Turkey schmurkey! That’s what I say when people wonder if you need the traditional main dish on your Thanksgiving table. Okay, I may not say it out loud, but I think it. (I even wrote a free ebook about it – just sign up for my email list to nab it!)
The truth is, Thanksgiving can still be plenty impressive, delicious, satisfying, and gratitude-worthy when it’s entirely plant-based. And I’ve got a brand-spankin’ new batch of vegan Thanksgiving recipes to share over the next couple of weeks to prove it. They add up to a fabulous (yet easy!) vegan Thanksgiving menu that plant-based folk will love and the non-plant-based folk will appreciate as well! Pssst: Several items can be made ahead, too!
Want a peek?
Before I share about all the food on this table, I thought I’d share this festive Thanksgiving centerpiece idea that I’m really loving.
I started with a long scrap of flannel fabric. I made sure it had red in it, because I really wanted to set off the pomegranates I was planning to use. Next, a scrap of burlap as a table runner. So easy!
Then, I lined the burlap with grayish greens. Eucalyptus adds the most gorgeous hue to the situation. I just grabbed a bunch of greens at my local grocery store – easy peasy.
Next, I lined the greens with pumpkins, gourds, and pomegranates. SO EASY.
Little pinecones added to the equation would be so cute, as would some pretty white tea lights. So fun.
Okay, shall we get to the Vegan Thanksgiving Menu?! Let’s do this!
The Main Dish
Okay, so the centerpiece? Not the cranberry sauce, though that’s definitely a highlight. It’s a gorgeous vegan wellington! But not just any vegan wellington. This impressive puff-pastry-wrapped main dish is made with chickpeas and walnuts – vegan meatloaf, essentially. But the best part? A mashed potato core! Yep, the mashed potatoes are right inside this gorgeous and delicious wellington. I love how this two-in-one situation means you don’t have to make mashed potatoes separately. Plus, it’s SO GOOD.
Make the filling ahead of time, refrigerate, and then just wrap and bake on the big day. So easy.
Here’s the recipe for the Mashed Potato Stuffed Vegan Wellington!
More vegan Thanksgiving main dish ideas
- Wild rice & lentil stuffed spaghetti squash
- Creamy vegan pumpkin risotto with crispy fried sage leaves and toasted hazelnuts
- Creamy vegan butternut pasta bake
Gravy, baby
What pairs perfectly with a mashed-potato-stuffed vegan wellington? A savory mushroom gravy, of course! This brand new recipe for vegan mushroom gravy is unbelievably flavor-packed. With soy sauce for umami goodness and a touch of sherry to show off those mushroom flavors, this gravy recipe is a keeper. Plus, you can make it now, freeze it, and then warm it up on Thanksgiving! Here’s the vegan mushroom gravy recipe.
More vegan gravy recipes
- Vegetarian onion gravy (with vegan option) – super simple to make and a staple at our holiday table
- Vegan Garam Masala brown gravy – so full of flavor!
Green salad
You always have to have a green salad. Basically, your favorite green salad – but keep it all plant-based! For this particular Thanksgiving table, I made a shredded Brussels sprout situation that isn’t quite right yet, so I don’t have a recipe to share yet. Hopefully soon! Maybe one of these?
Favorite green salad recipes
- Simple fall salad with apples and pecans
- Massaged kale salad with avocado and chickpeas
- Epic winter salad with roasted butternut squash, baby kale, and avocado
Cranberry sauce
Next, you can’t forget the cranberry sauce. And here we have my new favorite cranberry sauce: Maple Spiced Cranberry Sauce. This one is sweetened with pure maple syrup and brown sugar and set off with warm fall spices. Plus, some lemon zest to keep it bright. SO DELICIOUS. The best thing about homemade cranberry sauce is that you can make it now and refrigerate (for up to 10 days) or freeze in preparation for the big day. Here’s the recipe for Maple Spiced Cranberry Sauce.
More cranberry sauce recipes
Soft & fluffy dinner rolls
You can’t forget the rolls! These soft and fluffy vegan dinner rolls are a recipe I shared last year, and they’re based off my Gran’s recipe. This one’s definitely near and dear to my heart. Love these. Plus, you can make them ahead of time and freeze them.
More sides, please!
Okay, so I kept this vegan Thanksgiving menu pretty simple, but I’m sure it would welcome another simple side or two. Here are some ideas:
- Herbed wild rice & quinoa stuffing
- Maple miso vegan baked beans
- Simple butternut squash soup
- Coconut whipped sweet potatoes with maple-pecan drizzle
- Vegan cranberry fluff salad
- Or even a simple roasted squash like this roasted delicata squash
And! A Vegan Thanksgiving Dessert
Lastly, the grand finale: A delicious sweet Honeycrisp apple galette covered generously in cinnamon sugar. This one’s entirely vegan, with a flaky coconut oil crust – and it’s perfect with vegan vanilla ice cream. Super simple, too! Recipe coming Nov. 23.
(Another vegan thanksgiving dessert idea? This super simple, tart-and-sweet Vegan Apple Cranberry Crisp. Yummm.)
And that’s it for 2019’s simple vegan Thanksgiving menu! Want to make sure you get the recipes when they come out? Just sign up for my email list for recipe notifications. (And if you’re already signed up, you’re golden!)
Happy Thanksgiving!
More for Your Vegetarian Thanksgiving (and Christmas too!)
Plant-based, vegetarian, dairy-free and more … we’re all about meatless holiday options!
Recipes
- All Thanksgiving recipes
- 100+ Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes – one huge list of every kind of meatless holiday recipe
- 30 Main Vegetarian Dishes for Thanksgiving & Christmas
- 15 Vegetarian Thanksgiving Side Dishes with Wide Appeal
- 19 Vegan Thanksgiving Side Dishes
- 12 Vegetarian Gravy Recipes
- 5 Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Dishes for Freezing
Menu Ideas
- A Thanksgiving Feast for (Nearly) Every Diet – a full, epic menu with plenty of options for the carnivores, vegetarians, vegans, AND gluten-free folks at the table!
- Thanksgiving for Special Diets: The Ultimate Guide to Coexisting Deliciously
- And for Christmas, here’s our Christmas dinner menu that I shared few years ago.
I’m so glad you’re here! I’m a vegetarian home cook, certified plant-based pro, and mom. I’m married to an enthusiastic carnivore, and my mission is to achieve peace in the kitchen – one tasty recipe at a time. These days, with a name like mine, I also try not to ask to speak to the manager.
