The Best Vegetarian Dishes for Thanksgiving

Happy holiday season, friends! Welcome back to a very special edition of Whatcheescooking, the culinary klatch where I share my favorite recipes, tips and products to get creative, seasonal, restaurant-style meals to your family’s table. 

This month, I’m sharing my favorite vegetarian-friendly Thanksgiving recipes to help inspire you to confidently approach vegetarian requests for holiday table guests WITHOUT sacrificing creativity and, most importantly, flavor. 

Let me preface this article by saying this: I LOVE THE HOLIDAYS. I love the weather, the get-togethers, family time and decorating the house.

Beyond all that, I also LOVE the food. I tend to be a fairly traditional holiday cook – roasted or smoked turkey, mashed potatoes and giblet gravy, green bean casserole (with bacon, obviously), dressing (not stuffing, also with bacon), sweet potato casserole, etc. 

I stuck with this traditional holiday cooking until my baby sister started spending Thanksgiving with us. She used to be a strict vegetarian in those days, so I wanted to make sure to dazzle her with my version of vegetarian foods on the holiday table. 

Using fresh and seasonal ingredients, the right pantry staples, a whole lot of love and a little creativity, I was able to make her holiday meal dreams come true. Vegetarians need love, too! 

** Thank your local farmer for their hard work by sourcing locally from your area…they keep food on our tables! **

Here are a few of our favorite vegetarian recipes to add to your holiday meal plan (whether you’re vegetarian or not!).

The Best Vegetarian Dishes for Thanksgiving

Roasted Stuffed Butternut Squash 

Instructions for Roasted Stuffed Butternut Squash

Step 1: 

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
• Using a spoon, core out the neck of the butternut squash. Think about it as if you were carving out a canoe from a log. You want to create a space to place our stuffing
•  Pat dry, and set aside

Step 2:

• Over medium-low heat, sauté onion and garlic until the onion is transparent. 
• Allow to cool slightly
• In a large bowl, combine the farro with the balsamic vinegar and a good glug of olive oil, then stir
• Taste and season as needed for your preference
• Add sautéed garlic and onions, and stir

Step 3: 

• Add in the remainder of your ingredients to the farro mixture, combining well
• Fill the butternut squash “canoes” with the prepared stuffing
  •  press into halves to ensure it won’t come out when you flip them together

Step 4: 

• Place into your preheated oven and roast, covered, for 90 minutes or until a toothpick goes into the squash easily
•  Allow to rest as you would a roast, then remove gently from the loaf pan, slice it up, and enjoy! 

You can serve this GORGEOUS vegetarian main with a roasted veggie gravy to enjoy the entire Thanksgiving experience. 

Anything-But-Basic Side Salad

Shaved Brussels, ale, and romaine lettuce are the PERFECT blend of greens for this beautifully simple and delicious fall salad. 

Instructions for Anything But Basic Side Salad

Step 1: 

• Add ALL of your goodies into a large bowl and toss well to distribute ingredients together

Step 2: 

• Add cranberry vinaigrette to salad
• Use tongs, salad utensils or your very clean hands to toss well
  •  If ½ cup of the delicious vinaigrette isn’t enough dressing for your taste, add more and toss again. Easy Peasy!

Cranberry Vinaigrette 

Whether you make your own cranberry sauce or you buy it from your local store, this vinaigrette is a game changer and so easy to make!

Instructions for Cranberry Vinaigrette 

Step 1: Are you guys ready for this? 

• You put all of your prepared dressing ingredients into your blender and blend it up!
  • The blender emulsifies and breaks down everything into a GORGEOUS, velvety vinaigrette
  •  Make sure to taste your dressing and adjust the seasoning as needed

Green Bean Casserole – Vegetarian and Vegan versions

Instructions for Green Bean Casserole 

Step 1: 

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
• Salt generously and bring 4 quarts of water to boil
• Quickly blanch the green beans in boiling water for 3-4 minutes
• Immediately drain and chill them in a bowl of cold or iced water; Once cooled, drain and set aside

Step 2: 

• Over medium heat, add a small amount of oil of choice to the pan
• Sauté shallot and garlic until shallot becomes transparent
• Add mushrooms and thyme
• Continue to sauté until mushrooms are slightly softened
• Season with salt and pepper to taste

Step 3: 

• Add 3 tablespoons of your butter or oil to the mushroom mixture; followed by the flour
• Stir to evenly distribute flour and remove any clumps
  • You’re looking for everything to be evenly coated in your pan

Step 4: 

• Continue stirring to cook down the rawness of the flour. This should take about 5-10 minutes
• Once flour is cooked, whisk in the cream or oat milk, and continue stirring over medium heat until mixture comes to a hard simmer and begins to thicken

Step 5: 

• In a large bowl, mix together mushroom gravy, blanched and cooled green beans and crispy fried onions
• Once mixed thoroughly, TASTE YOUR FOOD, and adjust seasoning as needed
• Spoon into the baking vessel of choice 
• Cook in the preheated oven for 40 minutes

Step 6: 

• After 40 minutes in the oven, remove casserole from oven
• Top with 1 cup of extra crispy fried onions you had set aside 
• Put back into the oven for 10 minutes, or until the topping is slightly browned
• Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving