It’s not easy finding vegan Thanksgiving recipes.

 

In fact, traditional Thanksgiving has many aspects that might make vegans uncomfortable. Thankfully there are lots of wonderful ways for vegans and vegetarians alike to put a special twist on Thanksgiving and make it a meaningful holiday — even if they opt to pass up the turkey.

 

Here are a few ideas for recipes that can be used to create a vegan Thanksgiving meal:

 

Vegan Almond Butternut Squash au Gratin

This wonderful side dish takes about an hour to prepare, including cook time. Make sure you use trans-fat free margarine if you want the healthiest vegan option. The toughest part of the recipe is adding ingredients as you whisk everything together over a medium heat. It might help to have an extra set of hands. Read more: Vegan almond butternut squash au gratin recipe

 

Pumpkin Ravioli

This is a good one, but it’s time-consuming — although not as time-consuming as cooking a turkey. Set aside about two hours to make the filling and the pasta. The ravioli can be made ahead of time and kept in Tupperware in the fridge. Read more: Pumpkin ravioli recipe

 

Roasted Potato Beet Salad

Here’s another one that can take up a lot of time, but it’s worth the extra effort. The reason for the lengthy prep time is that you’ll be roasting three different vegetables that need to be in the oven for different lengths of time. In the end, you’ll have a delicious, colorful salad with potatoes, beets, beans and possibly even radishes. Read more: Roasted potato beet salad recipe

 

Garlicky Kale and Roasted Turnips

This link will take you to a page with two recipes for delicious sides. First, garlicky kale is bound to be a hit. And, it’s super simple to prepare: just sauté the garlic until it’s soft and then toss in the kale. Let it cook for about three minutes while tossing and you should be good to go. For the turnips, slice them and then drizzle them with olive oil, salt and pepper before cooking them for about an hour. Read more: Garlicky kale and roasted turnips

 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Scallion Butter

Hey, what’s Thanksgiving without a heaping portion of starch? Scallion butter can be made up to four days ahead of time. Similarly, the sweet potatoes can be roasted (but not cut) about four hours ahead of time. Read more: Roasted sweet potatoes with scallion butter

 

Cauliflower and Mushroom Pot Pie

This one can be used as a main dish. It’s got sauce, vegetables, biscuit crust — everything you crave. One caveat: this recipe calls for a Dutch oven. If you don’t have one, you can use a large, heavy-bottomed pot to prepare the filling and a large, deep casserole dish to bake the finished potpie. Read more: Cauliflower and mushroom pot pie

 

Have other ideas for vegan Thanksgiving recipes? Please leave us a note in the comments below.

 

Want more vegan food for thought? Check out this story from sustainablog.com: Free Thanksgiving turkeys

 

See also:

• Thanksgiving crafts

• Thanksgiving recipes

• History of Thanksgiving

• Thanksgiving songs