Vegan Thanksgiving: Delicious Turkey Alternatives & Plant-Based Recipes

Thanksgiving doesn’t have to center around a turkey to be meaningful, abundant, and delicious. In fact, reimagining the holiday table with plant-based dishes can make the celebration more compassionate and sustainable without losing any of the warmth, tradition, or flavor.

Whether you’re fully vegan or just exploring a cruelty-free holiday, there are plenty of ways to swap the turkey and still enjoy a feast worth celebrating.

The Turkey Swap: Vegan Roasts That Impress

Replacing the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving table has never been easier. Several brands have perfected the art of the vegan roast — savory, protein-packed, and beautifully seasoned. Here are three of our favorites:

• Tofurky Roast & Feast – A classic plant-based roast filled with herbed stuffing and paired with a rich vegan gravy.

• Field Roast Celebration Roast – Made with lentils, barley, and fresh vegetables, this hearty roast delivers incredible flavor and texture.

• Gardein Holiday Roast – Crispy on the outside and tender inside, this roast is a favorite for anyone craving a familiar holiday flavor.

Each pairs beautifully with roasted vegetables, hearty sides, and a generous drizzle of mushroom gravy.

Savory Sides That Steal the Show

Savory Potatoes and Carrots (with Optional Tempeh)

A hearty, colorful side that’s as comforting as it is simple.
Ingredients

• 3–4 purple potatoes (or garnet yams if unavailable)

• 3–4 large carrots

• ⅛ cup olive oil

• 4–5 tbsp Italian herbs

• 1–2 tbsp rosemary

• 1½ cups vegetable broth

• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. Peel and slice potatoes and carrots into rounds.

3. Place them in a large baking dish.

4. Add olive oil, herbs, salt, pepper, and vegetable broth.

5. Bake for 35–45 minutes, until soft and most of the broth has evaporated.
   (Check occasionally to prevent overcooking.)

Optional: Add 1–2 packs of tempeh (original, multigrain, or flax). Slice into ¼-inch pieces and mix with the vegetables, adding ½ cup more broth.

Minimalist Baker

Mushroom Gravy

Rich, earthy, and completely vegan, perfect over mashed potatoes or your roast.

You can use Imagine brand mushroom gravy or make your own from scratch. Our favorite version blends porcini mushrooms, garlic, onions, herbs, and a touch of almond milk for creaminess from Minimalist Baker.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms (or sub 2 cups chopped cremini or shiitake mushrooms as the recipe is written*)

• 2 1/2-3 cups vegetable broth (or store-bought – we like Imagine brand best!)

• 2 Tbsp olive or avocado oil (if avoiding oil, sub water)

• 3/4 cup diced yellow or white onion

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 Tbsp cornstarch (or all purpose flour or arrowroot starch)

• 1 tsp minced fresh thyme (or sub dried)

• 1 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary (or sub dried)

• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

• 1/4 cup unsweetened plain almond milk (optional)

  Instructions

1. Rehydrate dried mushrooms in vegetable broth in a large saucepan or pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once bubbling, turn off heat, cover, and let rest.

2. In the meantime, heat a large rimmed pan over medium heat. Once hot, add oil (or water) and onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Then add garlic and sauté another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. Add cornstarch and stir to coat. Then cook for 2 minutes more. Next add herbs and mushrooms with their broth (reserving a little of the broth so you can play with the thickness) and stir to combine (see photo). Cook for 2-3 minutes.

4. Transfer gravy to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and blend until smooth and creamy. You can leave some of the onions or mushrooms unblended for more texture. Then transfer back to your pan and warm over low heat for 2-3 minutes more. At this time, you can add a bit of almond milk to lighten the color and flavor a bit (optional), but we opted not to. 

5. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt and pepper to taste. If gravy is too thin, scoop out a small portion of the gravy and whisk in 1-2 tsp more of cornstarch until no clumps remain. Then add it back to the larger batch – repeat as needed until desired thickness is reached. If too thick, thin with a little of your reserved vegetable broth.

6. Serve with dishes like mashed potatoes, biscuits, and more! Store completely cooled leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat in a saucepan until hot and bubbly, adding more vegetable broth to thin as needed. 

