40 Best Meatless Thanksgiving Recipes (Vegetarian Menu) (2024)

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This meatless, vegetarian menu proves you don't need meat to celebrate Thanksgiving. It includes plenty of vegetable-based side dishes, salads, and main dishes that showcase a variety of Fall vegetables: butternut squash, acorn squash, Brussels sprouts, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, green beans, spaghetti squash, and much more!

As a vegetable-lover, you'll find everything you need in this Meatless Thanksgiving menu: Autumn-inspired holiday appetizers, side dishes, salads, main courses, pasta recipes, desserts, and even breakfast. This holiday menu includes some of my most popular holiday recipes (our top 40 Meatless Thanksgiving Dishes) that have been reader favorites for years (I've been publishing recipes on this website since 2012). Impress your family and friends by trying some (or all!) of these dishes for your next Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving party.

This menu will provide you with many tasty, meatless, vegetable-based main dishes to replace regular turkey. The traditional Thanksgiving green bean casserole (that usually includes bacon) is replaced with much fresher and, may I say, more delicious alternatives. This menu features many salads packed with fresh flavors, hearty greens, and Autumn ingredients. You'll love vegetarian side dishes that highlight traditional Fall ingredients that we associate with Thanksgiving: green beans, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, acorn squash, pumpkin, pecans, cranberries, and Brussels sprouts.

40 Best Meatless Thanksgiving Recipes (Vegetarian Menu) (3)

Table of Contents

Jump to:
  • My other Thanksgiving Recipe Collections
  • Thanksgiving Side Dishes
  • Thanksgiving Potato Side Dishes
  • Thanksgiving Appetizers
  • Thanksgiving Salads
  • Thanksgiving MEATLESS Main Courses
  • Thanksgiving Desserts
  • Thanksgiving Day Breakfast
  • What's your favorite meatless Thanksgiving dish?

My other Thanksgiving Recipe Collections

  • If you're looking for Thanksgiving salads, check out my collection of30 Best Thanksgiving Salads.
  • If you're looking for a complete list of my holiday side dishes, don't miss my 60 Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes.
  • If you're looking fora complete Thanksgiving menuthat features everything: Fall-inspiredholiday appetizers, side dishes, salads, main courses, pasta recipes, desserts, and even breakfast,check out my50 Best Thanksgiving Recipes (The Complete Holiday Menu).

Thanksgiving Side Dishes

This selection includes my most popular meatless holiday sides that use classic Thanksgiving ingredients, such as butternut squash, acorn squash, Brussels sprouts, green beans, pecans, pumpkin seeds, apples, and more.

  • Butternut Squash Pasta Salad with Brussels Sprouts, Pecans, and Cranberries
  • Green Beans with Pine Nuts
  • Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash
  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Cinnamon Butternut Squash with Pecans and Cranberries
  • Green Beans for Thanksgiving and Christmas
  • Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze
  • Garlic Green Beans with Olive Oil and Parmesan
  • Stuffed Acorn Squash
  • Green Bean Pasta Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Pecans, and Cranberries
  • Roasted Acorn Squash
  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Mandarin Oranges, Walnuts, Cranberries, and Balsamic Glaze
  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad with Maple Butternut Squash, Pumpkin Seeds, and Cranberries
  • Asiago Roasted Broccoli
  • Spaghetti Squash, Quinoa and Parmesan Fritters
  • Parmesan Zucchini and Spaghetti Squash with Pine Nuts
  • Asiago Roasted Brussels Sprouts
  • Sautéed Spinach, Mushrooms, and Caramelized Onions
  • Black Bean Butternut Squash Soup

Thanksgiving Potato Side Dishes

If you want to prepare your holiday potatoes in a slightly different way than regular mashed potatoes, give these delicious recipes a try for your upcoming holiday gathering:

  • Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic
  • Easy Scalloped Potatoes

Thanksgiving Appetizers

These meatless Thanksgiving appetizers feature colorful and festive Autumn ingredients, such as apples, cranberries, pomegranate, and pecans.

  • Baked Brie Recipe with Cranberries, Pecans, Pomegranate
  • Baked Brie with Apples
  • Strawberry Baked Brie - 30-Minute Appetizer

Thanksgiving Salads

Thanksgiving salads deserve a separate category on the menu as they are not quite side dishes (even though you can serve them as sides). These festive vegetarian salads will steal the show and will be a hit with your vegetarian friends!

