A vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner doesn't just have to be mashed potatoes and rolls! Check out this complete menu of delicious (and meatless) holiday worthy recipes.
I hope you've enjoyed the week of vegetarian Thanksgiving posts that I put together with Rikki!
I've gotten so used to working on my own as a blogger that it's nice to collaborate with someone else once in a while and see my food through another photographer's eyes (or camera lens).
And Rikki isn't just an amazing photographer, but she's also a great friend and mentor who totally gets my food, so I can't imagine working with anyone else.
I'm totally thrilled with how all of her photos turned out in these vegetarian recipes for a vegetarian thanksgiving menu!
Here's our complete menu of vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes:
Quinoa-Stuffed Acorn Squash Rings
Roasted acorn squash rings stuffed with quinoa, apples, cranberries, sage, and cheddar. A main dish for vegetarians that also works as a side dish for everyone else!
Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Creamy mashed sweet potatoes lightly sweetened with browned butter and topped with a stovetop pecan granola. The perfect alternative to the typical marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole.
Rosemary Roasted Carrots
Heirloom carrots make this simple Thanksgiving side dish a showstopper.
Green Beans & Lemon Parmesan Panko
Tender roasted green beans are finished with a crunchy lemon parmesan panko topping.
Wild Mushroom Gravy
Don't forget the gravy! This Wild Mushroom Gravy is the perfect accompaniment to your favorite mashed potato recipe.
Gluten-Free Vegan Stuffing
This is my favorite recipe from our Thanksgiving line-up. I'm usually not a big stuffing fan, but between the Whole Grain bread and fresh veggies, this was the best gluten free stuffing–no, the best stuffing, period–I've ever had.
Ginger Orange Cranberry Sauce
The secret ingredient in this cranberry sauce is ginger ale! Don't be too intimidated to make your own cranberry sauce--it couldn't be easier.
Easy Vegan Bread Pudding
Make this easy dessert a day in advance and let the bread pudding cook while you eat dinner, and this dessert is completely stress-free. Loaded with flavor from maple syrup, chopped nuts, and blueberries.
I hope we've been able to show you that a vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner doesn't have to be about sacrifice or bland food or sad meat substitutes.
As I like to say, when the food you're eating is good, you focus on what's on your plate, not what's missing from it! Thanksgiving is about gratitude, family, and friends - not turkey.
And if you're still planning that menu, be sure to check out our new Vegan Thanksgiving Cookbook too!
Katy @ Healthy Aperture says
This looks absolutely amazing! So jealous!
@KatySkrzy
Kiersten says
Thank you!
Stephanie @ henry happened says
So what time is dinner?! I just realized I missed some of the ones that were on Rikki's blog so I have to check them out - I'm on deck for the sweet potato casserole. I might get killed if it doesn't have mini marshmallows so I might have to do 2 versions!
Kiersten says
Ha! Chris loves the one with marshmallows too, but I don't eat them. 🙂
Genevieve says
I missed all your Thanksgiving posts while I was away last week, so it's nice to catch up on them with this post - and to see them all together on one plate! Looks like an amazing and filling vegetarian meal that I would be very grateful to eat on Thanksgiving! Hope you have a nice holiday 🙂
Natalie says
Such an amazingly gorgeous plate - it makes me want Thanksgiving all over again but with that exact plate of food!
Gabrielle says
Gorgeous photos of mouthwatering dishes! 🙂
Heidi @ Food Doodles says
I seriously wish Canadian thanksgiving was behind your thanksgiving. It's awesome that we have a huge family so we end up eating turkey dinner quite frequently. I gotta try out some of these dishes next time we do that 😀
Leah says
This looks amazing! We had two Friendsgiving parties in the last two weeks, and our resident vegetarian was so pleased that the only item on the menu she couldn't eat was the turkey. I'll have to try some of these next year, especially the gravy!
Kiersten says
Yeah, so often people forget that meatless does not necessarily mean vegetarian! It's always nice to go to a dinner party and realize your options go beyond rolls and salad. 😉
Leah says
Especially with gravy and soup stock. Or, in Japan, surprise bacon in everything!
Kelly @ Texas Type A Mom says
I love this! Everything looks so beautiful and fresh!
Meg @ Beard and Bonnet says
Your recipes made the most brilliant additions to our Thanksgiving Dinner! Thank you so much for working so hard to put all of these recipes together. I can only imagine how much time you spent on all of this.
Kiersten says
I'm so glad they turned out well! I kind of worried that people would make things and they wouldn't turn out and I'd wake up to angry emails on Friday morning. 😉 Which is why I obsessively tested these recipes multiple times before posting them!
