Ultimate Plant-Based Thanksgiving Dinner Holiday Recipes

The holidays are here! Check out some of my favorite dishes for the Ultimate Plant-Based Thanksgiving Dinner. Start with show-stopping main dishes. Then, fill the table with vegan sides like mashed potatoes, gravy, and sweet potato casserole. Plus, enjoy some awesome appetizers and incredible desserts. Classic, delicious flavors for you to savor!

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Creating a Plant-Based Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving tends to focus on the turkey, but there are tons of colorful, delicious plan-based foods to fill the table. The history of the holiday lies in celebrating the “Harvest” of the season. So, make it a time to savor all of the delicious Harvest ingredients. Enjoy the fall squash, root vegetables, wild rice, hearty mushrooms, and dark greens that are available. Create some tasty plant-based vegan recipes with this collection of inspiration.

Here are some of my favorite Plant-Based Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes:

Delicious Plant-Based Vegan Holiday Appetizers

Savory Meatballs with Cranberry Glaze – Forks Over Knives Recipe

This crowd-pleasing vegan appetizer is perfect for your holiday gathering. These oil-free, plant-based meatballs are made from garbanzo beans, brown rice, mushrooms, and seasonal herbs. Plus, the tangy cranberry glaze makes a beautiful presentation.

Baked Polenta Discs with Vegan Wild Mushroom Ragout

Baked Polenta discs make one of the easiest appetizers. Simply, buy a tube of pre-made polenta. Then, just slice and bake. Top them with a mushroom ragout for sophisticated taste. You can make the mushroom ragout ahead of time, using any selection of mushrooms. This is elevated vegan noshing, but easy to pull-off.

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The Best Plant-Based Vegan Holiday Soups and Salads

Simple 5-Ingredient Butternut Squash Apple Bisque Soup

Five simple ingredients come together for this creamy, oil-free vegan Butternut Squash Bisque Soup.  Apple and onion balance sweet and savory while fresh rosemary and sage celebrate the flavors of the fall season. For an elegant presentation, serve the soup in small shot glasses. Then, top with microgreens.

Delicata Squash Fall Salad with Creamy Apple Cider Dressing

Everything you love about Fall is in this plant-based salad! This recipe combines roasted Delicata squash, shredded Brussels Sprouts, toasted pecan, and dried cranberries. Top it all with a creamy, oil-free vegan Apple Cider Dressing. The perfect salad for your Thanksgiving Feast.

Rainbow Carrot Walnut Arugula Salad with Oil-Free Fig Dressing

Sweet dried figs, peppery arugula, and toasted walnuts create a delicious mixture of flavors and textures in this easy salad recipe. The oil-free Fig Balsamic dressing is perfect for the holiday season. This makes an elegant salad to start the meal. Or, enjoy the next day for a light lunch or brunch side dish.

Lacinato Kale Waldorf Salad with Apples, Walnuts, Raisins

Sweet, nutty, and tangy, this plant-based salad has it all.  The ingredients in the salad work double-duty as the ingredients for the oil-free dressing.  Whole food ingredients like walnuts, apples, celery, and raisins create a balance of flavor and textures. Plus, gorgeous dark Lacinato Kale makes all the colors pop.  This will win over any veggie skeptic.

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The Ultimate Plant-Based Vegan Holiday Side Dishes

Easy Wild Rice Pilaf

This easy rice pilaf makes the perfect side dish for your Holiday party. Wild rice pilaf combines nutty flavor with a slightly chewy texture. Simple vegetables like carrot and celery had layers of flavor and lovely color.

Ultimate Vegan Smashed Potatoes

Whether you call them smashed or mashed, this is the Ultimate Vegan Potato Recipe! A combination of Yukon Gold and Red Skin potatoes create a buttery, smooth base. Onion, garlic, and a secret umami ingredient add incredible comfort food flavor. Make these for Thanksgiving. But, you’ll be craving them all year long.

Gluten-Free Port Mushroom Gravy

The ultimate mashed potatoes call for the ultimate plant-based gravy recipe! It starts with vegan mushrooms, which provide hearty, umami flavor. A splash of Port wine adds subtle sweetness. No one will know it’s healthy or gluten-free…they’ll be too busy asking for more. Add this essential plant-based recipe to your comfort food collection.

