Recipes Holidays + Events Thanksgiving Our 34 Best Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes By Food & Wine Editors Updated on October 9, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Photo by Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Prissy Lee Whether you're looking for a satisfying meatless alternative to turkey or want to have a variety of vegetable-forward side dishes, these vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes are all perfect for the holiday season. Start off your meal with crispy kabocha squash fritters or a flavor-packed caramelized onion dip. For your main, a Greens-and-Cheese-Stuffed Cinderella Pumpkin, Carrot Steaks with Roasted Garlic Hollandaise, or Baked Shells with Gremolata Breadcrumbs would make an impressive centerpiece. And don't worry, we didn't forget the stuffing, either. Read on for even more recipes we love that enhance Thanksgiving for vegetarians. Note: Some of these recipes include cheeses that are often made with animal rennet. If you prefer not to use that type of cheese, you can omit it if applicable or swap in a vegetarian-friendly substitute. 01 of 34 Baked Polenta with Mushrooms © Dana Gallagher This cheesy baked polenta would be a perfect side dish or even a main. If you'd like to pair it with wine, go for a Bourgogne Rouge. Get the Recipe 02 of 34 Ricotta-and-Fontina-Stuffed Shells with Fennel and Radicchio © Christina Holmes These delicious stuffed shells get flavor from a mixture of two kinds of cheese and vegetables. Get the Recipe 03 of 34 Quinoa Salad with Sweet Potatoes and Apples © Christina Holmes This vegetarian quinoa salad would make a great first course for Thanksgiving. As a bonus, you can prepare the quinoa and sweet potatoes ahead of time and refrigerate them for up to two days. Get the Recipe 04 of 34 Wild Mushroom Lasagna © Anna Williams In this satisfying lasagna, store-bought fresh pasta sheets are layered with wild mushrooms in a creamy wine sauce. Get the Recipe 05 of 34 Winter Squash Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Sage © Stephanie Meyer. "This classic northern-Italian combo of sage-Parmesan-gnocchi-brown-butter is one of my top five desert-island dishes," Andrew Zimmern says. Get the Recipe 06 of 34 Ombré Potato and Root Vegetable Gratin © Con Poulos Chef Carla Hall layers red beets, sweet potatoes, Yukon Golds, and turnips for her fantastic vegetarian gratin, which she tops with a crispy Parmesan cheese crust. Get the Recipe 07 of 34 Pumpkin Lasagna Karen Mordechai No need to roast fresh pumpkin for this dish (although you certainly could) because using canned unseasoned pumpkin puree is much quicker and works just fine. Like most lasagnas, this one is easier to cut if left to set for 10 minutes or so before serving. Get the Recipe 08 of 34 Caramelized Five-Onion Dip Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen A mix of five alliums — shallots, scallions, and sweet, yellow, and red onions — give this classic caramelized onion dip layers of flavor. Yellow and red onions give it bite, while Vidalia onion and shallots lend a pleasant sweetness. Taking the time to cook the onions slowly over low heat concentrates their flavor, while adding scallions halfway through cooking keeps them just fresh enough to serve with chips, toasted bread, or vegetables like endive, steamed fingerling potatoes, and roasted Broccolini. Get the Recipe 09 of 34 Kabocha Squash Fritters with Yuzu-Garlic Dipping Sauce Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Japanese korokke are the basis for these cheesy squash fritters, which can be made with freshly steamed kabocha squash or canned pumpkin puree. A drier squash, kabocha has a sweet flavor and cooks down into a custardy texture that's still dry enough to fry into these crispy two-bite appetizers. Serve them with a shortcut dipping sauce, a blend of fresh garlic, bright yuzu juice, and silky Kewpie mayo. Get the Recipe 10 of 34 Potato–and–Celery Root Biscuits Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Torie Cox Biscuit pro Chadwick Boyd's biscuits get an upgrade from a thyme-infused mash of potatoes, celery root, and cream. Substitute in one and one half cups of mashed potatoes, if desired. Run your hands under very cold water and dry well before working butter into flour in step two and working the dough in step three. "This is the granny method," says Boyd. "It's the tactile way of merging the butter and flour — with your hands. You literally snap it between your fingers and thumb." Get the Recipe 11 of 34 Carla Hall's Buttermilk Biscuits Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Torie Cox Made with a combination of grated cold butter for flavor and vegetable shortening for tenderness, chef Carla Hall's biscuits owe their towering, flaky layers to her classic laminating technique. Get the Recipe 12 of 34 Fennel and Apple Salad with Hazelnuts Photo by Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Prissy Lee Tucked in among the tender lettuce leaves, fragrant fennel, sweet-tart Granny Smith apple, and toasty hazelnuts add a refreshing crunch to this fall salad. Get the Recipe 13 of 34 Citrus, Beet, and Arugula Salad with Halloumi Croutons Photo by Dan Perez / Food Styling and Prop Styling by Nurit Kariv Resplendent with mixed citrus and jewel-toned roasted beets, this peppery arugula salad gets elevated to holiday status courtesy of crispy halloumi croutons. Get the Recipe 14 of 34 Red Cabbage Salad with Baked Cherries, Apples, and Almond Dukkah Marcus Nilsson This refreshing salad features bright cherry vinegar and sweet roasted cherry juice. Dukkah — a blend of spices, herbs, and nuts — grounds the flavor and adds an earthy crunch. Get the Recipe 15 of 34 Whole Baked Pumpkin Soup Aubrie Pick Baking pumpkins whole traps steam inside the vegetable, resulting in a lush, velvety pumpkin puree, and making the skins easy to remove. In this recipe from chef Christian F. Puglisi, a simple reduction of dry white wine mingles with butter to balance the sweetness of the pumpkin. Get the Recipe 16 of 34 Lemon-Pomegranate Cranberry Sauce Johhny Miller A quick whirl in a food processor is all it takes to make this fresh-tasting sauce — no cooking required. For a savory boost, stir in finely ground toasted coriander. Get the Recipe 17 of 34 Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Onions with Mushroom Lardons David Malosh A duo of alliums — shallots and pearl onions — becomes irresistibly sweet when roasted, making them the ideal partner to slightly bitter brussels sprouts. Bacon, the usual star in recipes like this, is replaced with lardons made from king oyster mushrooms. Get the Recipe 18 of 34 Green Bean Casserole with Almost-Burnt Almonds David Malosh This riff on the Thanksgiving classic features tender-crisp green beans in a silky vegetarian sauce. With incredible crunch and intense nutty flavor, almost-burnt almonds take this dish to the next level; carefully cut one almond in half after the initial bake to make sure it's browned all the way through. Get the Recipe 19 of 34 Braised Greens with Crispy Garlic and Miso Butter David Malosh Hearty autumn greens take on new life when braised in a miso butter–laced broth. These richly flavored greens make a versatile side dish for everything from turkey and fish to sweet potatoes and squash. Get the Recipe 20 of 34 Brussels Sprouts and Broccoli with Cranberry Agrodolce Photo by Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Prissy Lee A quick, high-temperature oven roast on a baking sheet yields crispy, golden brown brussels sprouts and almost-charred, smoky broccoli. Tossed in a sweet and tangy sauce studded with tart cranberries, Fresno chiles, and shallots, the vegetables become an easy, elegant side dish. Get the Recipe 21 of 34 Roasted Butternut Squash with Curry Leaves Greg DuPree "A sprinkling of marash chile flakes and curry leaves with coconut oil add a bit of heat and an intoxicating fragrance, while the black mustard seeds add a hint of nuttiness," cookbook author Nik Sharma says of this butternut squash recipe. Get the Recipe 22 of 34 Savory Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Sesame Seeds David Malosh With brown sugar, vinegar, and liquid aminos, these sweet potatoes are the best balance of savory and sweet. You'll know they are perfectly cooked when they are tender but not falling apart. Get the Recipe 23 of 34 Garlic-and-Herb Mashed Potatoes Photo by Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Prissy Lee These mashed potatoes are a speedy, nearly effortless dish thanks to a flavor-packed special ingredient: a garlic-and-herb-flecked spreadable cheese (such as Boursin). For a colorful twist, use purple Peruvian potatoes instead of Yukon Golds to make vibrant, violet mashed potatoes. Get the Recipe 24 of 34 Crushed Potatoes with Spiced Olive Oil Victor Protasio Pressing the boiled potatoes through a wire baking rack is a neat trick for easily peeling and coarsely crushing them all at once. A trio of toasted and ground seeds — caraway, fennel, and coriander — mixed with extra-virgin olive oil gives these potatoes a delicately fruity but warmly spiced