vegan Thanksgiving recipes

Loaded baked potatoes are one of those foods that I really miss when I go out to eat. They typically contain so many animal products, like butter, bacon, cheese, and sour cream. However, this version is completely vegan and tastes absolutely amazing! I've tested out vegan cheddars and sour creams to find the best brands, and I used sun-dried tomatoes to add a ton of flavor.

This recipe is pretty quick and easy to make; most of the preparation time is just waiting for the potatoes to bake in the oven. So while it's a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, it's also an easy comfort food to pull off any time of year.

Twice-baked potatoes have been a must at my family's Thanksgiving dinner table since as far back as I can remember. They're melty and cheesy and flavorful and everyone loves them! But being vegan doesn't mean I have to give up this essential holiday comfort food.

Twice-baked potatoes have many different variations, but in this recipe, I'm going for a classic flavor with vegan butter, almond milk, and a homemade cheesy sauce. And of course, they're topped with paprika and chives. If you're looking for a baked potato with more toppings, you can try my loaded baked potato or Tex-Mex baked potato recipes.

This Tex-Mex baked potato takes the concept of a classic loaded baked potato and crosses it with lots of Tex-Mex ingredients and flavors: black beans, tomato, corn, jalapeños, cilantro, sour cream, and cheddar cheese. The tastes all complement each other so deliciously that this will become your new favorite vegan side dish!

This baked potato is perfect for parties, game-day gatherings, and even holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. But I'm happy to have it on my dinner table any time of year.

This galette recipe is a vegan take on the classic French dessert. It has all the goodness of an apple pie, with about half the time and effort! With a flaky crust, and apple, cinnamon, and brown sugar filling, this vegan galette is the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving, fall, or really any time of year.

Galettes come in many forms, including savory and sweet. The king cake served at Mardis Gras celebrations comes from the French galette des rois. But in this recipe, we're using apples and a flaky, buttery crust to create a galette that's something like a rustic pie.

This is no ordinary Thanksgiving stuffing! It's "stuffed" with butternut squash, cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, and apples, and seasoned with nutmeg and cinnamon, and fresh sage and rosemary. And, it's vegan!

You can use whatever bread you prefer in stuffing, but if you're not sure which bread works best, I recommend using white bread. This seems to be what most people prefer in their stuffing, and it'll give you a classic stuffing flavor. I like the White Bread Done Right from Dave's Killer Bread because it's organic and made without bleached flour and other highly processed ingredients.

Crème brûlée (literally "burnt cream," in French) is one of those desserts that just makes you feel fancy. It's perfect for Valentine's Day, or any special occasion. But this vegan version is so easy, you could have it every day. I've tried a few vegan crème brûlées that were on the bland side, but this one has a rich, creamy vanilla custard that will make you want to have more than just one.

If you're hosting a dinner party, this is the perfect elegant dessert to prepare for your guests (the combination of food and fire always seems to impress people). You can prepare the custard ahead of time, then caramelize the sugar right before you're ready to serve it. This recipe needs to chill for a couple of hours, so be sure to plan ahead!

Butternut squash is one of my favorite foods, as it's so versatile, delicious, and healthy. It's often just part of a dish with many flavors, but I also enjoy it on its own, as mashed butternut squash with a few added ingredients.

As much as I love butternut squash, it can be a headache to cut and peel it. Fortunately, this mashed butternut squash recipe doesn't require any peeling or cubing! After three slices (plus spooning out the seeds), the squash goes in the oven and then the flesh gets easily scraped away from the skin.

Toss out that store-bought frozen vegan lasagna. Scrap all the other vegan lasagna recipes you've tried. Yes, this vegan lasagna recipe is that good.

Before we get to the recipe, I need to mention that the flavor of a good lasagna is highly dependent on the sauce you use. So if you don't make your own, I strongly recommend that you use a high-quality sauce, like Rao's or the Silver Palate. (Although these brands are pretty expensive, I can often find one or the other on sale at Whole Foods, and I stock up when I see them).

My favorite way to prepare pretty much any kind of vegetable, from sweet potatoes to bell peppers, is roasting. Roasted vegetables are so easy to prepare, they're healthy, and they taste amazing. When Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas come around, I like to give my roasted vegetables a little something extra.

This roasted carrots recipe gets some added flair with a glaze made from vegan butter, maple syrup, and lemon juice, and a cashew-tahini sauce with a delicious blend of spices. Rainbow carrots add a colorful wow factor (but plain orange carrots work too!) This is the perfect side dish for the holidays or any special occasion.

Back when I was first teaching myself to cook, in my late teens, one of my favorite dishes to cook was a butternut squash casserole with goat cheese. It was simple, but delicious. Today, my version of butternut squash casserole has morphed into something a little more complex, and 100% vegan. But it's the most delicious version of it that I've ever made.

It's made with butternut squash, kale, leeks, and pecans, and tossed in a creamy sauce made of cashews. It could be described as comfort food, but it gets points for nutrition, too. This recipe has lots of vitamins A and C, plus 8 grams of protein per serving. To get to this masterpiece, I took some inspiration from this Epicurious (non-vegan) recipe, and this recipe from Oh She Glows.