35+ Meatless Thanksgiving Recipes
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on May 16, 2024
Thanksgiving is just two days away! What are you making? Weโre attending a big family dinner and everyone is bringing a dishโweโve been asked to bring this arugula and wild rice salad again this year. Whether youโre vegetarian/vegan or interested in fun veggie-forward dishes, I hope youโll discover the perfect last-minute recipe in this roundup.
Youโll find plenty of colorful main dishes in the list. From veggie lasagna to stuffed acorn squash, these recipes will appeal to everyone. My cookbook, Love Real Food, offers some delicious entrรฉes as well: Quinoa-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (page 144), Roasted Eggplant Lasagna (page 163), and Roasted Carrots with Farro, Chickpeas, and Herbed Tahini Sauce (page 186).
Youโll also find hearty green salads, many of which could serve as a main in sufficient quantity. Plus creamy soups, a whole section for potatoes and sweet potatoes, and more savory side dishes. The recipes that are gluten free and/or vegan are labeled accordingly.
At the end of the post, youโll find links to recipes that will round out Thanksgiving Day, including breakfast options and appetizers. Check out Thanksgiving-worthy cocktails here. For even more ideas, see my full Thanksgiving archives or use the search bar if youโre looking for something in particular. Enjoy!
Vegetarian Main Dishes
Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto
Gluten free and easily vegan
โThis is the best recipe I have tried this year. It was scrumptious. I am going to incorporate this as a new side dish for my Thanksgiving meal.โ โ Rita
Roasted Carrots with Farro, Chickpeas & Herbed Crรจme Fraiche
Easily gluten free and easily vegan
โI made this with Christmas dinner and wow this was certainly my signature dish! It was scrumptious and so pretty. I was so intrigued by it, I had to make it and so glad I did!โ โ Leslie
Broccoli, Cheddar & Quinoa Gratin
Easily gluten free
โI made this for dinner last night, and my very non-vegetarian โmeat and potatoesโ boyfriend loved it (and so did I)! He even asked to have the leftovers for lunch today. :) Thanks for all the delicious and healthy recipes!โ โ Rach
Best Vegetable Lasagna
Potentially gluten free
โI just made this for a special family dinner. We ALL voted it by far the best lasagna ever! Everyone went back for seconds. :) Thank you so much for this delicious recipe! I followed your directions exactly and even doubled it for extras this week. Iโm so glad I did! I will definitely be making this often for friends and family.โ โ Lee Anne and the Laskey Crew
Easy Brown Rice Risotto with Mushrooms and Fresh Oregano
Gluten free and easily vegan
โThis is among the best risotto I have ever eaten. Even my risotto-phobic daughter was sneaking seconds. Iโve made it according to the recipeโs directions, and enjoyed it thoroughly. I have also switched it around and given it a fresh thyme and Sherry flavouring, which was just as delightful. Thank you for such a fabulous recipe. I love when theyโre both nutritious and delicious โ a common combination on C and K. Thank you again.โ โ Chelsea
Creamy Roasted Brussels Sprout and Quinoa Gratin
Easily gluten free
โWe made this for Thanksgiving and it was the big hit of the meal! Weโre definitely adding it to our rotation.โ โ Deb
Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash
Gluten free and easily vegan
โA big 5 star plus for this recipe! I served this for a fall dinner and it looked so beautiful on the table. Itโs beauty was matched by great flavour and texture. So enjoyable and artistic.โ โ Frances
Baked Ziti with Roasted Vegetables
Easily gluten free
โOmg, this turned out so well, and even my non-vegetarian friends were raving. I was looking for what was seasonal and cheap at the market, so ended up with red bell pepper, cauliflower and sweet potato. A keeper!โ โ Kate
Hearty Green Salads
Pomegranate & Pear Green Salad with Ginger Dressing
Gluten free and easily vegan
โThis. Salad. Is. Everything.
