To help you make this Thanksgiving a Plantsgiving, I’ve gathered my favorite festive vegan menu items for brunch, dinner, and dessert to complete your holiday weekend.
Breakfast/Brunch
Our girls love French Toast, it’s a real treat for them. So, if you want to serve a breakfast that feels very special during your Thanksgiving weekend, try this Cinnamon French Toast recipe from Plant-Powered Families. Pair with maple syrup, fresh fruit, or try with a dollop of my Creamy Cashew Dip.
Hempanola and Acai Antioxidant Smoothie This smoothie has a chocolate-berry flavor, and isn’t overly sweet. It is a great energy boost, and really can be a breakfast on its own. But, you can always make my ever-popular Hempanola and nibble on that while preparing your other Thanksgiving recipes! For those looking for an oil-free granola, try my Gingerbread version!
Creamy Breakfast Rice Pudding If you’re looking for an easy, comforting, plant-strong breakfast, this is it. Using some leftover brown rice (that you may already have on hand for other Thanksgiving recipes), you can have a cozy, creamy, pudding-like warm cereal in minutes. If you have PPF, this recipe is also in there!
Snacks/Appetizers
Sweet Balls. If you haven’t tried the Sweet Balls from Plant-Powered Families yet, they make a great finger food with a dipping sauce!
Spiced Sweet Potato Hummus. Because no holiday is complete without hummus! #hummusisafoodgroup 😀
Rawesome Nut Dip While amazing on its own with veggies or crackers for dipping, also try as a filling for lettuce wraps, to fill in endive leaves or rice paper rolls. Or, use in small phyllo pastry rolls and bake for a warm appetizer.
Dinner – Sides/Salads/Soup
Kale-Slaw with Curried Almond Dressing With the combination of apples and cranberries, this is such a festive salad, and is also another reader fave!
Citrus-Tahini Salad Dressing To me, the flavors in this dressing can complement just about any Thanksgiving or holiday dinner. Serve with a bright, crisp romaine salad with pomegranate seeds and you’re set!
Roasted Sweet Potato Puree This simple but flavorful side dish is always on our holiday menu.
Roasted Rutabega Puree So is this one! (It’s my very favorite way to eat rutabega, the addition of cinnamon changes everything.)
Almond Roasted Cauliflower This dish is unbelievably addictive and has turned cauli-naysayers into cauli-lovers. You have to try it to believe it!
Other vegetable sides I love include Smashing Sweet Spuds (pictured above with the No-Fu Loaf), White Bean Mashed Potatoes, Lemon Dijon Green Beans, Oven-Sweetened Beets with Sage, Gingered Broccolini, and Duo of Roasted Fennel. These recipes are all from LTEV, so if you have the book, look them up!
Traditional Cranberry Sauce This is so easy you’ll wonder why you haven’t always made cranberry sauce from scratch! (p.s. I freeze any leftovers, works a charm!)
Thick ‘n Rich Gravy It’s as it sounds – thick and rich! You might be happy with just this and some spuds!
Sweet Potato Peanut Stew with Chickpeas This soup is very seasonal, and the infusion of peanut is not heavy or cloying. This would be a beautiful addition to your Thanksgiving menu, or to have another day during your weekend.
Cream of Pumpkin Soup with Maple-Spiced Pepitas A new addition this year, this soup makes a great starter, and is so wonderfully easy to make!
Dinner – Main Dishes
Festive Chickpea Tart. This recipe from Let Them Eat Vegan was featured in VegNews many years ago and has become a reader favorite since. It isn’t difficult to make, and you can even bake it without a crust if you prefer. Definitely a table “centrepiece”.
No-fu Love Loaf I had no idea this recipe from LTEV would be such a hit with readers. I’m pretty sure the sensation started after in her review of my book. (Thank you Susan!) Since then, I’ve heard from so many of you that love it. It’s definitely holiday fare, especially when paired with gravy and side veggies. This recipe also has notes to modify for a gluten-free option.
Moroccan Phylllo Rolls If you’d like to have something with a different flavor flair, these rolls are an outstanding centrepiece. They have flavor, texture, and an elegant presentation with the Balsamic Maple Sauce.
