Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes

'Tis the Season of Turkeys and Yams and Green Beans swimming in Cream of Mushroom Soup! Problem is, I don't like any of those things! Traditional Thanksgiving foods are not my bag. I remember a few Thanksgivings growing up where a young, Vegetarian Ashley got to enjoy the Holiday with a big plate full of Mashed Potatoes and Garlic Bread, Mmm, carbs. Not exactly a well rounded meal. 

In preparation for my annual Friendsgiving I've put up my Thanksgiving Decor^ AND compiled a list of my very favorite Thanksgiving Main Dishes, Side Dishes and Desserts. Hopefully these will help you along the way, especially if you're new to going veggie or just want something less dangerous sounding than a Tofurky. 


Main Dishes
​1.) Vegetarian Meatloaf. This is delicious, it's made from lentils and oats and herbs and spices and it'll blow you out of the water, especially if you make it with this Vegetarian Gravy (more on that later.)

2.) Shepherds Pie. Ok, I know, this one is not Vegetarian BUT grab yourself some Smart Ground Meatless Crumbles and it instantly is! And what is more Festive than a pie covered in Potatoes. Plus, if you wanna get Really motivated you can always make this Shepherds Pie from scratch. They're both delicious! 

3.) Speaking of Pies, you should try Lentil and Potato Pot Pies with Rosemary Biscuit Crust OR Vegetarian Pot Pies with Feta Scallion Biscuits. Or you could also make my Recipe for Pot Pies, equally yummy! 

Wow, that's a lot of pies!

4.) One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese in my opinion Chili is a Holiday food, perfect for Football games and family gatherings, I served a big pot o'chili at last years Christmas gathering. This guy calls for meat stuff but you can easily sub in some Veggie Stock and Smart Ground Meatless Crumbles and presto! Vegetarian! 

5.) Soups! Nothing is cozier that a bowl full of soup! For Thanksgiving I'd recommend Slow Cooker Potato and Corn Chowder, Cheesy Vegetable Chowder, Vegetable Stew with Herb Dumplings (seriously, so good) and Crock Pot Minestrone. Crock pot soups are my favorite for entertaining, the soups make themselves and you can busy yourself with other important parts of the meal while they cook. 



Side Dishes
1.) Deviled Eggs, duh! This is a Holiday staple, there are a million different recipes for these magical things but the traditional version is my favorite. 

2.) Potatoes! Mashed Red Skin Potatoes, these are super simple to make on the big day. You could always try two of my other favorites; Cast Iron Skillet Rustic Potatoes (I seriously only own Steak Seasoning so I can make these tasty things) and Crash Hot Potatoes, Alex loves these guys! 

3.) Brussels Sprouts! This is my favorite Veggie side dish, I know Alex is not a fan but he can deal, I've gotta have my tiny alien heads. You should try Pan Seared Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries and Pecans, Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Rosemary and Garlic or The Best Brussels Sprouts with tasty breadcrumbs. So many options! 

4.) Dip! I don't think I've celebrated a Holiday in years without bringing a dip along with me. These are a couple of my Holiday favorites, Zannies Black Eyed Pea Dip, Hot Artichoke Dip and Spicy Skillet Artichoke Dip. Yum! 

5.) Lastly, and most importantly=Vegetarian Gravy. This recipe is AMAZING. I seriously want to put this on everything. You must try it with mashed taters and veggie meatloaf and biscuits! Yum! 

5.5) I know I should include a biscuit recipe but I usually just make the canned croissants, I KNOW, I'm a big, fat cheater. Or I bake a loaf of Focaccia Bread and position it near the dip and let everyone choose their own adventure. 



Desserts
1.) Surprise=Pumpkin Pie! This is my favorite recipe, I like to make two at a time. They're magical. I've also been known to throw together a Cheesy Apple Pie or this Frozen Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie that got rave reviews. 

​2.) Cinnamon Maple Pecan Scones. Make them, they're delicious. 

3.) Cleta Bailey's Toffee Squares. I like to bake an entire sheet of these guys, (don't roll them out too thin!) and freeze them then give them out to guests as they leave as a little treat for the road.  

4.) Cinnamon Rolls! These are perfect especially if you have overnight guests for the Holiday. 

5.) Cookies; for November I like to make Apple Oatmeal Cookies with Glaze (pictured below), Twix Thumbprint Cookies or White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies.

YUM!

I hope this post has inspired you with lots of magical, Vegetarian options for your Thanksgiving feast! This list got more comprehensive than I'd planned, I get a little carried away when it comes to the Holidays! I hope you're putting together the perfect menu for your Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving or Festivus!

Happy Holidays! Thanks for reading! 

-Ashley ​