Seriously, this is so good. I will be making it forever. Thank you.โ โ Debbi
Honey Mustard Brussels Sprout Slaw
Gluten free and easily vegan
โI had to work this Thanksgiving โ itโs the first time I havenโt been home in Virginia, and a good friend of mine invited me to join her at her familyโs celebration this year. I brought this dish along, and it was such a huge hit that her family applauded me at the dinner table! I just wanted to say thanks for sharing this one โ loved it.โ โ Devon
Favorite Green Salad with Apples, Cranberries and Pepitas
Gluten free and easily vegan
โA favorite in our house, we eat this salad at least once a week!โ โ Sherie
Hearty Sweet Potato, Arugula & Wild Rice Salad with Ginger Dressing
Gluten free and easily vegan
โMy husband first said โthis is one of the best salads youโve ever eaten, right?โ followed definitively by โthis is the best salad Iโve ever had.โ Thank you for this phenomenal recipe, Kate!!! โMeal in a bowlโ is right!โ โ Jill
Homemade Caesar Salad
Vegetarian (anchovy-free)
โThis salad dressing is amazing. I double the recipe so I can use it for several days.โ โ Heidi
Balsamic Butternut, Kale and Cranberry Panzanella
Easily vegan
โMade this tonight for the fam- this recipe is booming with flavor! Filling. Tasty. Everyone loved it! Canโt wait to make it again :)โ โ Sara
Arugula, Dried Cherry and Wild Rice Salad with a Zippy Lemon Dressing
Gluten free and easily vegan
โI have made this salad so many times โ everyone loves it โ kids, adults, veggie and meat lovers alike. Thank you!!โ โ Eija
Roasted Delicata Squash, Pomegranate and Arugula Salad
Gluten free and easily vegan
โReally impressed with this recipe. This was the first time I had ever cooked Delicata squash. I was very nervous that the outside would be hard or not tasty, but it was completely soft and delicious. Everything in the salad went together really well. My husband and I both loved this. Easy enough to put together on a weeknight, but it looks fancy enough to serve when people come over. I canโt wait to make this again!โ โ Andrea
Hearty Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Salad
Easily gluten free and vegan
โI have made this salad so many times; itโs become a go-to recipe for me. Thank you! Iโve never even roasted apples before! I love that trick.โ โ Josie
Autumn Kale Salad with Fennel, Honeycrisp and Goat Cheese
Gluten free
โI donโt want to sound dramatic, but this salad could possibly be life changing. No, ya know what, Iโm going to say itโฆ.. this is the best salad I have ever had in my entire life, and I have had A LOT of salad. Thank you so much!โ โ Lindsay
Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese & Pistachios
Gluten free and easily vegan
โThis has to be my all time favorite salad! Such an easy recipe to follow that I make it every week.โ โ Sharon
Farro and Kale Salad with Goat Cheese
Gluten free and vegan options available
โI made this tonight and it was really good! I like kale in theory more than actuality, but fixed this way it was so tender and flavorful. I will be making this again.โ โ Elizabeth
Shredded Brussels Sprouts & Arugula Salad with Sunshine Dressing
Gluten free
โWant you to know I love this recipe! Iโve never toasted my own pecans before and the aroma is glorious. Chopped brussels go so well in a salad and this will be a regular in my weekly dinner recipes!โ โ Jessie
Creamy Fall Soups
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Gluten free and easily vegan
โI just made this soup for my family. I think it is the best soup I have ever made. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe.โ โ Christa
Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup
Gluten free and easily vegan
โOmg this is the best cauliflower soup recipe I have ever made and I have made a lot. This will definitely go into my soup rotation. Thank you Cookies and Kate for providing such great tasting recipes.โ โ Angie
Creamy Roasted Pumpkin Soup
Gluten free and vegan
โOh my gosh!! Best soup Iโve made in a long time! I live in Reno, NV and itโs finally Fall like weather. I figured it was a good time to make a comfort soup, and this Roasted Pumpkin Soup hit the spot! Thank you for the recipe! I will definitely be sharing with my family and friendsโ โ Julie
Potatoes & Sweet Potatoes
Lucilleโs Mashed Potatoes
Gluten free
This is my familyโs go-to mashed potatoes recipe! I hope it makes an appearance on your holiday table.
Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Gluten free and potentially vegan
โWow! I was really skeptical about this recipe, but asked my three children if they wanted this recipe or a sweeter sweet potato recipe, and they picked this one! So I had to give it a try. This will definitely be our go-to for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners! Absolutely wonderful. Thank you!โ โ Kimberly
Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole
Gluten free and easily vegan
โOnce you sent this recipe, I knew I had to make it for Thanksgivingโroasted sweet potatoes (which I did the day before), maple syrup, pecansโyum! It was a delicious recipe that went directly into my Thanksgiving file. Thanks for helping to make our small gathering meal memorable! Hope you had a nice day as well.โ โ Bea
Kale Colcannon
Gluten free and potentially vegan
โThe family loved this version of Colcannonโฆit had a nice tang and was a good addition to our potluck dinner. Next time I will half the recipe for just my husband and I.โ โ Mary
Perfect Roasted Potatoes
Gluten free and vegan
โLove the ease, simplicity and deliciousness of this recipe โ Iโve now made it a bunch of times and no matter what I do, it always turns out!โ โ Jennifer
Best Baked Potato
Gluten free and easily vegan
โFabulous! I have my new โforeverโ way of preparing baked potatoes. Thank you!!โ โ Nancy
More Vegetarian Side Dishes
Best Ever Green Beans
Gluten free & easily vegan
โI made this last night and it was terrific! You canโt go wrong with shallots, butter, and lemon. Will definitely make this again โ thank you for the recipe!โ โ Valerie
Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries & Pecans
Gluten free and easily vegan
โMade these the other night with some stuffed chicken and rice. It was delicious. Even the boyfriend enjoyed them. We enjoy roasted Brussels sprouts, but the addition of the walnuts, cranberries and balsamic vinegar was a nice change. Thank you for sharing!โ โ Robin
Fresh Creamed Spinach
Gluten free
โI made this for Thanksgiving and it was delicious. Even a relative who claimed she does not like spinach devoured it with gusto.โ โ Ali
Honey Butter Roasted Carrots
Gluten free (see other flavor variations provided in post for vegan options)
โJust made the roasted carrots, wow! These were fantastic.โ โ Michael
Honey Butter Cornbread
โOk!! This recipe is replacing every other cornbread recipe i have!! It is SO GOOD! We made this recipe with gluten free flour, almond milk and a non-dairy substitute for the butter โ since 3 people at our house canโt eat dairy products, and it turned out AMAZING! We ate it fresh from the oven! Absolutely incredible!! Definitely recommending this one!โ โ Kate
Almost Homemade Green Bean Casserole
Easily gluten free
โI made this last night for our โFriendsgivingโ dinner, and it was the hit! Everyone absolutely loved it. :) Itโs what the classic recipe has been asking forโfresh green beans and lots of flavor. Thank you for such a fantastic recipe!โ โ Leah
Vegan Mac and Cheese
Easily gluten free; vegan
โI made this at my daughters request and have to admit I was skeptical as we are neither vegan or vegetarian. It was awesome, all three of my children and my wife raved about it, we will definitely be making this again.โ โ Patrick
Easy Honey Butter
Gluten free
โWhipped up a double batch of Honey Butter to serve with rolls for Easter today. Delicious! The subtle sweetness was a special addition; a lovely and delicate spread! Thank you!โ โ Beth
Naturally Sweetened Cranberry Sauce
Gluten free and easily vegan
โThis is my second year making this. DELICIOUS! I eat most of it. I make it a few days in advance. My whole family enjoys it. Thank you!โ โ Bev
More Thanksgiving Day Recipes
Appetizers & Snacks
- Baked Jalapeรฑo Poppers
- Cranberry Sauce and Goat Cheese Crostini
- Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Crostini
- Dukkah (Egyptian nut, seed and spice blend for dipping bread)
- Easy Tapenade
- How to Make a Cheese Board
- Naturally Sweetened Candied Pecans
- Pimento Cheese
- Stovetop Popcorn
- Sweet & Spicy Roasted Party Nuts
- Torn Olives with Almonds, Celery & Parmesan
- Ultra Creamy Hummus
Breakfast & Brunch
- Apple Steel-Cut Oatmeal
- Apple & Carrot โSuperheroโ Muffins
- Cinnamon Toast Breakfast Quinoa
- Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Cranberry Orange Steel Cut Oats
- Foolproof French Toast
- Frittatas (Stovetop or Baked)
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Oat Pancakes
- Healthy Breakfast Casserole
- Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin Chai Lattes
- Pumpkin Muffins
- Pumpkin Oat Waffles
- Pumpkin Pecan Scones with Maple Glaze
- Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes
- Brunch cocktail: Best Mimosa (Plus Tips & Variations!)