Sweets
Chocolate Pumpkin Pie What do you get when chocolate meets pumpkin meets pie? This! It’s easy to make, and the flavor combination is outstanding.
Pumpkin Pie Custards with Brulee Topping This is the dessert I always make for Thanksgiving. The whole family loves it, and it’s a little lighter after a big meal than other desserts.
Pumpkin Cake Because we need more pumpkin! 😀
Gluten-Free Pie Crust with “Apple of My Eye” Pie Filling This is a recipe that takes a little more time, a little more effort – but is most definitely worth it! Those of you that have made it have reported back with rave reviews. You will love the crust (even if you aren’t gluten-free), and the filling is apple-cinnamon perfection.
Pumpkin Chia and Raw Chocolate Pudding Parfaits This is a fun dessert or even snack to make for the kids. You can make the full parfaits, or just the pumpkin pudding and then garnish with chocolate. Either way, delicious!
“Hello Vegan” Bars If you are looking for a cookie bar recipe, these hit the holiday mark! They are festive and oh-so-irresistible.
Cocoa Cookie Dough Balls Maybe you’ve had enough decadent sweets, and just want a simple, healthy treat for you – or the kids! Now affectionately dubbed “CCDBs”, these are the perfect easy, healthy treat! Hint: They are especially yummy paired with a homemade spiced latte! Bonus: They freeze fabulously, if you can get them there. 😉
Diana says
Love your recipes. I printed out a version of your Thick ‘n Rich Gravy back in 2013. Everyone I make it for loved it. Today I was searching for it on your site to share with a vegan group, but I could not locate it. What happen to your Gravy recipe. The link above for it does not go to the recipe. Thank you for all you do.
Sarah @ Accidentally Crunchy says
So many yummy recipes to try! Great collection!
Lisa Cien says
Oh my…I can’t wait to try out these recipes! They all look sooooo delicious! I already love the citrus tahini dressing, I’m looking forward to making a few of these (or maybe all?) others over the holiday. No-fu love loaf just might be my main dish with the chocolate pumpkin pie for desert. Yum! Thank you Dreena!
Val says
Thanks for all of the great ideas, Dreena! Do you have a dip that you would recommend with the Sweet Balls? I’ve got LTEV and the PP15 books. Thank you!
Dreena says
Val, you could use a fave BBQ sauce, or for something creamy maybe the Raw-nch Dressing or Creamy House Dressing… or, for a tangy sauce my “Balsamic Maple Sauce” – that one’s from ed&bv but also posted on my blog! 🙂
shayna says
Wow Dreena! You are so inspiring and always outdoing yourself! Your recipes have been an incredible resource for me as I’ve transitioned from from organic whole foods plant based (but not vegetarian) to vegetarian and about 90% vegan (going for 100%, trying to eliminate the final food- a grassfed organic cheddar) over the past year. Your recipes help me (and my formerly meat-centric bf) not just eat deliciously but be full and satisfied and get enough calories, too! (we were both losing weight and not in a good way when we gave up a lot of animal products). Somehow I’ve missed this no-fu loaf, thoughm in my many hours on your site and now can’t wait to make it! I made your apple hemp muffins and subbed pumpkin for applesauce and diced cinnamon sprinkled apples and my co-workers couldn’t believe they were vegan- I told them they needed to check you out! Finally treating myself for the holidays and bought LTEV just now on AMazon (I hope there’s not a better way to buy it? Want you the get the most from the purchase). Anyway, thanks so much, you share an incredible amount of valuable info and delicious recipes with your readers. Hope your Thanksgiving and holidays are as delicious and abundant as your wonderful blog. <3 Go vegan!
Dreena says
So kind of you to say, thank you Shayna – and kudos for making the dietary transition. I hope to bring you much more food goodness to love! 🙂
marquis @realrawkitchen says
I love this! I agree with an above comment, there isn’t a single picture/recipe that doesn’t look good. So many great ideas that I cannot wait to try! I’ve just discovered your blog, as well, and I’m VERY thankful I did 🙂
Dreena says
Thank you!!
Stef says
there’s not one picture that doesn’t look awesome and delicious!!! great job!
Dreena says
Appreciate that, thanks Stef!
Tami@NutmegNotebook says
Thank you for all the wonderful recipe suggestions – now the hard part will be choosing what to make!
Virtually Vegan Mama says
What a great round up!! everything looks delicious and I know it all is because you rock!
😉
xoxo
Jen
Dreena says
You’re so sweet – thank you Jen!
Alisa says
Oh my goodness Dreena – this entire post was like a drool fest! I must leave now, you are making me way too hungry! Will definitely be checking back for our T-day planning.
Dreena says
Thanks Alisa! xo
Amy P says
Omigosh, the Hello Vegan bars are to die for–even my non-vegan, non-gluten free husband loved them. Thanks for the great recipes!
Dreena says
Delighted to hear it, Amy! You’re welcome, thanks for the feedback. 🙂
Kristina says
Mmm, I would LOVE to be a guest at your holiday table, Dreena! each and every one of these sound perfect – and all great ideas for holiday festivities.
I am making my cauliflower steaks for the couple of vegans at this year’s Thanksgiving (yes, I am not the only one this year!). Mom always makes veg-friendly sides for me, and I always make WAY too much food anyway 😉
Dreena says
Ditto, Kristina! You are so incredibly creative, and I have a sneaky feeling you’d enjoy decorating cookies and gingerbread houses and all that finicky stuff my kids love – but I don’t. shhhh! 😉 And HURRAH that you are not the lone vegan at your Thanksgiving table this year. That is certainly something to be grateful for. Enjoy your celebrations!
Leslie Paquette says
Thanks for the recipes! Do you happen to have an easy whole wheat pastry crust recipe? I would like to make the chickpea tart for thanksgiving but I’m pretty sure I will not be able to find a whole wheat crust or at least one with acceptable ingredients. I’d much prefer to bake it with a crust. Also, will it freeze well if I make it ahead? I am planning on making a lot of dishes this year and would love to get a head start. Thanks again! Leslie
Dreena says
Leslie, I have a spelt/oat crust in LTEV that would work well for this tart. You can omit the small amount of sugar in it (as it’s used in the dessert section, but there’s not much sweetener in it). I know Wholly Wholesome has a line of nice w/w and maybe even spelt pastry crusts. They don’t sell in Canada anymore so I’m not sure what their product line is now, been a few years since I’ve used them – but worth looking into! Good luck!
Leslie Paquette says
Thanks Dreena! I have LTEV so I will make that crust. I am in the US (Connecticut) and not too close to a whole foods so I’ll try to make my own! Do you think I can freeze it after baking or before or should I make it the day of? Thanks!!
Dreena says
Leslie, I think you can make it a few days in advance. Freeze it or even refrigerate it for a couple of days – takes some of the stress off for the big day! Good luck! Have a beautiful Thanksgiving. 🙂
Rebecca Stucki says
I’ve made the Thick and Rich Gravy and the Pumpkin Cake both more times than I can count now! (Not together, however!) Two of my absolute favorite recipes EVER. You know I love you, Dreena!! Happy Thanksgiving!
Dreena says
haha! Awesome, thank you Rebecca. Appreciate the cheer. 😀
Emma says
You’re overwhelming me with all these gorgeous dishes! I have made quite a few of them already but there are so many more left to try!
I think I’ll have to start with the French Toast though 🙂
Dreena says
Good place to start, Emma! Have fun!
Anna {Herbivore Triathlete} says
I will take one of each please!
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday all year! All that’s required is eating good food. I love it! (I must be a food geek too!)
I haven’t decided on my final menu yet. I am debating between your festive chickpea tart and Angela’s Walnut Lentil loaf as my “main dish”. Now you’ve thrown the NoFu love loaf into the mix, aaahh, decisions, decisions.
Thanks for the awesome list Dreena.
Dreena says
We should start a #foodgeek movement, Anna! 🙂 I wish our Cdn Thanksgiving was at the same time, it’s far more festive in Nov than Oct. I haven’t tried that apple walnut loaf but I’ve heard it’s amazing!! Have fun planning your menu (and even more fun enjoying it)!