Planning Thanksgiving dinner can feel like a juggling act—especially if you’re looking for vegetarian dishes that wow your guests and satisfy even the meat-eaters at the table. But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered!
This 20+ Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dinner recipes is here to make your life easier and your holiday table brighter.
From hearty mains to cozy soups and indulgent sides, there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re hosting a full-on veggie feast or just need a few plant-based dishes to complement the turkey, these recipes are festive, flavorful, and totally crowd-pleasing.
1. Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie
This vegetarian shepherd’s pie recipe is a combination of winter vegetables in a red wine-style gravy, topped with a layer of mashed potatoes, and baked in the oven until golden brown.
The ingredients are common enough to please everyone. This is also a relatively easy dish to make. It can be assembled a day or two in advance of a large gathering, stored in the fridge, then baked just before serving.
2. Roasted Vegetable Wellington
Make room on the holiday table for this hearty and flavorful veggie roast! Your guests will love this light and flaky puff pastry packed with a medley of roasted vegetables and creamy mushroom filling.
This veggie roast does require some advance prep work. The mushroom pate (aka the secret ingredient) will need to be made at least a few hours ahead of time; ideally, a day in advance so the earthy flavors have time to develop.
3. Vegetarian Butternut Squash Chili
Rich and flavorful Butternut Squash Chili is a vegetarian meal that even meat lovers will enjoy!
This veggie chili is slowly simmered on the stove with the perfect blend of spices. It’s a little bit spicy, but not too much, and the sweetness from the squash provides a wonderful flavor balance.
4. Gigi Hadid Pasta Recipe (With and Without Vodka)
Tender pasta coated in a rich tomato cream sauce make this Gigi Hadid pasta recipe a truly satisfying meal ready in just 30 minutes.
Gigi Hadid’s spicy vodka sauce pasta recipe obviously has vodka which I haven’t included but you can definitely add a tablespoon. With vodka or without vodka I’m sure you’ll agree this recipe for pasta is definitely a keeper, a true restaurant-style dish you can whip up at home.
5. Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash (With Quinoa)
This 8-ingredient vegan stuffed acorn squash with quinoa and cranberries is packed with plant-based protein and fiber, is hearty, wholesome, comforting, and bursting with fall flavors—perfect for your holiday table or a vegan main for dinner!
6. Pumpkin Soup Without Cream
This delicious pumpkin soup without cream is truly magical! It is dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan and uses canned pumpkin to keep things simple. If you're a pumpkin fan, this recipe will become a go-to during the fall and winter season.
This recipe uses coconut milk instead of heavy cream to embody that rich, creamy flavor while keeping it dairy-free.
7. Spinach Artichoke Lasagna
A healthy vegetarian lasagna with lots of fresh spinach, artichokes and cheese layered between noodles. Step out of your comfort zone and try this delicious pressure cooked lasagna in the instant pot!
I am sure you never thought you could make lasagna in the Instant Pot! You will not believe how easy and incredible the lasagna turns out in the instant pot.
8. Healing Sweet Potato Turmeric Soup with Coconut Milk
This gorgeous-looking sweet potato turmeric soup with warming spices and aromatics such as onion, ginger and garlic is your ultimate "put your feet up and chill out" kind of dish! This soup tastes as good as it looks and is like a warm hug in a bowl!
It is a simple, quick and healthy soup with the goodness of turmeric, black pepper, ginger, and garlic. The plant based milk balances the sharpness of the turmeric and black pepper.
9. Quinoa Lentil Loaf
This quinoa lentil loaf is a complete vegetarian protein, which means it has all the essential amino acids found in meat.
As a vegetarian meat alternative, it is packed with mouth-watering savory nutrition from quinoa, lentils, vegetables, and nuts. And you get just a touch of sweetness from raisins, maple syrup, and organic ketchup. This is a recipe for happy kids, happy hubbies, happy moms, and happy guests.
10. Mushroom Lentil Pot Pie
This Lentil Pot Pie is hearty, creamy, and topped with a flaky puff pastry crust! It's easy to make and comes together in less than 1 hour. Serve it up for dinner on a cozy winter night!
This mushroom lentil pot pie is a lot simpler, because we're using pre-cooked lentils and a store-bought pastry crust. The result is a crispy, savory, and warm vegetarian pie that hits the spot.
11. Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup (Dairy-Free)
You need this luscious, creamy, flavorful, cozy, and hearty roasted cauliflower soup! It is easy to make, gluten-free, dairy-free, and absolutely delicious!
It is just the perfect comforting soup for chilly winter nights and excellent all year round! So creamy and yet cream less, I hope you can try this easy soup recipe!
12. Stuffed Butternut Squash
Looking for a hearty vegetarian main dish? Roast up Stuffed Butternut Squash filled with cranberry rice, pecans, and chickpeas. Serve as a vegan main dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
And honestly this vegan stuffed butternut squash so delicious, nobody will even notice. You don’t even have to mention it’s vegan unless someone asks for confirmation.
13. Kala Chana (Black Chickpeas)
This one pot dish with soft cooked kala chana in a tomato gravy spiced with gut healthy spices pairs perfectly with rice or bread and adds a good dose of plant based protein to your weeknight dinner: see section above for serving suggestions and meal ideas.
In this recipe of kala chana, the desi chana are cooked in a spiced onion-tomato gravy and garnished with fresh cilantro leaves. Kala chana, also known as brown/black chickpeas, are a great alternative to the more common white chickpeas.
14. Wild Mushroom Tart
Wild Mushroom Tart is an incredibly enjoyable pastry when you get the seasoning just right. It's made with butter, shallots, lemons, thyme, nutmeg, & heavy cream.
