savory chickpea millet loaf with leeks, carrots, celery, almond butter and more. Gluten free and easy. Slice up the leftovers and enjoy on a sandwich.

Vegan Stuffed Shells with Tofu Ricotta, Spinach and Fennel

Garlicky, savory, nut free! These vegan stuffed shells have it all–DIY tofu ricotta, fresh spinach and fennel bulb.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Lentils and Breadcrumbs

A great dish for beginner vegans using common U.S. kitchen staples.

Vegan Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Can you have enough vegan Thanksgiving side dish recipes? No. No, you cannot. They might be the best part of the entire meal. More sides, yes please!

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

This is a gluten free, nut free vegan green bean casserole without coconut milk or raw cashews! So what is in it? White beans! Pureed white beans make an unbelievable gravy. Give it a try.

Roasted Beets

These roasted beets offer a nice counterbalance to some of the richer dishes of the holiday season.

Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Wild Rice Casserole

Made with raw cashews, this creamy gluten free vegan wild rice casserole is a family favorite.

Slow Cooker Vegan Coconut Collard Greens

Loaded with garlic, ginger, jalapeño, smoked paprika, red miso and coconut cream, these vegan greens are absolutely delicious.

Vegan Shells and Cheese

These vegan cheesy shells are topped with garlic bread crumbs and then, baked to perfection.

Hazelnut Kale Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato, Rutabaga and Green Apple

Roasted vegetables, fresh apples, a massage kale are topped with a homemade hazelnut vinaigrette. Yum!

Sourdough Stuffing with Spinach, Fennel and Vegan Italian Sausage

An easy vegan stuffing recipe made from scraps of day old sourdough bread.

Brandy Shiitake Mushroom Gravy

If you’re tired of the same old, same old vegan mushroom gravy, it’s time to try this brandy shiitake mushroom gravy.

26 Great Vegan Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes (17)

Roasted Coconut-Maple Yams

This recipe is inspired by candied yams, but reduces the amount of sugar and vegan butter used.

Vegan Funeral Potatoes

If you’re going to have vegan funeral potatoes, go all in and top them with cornflakes coated in vegan butter. It’s the perfect crunchy topping for this vegan cheesy potatoes casserole!

Braised Red Cabbage and Carrots

This red cabbage dish requires some patience, but it’s worth the wait. The green apple is really the secret. Now you know the secret, so I guess, less of a secret 😉

Wild Rice Stuffing with Cranberries, Apples and Walnuts

A simple vegan wild rice stuffing recipe! Seriously, you make some rice, stir some ingredients in a bowl, add it all to a baking dish, and bake it. And just like that, you’re done!

Roasted Garlic Gravy

Maybe you aren’t into mushrooms? Well, UVK’s got the vegan gravy for you! The biggest time suck is roasting the garlic in the oven, but the rest is… gravy! 😉

Vegan Tater Tot Casserole with Broccoli and Mushrooms

This vegan tater tot casserole with quinoa, broccoli and mushrooms has a homemade vegan cheese sauce with cashews, nutritional yeast and white miso. It kind of tastes like Cheez Whiz.

Vegan Brussels Sprout Slaw with Cranberries, Apples and Walnuts

This is a Thanksgiving slaw that has such a nice texture–a little crunchy, a little chewy, a little leafy. And it’s all enveloped in a creamy walnut dressing with white miso, lemon juice and absolutely no oil!

Vegan Thanksgiving Soups

Whether you eat soup on Thanksgiving or not, these are some vegan Thanksgiving soup recipes that capture the spirit of the holiday.

Sweet Potato Lentil Soup

This vegan lentil soup recipe is loaded with Thanksgiving flavors–sage, thyme, carrots, celery, sweet potatoes and more. Hearty and savory.

Wild Rice Mushroom Soup

When wild rice and dried wild mushrooms come together, it’s one flavorful brothy soup!

Vegan Pumpkin Soup

This vegan pumpkin soup recipe uses canned pumpkin puree, lots of fresh ginger, and roasted cinnamon-maple sweet potatoes. It’s smells like a Yankee Candle, and hopefully, tastes nothing like one.

French Onion Wild Mushroom Soup

If you’re looking to balance your vegan Thanksgiving menu, this lighter french onion and wild mushroom soup does the trick.

Honorable mentions:

Vegan Cranberry Sauce

Arugula Butternut Squash Salad

Orangy Quinoa Salad with Cranberries, Pears and Pumpkin Seeds

Tempeh Marinade with Garlic, Thyme and Hungarian Paprika

Vegan Cheese Ball with Pecans and Cranberries

Vegan Potato Rolls

May these vegan Thanksgiving dinner recipes make your holiday better than ever! And no reason to restrict enjoying them just to the holidays 😊

26 Great Vegan Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is a vegan alternative to Thanksgiving? ›

Other protein-filled vegan options that could replace turkey in your vegan Thanksgiving table are tempeh, tofu and seitan. Choose one of these plant-based turkey alternatives, or combine more than one in your table, complimenting with veggies, rice, salads, or any other plant-based whole foods ingredients you want.