flavor. Because of the generous amount of olive oil in this recipe, the potatoes are great served warm or at room temperature. Get the Recipe 25 of 34 Rustic Bread Stuffing with Swiss Chard and Chestnuts David Malosh Swiss chard lends a pleasant earthiness to this hearty stuffing; meaty chestnuts add texture and richness. Choose high-quality crusty bread for this recipe to ensure a fluffy texture and crisp top. Get the Recipe 26 of 34 Vegetarian Wild Mushroom Sourdough Dressing Victor Protasio Tangy, crusty sourdough creates a dressing with contrast: chewy center pieces that have soaked up the stock and crispy, toasted edges. To ensure a balance of flavors and textures, keep stirring the mixture until stock and eggs have absorbed into the bread completely and none is pooled at the bottom of the mixing bowl. Get the Recipe 27 of 34 Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potato Hand Pies Gerard + Belevender Made with Lisa Ludwinski's Sister Pie All-Butter Pie Dough, the golden, crispy pastry encasing these savory hand pies shatters almost like a croissant. Lightly mashed sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, tangy sour cream, and aged cheddar make up the creamy-cheesy filling. It's a simple mixture, but it tastes like a handheld bite of Thanksgiving. If the brussels sprouts are large, quarter them instead of halving. Get the Recipe 28 of 34 Creamy Swiss Chard Gratin with Crispy Gnocchi Photo by Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Prissy Lee A riff on creamed spinach, this cheesy gratin is studded with buttery toasted gnocchi. Swiss chard adds an earthy bite, while a duo of nutty Gruyère and salty Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses brings richness and depth to the béchamel. Store-bought gnocchi help this gratin come together in a flash, and toasting them in butter instead of boiling adds a compelling crunch. Get the Recipe 29 of 34 Baked Shells with Gremolata Breadcrumbs Photo by Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Prissy Lee Macaroni and cheese is always a crowd-pleaser. This version features a combination of fontina for optimal gooey texture and cheddar for its tangy flavor. A crispy, bright mix of toasted panko, parsley, lemon, and garlic complements the richness of the ultra-creamy baked shells. Get the Recipe 30 of 34 Raclette-Gruyère Mac and Cheese with Pickled Shallots Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Inspired by älplermagronen — Alpine farmers' macaroni — this Swiss twist on a Thanksgiving classic gets rich flavor from Gruyère and a lush creaminess from raclette. Traditional versions of this dish are served with applesauce, and as a nod to that flavor play, we've added some shallots that are quickly pickled in apple cider vinegar to balance the cheesy richness. Get the Recipe 31 of 34 Curried Squash Galette David Malosh With a super-flaky crust (the secret: frozen grated butter) and a lightly spiced sweet-savory winter squash filling, this rustic galette from F&W Culinary Director at Large Justin Chapple makes a perfect vegetarian meal; serve it with a green salad. Get the Recipe 32 of 34 Carrot Steaks with Roasted Garlic Hollandaise Photo by David Malosh / Prop Styling by Amy Wilson / Food Styling by Maggie Ruggiero Chef Kate Williams' beautifully layered carrot steaks at the now-shuttered Lady of the House in Detroit were a mainstay on her menu. Here, she's shared an at-home riff using large horse carrots, balancing their natural sweetness with plenty of salt and lemon. The silky hollandaise drizzle comes together easily using a blender, which virtually guarantees an effortless sauce. Get the Recipe 33 of 34 Roasted Butternut Squash with Chorizo-Spiced Kale Photo by David Malosh / Prop Styling by Amy Wilson / Food Styling by Maggie Ruggiero With its earthy sweetness and dense texture, butternut squash makes a hearty vegetable steak. Chef Damian Sansonetti highlights its complexity with his chorizo spice mix. He blooms the blend of cumin, Pimentón, and coriander in oil to release each ingredient's aroma, which provides a smoky foundation for this shoulder-season dish. Get the Recipe 34 of 34 Greens-and-Cheese-Stuffed Cinderella Pumpkin © Anna Williams Inspired by Cassie Piuma's squash spanakopita at her restaurant, Sarma, in Somerville, Massachusetts, this stuffed pumpkin is filled with a nutty, creamy blend of Gruyère and feta cheeses; sweet, anise-scented fennel; and hearty green lacinato kale for a stunning vegetarian main dish fit for any holiday table. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit