This Savory Pumpkin Galette makes a great vegetarian main dish for Thanksgiving. It's packed with flavor from creamy roasted pumpkin, walnuts, sage, and Parmesan cheese. Yum!
Being Vegetarian at Thanksgiving
I know most of the people who read my blog aren't vegetarians. You're looking to cut down on meat or maybe you're just looking for some good recipes to add bacon to. (Yeah, don't think I don't see your pins on Pinterest saying, "I would add bacon" because I do!) So you're probably going to eat turkey on Thanksgiving.
But this recipe is for those of you who aren't going to eat turkey. Are you tired of feeling like a weirdo on Thanksgiving? Tired of people making fun of you for eating some sad looking faux turkey?
Here's an idea - bring your own main dish!
But not just any main dish! Oh no! You need to bring something crazy impressive. So then instead of pointing and laughing while you eat your weird vegetarian food, they'll be all, "Ooh, that looks really good!"
Then you can say, "Yeah, it does. AND IT'S MINE. So you can't have it."
Or you can share. Fine. That's probably more in the spirit of Thanksgiving, isn't it?
The next two weeks on Oh My Veggies are going to be all about Thanksgiving. I've got a delicious main dish recipe and some awesome sides, and I'm going to be putting together a post with lots of other holiday main dish ideas that go beyond the typical imitation turkey.
In fact, I recently published an e-cookbook full of all my favorite Vegan Thanksgiving recipes! So check that out if you're planning a completely plant based meal.
But when I was working on this Savory Pumpkin Galette, I realized that it would also be perfect for Thanksgiving. So consider it a bonus recipe!
Tips for the Perfect Pumpkin Galette
You can use your favorite homemade pie crust recipe for this galette or you can cheat like I did and use pre-made pie crust. (Yes, I also see your pins saying, "I would use homemade pie crust.")
And guess what else? If you don't like pumpkin, you can use pretty much any roasted squash! Rings of delicata squash would be beautiful on this, as would half moons of butternut squash.
Inside the crust is a walnut pesto made with fresh sage leaves, Parmesan cheese, and a little bit of olive oil. You top that with the pumpkin (or squash) wedges.
It takes a little time and patience to get them all to line up just right, but take the time because the whole point of this dish is to make the haterz jealous of the deliciousness in front of you a stunning Thanksgiving main dish, sans turkey. It's totally worth the effort.
More Recipes
If you love this pumpkin galette, check out these other Thanksgiving-worthy ideas:
- My Vegan Thanksgiving Cookbook! (new)
- 8+ Vegetarian Gravy Recipes
- 40 Vegetarian Main Dishes for Thanksgiving
- The Ultimate Vegan Stuffing
Ingredients
- ½ small pie pumpkin seeds and guts removed & cut into ¼ inch wedges
- olive oil mister or cooking spray
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup walnuts pieces, lightly toasted
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp chopped sage
- 1 pie crust prepared, store bought or your own recipe
- 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tsp water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Spray a rimmed baking sheet with oil or cooking spray. Place pumpkin wedges onto sheet. Spray tops with additional oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20–30 minutes, or until softened but not browned. Let these cool while you work on the next step of the recipe.
- Combine walnuts, cheese, olive oil, and sage in a food processor. Process until coarsely chopped (see image in post). Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Place prepared pie crust on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pour walnut mixture into center of crust and spread to cover, leaving an inch margin on all sides. Arrange pumpkin wedges in an overlapping circle on top of the walnut mixture. Cut off any overlap so pumpkin does not extend into the 1-inch margin.
- Fold overhang of dough onto the pumpkin. Spray pumpkin with additional oil or cooking spray and brush pie dough with egg yolk mixture. Bake at time and temperature indicated on pie crust package or in recipe, until crust is golden brown.
Lena says
Oh beautiful. We don't celebrate Thanksgiving here, but I am already thinking about what to make for me and my sister for my first Christmas as a vegetarian. I am really looking forward to your Thanksgiving suggestions.
