What do vegans eat during Thanksgiving? A Guide to a Delicious Plant-Based Feast

November 7, 2025 •

4 min read

According to Canada's Food Guide, choosing plant-based proteins more often provides more fiber and less saturated fat than animal-based proteins. For those wondering, What do vegans eat during Thanksgiving?, the answer is a delicious, nutritious feast packed with creative and flavorful holiday dishes.

Quick Summary

This guide details the wide variety of creative and hearty plant-based foods that can be enjoyed during a vegan Thanksgiving celebration. It covers delicious alternatives to traditional main courses, classic side dishes made vegan, and indulgent dairy-free desserts, demonstrating that a holiday meal can be both satisfying and completely animal-free.

Key Points

Creative Main Dishes: Opt for a flavorful lentil loaf, impressive mushroom wellington, or a stuffed butternut squash as your holiday centerpiece.
Veganized Classic Sides: Easily adapt traditional sides like mashed potatoes, stuffing, and gravy by using plant-based milk, butter, and vegetable broth.
Nutritionally Superior Meal: A vegan Thanksgiving menu is typically higher in fiber and lower in saturated fat and cholesterol than its traditional counterpart.
Delicious Dairy-Free Desserts: Create classic holiday desserts like pumpkin or apple pie using vegan butter, coconut milk, and egg replacers.
Preparation is Key: Plan your menu and prepare certain dishes in advance to ensure a smooth, stress-free holiday cooking experience.

The Star of the Show: Creative Vegan Main Courses

Moving away from the traditional turkey opens up a world of inventive and flavorful main course possibilities for a vegan Thanksgiving. These centerpiece dishes are designed to be hearty and satisfying, ensuring no one at the table feels like they are missing out. Many options can be prepared in advance to reduce holiday stress.

Hearty and Flavorful Main Dish Ideas

Vegan Roast or Wellington: A savory, flaky pastry wrapped around a filling of mushrooms, lentils, chestnuts, and vegetables, often featuring herbs like thyme and sage. It provides a stunning, impressive centerpiece that is packed with umami flavor. The texture can mimic a traditional roast, making it a crowd-pleaser for all guests.
Stuffed Squash: Beautifully roasted butternut or acorn squash filled with a wild rice and cranberry stuffing is both visually appealing and delicious. Other stuffing variations include quinoa with walnuts or a savory mixture of mushrooms, kale, and tempeh bacon.
Lentil Loaf: A classic vegan staple, a lentil loaf is a dense, protein-rich main course. It's often glazed with a tangy balsamic or tomato-based sauce and garnished with fresh herbs. It holds its shape well and is perfect for slicing, similar to a meatloaf.
Whole Roasted Cauliflower: A simple yet elegant option. The entire head of cauliflower is roasted with a flavorful spice rub, such as turmeric-tahini or a smoky paprika blend, until tender and caramelized. It can be served with a savory gravy for extra richness.

All the Fixings: Delicious Vegan Sides

Many classic Thanksgiving side dishes are naturally vegan or can be easily adapted with simple swaps. These sides ensure that the familiar flavors and comforting textures of the holiday table are present.

How to Veganize Classic Sides

Mashed Potatoes: Instead of dairy milk and butter, use unsweetened plant-based milk (like soy or almond) and vegan butter for a creamy, fluffy result. A sprinkle of nutritional yeast can add a cheesy, nutty flavor.
Gravy: Rich, savory mushroom gravy is a perfect vegan alternative. By sautéing mushrooms and onions, and thickening a vegetable broth base, you can achieve a deeply flavorful gravy that pairs perfectly with mains and mashed potatoes.
Stuffing: Ensure your stuffing is made with vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. For a traditional flavor, use vegan butter to sauté the onions and celery. Add cranberries, nuts, and fresh herbs like sage and rosemary.
Green Bean Casserole: A vegan green bean casserole can be made with a creamy cashew-based sauce or a simple roux with plant-based milk. Top it with crispy fried onions for the classic crunchy texture.
Sweet Potato Casserole: Achieve a rich, creamy texture with full-fat coconut milk or vegan cream cheese. Top with a crunchy pecan crumble and warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg for a perfect balance of sweet and savory.

The Sweet Finale: Vegan Desserts

No Thanksgiving feast is complete without dessert. Fortunately, many pies, crisps, and cakes can be made vegan with simple substitutions.