- Brunch cocktail: Homemade Bloody Marys
Cookies & Desserts
- Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups
- Gluten-Free Apple Crisp
- Gluten-Free Apple Tart
- Lemon, Rosemary and Olive Oil Shortbread
- Naturally Sweetened Pecan Pie
- Pear Cranberry Crisp
- Peanut Butter Oat Cookies
- Perfect Baked Apples
- Pumpkin Pecan Polvorones
- Spiced Oatmeal Cookies
- Whipped Cream
Thanksgiving Cocktails
- Browse my holiday cocktail recipes here.
Happy Thanksgiving from Cookie and Kate!
Dear Kate,
I have been a fan of you blog for a few years. As a dog lover I wanted to say sorry to hear about Cookie. I hope that she is doing well. I wanted to share a great gal and her website. Her name is Amanda Rea and she has a dog b&b. Her website is Sama Dog.com You will find some wonderful holistic infoโฆ.also she previously worked in the event (food)planning for Deepak Chopra. On the website she has some beautiful meditations to do with your pup. Hope that you will take a look.
Thank you, Tina. We appreciate your kind words and recommendation.
Am I missing the way to share your posts other than copying the link? I wanted to share with my friends on FB but see no way to do that. Thanks.
Hi Sherry! You can copy the link, I donโt have a share to option.
Silly me, I thought this would be a quick โglance and chooseโ mission to add to my Thanksgiving week meals. Everything looks so delicious, I canโt decide! Guess Iโll just have to try them all. Thank you for such amazing ideas for fresh, seasonal food.
I think you should try them all, eventually! Be sure to let me know what you think, Christina.
Thanks for these veg Thanksgiving recipes! We usually have veg or faux meat lasagna (we like Gardein crumbles); this year Iโll try your recipe. And I have a squash screaming to be stuffed with quinoa or made into a risotto. Thanks for this trove of recipes; Iโll try several this season. You never fail to offer creative recipes.
Thanks for the opportunity. Iโll save Turkeyโs life
I am drooling here after looking through your โ33 Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes.โ Weโve recently returned to the Seattle area and are in the throes of having renovations done on our house here. Weโre currently living in our basement, so cooking has been pretty tough lately. We sold our old range and just a couple of days ago had the new one installedโฆPainters worked on the ceilings until just an hour ago, so now I must wipe the dust off every surface before even considering whatโs for dinner. Tired of ordering out or making due with Amyโs frozen food bowls! It will just be the two of us (and our needy dog) for Thanksgiving, but I do want to try some of the delicious recipes youโve offered! Thank you! Jo
Fabulous! I am definitely making several of these
I made your Gluten-Free Buckwheat Waffles today. They were very good, definitely a keeper. Bringing everything to room temperature before making was not mentioned, but it is a suggested. I thought the batter was a little to thick for my Belgian Waffle Maker and added another ounce of Buttermilk.
Iโm glad you enjoyed them, Stephen!
Love all those salad recipes! I canโt wait to give them a try!
Do you have vegetarian recipes you make for Cookie? Would you share your canine friendly recipes?
I just put in the veggie black bean enchiladas (modified to be the filling and a bit of corn, will serve over rice) into the oven. Love this as enchiladas and as a topping over rice. Didnโt have the tortillas on hand the first time I tried it. Now it is a go to version. Thank you Kate!
I donโt have dog recipes, sorry! Iโm glad you enjoyed my enchiladas.