These vegan Thanksgiving main dishes can help you stick to your vegan lifestyle while also experiencing a traditional Thanksgiving meal, or as close to it as possible. Thanksgiving is a time for good food, family, and making memories. And if "good food" to you means vegan or vegetarian, you will love the recipes we've put together on this list. You can turn just about any traditional dish into a vegan version the whole family will race to the dinner table to enjoy.
If some or all of your family members are vegan, you can create a delicious meal that everyone can enjoy, and it's really easy, too. From vegan pumpkin pie to classic side dishes, you can turn any special occasion into a meal to be remembered. The savory flavor of a classic dish, the golden brown of a baked casserole, and the sweet delicious taste of dessert will have everyone returning to the kitchen for more. Don't forget the Thanksgiving punch!
Here are some traditional vegan holiday recipes for main dishes, as well as some you may not have tried before. There are also vegan versions of some of your favorite Thanksgiving side dishes, like mac n cheese. Which one will you try first?
Vegan Thanksgiving Main Dishes
These easy vegan main dishes will help you save time and make your Thanksgiving meal memorable without the stress.
Easy to make in the slow cooker, the spices in this stew make it a little spicy and the fruit adds sweetness: the perfect combination!
This Vegetarian Chickpea Loaf with Indian Spices pops with East Indian flavor. Your vegetarian and vegan friends and family will love this recipe.
This Stuffed Vegan Eggplant is such an amazing combination of flavors! Rice, lentils, a little mint, mushrooms, and pine nuts, topped by Avocado Salsa: a truly wonderful meal!
These Grilled Balsamic Portobello Mushrooms are bursting with flavor, have a meaty, satisfying texture, and will put a smile on your face.
These roasted rainbow carrots are so good they can be enjoyed as a vegan main. Roasting the carrots gives them a naturally sweet flavor and the sunflower dressing provides a richness to balance them perfectly.
This Homemade Baked Vegan and Gluten-free Mac And Cheese recipe is rich, creamy, and delicious. Made with only 6 ingredients (not including the 3 plant-based cheeses) Baked to ooey-gooey perfection just like your Grandma’s. You're going to love this is a gluten-free & vegan twist on an irresistible comfort food classic.
Impress your guests with this gorgeous Vegan Wellington! The filling is meaty, satisfying, and ever-so-tasty! It's surprisingly easy to make too!
This harvest quinoa salad is absolutely delicious and full of gorgeous colors with bursts of flavor. Quinoa is a perfect protein to enjoy as a main dish for vegans and delicious as a side accompaniment for those who are not.
Vegan Stuffed Butternut Squash features a very flavorsome lentil and porcini mushroom filling, made creamy with the help of light tahini. Further flavored with balsamic, miso paste, garlic, and mixed herbs, this recipe will not disappoint your tastebuds!
Thanksgiving is a time of giving thanks, of course. The thing I’m most thankful for on my Thanksgiving table is my Thanksgiving stuffing with fruit. Just replace the butter with vegan butter.
This Thanksgiving cake is a complete vegan thanksgiving meal in a cake. It's great for family meals or for bringing to Friendsgiving.
This Stuffed Acorn Squash is super easy to make, elegant, and delicious! The acorn squash is stuffed with cauliflower rice, cranberries, and pecans for a perfect Thanksgiving dish.
This vegan green bean casserole without cream of mushroom soup comes together with 9 simple ingredients, from start to finish in about 30 minutes. The ultimate vegan version of a classic holiday side dish!
We veganized the classic scalloped potatoes recipe and trust us when we say you won’t miss the dairy. This recipe is easy to make; so creamy and cheesy.
Stuffed with quinoa and loads of veggies, these Easy Stuffed Vegan Mushrooms make a filling main course. This healthy vegan dish is easy and quick to make and can be easily customized to your taste.
Learn How to Cook Delicata Squash with this easy, no peeling required, roasting recipe. Perfect for stuffing, mashing, and pureeing, serve this versatile winter squash vegan main for Thanksgiving dinners.
Try this all veggies no beans 4-pound Shepherd's Pie. The pie packs a nice cheesy surprise and your guests are sure to be impressed.
This vegan warm Delicata Squash Salad is loaded with sweet roasted onions, white beans, kale, and pomegranate seeds and topped with a tangy tahini dressing. It also looks as pretty as a picture on your thanksgiving table.
Ratatouille Recipe: delicious and spectacular vegan gluten-free dish that will be a star of any table. Healthy, flavorful, impressive-looking, and comforting dish.
Made of sweet potato starch noodles so it's naturally gluten-free and uses simple vegetables as ingredients.
The best balsamic-maple roasted Brussels sprouts with butternut squash, pecans, cranberries, and avocado roasted garlic dressing. Ultimate healthy vegan Thanksgiving side or main dish ready in just 40 minutes!
This vegan meatloaf recipe with cashew gravy makes a wonderful meat-free main course for Thanksgiving or other holiday get-togethers! Naturally gluten-free, too.
A stuffing made with polenta makes this hearty enough to be the star of your Thanksgiving dinner..
A hearty plant-based Thanksgiving dinner idea that will satisfy even meat-eaters! A Vegan Cauliflower Lentil Loaf that mimics the classic meatloaf with no meat, gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free! Get all your
protein and veggies in this healthy recipe!
Try this Vegan, Gluten-Free, and Oil-Free kidney bean Loaf this holiday season packs a ton of flavor and is also pocket friendly.
With these main dishes, you can eat vegan while also celebrating the holiday with hearty meals. You don't need to have a super-ambitious kitchen to pull it off. Many can be prepped in 10-15 minutes and they are simple to cook once you know how.
Gather your grocery list and prepare your kitchen counter, because these Thanksgiving dishes can be made any time of the year, too.
Each vegan recipe brings you layers of flavor, fond memories, and a full tummy! From a wild rice side to cranberry sauces and vegan gravy, there's something for every holiday table.
If you try any of the dishes on this list, we'd love to hear about them in the comments.
Kathy acquired the blog, Recipe Idea Shop in 2024. She was raised on a farm in Arkansas where having a big garden and good food to eat was the norm. She shares recipes for homemade comfort food and new trending dishes.
Kathy began her blogging journey in 2011 when she founded PetticoatJunktion.com, a home décor blog focused on repurposing and upcycling furniture, and thrift store finds.
