46 Best Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes
Get ready to feast with these 46 Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes, covering everything from irresistible appetizers to decadent desserts! Packed with flavors to wow every guest, this collection has all you need for an unforgettable plant-based holiday spread.
If you are hoping to make a special Thanksgiving meal this year that will entice family and friends alike, look no further than this list of delicious vegan Thanksgiving dishes. We have everything organized in categories like appetizers, casseroles, sides, main dishes, and desserts–all completely plant-based and oil-free! We have more holiday dishes on our list of vegan Christmas dinner recipes.
You might want to start off with this dairy-free creamy butternut squash soup or my easy cashew vegan cheese ball and move on to our amazing ultimate seitan meatless roast. Whichever dishes you choose from the lists that follow, this Thanksgiving celebration is going to be enjoyed by everyone around your table!
Reasons you will love these recipes
- Indulgence – Enjoy all your favorite holiday flavors without the extra fat or oil, so you can savor every bite and feel great afterward!
- Packed with Flavor – These recipes prove you don’t need oil to create rich, savory, and satisfying dishes that everyone will rave about.
- Easy on Digestion – Low-fat and plant-based ingredients are gentle on your stomach, perfect for a comfortable and enjoyable holiday feast.
- Simple and Wholesome Ingredients – These recipes focus on whole, nourishing ingredients that are easy to find, so you can whip up a delicious spread without any fuss.
We have even more vegan holiday recipes on our special category page. You will find a lot of our newest recipes there that are perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other holidays.
Tips for a successful meat-less Thanksgiving
- Plan ahead- Start planning at least a couple (or more) weeks ahead! I can’t stress this enough. Begin looking now for recipes that your family might enjoy. This time of year, they are likely going to want some of the traditional recipes they’re used to, so finding the right ones in an ocean of options is very important.
- Trial run- Do a trial run of each recipe in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. You’ll want to make sure they actually taste good to you, and you will be a lot less stressed getting to know the recipe and how long it takes to make it before the actual holiday.
- Recipe staples- Every recipe doesn’t have to be a new one. Maybe throw in some that you’re comfortable with and know that your family already loves.
- Take it slow- I like to try one new recipe at a time, so I can focus on the prep and making any tweaks to it that might make it even better. It’s just less overwhelming to me when I’m dealing with one thing at a time.
- Picky eaters- If you’re looking for very kid-friendly recipes, also take a look at our Kid-Friendly Recipes.
Main Dishes
Vegan Thanksgiving Main Dishes
These hearty vegan Thanksgiving main dishes make a beautiful and delicious table display for guests and family. Click on each of the photos, recipe titles, or 'Get the Recipe' buttons to see full recipes with ingredients, measurements, instructions, and a print button.
This tender seitan-based vegan roast is surprisingly simple to make and perfect for dinner and even special occasions like parties and holiday meals.
When we are going to a family gathering and need to take a dish or two, this homestyle vegan meatloaf is always my first go-to. During the holidays, you can bet it will be on the menu.
This mouth-watering vegan shepherd’s pie is packed with chunky vegetables, savory sauce, and fluffy mashed potatoes. Believe me, it’s going to be a hit!
This warm and cozy vegan casserole is loaded with wholesome ingredients and perfect for family dinners, potlucks, and holidays!
This crispy-on-the-outside and slightly-meaty-on-the-inside, crispy baked tofu is absolutely delicious smothered in gravy made by using the leftover marinade sauce.
Lasagna is such a hearty and filling meal, and it feeds a pretty big crowd! It takes a little bit of work but is so worth the effort. I remember when I used to do in-home cooking lessons, this vegan lasagna is one recipe that always received the best reviews.
Casseroles
Vegan Holiday Casseroles
Casseroles are a warm bubbling oasis of comfort and yumminess that reminds us of childhood trips to Grandma’s house and holidays. Click on each of the photos, recipe titles, or 'Get the Recipe' buttons to see full recipes with ingredients, measurements, instructions, and a print button.
Creamy cheezy and amazingly delicious Vegan Scalloped Potatoes are the perfect side dish for any meal, especially for Thanksgiving and the holidays.
This oil and dairy-free version of the traditional American hash brown casserole is delicious and hearty-healthy. With potatoes, onions, red bell peppers, creamy vegan cheese sauce, and smoked paprika, there is no skimping on taste. No artery-clogging butter and eggs either! Vegan Breakfast Casserole is amazing!
This Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole is the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any time of the year. It’s made with whole food plant-based ingredients and sweetened perfectly with pure maple syrup or date paste.
Bursting with savory flavor, this classic holiday dish will be a hit any time of the year. Vegan green bean casserole is loaded with wholesome ingredients and so delicious that even the kids will eat it.
Warm, creamy, and cheesy, this vegan Broccoli Casserole is amazingly delicious and perfect for dinner or taking to social functions.
I love quiche because it’s creamy, delicious, and perfect for any meal–breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even holiday brunch. This vegan quiche casserole is packed with flavor and will be a huge hit no matter when you serve it.
Lasagna is such a hearty and filling meal, and it feeds a pretty big crowd! It takes a little bit of work but is so worth the effort. I remember when I used to do in-home cooking lessons, this vegan lasagna is one recipe that always received the best reviews.
Side Dishes
Vegan Thanksgiving Sides
Classic side dishes are a very important part of any vegan Thanksgiving meal. The recipes in this collection are the traditional dishes that have been tweaked to make them healthier. Believe me, they are going to be a hit! Click on each of the photos, recipe titles, or 'Get the Recipe' buttons to see full recipes with ingredients, measurements, instructions, and a print button.
Making gravy doesn’t get any simpler than this Easy Vegan Gravy in 10-Minutes. Ladle it over mashed potatoes, mushroom roast, pasta, biscuits, and on everything else you can think of.
There’s nothing more warm and comforting than creamy garlic mashed potatoes, and if they are served with brown gravy they’re even better!
This gluten-free vegan mac and cheese dish is one of my favorite dairy-free comfort foods! The cheese sauce can also be used in lots of other recipes and dishes as well.
This vegan broccoli salad is so creamy and light, even broccoli haters will like it. Broccoli slaw salad lovers will never realize it has a fraction of the fat and calories of the traditional recipe they are used to.
An acorn squash's natural shape is perfect for adding stuffing. This delicious Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe is packed with beta carotene and fiber, and makes a beautiful table display for the holidays!
Need something special for that cookout, picnic, or potluck? These Country Smoked Vegan Baked Beans are sure to be a hit! Only 1 gram of fat and a whopping 22 grams of protein per serving!
This vegan potato salad is excellent for family gatherings and picnics. No one will ever realize it’s a low-fat, healthier version. I promise, if my family can’t tell, yours won’t either.
The key to getting a good char on roasted Brussels sprouts is baking them in a single flat layer, and making sure they don’t overlap. This is a great recipe to show how to do that without using any oil.
This vegan coleslaw makes a perfect side dish option for cookouts and potlucks and can be ready in less than 15-minutes. The healthy oil-free dressing is what really sets this recipe apart.
This classic mixed bean salad a perfect side dish for picnics and social gatherings. It’s so versatile, it can be made with just about any type of beans you have on-hand.
Dessert, snack, or whatever you want to call it, these chocolatey stuffed sweet potatoes made with bananas, peanut butter, cocoa, maple syrup, and walnuts are going to rock your world!
This Kale Quinoa Salad with orange miso citrus dressing is crazy delicious and so easy to make. An amazing nutrition powerhouse salad of kale, quinoa, mandarin oranges, and so much more!
When I need a quick crowd-pleasing dish that doesn't require any cooking, my first go-to is this simple Black Bean and Corn Salad recipe.
Hands down, this vegan loaded potato recipe is the best you’ll ever try. Even people who aren’t vegan love these because the homemade dairy-free cheese sauce is the secret ingredient that makes all types of eaters love them!
This quinoa chickpea salad is made with simple, wholesome ingredients that make it not only delicious but also beautiful and filling.
These collard green vegan wraps with creamy peanut sauce offer a fresh, healthy main dish or appetizer that is bursting with vibrant color and loads of nutrition. Checkout out my cooking demo video of this recipe
Appetizers
Vegan Thanksgiving Appetizers
The best way to begin a great holiday meal is with delicious and healthy appetizers like these. Click on each of the photos, recipe titles, or 'Get the Recipe' buttons to see full recipes with ingredients, measurements, instructions, and a print button.
These Crockpot Carrots are simmered in tangy bbq sauce and are mouthwateringly delicious. They are perfect for holidays, game days, birthday parties, and even family dinners. Be forewarned, they’re super addictive!
This naturally sweet vegan sweet potato soup is bursting with flavor! It's smooth and creamy and has chunks of soft sweet potato flavored with rich smoked paprika.