Tori says
I just recently stumbled across your blog & your recipes are amazing! I made your baby roasted carrots & the acorn squash with quinoa for our family Thanksgiving dinner and they were a hit! Even among the carnivorous men!
Kiersten says
Thank you! I'm so glad to hear the Thanksgiving recipes worked out well. If the meat eaters will eat them without complaint, that's definitely a good thing! 😀
Alyson says
Wow! That looks sensational! I've just decided to go back to being vegetarian after a few years off, this time I have to feed two tofu hating children, too Your recipes look like just what I need, can't wait to try that mushroom gravy.
Kiersten says
Ha! Well, there are definitely a lot of options out there besides tofu, which is a good thing because I'm a little bit picky about it myself--I'm sure they will do just fine! 😀
Nicole @ Foodie Loves Fitness says
Oh my gosh, I want to try every single thing on this menu! It all looks so beautiful and delicious!! Nice job!
Kiersten says
Thank you! I wish I always had someone else to photograph my food. 🙂
Rose | The Clean Dish says
I am so impressed with your Thanksgiving menu!
Beautiful images, too. Thanks for sharing this!
Kiersten says
Thank you! My friend Rikki took the photos--she is so talented! 🙂
kira says
So many yummies I am going to put on my college thanksgiving menu! Thank you! 🙂
Kiersten says
Yay, I hope you enjoy them! 🙂
Summer Cushman says
These recipes look so great. And the photography is amazing... I'm not normally a food blogger, but this year I made an entire vegan thanksgiving menu: http://summercushman.com/2013/11/12/vegan-thanksgiving-menu/ You might specifically be interested in the pot pies.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Kiersten says
Thanks for sharing! Your menu looks amazing--I'm hungry just looking at it! 🙂
Tamara says
All these look delicious! I sure wouldn't mind going for the vegetarian option this year if I'd have all these nice options on the table 🙂
Kiersten says
The sides are always the best part of Thanksgiving anyway! 🙂
Jeanette | Jeanette's Healthy Living says
Stunning photography Rikki and I love all these recipes for Thanksgiving - such great inspiration! That plate would satisfy anyone - it is absolutely gorgeous!
Kiersten says
Thank you! I love Rikki's photos. 🙂
Grace @ Earthy Feast says
Dang! This is so drool-worthy! Beautiful pictures for beautiful food!
Kiersten says
Thank you!
Mahara says
The Thanksgiving recipes look absolutely delicious. I am planning on making this menu for Christmas dinner (with a few adjustments as I can't tolerate gluten or lactose)!
I just had trouble opening recipes for the French bread stuffing and the Green beans with caramelized shallots. I saw them listed but it would just go back to the article not the recipe.
Thanks so much!
Mahara
Kiersten says
I just checked the links and they're working for me, so I'm not sure what was happening on your end! If you follow the links and scroll down, the recipes are in the post.
L says
Thank you for these. Everything was delicious! Just the new items we vegetarians needed!
Jessica says
I made several of these recipes for my Christmas dinner party and they came out wonderfully! I made the green beans with shallots, mushroom gravy (over purple mashed potatoes), the mashed sweet potatoes and the cranberry sauce. The cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes were my favorites! Amazing, thank you so much for the recipes!!
Kiersten Frase says
I love purple potatoes, but I've yet to mash them! 🙂 I'm so glad the recipes worked out well - thanks for your comment!
Marcy Gregory says
Ill be preparing my first vegetarian Thanksgiving, and I'd like to prepare this menu! I could only find two of the recipes from this 11/16/12 meal, the quinoa stuffed acorn squash and the wild mushroom gravy. Would you kindly forward me the link to the rest of the recipes from this divine looking menu?
Thank you in advance, I hope!
Marcy
Kiersten says
Hmm, if you follow the links to Rikki's website, the recipes are there - I just checked. Are they not working for you?
Anne says
It turns out I'll be hosting Thanksgiving this year (gulp!). I want to make everything in this menu!!! But... cooking this number of dishes for a crowd of in-laws who are meat-eaters is making me so nervous!! I could really use a 3-day plan for this menu. Any chance you could throw one together?? Thanks!!
rosie says
I have been a vegetarian for seven years and thanksgiving has always been a struggle for me. I can't wait to still be able to savor that rosemary flavor. And gravy! I loved gravy! Man oh man. You guys do know how to create a good looking vegetarian dinner. Thanks for all the effort guys. It paid off.
jackelroy herbert says
I needed recipes for these beautiful things. after printing 16 pages there is not a single one!! happy thanksgiving!!