So Thanksgiving is almost here, and I know everyone is excited to feast on Turkey, Green Bean Casserole, and everything in-between. But what about the vegans? They can’t have turkey, can they? They have to miss out on the mac n’ cheese. It’s not fair. Well, what if they could feast just like everyone else for Thanksgiving? With these recipes, they can.

Entrees

First, and most importantly, Turkey. You may not be able to have an actual turkey, but substitute recipes are going to be your friend this holiday. Try a Vegan Turkey Roast instead. It takes way less time to cook than an actual turkey, and it’s super affordable. And don’t be shy with the seasonings. The stereotype that “vegan food tastes bad” is tired. Prove everybody wrong! 

Another great main dish to try is Shepherd’s Pie if you’re not super into tofu. You’ll definitely have to amp up the seasoning on this one as well, but it’s a great alternative to a turkey roast. Or maybe you just want multiple main dishes on the table. A little variety never hurt anybody. 

Side Dishes

Now, what better dish is there to go with your turkey roast than Mashed Potatoes and Mushroom Gravy. Is it really Thanksgiving without some creamy mashed potatoes on the table? Mashed potatoes and gravy are both pretty vegan friendly, but to make creamy mashed potatoes, there’s usually dairy involved and we don’t want that. Try using vegan butter and your favorite plant based milk instead. Careful with the milk you choose. Though. Sweetened vanilla almond milk probably won’t taste the best in a savory dish.

And of course, you have to have the Thanksgiving classic, Green Bean Casserole. Now, the most popular recipe from Campbell’s soup is mostly vegan-friendly. The problem comes in when you add the milk and cream of mushroom soup. You can always switch to a plant-based milk and make your own vegan cream of mushroom soup. That way you can stick with the classic recipe and make the adjustments necessary.

Mac n‘ Cheese is probably the most important, yet riskiest side dish to add to your vegan menu. Vegan cheese is notorious for not melting properly, but the right recipe can help you avoid that problem. I find that it’s best to make a Bechamel sauce and then stir in your cheese. That will guarantee that your cheese will be thoroughly melted and delicious. Also, add a little vegan bouillon to your noodles while they’re boiling. That’ll boost your flavor profile by a thousand.

Dessert

Finally, you have to have dessert. It comes as no surprise that most Thanksgiving desserts are pies. A real classic dessert that you can try is a Vegan Pecan Pie. I don’t think there’s an easier recipe than this, and after cooking an entirely vegan meal, basically from scratch…..Trust me, you’re going to want something easy. It only takes 15 minutes to prep this delicious pie and once you’ve put it in the oven, you can take a 30-minute nap and BOOM….dessert.

It comes as no surprise that most Thanksgiving desserts are pies. So another Thanksgiving pie that you can try is none other than the classic sweet potato pie. You could always try a pumpkin pie are a pound cake if you’re feeling fancy, but this recipe is a breeze. Without eggs as a binder for all the ingredients, vegan sweet potato pie can be pretty tricky but this recipe helps a ton. It even has a recipe for vegan pie crust and you can make your own whipped topping for serving.

Now that you’ve got some ideas, we’d love to know how you liked these recipes. Comment down below with your experience and feel free to send us pictures of your thanksgiving spread at magseditor@georgiasouthern.edu.