Turkey might be the de facto star of the Thanksgiving show, but we’ve got great news for all our friends going meatless this year: The days of filling up on dinner rolls and sweet potatoes are long gone, thanks to satisfying holiday dishes like vegetable Wellington and butternut squash lasagna. No meat? No problem: With these 50 vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes, everyone can give thanks.
RELATED: 70 Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes That Will Sweeten Your Holiday Table
Forget florets—we’re roasting the whole damn thing. The good news: This yogurt-marinated stunner is as dramatic in presentation as it is easy in preparation.
Sure, this would make a knockout side dish…but why not serve it as a main course, alongside plenty of other accoutrements?
Skip the stuffed bird and make these light, fresh stuffed eggplants instead. (Don’t forget yogurt for dipping.)
Aida Mollenkamp’s charred whole cauliflower is proof that plant-based meals can be show-stoppingly irresistible.
The fancy Hasselback technique and honeyed topping make this so much more than a side dish.
Rich, satisfying and gluten-free-optional, this is the ultimate holiday comfort food. It doesn’t taste healthy, but that’s the best part.
These pretty gourds are filled with a mix of quinoa, chickpeas, Gruyère and aromatics for a vegetarian-friendly main that’s anything but an afterthought.
Gnocchi on Thanksgiving? Yeah, we went there.
Even though these stuffed mushrooms look fancy, they’re really easy to put together. Top with Parm and parsley for brownie points among your guests.
The pasta is made with lots of autumnal herbs and spices, like nutmeg and sage, so even without a squash bowl, it would still be holiday-ready.
This gorgeous dish has a secret: We use store-bought puff pastry to make assembly almost effortless.
Our favorite vegetable does it again, this time with a vegan pesto and a 30-minute cooking time.
You’re going to want to make this one all year round. (Good thing it takes just 30 minutes and is surprisingly healthy.)
Jodi Moreno’s tender roasted vegetables would be fitting as a side but serving them over polenta makes them just as filling as any turkey.
We see no problem in serving lasagna at Thanksgiving dinner. It’s got cheese, noodles, veggies—what more could you ask for?
It’s Thanksgiving; you can eat pie for every meal. We should mention this one’s also gluten-free.
We’re huge fans of savory tarts. This one from Gaby Dalkin is earthy, cheesy and impressive (even if you use store-bought pie dough).
We love that Gena Hamshaw’s take on shepherd’s pie replaces the usual pastry crust with mashed sweet potatoes.
Monique Volz knows that almost anything can be made Thanksgiving-ready when it’s stuffed inside a squash.
This year, we’re most grateful for these adorable pumpkin bowls.
This pretty, vegan main takes 45 minutes to make. Take that, giant turkey.
The crispy chickpeas add texture and protein. That, plus a creamy yogurt sauce, keeps this meatless dish filling.
Make this classic (and beloved) side the star of the show by packing it with hearty veggies.
The key to keeping a vegetarian entrée from getting boring is to mix up all the textures. Allow this creamy risotto with a crispy topping to show you the way.
It’s spicy, sweet, crunchy and just as satisfying as any Thanksgiving bird.
Good luck trying to refrain from dipping your fingers in this lemony yogurt sauce.
Now that we think of it, every Thanksgiving spread should include a pie made of cheese.
Add a flaky crust and you can transform any casserole into a stunning main course.
This tofu number is elegant and impressive without being fussy. Plus, it’s packed with flavor from the gingery honey glaze.
Here you have your salad course and your pie course all in one tidy package. (Yes, in our house Thanksgiving includes a pie course.)
You better set the table, because the Barefoot Contessa is on her way for dinner.
Quiche has a reputation for being old-fashioned and stuffy, so we swapped the usual crust for sweet potatoes. Thanksgiving brunch, anyone?
Serve this one a little warm, so when you dot the cheese on top it melts and mingles throughout the dish.
A casserole made of bread and cheese? Be still our holiday hearts.
Instead of roasting plain old baby carrots (snooze), turn them into gnocchi. Your guests will think you’re a pro chef.
It’s rich, creamy and bound to become a new Thanksgiving staple. Use fresh or canned pumpkin depending on how much time you want to spend.
Earthy beets, tangy cheese and a buttery crust…what’s not to love?
The decadent, cheesy pasta is just waiting to emerge from that gorgeous blanket of phyllo rosettes.
What’s beautiful, delicious and destined to become a vegetarian staple in your house? These cuties.
Welp, you had us hooked at first mention of four cheeses. (Parmesan, Fontina, cheddar and goat, in case you’re curious.)
Even non-vegetarians will gobble up this sausage-free version of a Thanksgiving classic.
It’s freezer-friendly, so you could even make it a few days ahead (and save yourself a hectic morning).
We almost didn’t believe this was dairy-free, it’s so creamy. (Yep, it’s meat-free too.)
Not today, chicken. We’re filling our pot pie with mushrooms, white beans and all the seasonal veggies.
Pro tip: Microwave the squash for a few minutes to make it much easier to slice up.
We’ll endorse serving pizza for Thanksgiving a thousand times over.
They’re stuffed with a mixture of ricotta, Parm, pumpkin and sage, then topped with a garlicky cream sauce. Hungry yet?
Psst: The crusts are made of corn. How’s that for delicious? (Thanks, Jerrelle Guy.)
It gets cooked in the oven until creamy and al dente, so you can spend less time stirring and more time enjoying a Thanksgiving cocktail.
It’s like opening a present at the dinner table—a present filled with cinnamon sweet potatoes, crispy chickpeas, cranberries and a zesty garlic sauce.
Plus, A Few of Our Best *Worst* Thanksgiving Stories (Just for Giggles)
Because even if your family totally forgets you don’t eat meat, it could still be worse…
“One year, my horrible dog jumped up on the counter and ate an entire boat’s worth of gravy. He also got gravy all over his fur and it got all matted and it took, like, three baths to get him clean again.”
“My mom made a tofurkey one year and it was NOT IT.”
“My Grandma was wearing a flowy shirt while cooking over an open flame… and she literally caught on fire. She ended up ripping the shirt off in the middle of the kitchen while my firefighter uncles watched football unaware this was happening. Luckily, she was not hurt at all and now we laugh about it!”
“We do Thanksgiving at my dad’s house in Maine, and one year we decided to deep-fry a turkey. It was so cold out that we couldn’t get the oil to temperature, so we had this weird undercooked/petrified bird. Anticipating a disaster, my stepmother was preparing a turkey in the oven, but despite the popper popping and a real temp check, that bird, too, was undercooked. So we threw both birds into the woods—turned into a family competition to see who can throw all the bits the farthest—and ate just the sides for dinner (that’s really the best part), and then went to the deli in the morning to buy sliced turkey breast for the compulsory leftover sandwiches.”