  • Fall Salad with Maple-Lime Dressing
  • Apple Spinach Salad
  • 30-Minute Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
  • Christmas Salad
  • Winter Vegetable Salad with Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts, and Beets
  • Broccoli Cashew Salad with Apples, Pears, and Cranberries
  • Arugula Salad with Apples, Cranberries, and Pecans
  • Beet Salad with Spinach and Honey-Mustard Lemon Dressing
  • Fall Harvest Salad with Apples, Pecans, Spinach, and Maple-Lime Dressing
  • Butternut Squash and Spinach Salad with Pecans, Cranberries, Pomegranate
  • Beet Salad with Spinach, Cashews, and Goat Cheese
  • 15-Minute Strawberry Spinach Salad
  • Mango Salad with Spinach and Blueberries
  • Winter Fruit Salad with Maple-Lime Dressing
  • Berry Spinach Salad with Blueberries and Raspberries
  • Spinach and Fruit Salad with Maple-Lime Dressing

Thanksgiving MEATLESS Main Courses

Below is a selection of tried and true vegetarian (meatless) main courses that have been popular with the readers of this food blog. These Thanksgiving mains include Fall ingredients, such as butternut squash and sweet potatoes. You will not miss turkey with this delicious vegetable-based alternatives.

  • Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna
  • Vegetarian Enchiladas with Butternut Squash, Black Beans, and Bell Pepper
  • Black Bean and Butternut Squash Casserole
  • Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce and Pecans
  • Roasted Butternut Squash with Feta and Spinach
  • 30-Minute Ravioli and Sweet Potato Veggie Skillet
  • Creamy Orzo Pasta with Roasted Butternut Squash and Spinach
  • Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Gnocchi (One-Pan, 20 Minutes)
  • Roasted Butternut Squash stuffed with Corn, Zucchini, and Cheese
  • Pumpkin ravioli with brown butter sauce and pecans
  • Pumpkin Chili with Black Beans and Chickpeas
  • Meatless Pumpkin Quinoa Chili with Black Beans and Chickpeas

Thanksgiving Desserts

The Thanksgiving feast is not complete without desserts. Consider adding these simple desserts to your holiday menu:

  • Apple Pumpkin Bundt Cake
  • Cranberry Apple Pecan Bundt Cake
  • Simple Apple Cake
  • Apple cinnamon crepes, or apple pie - in a crepe!
  • Apple Cinnamon Buttermilk Bundt Cake
  • Easy Apple Squares (Cake Bars)
  • Browned Butter Pecan Sandies
  • Blueberry Greek Yogurt Cake
  • Mixed Berry Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze
  • Chocolate Pear Cake

Thanksgiving Day Breakfast

Remember to make something seasonal, Fall-inspired, and unique for the Thanksgiving Day Breakfast. With these vegetarian alternatives, you won't miss traditional bacon or sausage breakfast casseroles. Here is a mix of savory and sweet breakfast recipes that will set you in the mood for the Thanksgiving dinner later.

  • Breakfast Egg Muffins with Mushrooms and Spinach
  • Apple cinnamon yogurt pancakes
  • Blueberry Lemon Bread with Lemon Glaze
  • Breakfast Egg and Gruyere Cheese Tart
  • Pumpkin Pancakes with Caramel Pecan Sauce
  • Pumpkin Banana Bread with Apples
  • Banana bread with walnuts
  • Sweet cooked apples recipe
  • Mixed Berry Greek Yogurt Muffins
  • Stuffed Crepes with Ricotta Cheese and Blueberry Filling

What's your favorite meatless Thanksgiving dish?

Maybe it's from this menu, or it's something else. Either way, let me know what you're cooking this Thanksgiving in the comments! Here are my 2 favorite meatless Thanksgiving main courses that I can happily eat any time during the Fall and Winter seasons (not just during the holidays):

Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna

Roasted Butternut Squash stuffed with Corn, Zucchini, Parmesan, and Cream Cheese

40 Best Meatless Thanksgiving Recipes (Vegetarian Menu) (2024)

FAQs

How to be vegetarian on Thanksgiving? ›

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Main Dishes
  1. Vegetarian Mushroom Wellington. Alexa Weibel. ...
  2. Spicy Roasted Mushrooms With Polenta. ...
  3. Ombré Gratin. ...
  4. Baked Brie and Caramelized Vegetable Pie. ...
  5. One-Pot Vegetable Biryani. ...
  6. Broccoli Cheese Casserole. ...
  7. Butternut Squash and Fondue Pie With Pickled Red Chiles. ...
  8. Roasted Mushrooms in Ata Din Din.

What other meat is good for Thanksgiving? ›

Here are some big, impressive, delicious pieces of meat you should definitely make for Thanksgiving, instead of turkey:
  • Roast Duck with Plums. ...
  • Garlic Rosemary Prime Rib Roast with Horseradish Cream. ...
  • Roasted Capon with Sage Stuffing. ...
  • Jamie Oliver's Best Roast Leg Of Lamb.
Nov 17, 2016

What do vegetarians eat on Thanksgiving Reddit? ›

There are tons of great veggie roasts (Trader Joe's, Tofurkey, and Field Roast all make one). But tbh my favorite part of Thanksgiving is just eating all the sides! Stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, mashed sweet potatoes, rolls, and a veggie gravy.

What is a vegetarian that eats chicken and turkey? ›

The term "pollo-vegetarian" was first used in nutritional textbooks in the 1980s to describe a semi-vegetarian diet that incorporates poultry. Historian Rod Preece describes pollotarians as "those who refrain from mammals but are willing to eat the flesh of birds notably chickens."

What is a healthier alternative to turkey? ›

Roasted Whole Chicken

“Each of these can be seasoned to your taste and roasted in the oven, resulting in wonderful aroma and delicious meat,” says Palumbo. Both chicken and turkey are lean proteins, especially if you avoid dark meat.

What's healthier chicken or turkey? ›

As you can see, the values are quite similar. But if you had to choose the healthier option, you'd probably had to go with turkey. Compared to chicken, turkey tends to be lower in calories, fat, and sodium, with a slightly higher percentage of iron.

What can replace turkey for a meat? ›

For smaller crowds, swap the turkey with chicken, Cornish game hens, or stuff and roast individual quails for each guest, which is very elegant for a plated meal. Our roast chicken with sourdough stuffing, pomegranate roast chicken, and cranberry stuffed cornish game hen bring a festive Thanksgiving vibe to the table.

What are the 3 most popular food dishes served on Thanksgiving? ›

The 10 Most Popular Thanksgiving Dishes
  • Roast turkey. We've already filled you in on how to carve a turkey like a chef. ...
  • Stuffing. Good stuffing is key to a successful Thanksgiving dinner. ...
  • Mashed potatoes. ...
  • Green bean casserole. ...
  • Corn casserole. ...
  • Sweet potato casserole. ...
  • Honey-glazed Brussels sprouts. ...
  • Cranberry sauce.
Nov 2, 2022

What is the cheapest meat for Thanksgiving? ›

Chicken tends to be one of the more economical meat options per pound, often being less expensive than turkey or pork. It's a versatile protein source and widely available at various price points, making it a budget-friendly choice for family meals.

What is the most popular vegetarian alternative to turkey at Christmas? ›

Nut Roast. The most popular Christmas meal for vegetarians and vegans is the nut roast. This typically describes a mixture of nuts, breadcrumbs, leeks, onions, broth and either oil or butter. However, this recipe is malleable and offers the opportunity for many alterations according to personal preference.

Can you be a vegetarian and eat turkey? ›

According to the Vegetarian Society, vegetarians are people who do not eat the products or byproducts of animal slaughter. Vegetarians do not consume: meat, such as beef, pork, and game. poultry, such as chicken, turkey, and duck.

How do you not eat a lot on Thanksgiving? ›

Focus on taking smaller portions of each item so your plate doesn't turn into Thanksgiving Mountain. And after you're done eating, give yourself 10 minutes before going back for seconds. This will allow your body to recognize what you have eaten and you can more easily decide if you are really hungry for more.

How do I train myself to be a vegetarian? ›

You may find it works best to first give up red meat, then poultry, then fish. Or you may switch over your pantry to all vegetarian to start with a clean slate. You may also choose certain days of the week to go vegetarian, like practicing Meatless Mondays.

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