Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and let’s face it- this holiday is all about the foods (oh, and friends and family).
Now, we know that creating a traditional Vegan Thanksgiving dinner can a little tricky, (I mean, how can you veganize a Turkey?), and especially if you host non-vegans. So we made it easier for you, by creating this Ultimate Thanksgiving Vegan Menu with the best vegan alternatives for an amazing, yum, Vegan Thanksgiving Dinner!
What Is Served At A Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner?
So first of all we wanted to break down the main elements which makes a full Thanksgiving dinner, and make sure to find alternatives to each and every one.
Traditional thanksgiving meal is definitely NOT vegan and consists of:
- a Turkey -The star of the meal, and obviously very much not vegan.
- Stuffing- Stuffing is a seasoned bread cube mixture of onion and herbs. Traditionally, it’s stuffed inside the bird, but many prefer to bake it in a separate baking dish.
The first step of making stuffing is simply sautéing veggies in a TON of butter, so again, not a vegan-friendly dish. - Mashed potatoes– Usually comes with TONS of butter lol
- Gravy – At its most basic, gravy is a thickened sauce made of meat drippings + stock + seasonings.
- Cranberry Sauce– Oh wow, so we have one plant-based dish, which completely made out of fruits (and lots of sugar).
- Dinner Rolls- Contains eggs and buttermilk.
- Green beans– Which are usually soaked in butter.
- Sweet Potato Casseroles– Made with plenty of butter, milk or cheese, and eggs.
- Some kind of Dessert- which will most likely contain dairy.
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As you can see, the traditional meal is.. well.. not so vegan.
But luckily, we have found the best vegan alternative recipes to replace all of these traditional Thanksgiving dishes, to create a full, delicious, ultimate Thanksgiving vegan menu, without compromising the flavor!
1. 7 Best Turkey Alternatives for a Vegan Thanksgiving
The star of the meal, the holiday symbol, the one and only, how can you replace THE Turkey with a main dish that will be as favorable, and delicious as the traditional bird?
Soy Vegan Whole Turkey
If you are short on time, you can always go with the store-bought version of Vegan Turkey which is made of soy. Or simply try and one (or more) of these amazing recipes!
Vegan Thanksgiving Turkey
Monica’s Vegan Thanksgiving Turkey. This recipe will blow you away! It’s 100% plant-based and SO healthy (using chickpeas, herbs and gluten-flour as main ingredients), I mean just look at that! Definitely looks like the real thing!
Can’t stand chickpeas? Have a Gluten intolerance? We found some additional vegan alternatives for a centerpiece dish, full of protein:
Celeriac Vegan Holiday Roast
An inexpensive 1-ingredient Vegan Holiday Roast that will please Vegans and meat-lovers alike. Just add a little magic blend of herbs and condiments… The smell of this Vegan Holiday Roast will make everybody rush to your holiday table.
Nut Roast
This easy Nut Roast is quick and simple to prepare. With only 10 healthy ingredients such as walnuts, peanuts, cashews and cranberries, this vegan roast is the perfect centrepiece to your Thanksgiving meal!
Vegan Cauliflower Lentil Loaf
A hearty plant-based dinner idea that will satisfy even meat-eaters! A Vegan Cauliflower Lentil Loaf that mimics the classic meatloaf with no meat, gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free! Get all your protein and veggies in this healthy recipe!
Holiday Vegan Roast
WOW! This Vegan Roast is a bit more advanced, but also you got to admit it looks as close as it gets to the non-vegan version! So make your festive dinner complete with this Vegan Holiday Roast. It’s filled with savory stuffing and finished with a mouth-watering glaze.
Lentil Mushroom Loaf
This firm, savory, satisfying Lentil Mushroom Loaf is the perfect main dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, a dinner party, or any occasion. With its classic sweet and smoky flavor, it is sure to please the whole family.
2. Thanksgiving Stuffing Vegan Alternatives
Stuffin’ Muffins are a sure-fire way to bring traditional holiday flavors to the table in a super fun and doable way. Pair these savory muffins with mashed potatoes and gravy and watch your friends and family smile. They’re gluten-free, oil-free, and plant-based, so everyone can eat and enjoy!
This Gluten free wild rice stuffing is packed full of the flavors you expect from a stuffing. This stuffing is gluten free, oil free and adored by vegans and meat eaters alike. Serve this flavorful gluten free stuffing at your next holiday and you’re sure to be satisfied.