Dressing/Stuffing (Cornbread Style)

Ingredients

• 1 package Cornbread Mix

• 2 shallots

• 2–3 large celery stalks

• Olive oil or vegan butter

• 3 tbsp Italian herbs

• 1–2 cartons vegetable broth

Instructions

1. Bake cornbread muffins according to package directions, substituting flax eggs (1 tbsp flax + 3 tbsp water = 1 egg) or ¼ cup applesauce per egg.

2. Once baked and cooled, crumble muffins into a baking dish.

3. Sauté chopped shallots and celery in olive oil or vegan butter until golden. Add herbs, salt, and pepper.

4. Pour vegetable broth over cornbread crumbs (just enough to moisten) and mix in the sautéed vegetables.

5. Bake at 350°F until the texture is bready and most liquid is absorbed.

Store-bought stuffing cubes also work beautifully in place of cornbread.

Baked Vegan Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

• 2 bags elbow macaroni (GF if needed)

• 1 bottle vegan cream (Ripple or Forager plain, not vanilla) — or 2–3 cups full-fat oat milk

• 1–2 bags vegan cheddar (Violife or Miyokos recommended)

• 1 cup vegan butter (or more)

• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Boil pasta until soft, then drain.

3. Combine pasta, vegan butter, cream, 1 bag of cheese, salt, and pepper in a large baking dish.

4. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

5. Bake for 30–45 minutes, until golden and creamy.

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients

• 1–2 packs frozen cut green beans or fresh

• 1 golden onion, finely chopped

• 2–3 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 tbsp Italian herbs

• 2 cups full-fat oat milk

• 2 tbsp flour

• Olive oil or vegan butter

• Salt and pepper

• Crispy onions (Whole Foods sells a GF version)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place green beans in a medium baking dish.

2. Sauté onions in oil or vegan butter until golden. Add garlic halfway through.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk oat milk and flour together.

4. Add the mixture to the onions and cook on low until thickened.

5. Pour sauce over green beans, top with crispy onions, and bake for 20 minutes.

Vegan Pecan Pie

Ingredients

Filling

• 5 Medjool dates, pitted and softened in boiling water for 10 minutes

• 1 (320g / 11 oz) can sweetened coconut condensed milk

• 1 Tbsp sea salt

• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

• 2 Tbsp rice flour or cornstarch

• 2 cups (about 200g) pecans — roughly chopped, plus a few whole for topping

Crust (or use 1 store-bought vegan pie crust)

• 2 cups (250g) flour

• (½ unbleached all-purpose, ½ whole-wheat pastry flour — or all all-purpose)

• 1 tsp sea salt

• ¾ cup (170g) cold vegan butter, divided

• 2–6 Tbsp ice water

Instructions

1. Prepare the Crust

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and optional spices.

3. Cut in the cold vegan butter using a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture is crumbly.

4. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until a loose dough forms.

5. Transfer to a floured surface and gently knead just until combined. Avoid overworking.

6. Divide the dough into two portions — one slightly larger for the base.

7. Roll out the larger piece and fit it into a 9–9.5 inch (23–24 cm) pie pan.

8. Trim excess dough, but leave some overhang.

9. Pre-bake the crust for 10–15 minutes until lightly golden.

Make the Filling

1. In a blender, combine:

• softened dates,

• sea salt,

• vanilla,

• rice flour (or cornstarch),

• and coconut condensed milk.
  Blend until smooth and creamy.

2. Roughly chop the pecans and stir them into the blended mixture.

Assemble the Pie

1. Pour the pecan-date mixture into the pre-baked crust.

2. (Optional) Arrange whole pecans on top in a circular pattern for a classic pecan pie look.

Bake

• Bake for 60 minutes at 350°F (175°C), or until the filling is set and the top is golden.

• Let cool completely before slicing to allow the filling to firm up.

Vegan Pumpkin Pie From Minimalist Baker

CRUST

• 1 ¼ cup Flour

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 6 Tbsp cold vegan butter

• 4-6 Tbsp ice cold water

FILLING

• 2 ¾ cups pumpkin puree (1 ½ 15-ounce cans yield 2 ¾ cups)

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1/3 cup unsweetened plain almond milk

• 1 Tbsp olive oil (or melted coconut oil)

• 2 ½ Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder

• 1 ¾ tsp pumpkin pie spice (or sub mix of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg & cloves)

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

FOR SERVING optional

• Coconut Whipped Cream

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