My Favorite Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes

Thanksgiving is officially three weeks from today! Whether you’ve already started outlining your menu, or are still in the headspace of “where the heck did October go?!”, I’ve collected 12 of my absolute favorite vegetarian and vegan Thanksgiving recipes for you. You’ll find a highly curated list of mocktails, appetizers, side dishes, main dishes, and desserts below. From a lip-smacking grapefruit rosemary mocktail to a humble and flavorful French apple cake, there’s a little something for everyone in this collection whether you’re meatless or a meat eater. Have a scroll and if you see something you like, tap the underlined title of the dish and you’ll be whisked away to the recipe!

Appetizers and Mocktails

Spiced Pecans with Rosemary

Made on the stovetop without using up any valuable oven space, these spiced pecans always disappear very quickly in my house! Each pecan is coated in a craveworthy combination of maple syrup, spices, rosemary, and flaky sea salt. Set them out in a pretty bowl or make them part of a larger nibble board alongside fresh fruit, crackers, cheese, and cranberry orange marmalade (recipe linked down below!).

Cranberry Mocktail with Blood Orange and Ginger Beer

The ruby hue of this easy mocktail is incredibly festive and it comes together with just 4 main ingredients in 5 minutes or less. Plus, I’ve included batching instructions in the post if you’d like to whip up a large pitcher for a crowd! It’s sweet and tart with a little ginger spice and I think you’ll love it.

Grapefruit Rosemary Mocktail

This is hands-down my favorite mocktail on the blog! I really love the combination of tart and slightly bitter grapefruit with piney rosemary, especially during the holidays and colder months. This one is made in a cocktail shaker in order to impart the flavor from the rosemary but if you don’t have one, a mason jar and a lid work just fine!

Side Dishes

Roasted Kabocha with Burrata and Spiced Honey

If you’re really trying to edit down the number of dishes you’re making, I highly recommend adding this roasted kabocha to the list. It’s really easy to make since the only cooking involved is roasting the squash. Plus, it looks absolutely gorgeous on a platter and is really darn delicious!

Golden Beet and Fennel Gratin with Hazelnut Breadcrumbs

This gratin is a bit of a wild card because people tend to be very divided when it comes to beets but trust me when I say it is SO GOOD! The beets and fennel get super tender in the oven while the hazelnut breadcrumbs stay nice and crisp. If you just can’t get past the beets, sub in thinly sliced potatoes instead!

Warm Kale and Lentil Salad with Lemon Rosemary Dressing

This warm kale salad is in my top 5 favorite recipes of the entire year! I love a good kale salad so this warm version with roasted root veggies, pecans, lentils, and a creamy dreamy lemon rosemary dressing is perfect. While it’s great when served warm, it can absolutely be enjoyed at room temperature as oven space is always at a premium on Thanksgiving.

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Roasted Delicata

Salads shouldn’t be a boring afterthought! This shaved Brussels sprouts salad packs together several delicious fall flavors along with a balsamic dressing. There’s minimal cooking involved that can be done the day or two before. Plus, the leftovers don’t get all wilty and the flavor only improves the next day.

Cranberry Orange Marmalade

I developed this marmalade recipe over 13 years ago when Sweet Miscellany was just me in a tent selling baked goods at the farmers market. It’s so good that I STILL make it every Thanksgiving! My favorite part is the chopped whole orange that goes into the mix — it adds texture and mega orange flavor that pairs really well with the cranberries. This one can be made well in advance and kept in the fridge or added to jars and canned for even longer storage.

Main Dishes

Vegan Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Black Lentils

I think meatless main dishes are always the hardest to find aside from the usual “tofurkey” adjacent options. So, I humbly present these stuffed portobello mushrooms caps for your consideration! They are layered with so many delicious, savory flavors like leeks, herbes de Provence, tomato paste, and walnuts. Though I love them best with peppery black lentils, you can save on cook and prep time by using canned lentils.

Cabbage Steaks with Tempeh Bacon Bits and Creamy Dijon Sauce

Cabbage is such an underused vegetable so I knew I wanted to elevate it to 5-star main dish status this year. For this recipe it is sliced into thick “steaks” then roasted until super tender and beginning to caramelize. Each steak gets a drizzle of creamy and tangy Dijon sauce and a healthy sprinkle of smoky and salty tempeh bacon bits. This one takes a bit of extra time between the three different elements but it is so worth it!

Desserts

Apple Crumble Bars with Salted Date Caramel Drizzle

If you don’t want the added effort of making a homemade pie but still want a dessert with all of those cozy flavors, I highly recommend trying these apple crumble bars! These can easily be made vegan or gluten free as needed with some very simple swaps. Plus, they’re drizzled with a homemade salted date caramel which honestly should be reason enough to make them! Serve them as-is or with a scoop of your favorite ice cream.

French Apple Cake with Cardamom and Lemon

How about another no-fuss apple dessert? This French apple cake is positively PACKED with tender apple pieces and comes together with just 11 ingredients and 15 minutes of prep time. It can be served warm or at room temperature depending on what works best for your oven schedule on Thanksgiving. This dessert also pairs well with a scoop of your favorite ice cream or a simple whipped creme fraiche.

If Thanksgiving to you means all things pumpkin, head here for a roundup of 7 vegan pumpkin recipes!