How do you host a vegan Thanksgiving? ›

Traditional Sides Made Vegan
  1. Green Bean Casserole.
  2. Scalloped Potatoes.
  3. Vegan Gravy.
  4. Mashed Potatoes.
  5. Vegan Stuffing.
  6. Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole.
  7. Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese.
  8. Vegan Buttermilk Biscuits.
Aug 30, 2022

How to make a full Thanksgiving dinner? ›

Thanksgiving Day:
  1. Defrost premade bread. ...
  2. Chill wine and beer.
  3. Prepare the stuffing stuffing. ...
  4. Roast the turkey. ...
  5. Prepare other side dishes while the turkey roasts. ...
  6. Remove the fully cooked turkey from the oven and rest it for 1 hour. ...
  7. Make the gravy.
  8. Re-heat anything that needs to be warmed.
Oct 20, 2021

What do vegans eat instead of turkey on Thanksgiving? ›

Burmese Tofu (aka Chickpea Flour Tofu)

For an alternative to turkey that's mild in flavor and can be treated like any other protein, turn to Burmese tofu, which transforms chickpea flour, oil, and water into a sturdy tofu-like dish.

Do 84% of vegans and vegetarians really go back to eating meat? ›

It even says quite plainly in the research findings: “84 percent of vegetarians/vegans abandon their diet.” As some argue, trying a plant-based or mostly plant-based diet for less than three months does not “make” you a vegetarian or vegan, and so to claim that may be overstepping the mark.

What can vegans eat instead of butter? ›

What are good vegan butter substitutes? In baking, you can use vegan butter, applesauce, dairy-free yogurt, coconut oil, coconut butter, olive oil, nut butter, mashed banana and mashed avocado. In cooking, you can use olive oil, coconut oil, vegetable stock, or avocado oil to replace butter.

What do vegans eat instead of tuna? ›

Vegan tuna or chickpea tuna is an easy, fun, and tasty recipe that uses mashed chickpeas and a few other simple ingredients to recreate the texture and flavor of tuna salad. You can expect a savory umami-packed flavor with a touch of brininess and tanginess pleasantly reminiscent of the sea without being fishy.

What do vegans eat instead of chicken? ›

Vegan Chicken: Delicious vegetarian and vegan-friendly chicken substitutes
  • Tofu. Tofu is one of the most well-known and versatile vegan and vegetarian-friendly foods out there. ...
  • Soy curls. ...
  • Jackfruit. ...
  • Potato. ...
  • Seitan. ...
  • Tempeh. ...
  • Cauliflower.
May 18, 2023

What is turkey like for vegans? ›

Staples like beans and rice are easy to find in most small shops, as well as in the big supermarkets, and they're cheap. Bulgar wheat is big in Turkey if you're into that, and oats are easy to find too. As I said, the fresh fruits and veggies are so good.

What religions eat vegan food? ›

Pure vegetarianism or veganism is Indic in origin and is still practiced in India by some adherents of Dharmic religions such as Jainism and in the case of Hinduism, lacto-vegetarianism with the additional abstention of pungent or fetid vegetables.

What are the top 10 Thanksgiving dishes? ›

Top 10 Thanksgiving Dishes
  1. Turkey.
  2. Stuffing/Dressing.
  3. Pumpkin Pie.
  4. Sweet Potato Casserole.
  5. Mashed Potatoes.
  6. Ham.
  7. Green Bean Casserole.
  8. Cranberry Jelly.
Nov 22, 2023

Do vegans eat turkey on Thanksgiving? ›

Tofu turkey: In October many health food stores, and even regular grocery stores, stock up on vegan turkey products. This tofu “turkey” is made from wheat protein and organic tofu and stuffed with mushrooms, herbs, and wild rice. Tofu turkey is 100 percent vegan.

What is vegetarian vegan meal? ›

A vegan diet is another form of vegetarianism where only plant foods are eaten and all foods from animal sources are avoided (meat, seafood, dairy, eggs and sometimes honey and gelatine). Vegetarian diets can have many health benefits.

Do vegans and vegetarians eat bread? ›

Yes, bread can and often does contain other ingredients like sugar and molasses (not to mention preservatives and fillers in processed bread), but the majority of those ingredients are also vegan. Generally, most flatbreads, rolls, loaves, bagels, sandwich breads, and crackers don't contain non-vegan ingredients.

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