Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes

Thanksgiving dinners are a wonderful way for families and friends to come together, celebrate life and gratitude, and share food while bonding. When you have vegan (or health-oriented, or environmentalist, or animal lover) family members, it can be transformative to integrate plant-based foods into your celebration and make it a Vegan Thanksgiving (or at least a vegan-friendly Thanksgiving).

Breaking bread together: “This expression means more than just eating; it is sharing a sense of brotherhood with someone or some group of people. It is a significant event that fosters some meaningful connection and

cooperation.” (writingexplained.org).

For many families, Thanksgiving meals have traditional recipes that include many animal products. However, with veganism beginning to catch hold and become a mainstream lifestyle and belief system, many families are beginning to integrate healthy, delicious vegan recipes to replace the more traditional ingredient lists. (Check out this blog on the rise of veganism in America!)

For families that love the flavor of animal products, but want to adjust to healthier eating, or have vegans to accommodate – it’s amazing to know that you can do so without sacrificing flavor and your traditional dinner sides.

In this blog I will review traditional Thanksgiving foods and show how easy it is to make them with vegan flare! I have also outlined cow-milk, butter, cheese and sauce alternatives so that you can integrate vegan substitutes into the recipes you already know and love! Vegan Thanksgiving is easy and fun!

1. Dairy Alternatives

2. Butter Alternatives

3. Sauces

4. Cheeses

5. Potato Dishes

6. Cranberry Sauce

7. Stuffing

8. Squash and Sweet Potatoes

9. Corn

10. Green Beans

11. Fresh Salad

12. Cornbread or Biscuits

13. Desserts

1. Dairy Alternatives
   1. There are amazing milk alternatives these days. Hemp, almond, macadamia, soy, rice, oat, flax, pecan, and more! Go to your local health food store and you can find many to try. Make sure to get an unsweetened, unflavored milk that you can use in place of cow’s milk in recipes (that is, if you don’t want vanilla flavor in your garlic mashed potatoes!).
   2. Some suggestions you can get from Amazon no matter where you are:
      1. Califia Almondmilk – unsweetened, unflavored
      2. Califia Creamer – for the coffee and cream lovers
      3. Good Karma Flax Milk

1. Butter Alternatives
   1. Miyoko’s butter (available at Trader Joes now! Or online at Miyoko’s Kitchen).
   2. Organic Earth Balance
   3. Often you can use avocado oil instead, too. Check out this blog on best cooking oils to use!
2. Sauces
   1. Vegan ranch
   2. Healthy delicious salad dressing
   3. This super easy, much healthier sour cream by The Simple Veganista
   4. Pumpkin Hummus
3. Cheeses
   1. Vegan cheeses 
4. Turkey
   1. This blog by The Spruce Eats reviews the best turkey alternatives
5. Potato Dishes
   1. Make your traditional garlic mashed potatoes (substitute vegan cream, vegan butter, and vegan milk).
   2. Bacon, cheddar potato skins (Peta)
   3. Cheesy broccoli baked potatoes (Serious Eats)
6. Cranberry Sauce
   1. Substitute maple syrup instead of honey to keep it vegan and amazing. Here is a recipe by Cookie and Kate.
7. Stuffing
   1. Stuffing for all
8. Squash and Sweet Potatoes
   1. Stuffed Acorn Squash (For Goodness Seyks)
   2. Sweet Potato Avo Toast (Blissful Basil)
   3. Sweet Potato Salad (Vegan Family Recipes)
9. Corn
   1. Make awesome corn and don’t put animal products on it; Miyoko’s butter has passed the comparison test with our family’s most discerning butter lover!
10. Green Beans
    1. Green Bean Casserole (Minimalist Baker)
    2. Garlic Herbs de Provence Green Beans (substitute non-cow-butter) (Accommodating Table)
11. Fresh Salad
    1. Fall Panzanella Salad (Food, Pleasure and Health)
    2. Kale Salad (Minimalist Baker)
12. Cornbread or Biscuits
    1. Cornbread (It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken)
13. Dessert
    1. Sweet Potato Ice Cream (Blissful Basil)
    2. Whipped Cream (Tastes Lovely)
    3. Pumpkin Pie (Minimalist Baker)
    4. Apple Crumble Pie (Minimalist Baker)

Image from Minimalist Baker!

The holidays are a wonderful time to come together, sharing food is an empowering way of bonding and uniting. Now, with these great substitutes, everyone can enjoy healthier, more planet-friendly, delicious and ethical meals all together. A happy vegan Thanksgiving from our home to yours <3

Also, here is an amazing music video called Vegan Thanksgiving Rap that we love so much. You’re welcome.

Tags: Thanksgiving, gluten free, dairy free, cruelty free, vegan holidays, vegan recipes, vegan dinners, plant-based thanksgiving, healthy thanksgiving, healthy holidays, happy holidays, family time, family recipes, homemade vegan, Vegan Thanksgiving