Delectable Dairy-Free and Egg-Free Desserts

Pumpkin Pie: The silky texture of pumpkin pie can be achieved with full-fat coconut milk or a commercial vegan egg replacer for the custard. Use a pre-made or homemade vegan pie crust and top with a dollop of coconut whipped cream.
Apple Crisp or Crumble: This naturally vegan-friendly dessert is perfect for the holidays. Simply ensure the topping is made with vegan butter or coconut oil instead of dairy butter. The combination of warm apples, cinnamon, and a crunchy oat topping is irresistible.
Pecan Pie: A classic pecan pie can be made vegan by swapping the eggs for a cornstarch slurry or other egg replacer. The key is to get the rich, gooey filling just right using maple syrup and corn syrup.

Comparing Vegan vs. Traditional Thanksgiving Nutrition

While traditional Thanksgiving can be heavy in saturated fat and cholesterol, a vegan version offers a nutritionally dense meal with higher fiber and more protective phytonutrients.


Nutritional Aspect	Traditional Thanksgiving Meal	Vegan Thanksgiving Meal
Saturated Fat	High (from meat, dairy, butter)	Low to none (from plant-based sources)
Fiber	Low (lacks fiber in animal products)	High (rich in fiber from whole grains, legumes, vegetables)
Cholesterol	Present (from all animal products)	None (plant-based foods contain no cholesterol)
Phytonutrients	Limited variety	Rich source (from a wide array of plants)
Protein	Primarily from animal sources (turkey)	From various sources (lentils, nuts, seitan, tofu)

Tips for a Stress-Free Vegan Holiday

Plan Your Menu Early: Decide on your main course, sides, and desserts ahead of time to make a shopping list. This allows you to find special vegan ingredients and plan your cooking schedule efficiently.
Embrace Make-Ahead Dishes: Some vegan dishes, like lentil loaves, cranberry sauce, and certain casseroles, can be prepared the day before. This frees up oven space and time on Thanksgiving day.
Read Labels Carefully: Always check ingredient lists on items like stuffing mix, pre-made pie crusts, and croutons, as they can often contain hidden animal products.
Communicate with Guests: If you're hosting, ask about dietary needs and preferences. If you're attending, offer to bring a guaranteed vegan dish to share with everyone.
Don't Overlook Flavor: The key to a memorable meal is excellent flavor. Utilize fresh herbs, spices, and aromatics to ensure your plant-based dishes are bursting with taste.

Conclusion

Preparing a vegan Thanksgiving is an opportunity to create a festive, memorable, and nutritious meal without relying on animal products. From impressive roasts and hearty stuffed squash to classic sides and sweet pies, the options are vast and delicious. By embracing plant-based ingredients, you can celebrate the holiday with a feast that is both kind to animals and wonderfully wholesome for everyone around the table. By focusing on fresh, seasonal produce and creative substitutes, your holiday dinner will be a success, proving that a delicious and traditional-feeling holiday is easily achievable on a vegan diet. More recipe ideas and resources can be found at sites like Forks Over Knives, which offers a wide array of plant-based holiday menus.

For more resources, visit: Forks Over Knives

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, mashed potatoes can be made vegan by replacing dairy milk and butter with unsweetened plant-based milk (such as almond or soy) and vegan butter or olive oil. Adding garlic and nutritional yeast enhances the flavor.

Excellent vegan main dish options include lentil loaf, mushroom wellington, stuffed butternut or acorn squash with wild rice, or a whole roasted cauliflower.

Vegan gravy can be made using a mushroom and onion base, thickening it with a roux made from vegan butter and flour, and building flavor with vegetable broth, soy sauce, and herbs.

Yes, classic desserts like pumpkin pie, apple crisp, and pecan pie can be made vegan. Use vegan pie crust, coconut milk or a commercial egg replacer for fillings, and vegan butter in crumble toppings.

Generally, a vegan Thanksgiving is healthier as it contains more fiber and less saturated fat and cholesterol. Plant-based meals are rich in phytonutrients and can contribute to overall well-being.

Use a high-quality vegetable broth, sauté aromatic vegetables like onions and celery in vegan butter, and include plenty of fresh herbs such as sage, rosemary, and thyme. Adding nuts or cranberries can also boost flavor and texture.

Many food blogs and recipe websites, like Forks Over Knives and Minimalist Baker, offer extensive collections of vegan holiday recipes, from classic dishes to modern twists. You can also find ideas on sites like Epicurious and Food Network.