This low-fat Italian Vegan Hummus is delicious on sandwiches, in wraps, or served with fresh vegetables and pita bread. It’s completely oil and tahini-free, so the calories and fat per serving are very low.
These Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms are a fabulous side dish or appetizer for any occasion. This is a simple and savory recipe that’s a snap to assemble and a real crowd-pleaser dish.
This creamy vegan mushroom soup is a delightful blend of rich, earthy flavors and velvety texture, perfect for any time of year. Made with wholesome, plant-based ingredients, it’s a healthy and satisfying alternative to traditional cream-based soups.
A classic favorite, cheddar broccoli soup was one dish I missed after going dairy-free, so I worked hard to come up with this deliciously satisfying vegan version that is loaded with flavor by the spoonful.
These Garden Spring Rolls are one of our favorite recipes. Add a big bowl of steamed rice, and we've got dinner!
Get ready for a creamy, full-bodied taste and texture, that is loaded with protein and calcium, yet has no added dairy or oil! It's sure to be a hit at any pot-luck or game night!
No kidding! This healthy chocolate hummus is so easy to make. If you've got 5-minutes and a blender, you've got a delicious easy dessert.
Sometimes you just need something a little sweet that doesn’t require a lot of effort. Whether you’re making a snack for yourself or for a crowd, these easy stuffed dates are the perfect healthy dessert or snack.
This easy vegan hummus takes only about 10-minutes to make and requires absolutely no cooking. It also happens to be completely gluten-free.
Desserts
Vegan Thanksgiving Desserts
There is no better way to complete a fabulous holiday dinner than with these crowd-pleasing vegan desserts. Click on each of the photos, recipe titles, or 'Get the Recipe' buttons to see full recipes with ingredients, measurements, instructions, and a print button.
This Vegan Pumpkin Pie recipe is perfect for the holidays and it is super simple to make with only 8 ingredients. It's a real crowd-pleaser at family and social gatherings!
Incredibly moist and packed with grated carrots, this secretly healthier version of Vegan Carrot Cake guarantees you will never miss the extra calories.
This vegan chocolate fudge cake is so simple to make and is dripping with the best ooey-gooey chocolatey topping of your dreams.
If you love pumpkin, this vegan pumpkin bread is going to knock your socks off! Warmly spiced and super moist, it’s a perfect fall (or any season) dessert.
All the taste of Grandma’s cookies, but none of the fat! These Vegan Oatmeal Cookies are oil-free, dairy-free, and egg-free, with only 88 calories and 1 gram of fat per cookie!
Vegan No-Bake Chocolate Pie recipe can be made in less than 15 minutes flat, with only 5 ingredients that you’re likely to already have on-hand and a blender.
These healthy pumpkin cookies are completely dairy-free and egg-free and are loaded with fiber, beta carotene, and have zero cholesterol. They can be ready in only about 25-minutes!
Sometimes, I just need a little chocolate and this dairy-free silken tofu vegan chocolate mousse recipe fills the spot without me having to wear it on my hips. It can be made in less than 15 minutes flat, with only 4 ingredients that you’re likely to already have on-hand.
This beautifully decadent chocolate cake recipe is not only amazingly delicious, but it also happens to be vegan and completely sugar-free (unless you don’t want it to be).
Chocolate vegan cupcakes are perfect for birthdays, weddings, holidays, and any other special occasion you can think of. Believe it or not, they can even be made completely sugar-free!
This easy vegan banana bread is the best you’ll find, and even though it is egg-free and dairy-free, no one will ever know the difference.
I hope you enjoyed going through this list of delicious vegan Thanksgiving dishes and that it has given you some ideas for planning your holiday menu. Now, it’s time to bring all the comforting, festive flavors to your plant-based Thanksgiving!
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Classic dishes like stuffing, mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole can all be made vegan by using plant-based ingredients like dairy-free creams, almond or oat milk, and vegetable broth.
My personal favorite main dish for Thanksgiving is vegan meatloaf, and there are many others including vegan seitan roast, lentil shepherd’s pie, and mock chicken casserole made with soy curls.
Many vegan recipes are naturally gluten-free or can easily be adapted. Use gluten-free breadcrumbs in stuffing, almond or coconut flour in desserts, and double-check broth and sauces for gluten.
I’m so glad you asked! Try my Ultimate Vegan Christmas Dinner article and these 21 Vegan Holiday Recipes for even more inspiration.
More Holiday Plant-Based Recipe Inspiration
About Terri Edwards
Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…