And I have to say I don't understand the compulsion to add bacon to everything. Even when I still ate meat, I thought it was too much. Oh well, I like this galette better without bacon.
Kiersten says
Well, I just found out that in Europe, there's no such thing as vegetarian Parmesan cheese, so if you do make this, make sure you make it with a different cheese! 🙂 I think bacon is over-rated too. Now I see it added to desserts all the time--gross!
Lena says
I know, it is kind of annoying. They cant make it vegetarian and call it parmesan. We sometimes still buy it, it is a bit difficult finding a reasonable substitute.
Kiersten says
I'm sure the vegetarian kind I buy is completely inauthentic, but it tastes good to me. 🙂
Anele @ Success Along the Weigh says
Looks delish! I've gotta have turkey on Thanksgiving but this would be a great dessert because the store bought pie my aunt brings isn't inspiring. (Though my gingersnap pumpkin pie that I keep away from everyone is AWESOME and no I'm not sharing that either. There are some things you want people to be jealous of, like you said. Heh heh!)
Oh yeah, this would be really good with some pancetta. What? 😉
Kiersten says
I think my family always does store bought pumpkin pie, but I love pumpkin pie so much I don't even care. 😀
And I don't mind that people want to add meat to all my recipes. I just think it's kind of funny...
mary @ what's cookin with mary says
Such a pretty dish! I really love the fanned pieces of roasted pumpkin. I didn't know you could eat the skin. I had roasted a green acorn squash yesterday for dinner and the skin was calling to me so I ate some and it was actually good, but was nervous that I shouldn't be eating it...
Kiersten says
Yes! I just discovered that you could eat pumpkin skin too. It gets nice and crispy when roasted, kind of like acorn squash skin. Some other winter squash skin isn't so good for eating, like butternut squash. Although when I mentioned that in a post, people commented that they eat it all the time. But it's a little too thick for me!
[email protected]'s Recipes says
This is a very different and beautiful galette. I love the walnut sage pesto filling.
Kiersten says
The filling was my favorite part. I might have eaten some of it right out of the food processor with a spoon. 😉
Alyssa | Queen of Quinoa says
This looks so good! Can't wait to try and recreate it gluten-free!
Kiersten says
I think it would be pretty easy to do--the only thing with gluten is the crust! 🙂
Robin says
Wow - this looks so fancy schmancy. No, we're not vegetarians in our house, so we'll be chowing down not only a turkey, but a ham, too - but this might be a nice addition for people to have on the side. You know, instread of squash or sweet potatoes.
Kiersten says
It would definitely be a good side for the meat eaters too!
Jackie @ The Beeroness says
I love this. When I was veg I had no problem not eating Turkey on thanksgiving, I still have no problem passing it up, there is so much better stuff at Thanksgiving. I would much rather have this! And I love that you left the skin on, it's so pretty.
Kiersten says
Thank you! The skin gets nice and crispy when roasted--I love it!
Shirley says
I'm LOL here! People do *not* write "I would use homemade pie crust," that would be terrible. Even as a meat eater I don't understand the compulsion to add bacon to everything, especially desserts. I told my mom there are bloggers who add it to fried rice and people proclaim them geniuses, and she'll get confused and say, "but those flavors don't match."
Your galette looks so perfect. A vegetarian would be laugh-proof toting one of those around Thanksgiving. I can see folks pointing and saying, you MADE that??
Kiersten says
I know I'm in the minority, but even when I ate meat, bacon kind of grossed me out. It's so greasy. All I can think of when I see it in a dessert is that bacon fat getting all over the delicious chocolate. It just doesn't seem right!
Yeah, my theory is that a homemade, real-food alternative to turkey is the best way to go. Because if you eat faux turkey, you're going to be the butt of jokes all night. (Or maybe it's just our families who do that...)
