Thanksgiving Main Dishes (Healthy Vegan Recipes) (2024)

Medically reviewed by Abbey Sharp, Registered Dietitian (RD), BASc.

Below are 17 vegan Thanksgiving main dishes that are sure to be a great addition to your dinner table this year.

Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to reflect and be around family, friends, and food! Here at Abbey’s Kitchen we wanted to celebrate Thanksgiving by compiling 15 of the best vegan Thanksgiving main dishes to serve this holiday season. Even if you’re not vegan, introducing a variety of plant-based food options that can accommodate many of your loved one’s diet. I know I am giving thanks to fresh fall produce and products that are available in Canada. Also I want to give thanks to the amazing food bloggers listed below who shared their vegan Thanksgiving main dishes with us.

17 Thanksgiving Main Dishes

Stuffed Roasted Butternut Squash – It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken

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Turkeys aren’t the only Thanksgiving dish that can be stuffed with deliciousness. The sweetness of the butternut squash, the tartness of the cranberries, and the nutty flavour from the walnuts compliment each other really well for a showstopper at the table!

Stuffed Squash with Curried Lentils – Fried Dandelions

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I always love dishes that basically involve an edible plate. Perfect for individual portions, these beautiful squash are the ideal vessel for the delicious and healthy combination of lentils, onions, and tomatoes.

Creamy Butternut Squash Lasagna Roll-Ups – Veggies Don’t Bite

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This is definitely a seasonal and creative spin on the classic tomato sauce, ricotta filling, and parmesan. I love how healthy additions can be made such as the whole grain pasta, cashew and walnut ricotta, loaded with veggies, and topped with pumpkin seeds. While the classic handful of nuts are a great snack too, this recipe shows its versatility to transform nuts into cheese.

Lentil Loaf with Cashew Gravy – Dianne’s Vegan Kitchen

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This is definitely not your traditional loaf, but a healthy recipe packed with protein from the lentils and fibre from the brown rice and oats. Healthy food never has to be bland but can serve as a great base to balance the wonderful and bold flavours of onion, garlic, thyme, and sage.

Slow Cooked Caribbean Pumpkin Curry – That Girl Cooks Healthy

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Tasty and healthy recipes don’t have to be complicated, and that’s why this recipe is perfect for the busy holiday season. Put that pumpkin center piece to good use and try this recipe!

Sweet Potato Casserole – Happy Kitchen. Rocks

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One dish meals are perfect for family-style dining, which lends nicely to serving it at Thanksgiving for the whole family. The beauty of this dish is not only do the flavours have time to mix and mingle, but it contains high-fibre sources like sweet potatoes with the skin on, kale, beans, and buckwheat!

Vegan Stuffed Shells with Butternut Squash – Abbey’s Kitchen

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These vegan butternut squash stuffed shells are topped off with a melt in your mouth sage cashew cream sauce that makes for the perfect plant-based option for Thanksgiving main dishes to please both plant-basked folks and meat-eaters alike.

Three Mushroom, Squash and Chestnut Wellington – Soy Division

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It’s mushroom heaven for this recipe that provides wonderful textures in each bite from the soft mushrooms and chestnuts with the flaky pastry.

Mediterranean Spaghetti Squash – Vegetarian Gastronomy

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Spaghetti squash is a blank palette that can be transformed into something beautiful like this recipe. I love how the rich and salty flavours of pesto, pine nuts, and kalamata olives can be. These are balanced by the nutritious delights of mushrooms, tomatoes, and squash.

Creamy Autumn Pumpkin Pasta – Strength and Sunshine

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I love how creamy pastas don’t necessarily mean alfredo, but can involve pumpkin as well! Many of the ingredients can be purchased ahead of time or may be in your pantry already. This helps during the weekend rush before Thanksgiving!

Portobello Pot Roast – A Virtual Vegan

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Mushrooms are a vegetable that take on the bold flavours of garlic, thyme, rosemary, and basil – and this recipe is no exception. This recipe screams comfort food.

Lentil Puff Pastry Pockets – VNutrition

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I believe this recipe combines familiar food preferences like puff pastry with lentils. It is a nutritious, vegan-friendly ingredient your family members and friends will enjoy once they try it.

Shepherd’s Pie Savory Mini Cakes – Vegan Chickpea

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The use of the muffin pan for individual servings allows for a perfect and portioned bite. This can be a staple holiday recipe that takes a classic dish, with a nutritious spin with kidney beans as the protein source!

Butternut Squash Vegan Risotto With Caramelized Onions –Abbey’s Kitchen

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This risotto dish is warm, delicious, comforting and super hearty – pretty much everything you’re looking for in a Thanksgiving meal.

Smoky Southern-Style Meatless Meatloaf – Veganosity

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Meatloaf can sometimes get a bad reputation, but there will most likely be no leftovers once this is served on Thanksgiving. The beauty of this is the filling may not be meat, but we’re still getting the protein we need from plant-based alternatives.

Mini Vegetable Pot Pie – Cadry’s Kitchen

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As the leaves begin to change colours, this is the perfect option for a hot from the oven, delicious meal. The varying textures such as the flaky crust, soft vegetables, and creamy sauce compliment each other.

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Wild Rice, Apples and Caramelized Onions – Abbey’s Kitchen

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Hands down this vegan stuffed acorn squash recipe tastes like fall. Also it will be one of the quickest Thanksgiving main dishes you’ll ever make.

There you have it. It’s clear that you don’t need turkey to be the star of your Thanksgiving meal. I hope these recipes have given you some inspiration for your feast. Abbey’s Kitchen would like to wish you and your family and friends an amazing and most importantly a TASTY Thanksgiving.

Have you tried any of these vegan Thanksgiving main dishes yet?

Are you serving up any vegan mains this Thanksgiving?