Holly from Pinkfortitue made this amazing vegan stuffing “I think the best part of Thanksgiving dinner is the stuffing. Wait, no… pumpkin pie. Mmmmmm…. pumpkin pie. But second place is definitely stuffing. Ok, solid second. I’ve been trying for a while to perfect a gluten free and vegan Stuffing and I think I finally got it. It’s better than Stovetop, that is for sure!”
Don’t let this Virgin Islands side dish miss your dinner table this Thanksgiving. This Caribbean spin on Potato Stuffing uses white sweet potatoes that are boiled and mashed into a smooth consistency with raisins, vegetables and seasoning.
3. Vegan Alternatives Of Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes
Crockpot Mashed Butternut Squash is the perfect cozy side dish to complement your weeknight dinners, fall gatherings, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, plus all of your other holiday meals. It is a family-friendly, colorful, vibrant, delicious and healthy mash that is easy to make in your slow cooker.
It’s so simple to make Vegan Mashed Potatoes in the slow cooker for Thanksgiving! You only need a handful of simple ingredients like potatoes and almond milk.
4. Vegan Alternatives For Thanksgiving Gravy
This truly is the best Vegan Mushroom Gravy that you’ll want to slather over everything and serve at every holiday meal! This vegan gravy is easy to make in just 30 minutes and it requires only 10 ingredients!
5. Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce
This delicious Cranberry Orange Sauce recipe is a classic that is perfect for Thanksgiving and the holiday season. It is super easy to make with a few simple ingredients and can be made ahead of time!
6. Thanksgiving Rolls Vegan Alternatives
Homemade bread is one of the greatest things in life, and these dairy-free and egg-free Sweet Buns are no exception.
7. Thanksgiving Green Beans
This quick and easy side dish is perfect for any occasion! Green Beans with almonds take minutes to make with just a few ingredients. This is your new go-to green beans almondine recipe!
Green Beans Almondine is not only an easy side dish, but it’s absolutely delicious! You only need 15 minutes and 5 ingredients. The beans are jazzed up with wonderfully fragrant garlic and shallots, and they have texture from crunchy almond flakes.
8. Thanksgiving Sweet Potato Casseroles Vegan Alternatives
This super easy Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallow topping is a healthier twist on the classic Thanksgiving side dish! A sweet holiday favorite that’s gluten-free, allergy-free, sugar-free, and optionally paleo! Smooth, mashed sweet potato topped with homemade marshmallow fluff, and baked to perfection!
This secretly healthy Sweet Potato Casserole has a rich filling (with coconut milk!) and a sweet, crunchy oat nut topping that’s free of refined sugar!
9. Thanksgiving Vegan Desserts
A festive show-stopping dessert is a “piece of cake” for this dairy-free, gluten-free, plant-based, vegan, oil-free, holiday-ready Pumpkin Cheesecake! It’s easy to make since it’s a no-bake treat, and it’s filled with the favorite flavors of Fall.
This Dairy-Free, Egg-Free and Vegan Sticky Date Puddings Recipe is an all time favourite. The combination of the sticky, moist date puddings with the sweet and decadent dairy-free caramel sauce is just to die for! A perfect Vegan Holiday dessert.
These Vegan Pumpkin Cookies are light and oil-free but full of amazing pumpkin spice flavors. Top them with a Cashew Maple Glaze for a truly delicious Thanksgiving treat.
Vegan Bundt Cake recipe made with pumpkin purée and maple frosting is the best fall dessert. With those lovely Thanksgiving flavors we all love to eat.
Vegan Pumpkin Pecan Pie is a flavorful egg-free and dairy-free dessert made with a simple homemade crust, best caramel sauce filling, and a crunchy Pecan topping. Surprisingly easy to make and outrageously delicious, this fall treat is sure to impress your family and friends.
Additional Vegan Recipes For Your Thanksgiving Dinner
Our Red Cabbage Salad is a beautiful winter salad, with a great texture and flavours that will be perfect for any occasion.
This Vegan Butternut Squash Soup is quick and easy to make. It is a delicious vegan soup to serve up on a cold winter’s night.
Learn how to make our delicious, healthy vegan Ratatouille. This recipe is a true comfort food, super tasty and guaranteed to be a real crowd pleaser especially over the holiday season.
A healthy one-pot Vegan Pumpkin Curry served over basmati white rice. This fall-flavored curry is easy to make, it’s fragrant, vibrant, and delicious.
Loved these Recipes? Got some inspiration? Hope you’ll have a wonderful, and most importantly, YUM Thanksgiving!
