The Ultimate Guide to a Delicious Vegetarian Thanksgiving with everything you need to know to How to Host The Best Vegetarian Thanksgiving.
Do you have vegetarian guests coming to Thanksgiving? Here’s the ultimate guide to help!
How to Host The Best Vegetarian Thanksgiving – from appetizers, to side dishes, including gravy and cranberry sauce, to main dishes and desserts. Everything you need to serve The Best Vegetarian Thanksgiving.
Whether you need the full menu, or simply some dishes to serve to vegetarian guests who are attending with meat eating guests, everyone will love these menu options.
And, of course, these menu options will be great at any holiday gathering like Christmas or Easter.
What does a vegetarian eat?
When I became a vegetarian (almost 30 years ago!) people would ask me what I ate for Thanksgiving. It was really a foreign concept, that people wouldn’t eat the turkey. I would answer simply that I just didn’t eat the turkey, but I ate everything else.
Now, that answer is a little simplistic. I don’t want stuffing that’s been cooked inside the bird. Or stuffing that’s been made with chicken stock. And, neither do your vegetarian guests.
But, with a few easy tweaks, you can have delicious vegetarian offerings.
Everyone can enjoy vegetarian food
And, the nice thing about it is that your meat eating guests can partake of all the vegetarian offerings as well. My mom says she can’t even tell that there’s no meat in things like my stuffing.
Part of the appeal of Thanksgiving is the variety and sheer amount of delicious foods offered on the Thanksgiving table.
So, in keeping with that, I bring you tons of great recipes and offerings!
If you like seeing my recipes, connect with me on your favorite social media channel for recipes, photos, and much, much more:
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A few tips
If you are making a turkey, please be sure not to cross contaminate the rest of the food by using the same utensil on the turkey or in the turkey gravy or stuffing and then into the vegetarian stuffing.
Besides keeping your vegetarian items meat-free, not using the same utensils in multiple dishes will help with food safety and will help keep everything bacteria free.
Keep in mind, as well, that these dishes can be incorporated into a regular thanksgiving menu.
I usually make a turkey and turkey gravy, and then the rest of the dishes are veg-friendly. So, I can eat everything. And those who eat turkey can still enjoy the full offerings. And, like I said, my mom tells me she doesn’t even miss the meat stuffing (and a bonus I don’t have to worry about salmonella in the stuffing).
Many of these dishes are either already vegan, or they can easily be made vegan. Take a look at the list and if you have vegan guests, keep them in mind as well.
Appetizers
Start out with a great selection of appetizers. People are often hungry when they show up to a party, and want to start nibbling right away. Also, I love to have healthy appetizers that won’t weight people down early in the party.
Bread or biscuits
Sure, you can buy some rolls, but homemade ones always taste and smell so good. All hot and fresh from the oven. Serve them in a basket or a big wooden bowl that’s lined with a soft towel to keep the warmth inside.
Parmesan Garlic Buttermilk Biscuits from Scratch
Cranberry sauce
Cranberry Sauce with cherries and red onions
Stuffing or dressing
Vegetarian Crock Pot (Slow Cooker) Stuffing
Gravy
Potatoes with mashed potatoes and other potato dishes
Other vegetable sides
Cheesy Creamed Spinach Gratin Casserole
Butternut Squash Gratin Casserole
Chipotle – Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Roasted Green Beans with Mushrooms and Onions
Desserts
I hope your Thanksgiving, and all the holidays afterwards, are fabulous! Eat well, love your family, forgive people who make mistakes, and above all, be happy and healthy!
Liren | Kitchen Confidante says
Love this post! My daughter is newly pescetarian and I’m looking for more vegetarian dishes to serve this Thanksgiving!
Michele says
We seem to have more and more vegetarians at Thanksgiving each year. Im saving this so I can add more recipes to cater to them as I need them!
Marisa Franca says
A lot of good suggestions for those who are vegetarians or invited vegetarians over for Thanksgiving. I’m sure that you have a lot of grateful diners and totally satisfied with the wonderful vegan dished you provided.