Comment below with your thoughts!

Contribution By:Sofia Tsalamlal, RD, MHSc and Christina Demirkok

More Blog Posts You Might Like:

If you liked this blog post featuring the vegan Thanksgiving main dishes, you might also enjoy some more vegan recipes for the holidays:

  • Gluten Free Thanksgiving Desserts (15 Healthy Recipes)
  • Vegan Pumpkin Bread (Healthy Gluten Free!)
  • Vegan Green Bean Casserole (Healthy with No Canned Soup)
  • Gluten Free No Bake Pumpkin Pie | Lightened Up Thanksgiving Dessert Recipe!
  • Sweet and Spicy Brussels Sprouts (Vegan, Gluten Free)

Updated on January 19th, 2022

Thanksgiving Main Dishes (Healthy Vegan Recipes) (18)

Abbey Sharp

Abbey Sharpis a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by theOntario College of Dietitians. She is a mom,YouTuber,Blogger,award winningcookbook author,media coachspecializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications likeHealthlineand on national broadcastTV shows.

Thanksgiving Main Dishes (Healthy Vegan  Recipes) (2024)

FAQs

What do vegans eat instead of turkey on 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.

What foods do people eat on Thanksgiving for dinner list at least 8? ›

Here are the top 10 Thanksgiving foods that your guests are likely expecting to see on the table if you're hosting a traditional affair:
  • Mashed potatoes.
  • Stuffing.
  • Green bean casserole.
  • Sweet potato casserole.
  • Baked corn.
  • Mac and cheese.
  • Peas & Water chestnuts (our fun take on regular peas)
  • Fresh rolls.
Oct 28, 2021

What are 3 main foods on Thanksgiving? ›

An American Feast - Foods that Make Up an American Thanksgiving...
  • Turkey. Just as it's a traditional meat used for Christmas dinner, turkey is favoured because it's big – and that means it can feed a whole family. ...
  • Cranberry sauce. ...
  • Vegetables. ...
  • Marshmallow sweet potatoes. ...
  • Pumpkin pie. ...
  • Pecan pie.

Do vegans celebrate Thanksgiving? ›

Seasonal vegetables like squash, beets, and mushrooms are key to making vegan-friendly dishes that are festive for Thanksgiving. Add quinoa, nuts, and beans (like chickpeas or lentils) to create satisfying entrées that everyone at the table will want to try.

What is healthier than turkey for Thanksgiving? ›

Whole Salmon

Seafood is healthy, delicious, and cooks quickly. Case in point, this whole salmon is in and out in 30 minutes or less. That can free up oven space for sides, and give hosts time to actually enjoy the get-together. You've probably heard that salmon is a standout health food.

What should you not forget for Thanksgiving dinner? ›

Use this list to make sure you're prepared to have the feast you planned for.
  • Sweetened Condensed Milk. A number of tasty desserts rely on this often forgotten item. ...
  • Cranberries or Cranberry Sauce. ...
  • Chicken Stock or Broth. ...
  • Simply Done Containers. ...
  • Foil, Parchment Paper, Pastic Wrap. ...
  • Centerpiece. ...
  • Nuts or Dried Fruit. ...
  • Dinner Rolls.
Nov 25, 2019

What is the most important food on a Thanksgiving table? ›

Turkey. Turkey is at the center of the classic Thanksgiving feast. Today we eat domesticated turkeys, which come from wild turkeys, a species only native to the Americas, making the bird an all-American entrée.

What is the most important meal on Thanksgiving? ›

No Thanksgiving Day would be complete without the traditional meal. Must-eats are: roast turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, and sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts.

What do vegans eat on Thanksgiving instead of turkey? ›

Vegan Turkey Substitutes
  • Burmese Tofu (aka Chickpea Flour Tofu) ...
  • Whole Roasted Cauliflower With Turmeric-Tahini Sauce & Pistachios. ...
  • Vegan Lentil Shepherd's Pie With Parsnip & Potato Mash. ...
  • Vegetarian Mapo Tofu. ...
  • Sweet Potato & Chickpea Cakes. ...
  • Vegan Lasagna With Roasted Vegetables. ...
  • Zucchini Verde Enchiladas. ...
  • Nutty Veggie Burgers.

Is turkey OK for vegans? ›

For this reason, vegans avoid eating foods of animal origin, such as: Meat: Beef, lamb, pork, veal, horse, organ meat, wild meat, etc. Poultry: Chicken, turkey, goose, duck, quail, etc. Fish and seafood: All types of fish, anchovies, shrimp, squid, scallops, calamari, mussels, crab, lobster and fish sauce.

Do vegans eat onions? ›

Yes. Garlic and onion are plants so they are vegan. There might be some vegans who might not eat onion and garlic, but this is most likely due to personal likes and dislikes. Additionally it also might be due to some religious beliefs and practices which we will discuss later in the article.

What is alternative meat to turkey for Thanksgiving? ›

Cornish game hen, goose, duck, ham, beef, salmon, and mushroom recipes make worthy centerpieces for holiday meals.

What is an alternative bird to turkey for Thanksgiving? ›

As for cooking methods, duck, pheasant and goose can roast in the oven just like you would a turkey. The fattier duck and geese should be slow-roasted so the fat renders and you get a crispy skin. A quick reminder: Just like all poultry, make sure your bird reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F.

What is a vegan turkey called? ›

Tofurky is the brand name of an American vegan turkey replacement (also known as a meat analogue, or, more specifically, tofurkey) made from a blend of wheat protein and organic tofu.

Is there a vegetarian substitute for turkey? ›

What is alternative turkey and ham made out of? Brands like Tofurky, Field Roast, Gardein, Beyond Meat, Lightlife, and more use plant-based ingredients in the products you can buy for any vegetarian/vegan guests.

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