16 Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes Your Meat-Free Guests Will Love (2024)

How to Accommodate Your Vegan and Vegetarian Friends on Thanksgiving

Red Onions Stuffed with Parsley Breadcrumbs

Instead of packing your stuffing inside of a turkey, consider adding it to the hollowed out cavities of tender roasted red onions. They slice like butter and the moist stuffing is flavored very simply with fresh lemon and parsley.

Butternut-Squash Roast with Pistachio Yogurt and Grain Relish

Seasonal butternut squash doesn't always get the love it deserves during the holidays. This squash is roasted to perfection, served over a bed of creamy pistachio yogurt, and topped with a warm marinated farro and pomegranate mixture.

Green-Bean Casserole with Chestnuts and Buttered Breadcrumbs

Seasonal chestnuts are an elegant addition to this Thanksgiving must-have. A mix of meaty mushrooms makes what the traditional side dish worthy of a larger space at the table. It's perfectly rich and creamy and gets a bright finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

Honeynut Squash, Leek, and Brie Gratin

For the ultimate comfort food, make this delectable gratin. The meatless dish is filled with hearty honeynut squash and lasagna noodles that make it a perfect side for the holiday.

Acorn Squash with Mixed-Grain Stuffing

If there was a vegetarian main course designed specifically for Thanksgiving, this would be it. The hues of ruby red pomegranate seeds, chopped parsley, slivered almonds, and bright orange squash resemble the colors of the falling autumn leaves.

Cauliflower, Red Onion, and Chestnut Tart

This stunning tart—with its crimped edges and textured vegetable filling—is just the thing for vegetarians on Thanksgiving. It feels special and indulgent, the way a main course should on feast day, with plenty of might from vegetables and nuts to satisfy.

Mushroom-Eggplant Lasagna

Who doesn't love lasagna? For vegetarians, this silky layered pasta dish is the ultimate main course for a special meal. Bonus: You can assemble the entire lasagna up to a day in advance, then bake just before the holiday dinner.

Vegetarian Collard Greens

Here's a way to achieve the flavor of Southern-style collard greens without meat. Simply simmer the greens in water with a Parmesan rind. The cheese adds a depth of flavor and saltiness to this dark green vegetable that everyone will enjoy.

Mushroom-Gruyère Tart

Wild mushrooms and nutty Gruyère cheese create a creamy filling with plenty of rich flavors in this vegetarian tart. Tahini is the secret ingredient —it adds richness to the classic tart dough.

Broccoli-and-Potato Samosa Pie

This crowd-friendly take on the popular Indian samosa is baked not fried. The smashed-potato filling of our vegetarian slab pie is studded with bits of snappy broccoli, plus taste-bud-tinging coriander, cumin, and mustard seeds.

Creamed-Spinach Gratin

This is a classic, crowd-pleasing steakhouse side that's vegetarian-friendly. Transform easy creamed spinach into an even more delicious casserole by topping the mixture with a golden brown panko breadcrumbs and bake until bubbling.

Barley Risotto with Mushrooms and Dill

With its creamy consistency and rich flavor, risotto is one of the ultimate comfort foods. Here, we've added fresh dill for brightness and a variety of meaty mushrooms for texture and umami.

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

Indulge in this mouthwatering, meat-free version of the traditional British comfort food. French green lentils and sliced cremini mushrooms create a hearty filling that warms the soul.

Roasted Squash with Shallots, Grapes, and Sage

Here's a Thanksgiving main that truly tastes as good as it looks. The filling inside these roasted acorn squash is simple yet inspired. A blend of black and red grapes, shallot, fresh sage leaves, and cooked whole grains (we used barley) are mixed together to fill this favorite fall vegetable.

Vegan Stuffing with Mushrooms and Leeks

Vegan or not, everyone at the table will love this flavorful stuffing. Crusty sourdough bread is a much more exciting choice than country white; leeks add a mild onion flavor and become silky when baked.

Cauliflower Steaks with Romesco Sauce

Thick slices of golden roasted cauliflower make a spectacular vegetarian entrée when paired with smoky romesco sauce, which is made with red bell peppers, almonds, garlic, tomato paste, and Spanish smoked paprika.