How to Do Thanksgiving as a Vegan

By: Matt Frazier

A lot of things seem like a big deal before you’re vegetarian or vegan… and none bigger than the question of how to deal with your first vegan Thanksgiving.

“What do you do on Thanksgiving if you don’t eat meat?” is one of the more common questions people ask me. Almost as common is, “Do you have any advice for a first plant-based Thanksgiving?”, so I figured I’d write a post about how I handle this holiday that’s based so much on (traditionally not-even-close-to-vegan) food… with some tips and recipes to help you make your vegan Thanksgiving a success.

(And once you’re done here, check out our post full of vegan holiday recipes, too.)

Why Vegan Thanksgiving Isn’t So Hard

The reason Thanksgiving is easier than people expect, I think, is that while turkey is the main course, this is one meal where the focus is generally just as much (or more!) on the side dishes.

Pumpkin soup, casseroles, vegetables, mashed potatoes and gravy, rolls, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, stuffing, and even pumpkin pie all have easy vegan versions; you just need to look for the recipes.

And so what my wife and I have done for the past few years is simple: focus our Thanksgiving dinner on the sides.

We actually hosted Thanksgiving the first year we were vegetarian (not yet vegan). We made a bunch of delicious side dishes from Fine Cooking, substituting where necessary. We did have a turkey at the table, but if I remember correctly, we had a guest bring it for anyone who wanted it, instead of making it ourselves. (I’m the opposite of the type of vegetarian who would expect my non-vegetarian guests to skip turkey just because they’re my guests.)

So hosting Thanksgiving yourself is one way to make it easy. But for the past two years, we’ve gone to my wife’s sister’s house for Thanksgiving dinner, with last year being our first as vegans. Going somewhere else was harder than hosting it, of course, because we weren’t making all the dishes. But we’ve been lucky that our hostess has made us our own gravy, and made sure several other dishes were vegan so we could eat them.

Even with fewer choices than when we made everything ourselves, eating somewhere else hasn’t been hard. I recognize that not everyone has such a nice situation, with accepting relatives that make it easy and pleasant. But even in a tough situation where nobody is going to go out of their way to help you out, I still think you can make the best of it with just a little bit of effort. Here are some simple ways to do it.

A Few Tips for Making Your Vegan Thanksgiving a Delicious One

• If Thanksgiving for your family is an all-day affair, bring a dip that’s filling (like hummus, see recipe below) that you can snack on all day. Unlike everyone else, you’re not so worried about filling up on appetizers and ruining your dinner, especially if you won’t have much of a dinner to ruin!
• Many vegan, one-dish meals also make great sides (like this lentil, mushroom and root vegetable dish). If you’re only making one thing to bring for yourself, make it something hearty like this that can serve as your main course but that others will enjoy as a side.
• Go to a vegan restaurant or a vegan potluck for their Thanksgiving dinner. Often these are held on the night before Thanksgiving, so you can treat that as your big feast day and the next as a day to spend time with family and just fill up on what food you can. (We’re going to this one, at our favorite vegan restaurant in the world that happens to be right up the road. It’ll be our first Thanksgiving thing like this.)
• Field Roast (purveyors of the best fake meats around, in my opinion) makes a Celebration Roast that I’ve eaten and enjoyed with no cause whatsoever for celebration. They even provide some Thanksgiving-style recipes for it! Also check out their Hazelnut Cranberry Roast en Croute — I’ve never had it (nor do I speak French) but it sure looks fancy.
• From Doug: “If going to someone else’s house for dinner (like family), be aggressive in either offering to provide recipes or cooking some of the dishes yourself.  I find that most people just don’t know how to handle it, so they are happy to accept some help. “
• From Susan: “As a vegetarian whose in-laws are cattle ranchers, I’ve learned the most important thing during family gatherings is to always keep a sense of humor. Though we have our joking banter about how I ‘need to eat more beef!’ they ultimately respect my way of living because I respect theirs, too. I love my partner’s family – they’re wonderful, funny people, and when we get together, we’ve got ten million things to talk about besides vegetarianism and cattle ranching. I don’t care if we gather around a turkey and I’m “only” eating side dishes – I’m enjoying the company! The holidays are supposed to be a positive, fun time, not a time to try to ‘convert’ anyone or make people feel like a bad person because of what they choose (or not choose) to eat.”
• From my sister, Christine: “Remember all the great stuff that is naturally vegan and doesn’t need replacements — like baguettes and roasted garlic, cranberries, green beans, succotash, sour kraut, mushroom gravy, sweet potato casserole (marshmallows are gross on this anyway), butternut squash soup, apple crumble, and hot apple cider.”
• Don’t make a big deal about your diet differences on Thanksgiving, unless people are genuinely interested. I know some people are more vocal about their veganism than I am, and that’s cool, but I think Thanksgiving is one time when debating about food probably only entrenches both sides. Not to mention ruining the atmosphere and the point of the celebration.
• Finally, remember that the food isn’t the real point. One of the great things about vegan Thanksgiving is that it’s not quite as easy to eat so much that you’re disgustingly, uncomfortably stuffed and needing to immediately unbuckle your jeans and collapse into a food coma the instant the meal is over. Use the energy and attention you would have spent destroying your plate to instead be mindful and grateful that you have food on it, and that you have friends and family to share it with.