This wild mushroom tart brings the beautiful bakery experience to your home. Aside from its simple, buttery pastry, you have mushrooms and shallots cooked in butter, salt, pepper, fresh lemon juice, nutmeg, fresh thyme, egg yolks, and crème fraîche or heavy cream.
15. Crispy Sweet Potato Latkes
Latkes are a Jewish holiday staple for Hanukkah! While a classic latke is made with white potatoes, this fun version is made with shredded sweet potatoes.
They are like savory sweet potato cakes with a crispy outside and soft potato inside. A perfect appetizer or holiday side dish for a Hanukkah celebration!
16. The Best Minestrone Soup
The best minestrone soup recipe you’ll ever make, the hearty flavors of this classic comfort food rival that of Olive Garden’s most popular soup.
This classic comfort food comes together with simple pantry staples for a nutritious meal that will satisfy your tastebuds without breaking the bank.
17. Vegan Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Black Bean Taco "Meat"
Looking for a new healthy dinner idea? Look no further than this Taco Stuffed Sweet Potato! It's filled up with a smoky black bean "meat" for a delicious plant-based meal.
If you are a fan of sweet potatoes, you have to make this recipe! It's packed full of flavor - sweet from the potato and the corn, smoky from the black beans and the tomato paste, and spicy from the addition of red pepper flakes.
18. Asian Broccoli Stir Fry
Asian broccoli stir fry recipe: Tender, crispy broccoli tossed with ginger, garlic, and a beautiful sauce glaze - a recipe that is easy, light, and totally delicious, and it's ready in just 25 minutes from start to finish.
Whether you are planning to serve this as a side dish or a main course this one pan Asian stir fry broccoli recipe will become a staple in your home.
19. Pumpkin and Mushroom Risotto
If you want comfort food at its finest, look no further than this Pumpkin and Mushroom Risotto! This is one of the tastiest Pumpkin recipes you’ll find.
Grated parmesan cheese, shallots, dry white wine, vegetable stock, and earthy mushrooms team up with creamy pumpkin risotto for a combo that can’t be beat on a cool fall evening.
20. Vegetable Pot Pie
Nothing conjures up tummy comfort more than savory vegetables in gravy, covered in a flaky, buttery crust.
Imagine garlic, carrots, celery, potato and peas simmered in a thick sauce, gently seasoned with salt, black pepper, oregano, and sage, then topped with crunchy pastry.
21. Make Ahead White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
Macaroni and Cheese is always a crowd-pleaser, with kids and adults alike! This make ahead mac and cheese is great for saving time without sacrificing flavor. It has a creamy béchamel sauce with white cheddar cheese.
Béchamel is a white sauce made with flour, fat, and milk. In this recipe shredded cheese is melted into the béchamel sauce to make a cheesy creamy sauce that is perfect for macaroni and cheese!
22. Wild Rice Pilaf
This wild rice pilaf recipe creates a side dish that’s full of delicious flavor. You can make this easy rice pilaf ahead of time, as it reheats well.
Great for holidays and everyday meals. This wild rice recipe is packed with succulent, savory flavors that taste like you spent a day on it (but you didn’t).
23. Vegan “Cheesy” Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole
There’s something about a warm, bubbly casserole that makes everything better, right? This dairy-free Vegan cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Quinoa casserole is exactly the kind of comfort food we all need.
It’s creamy, hearty, and loaded with plant-based protein from quinoa and a plant-based cheese sauce made with cashews. Plus, it’s packed with tender broccoli and cauliflower, making it both healthy and satisfying. Great side dish or main dish for the family!
24. Mashed Potato with Celeriac and Vegan Gravy
Mashed potato with celeriac is an easy variation on the basic mashed potato.
If you've never tried this before, I think you will love it, because mashing other vegetable with potatoes is a tasty way to add more vegetables to your diet.
25. Vegan Stuffed Shells
Vegan Stuffed Shells make the perfect comfort food! This easy-to-make stuffed shells recipe delivers big smiles and full bellies when served up for meals.
It’s definitely a vegan baked pasta dish the whole family loves. Surprisingly easy to make, perfect to make ahead for a dinner that looks like a million bucks!
26. Zucca Zuppa
Zucca zuppa (Italian pumpkin soup) is a great recipe for Fall. The word “zucca” means pumpkin or squash in Italian and “zuppa” means soup. Other names for this soup are zuppa alla zucca, zucca di zuppa and zuppa de zucca.
Surprisingly enough, most pumpkin soup recipes do not use actual pumpkin. Most pumpkin soup recipes actually butternut squash or other types of squash. This recipes calls for butternut squash which is available year round but you can also substitute other types of squash.
27. Vegan Cauliflower Lentil Loaf
A hearty plant-based dinner idea that will satisfy even meat-eaters! A Vegan Cauliflower Lentil Loaf that mimics the classic meatloaf with no meat, gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free! Get all your protein and veggies in this healthy recipe!
28. Homemade Spanish Rice
This recipe makes tender, fluffy, and foolproof Spanish rice every time. With a flavorful blend of garlic, tomato, onion, and broth - this one-pan Spanish rice tastes exactly like the one you get at your favorite Mexican restaurant.
29. Roasted Mushroom & Nut "Steaks"
If you are looking for a vegetarian main course for your Thanksgiving dinner that will impress the guests and pair well with wine, then look no further.
Mushroom and nut “steaks” are full of flavor, with substantial vegetarian protein from walnuts and sunflower seeds.
With these 20+ Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes, you’ll have everything you need to create a feast that’s full of flavor and variety.
Whether it’s the rich lentil loaves, savory stuffed squash, or creamy casseroles, these dishes will make your holiday table shine. The best part? They’re simple to prepare and sure to impress—even the non-vegetarians in the crowd.
So, get ready to dig in, share the love, and enjoy a Thanksgiving meal that everyone will remember!
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