6 Holiday Recipes for Your
Vegetarian Thanksgiving

A vegetarian Thanksgiving sounds like an oxymoron given all the turkey paraphernalia of the season. But maintaining your vegetarian ways is actually quite easy on this festive occasion, even if your family members and friends don’t oblige to your meatlessness.

Thanksgiving is an opportunity to appreciate everything from the people in your life to the good food on the table (and everything else in between). I have grown to love this holiday because all members of my immediate family produce wonders in the kitchen and it’s so fun to share, create and reap the rewards of everyone’s labor at the end of the day.

The likelihood of all the cooks in the kitchen agreeing though? Not to mention all the guests...yea that’s not going to happen anytime soon. But therein lies the beauty of a feast: with so many dishes to choose from, surely everyone can find something they enjoy.

A Vegetarian Thanksgiving Menu

Most of the time I strive to eat lean and healthy meals that will provide me with optimal energy. That being said, Thanksgiving is holiday and just because you’re a vegetarian doesn’t mean you should miss out on the decadence of the celebration.

Ideally you can load up your plate with at least a few veggies, a couple splurges like homemade macaroni and cheese or warm buttery bread and then still have room for dessert!

This menu has the right proportion of comfort food classics and seasonal nutrition to make sure you’re satisfying your body inside and out.

First Course

  • Starting off a big feast with something nutritious like this autumn salad can ensure you won't over-do it on those calorie rich dishes. This isn't just a practical salad though, it's tasty enough to stand on its own! 
Autumn Salad

Main Course

  • My dad makes this cranberry sauce recipe every holiday season. It's a small, simple tradition that I cherish. Now that I'm older and have hosted a Thanksgiving or two myself, I appreciate this easy recipe on a hectic cooking marathon of a day. 
Cranberry Sauce Recipe
  • Savory vegetarian stuffing: this is a recipe that my great grandfather was famous for. It left an impression on my Mom growing up that it's now become one of our family standbys. Thanksgiving isn't Thanksgiving without a great stuffing recipe!
Vegetarian Stuffing
  • I distinctly remeber when we moved to the South there were some unusual things we came across: a rain storm is a gully warsher, a hose to water your garden is a hose pipe and a holiday meal isn't complete without macaroni and cheese. After making this homemade macaroni and cheese recipe I have to say I agree. You won't see any of my holiday tables without it!
Homemade Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

Dessert

  • Pumpkin nut bread recipe is a great homey addition to your table this time of year. Nothing says "Thanksgiving" more than the flavor combination of pumpkin, cinnamon and cloves. This bread is moist, just sweet enough and beautiful! 
Pumpkin Nut Bread Recipe
  • Pumpkin apple muffins These (vegan!) muffins are so moist and wholesome. Nowadays when you buy muffins in a store or coffee shop they are more like little cakes, saturated with sugary sweetness. These muffins are pleasantly sweet, don't get me wrong, but they have a more natural appely heartiness. 
Pumpkin Apple Muffins

If you won’t be hosting this year and you’re not sure your vegetarianism will be accounted for, offer to bring your own dish (or several!). If you feel like your options are going to be limited then this might not be the most balanced meal of your life. You can always plan ahead and try to eat lots of fresh foods early in the day so you don’t go into a food coma afterwards.

Don’t worry too much though, we all need days once in a while to just eat whatever we want and then laze around on the couch. Everyone else will be stuffing their faces too :).

A Vegetarian Thanksgiving is Possible!

There you have it! A totally easy, totally vegetarian Thanksgiving. You won’t even upset the relatives with these dishes because they’re traditional and scrumptious!

Even if yours is the type of family to put all its focus on the big bird on the table, you can still be quite satisfied with the array of side dishes and desserts.

Looking for more winter holiday favorites? Check out these vegetarian Christmas recipes too!

Have a spectacular holiday!

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