10 plant-based recipes for a big Thanksgiving table

Canva Serving plant-based meals during a holiday so focused on turkey may seem far-fetched, but with the prime produce the autumn season offers–and a turkey shortage pushing prices up as much as 73% from 2021–it’s the perfect time to add more plants to the table. Butternut squash, apples, pumpkins, cranberries–all these antioxidant-rich plants are worthy alternatives to your usual meat-based sides and mains and deserve to be front and center on your table this year. From tasty mains to sides and even your favorite fall desserts, Thistle compiled a list of 10 plant-based recipes that everyone at the Thanksgiving table will enjoy. Not having a turkey to carve into can be a strange experience if you’re used to serving the bird. But if you want a main dish showstopper to focus on–without compromising your goals to keep things plant-based this year–alternatives such as Tofurkey, Gardein’s Vegan Turk’y Roast, Trader Joe’s Turkey-less Stuffed Roast, or many homemade plant-based options are tasty options to replace the usual poultry. Or if you’re not keen on having a main dish this year, serve a big feast with all the Thanksgiving sides and dessert you love. Continue reading for some Thanksgiving dinner-planning inspiration. Rice-stuffed butternut squash Lunov Mykola // Shutterstock Whether you’re on the hunt for a vegetarian main dish or a tasty side, this rice-stuffed butternut squash will work well on your Thanksgiving table. This recipe makes two servings. Each serving includes half a butternut squash filled with familiar tastes you love on Thanksgiving, like walnuts and dried cranberries. The sweetness of the butternut squash (with a touch of coconut sugar), along with the savory wild rice, will satisfy guests with any dietary restriction. Stuffed turkey-less roast Jay Ondreicka // Shutterstock Made with tofu, mushrooms, soy milk, and chickpeas, this tasty stuffed ‘no turkey’ roast is a gorgeous main if you want to keep Thanksgiving plant-based this year. The stuffing is made with a simple bag of apple and sage stuffing, and the entire roast is wrapped in homemade plant-based bacon. This plant-based main makes eight servings and will be ready in under three hours. Although this roast will certainly take some work, once you slice it into the final product, the smells and the taste will make all that hard work worth it. Vegan sage sausage stuffing Brent Hofacker // Shutterstock If you’ve always loved grandma’s sausage-based stuffing but want to fill your plate with only plants this year, this vegan sage sausage stuffing is the perfect alternative. This recipe makes some simple swaps with vegan butter and sausage but keeps all the usual stuffing essentials–like celery, onions, carrots, garlic, and of course, bread. This side dish makes six servings, so if you’re serving an even larger crowd, double the recipe. Pumpkin mac and ‘cheese’ Luca Melo // Shutterstock Not only does pumpkin puree boost the nutritional value of this dish (boosting your fiber and vitamin A intake), but it also makes for the creamiest sauce in your mac and cheese. This vegan pumpkin mac and cheese bake relies on pumpkin, nutritional yeast, and nondairy milk to give this dish that creamy texture you know and love from a baked mac. Topped with breadcrumbs and baked for 45 minutes, this recipe will make four hearty servings–or six or eight smaller spoonfuls. However, if you are feeding some diehard mac and cheese lovers, you may want to consider doubling–or tripling–the batch. Vegan shepherd’s pie