Cranberry Orange Apple Sauce

Fresh, tart cranberries are cooked with apples until they burst with deep red goodness. Orange zest and juice adds a pop of bright flavor. This makes a delicious sauce to balance the heavy flavors of your Thanksgiving Dinner. Plus, leftovers are great spread over plant-based pancakes or whole grain toast. Get this simple recipe in my Chef’s Essential Holiday Cookbook.

Sweet Potato Pineapple Casserole with Pecan Streusel (Gluten-Free, Date-Sweetened)

This Sweet Potato Pineapple Casserole is a classic Southern holiday tradition.  Sweet potatoes are roasted to rich, creamy perfection.  Then, they’re mashed with pineapple and topped with a gluten-free, oil-free pecan streusel topping. Skip the brown sugar and butter. This vegan recipe is naturally sweetened. It tastes like a hug from a Southern Grandma.

5-Ingredient Southern Style Sweet Vegan Corn Pudding

Sweet corn pudding was another staple I always found around my Southern Thanksgiving table. This dish is traditionally made with sweetened condensed milk and loads of butter. I’ve veganized the recipe to use simple whole food ingredients. The perfect side dish to bring to a potlock, this is a comfort food classic.

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Hearty Plant-Based Vegan Holiday Main Entrees

Hearty Plant-Based Mushroom Lentil Loaf

Beefy mushrooms, hearty walnuts, and traditional holiday flavors come together in this satisfying lentil loaf. Full of umami and comfort food flavors, this is an essential recipe for your Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. You’ll love the plant-based recipe. Plus, you can make an extra for enjoying after the celebrations.

Lentil and Sweet Potato Loaf from The Full Helping

Try another delicious holiday loaf with this hearty vegan recipe from The Full Helping. Sweet potato combines with lentils and oats for sweet-savory centerpiece that will satisfy. Plus, this recipe also works great for having plenty of leftovers. A plant-based delight!

Whole Stuffed Pumpkin

This is an entree to impress! Roast an entire pumpkin then fill it with a leek, Rye bread stuffing. Seasoned with traditional Thanksgiving flavors, this makes quite a stunning presentation! Both your plant-based eaters and turkey eaters will be amazed. Get this recipe in my Chef’s Essential Holiday Cookbook.

Savory Vegan Stuffed Butternut Squash

Another stuffed recipe is this vegan butternut squash from Emilie Eats. A savory filling comes together with brown rice, pecans, and vegan ground “sausage”. This entrée balances sweet and savory — both curry powder and oregano season the filling. You’ll love that you can make this ahead of time. Plus, you can use other squash like Delicata or Acorn for a beautiful presentation.

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Yummy Plant-Based Vegan Holiday Desserts

From-Scratch Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Crust

This pumpkin pie recipe starts with a whole baking pumpkin. Roast it until sweet and soft. Then, the filling is made by using only whole food ingredients. Dates and spices add flavor, without any refined sugar or syrup. Baked in a gluten-free pecan crust, this is classic Thanksgiving. Get the recipe in my Chef’s Essential Holiday E-Cookbook.

Pear Spice Upside-Down Cake

This incredible vegan Pear Upside-Down Cake is full of warm Holiday spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Naturally sweetened with maple syrup, it’s a healthy, oil-free recipe that will leave you satisfied…without the guilt. Plus, leftovers are great the next morning warmed up with cup of coffee.

Gluten-Free Cinnamon Apple Pecan Crumble

If you’re tired of pie, and done with pumpkin, opt for another fall favorite: Apples. This simple Apple Pecan Crumble recipe is full of warming seasonal spices like cinnamon and ginger. Not only does this plant-based recipe travel well, but it also is easy to scale up for a crowd. The perfect sweet bite to end your Thanksgiving dinner.

Vegan Double-Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

This “heavenly” vegan dessert recipe from Susan at FatFree Vegan layers pumpkin cheesecake with lemon. It’s full of seasonal pumpkin flavor without being too heavy.

Gluten-Free Carrot Pecan Spice Muffins

Carrots, spice, and everything nice…that’s exactly what these Gluten-Free Carrot Pecan Muffins are made of! These plant-based treats are fun for different dish on the same old dessert table. Or, they also make a lovely thank you gift that hosts would enjoy the morning after the turkey is done. Gluten-Free, vegan, and full of seasonal flavors. You’ll want this recipe year-round.

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Make These?  Let me Know!

If you give any of these bean recipes a try, let me know!  Leave a comment, or take a picture and tag it @chefkatiesimmons or #plantsule on Instagram.

Peace and chickpeas, Chef Katie