Stephanie @ henry happened says
gorgeous! But I thought even vegetarians got a pass on Thanksgiving, right? 🙂 And who the heck makes their own pie crust?!
Kiersten says
Believe me, I have tried to make my own pie crust, and it really never turns out. It always has this weird texture--never light and flaky. I am a bad food blogger. 😛
Katie says
I'm not a vegetarian, however I love your recipes - they're super inspirational. And this one looks amazing as usual. I love anything pumpkin and I have no doubt that this would be the hit of any gathering!
Kiersten says
Thank you! 🙂 I have always loved sweet pumpkin dishes, but I've just started trying to use it in savory recipes. It's amazing how different it tastes without pumpkin pie spice added!
M D says
Your Pumpkin galette is stunning. Love its deep yellow color and beautifully laid slices. Yum!
Kiersten says
Thank you! It took me two tries to get the pumpkin lined up just right. 🙂
Natalie says
The vegetarians at our Thanksgiving usually don't need a main course because there are so many delicious sides (all veg) that they're already full, but this would be a beautiful addition!
Kiersten says
Yeah, I think the sides are really the best part about Thanksgiving!
Brenda Williams says
Beautiful dish. Sounds yummy too.
Susan Rubinsky says
This is lovely to look at and sounds amazingly delicious. I'm definitely going to bring this to my Mom's for Thanksgiving this year. My brother and I are total foodies and I can imagine he's going to be really impressed.
Kiersten says
I hope your family enjoys it! My husband and I really loved it. 🙂
Bibi says
This looks SO gorgeous. We don't have 'ready made pie crust' in the UK, though we do have ready made pastry - is it shortcrust that I would want, do you know?
You've mentioned it in the comments, but just another reminder to readers that Parmesan isn't vegetarian if it is called 'Parmesan' in Europe - it HAS to contain calves stomachs to be given the name. Such a pity!
Kiersten says
Yes, it's a shortcrust. I also linked in the recipe ingredients a recipe to another galette I did--for that one, I made the crust from scratch, so you could always use that recipe too. It just adds a little extra time! 🙂
Fortunately for us here in the US, there are brands of domestic Parmesan made without animal rennet!
Jennie @themessybakerblog says
Kiersten, this galette looks so good, and it's absolutely beautiful! Your photos are stunning.
Kiersten says
Thank you so much!
Jenn says
Your blog inspires me in a completely bacon-free way. Just so you know.
Kiersten says
Thank you! I knew there had to be someone out there not adding bacon or chicken to everything I post. 😉
Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says
This is so gorgeous, so creative, so mouth-watering. Seriously, the walnut pesto with sage especially has me drooling. I love that this makes use of pumpkin slices instead of puree.
Can't wait to see all that you have up your sleeve over these next couple of weeks!
Kiersten says
Thank you! I put a similar pesto on pizza sometimes too. It's so good. 🙂
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
This is one creative galette recipe! I love the pumpkin wedges. So festive 🙂
nicole @nicky_olea says
mouth watering. good golly!
Kelly @ A Girl Worth Saving says
Oh man you did a galette!! I swear I'm not channeling you or anything 🙂 I love how you did pumpkin wedges.
Kiersten says
A galette is a nice change from the usual Thanksgiving pie! Great minds think alike, right? 🙂
BusyWorkingMama says
Looks beautiful...I would be a bit jealous of that! But I still want my turkey 🙂
debra pearlstein says
This is not only beautiful to look at but it sounds so delicious. Great idea.
Rachel says
Dude, bacon makes everything better.
But I'm not a hater so you would share right?
Kiersten says
Of course! 🙂
Kelly @ Texas Type A Mom says
This sounds really interesting. I have to say just interesting for now because I've never had pumpkin in a savory way.
Kiersten says
I've started putting it in more savory dishes. Like I made a pumpkin grilled cheese from Bake Your Day that was totally amazing.