What do Vegans Eat for Thanksgiving?

As I said before, if you’re attending a big Thanksgiving dinner with a bunch of family, you can’t go wrong by focusing on the sides.

But if you’re hosting yourself? Well, the options are endless.

Whether you’re throwing together a lentil loaf or the stuff squash recipe below, you can design a vegan thanksgiving meal plan the entire family will love.

Below you’ll find some of my favorite recipes perfect for Thanksgiving, shared by a number of our friends at No Meat Athlete!

A good sauce can turn an ordinary dish into something extraordinary. It can elevate each bite into a flavor-packed delight.

And on Thanksgiving, that’s especially true. Most of the dishes on our extended family’s dinner table are easily modified to be plant-based, but without the gravy, the meal can seem incomplete, and even a little dry.

I asked The No Meat Athlete Cookbook co-author Stepfanie Romine for help with some really knockout vegan thanksgiving sauces, and as usual, Stepfanie delivered:

I usually whip up a standard vegan gravy, but this year I’ve decided to lighten things up a bit and created two new plant-based sauces for our big feast.

They’re both oil-free, nut-free and gluten-free, and they’re less salty than vegan gravy. And don’t tell your kids, but as a bonus I even decided to sneak in a serving of vegetables for flavor and added nutrition.

These two sauces are super simple to make (and are both reheatable), so even if you’re planning a long ride or run before Thanksgiving dinner, you’ll love this quick addition to the meal.

Dijon Butternut Squash Sauce

Sneaking vegetables into vegan “cheese” sauces is nothing new, but they’re usually paired with cashews or oil for richness.

Here, I took another route. Dijon mustard is one of my favorite savory ingredients to use in fall and winter — as I find its tangy pungency cuts through the sweetness of the root vegetables that are so prevalent this time of year.

The mustard is the star of this silky smooth sauce, along with nutritional yeast for depth and “cheesiness” and almond milk for creaminess. Pour this over simple grains like quinoa or brown rice; toss with whole-grain pasta for veggie-heavy spin on a mac and “cheese”; or use in place of gravy on top of mashed potatoes.

Serves: 6-8 (about 3 cups)

Total time:  45 mins

Ingredients

• 1 small butternut squash, sliced in half and seeds removed, to yield about 2 cups roasted squash
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
• 1/2 teaspoon reduced-sodium tamari
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone liners.
3. Place the squash cut side down on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Roast for 30 minutes, or until tender.
5. Set aside for 10 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
6. Scoop out the flesh and discard the skins.
7. Transfer to a blender along with the remaining ingredients. Puree until completely smooth.
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
9. Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to five days.

Slow-Cooked Balsamic Onions and Mushrooms

Standard gravy is deep and savory, rich in umami.

With this simple slow-cooker dish, I sought that same satisfying mouth feel, with less salt and more heft. I found it with this hybrid sauce and side dish, which was inspired by the vegan Amy’s Roasted Vegetable Pizza. The mushrooms and balsamic onions are the best part, and I always think about how tasty they would be in other dishes.

Since this dish is made in the slow cooker, it’s perfect for Thanksgiving or other special occasions where space on the stove or in the oven is limited. As long as your slow cooker has a timer, you can ignore this dish until it’s ready, and if you want to cut even more time, use a food processor to slice the onions and mushrooms and opt for jarred minced garlic.

This dish is so good that I usually have a batch in my freezer, ready for quick pizza nights or a flavor boost on simple greens and grains. It’s also delicious when stuffed inside phyllo shells with a dollop of cashew cream or cheese, for a quick appetizer.

Note: Since the balsamic vinegar is such an integral part of this recipe, you want to choose the best quality possible. Opt for a balsamic that’s thick and syrupy (I like Napa Valley Naturals) without any sugars or thickeners.

Serves: 6-8 (about 3 cups cooked)

Total time:  4 hours, 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced into rings or half-moons
• 1 pint cremini or white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon reduced-sodium tamari
• 1/2 teaspoon arrowroot powder (optional)

Directions

1. Set a slow cooker to high heat. Place the onions and mushrooms in the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. Mix the remaining ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour evenly over the onions and mushrooms and toss to thoroughly coat.
3. Slow cook for 4 hours, until the onions and mushrooms are soft and dark.
4. Turn off the heat, and sprinkle the arrowroot evenly on top. Stir in the arrowroot, and let the onions and mushrooms sit for 10 minutes.
5. Serve immediately.
6. Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to five days.