Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes

Gathering with family and friends around a magnificent holiday meal can be a warm, wonderful experience. When the holiday fare is vegan, it adds a whole new level of enjoyment to the sharing of food, and provides a profound foundation for the celebration.

For a truly delicious vegan Thanksgiving meal, it’s easy to replicate traditional dishes. There’s also great enjoyment to be found in incorporating non-traditional, festive holiday recipes to add some originality to the Thanksgiving table.

Many people know that it’s now possible to buy a ready-made vegan substitute to imitate the traditional Thanksgiving turkey. But with a little imagination, there are many other ways to leave the turkey alone, and create a delicious centerpiece using fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Thanksgiving Stuffing
serves 5-6

1 loaf of bread, cut into small cubes
2 onions, diced
3 cloves garlic
3 celery stalks
1 Tbsp. oil
a dash of tamari
1/4-1/2 cup. vegetable stock
3 Tbsp. tahini
1/4 cup. oil
1/2 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. oregano
1/2 Tbsp. onion powder
4 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
3 Tbsp. tamari or substitute
a sprinkle of paprika

1. Cut bread into small cubes, the size of croutons.
2. Saute the onions, garlic and celery in one tablespoon of oil and a dash of tamari, until soft, on medium-low heat.
3. Mix the remaining seasonings and liquids and pour over bread cubes. Mix. Spread on a tray and toast in oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Stir the vegetable saute into the toasted bread mixture (stuffing). Press into the bottom of an oiled long baking dish.
5. Sprinkle with paprika and bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Serve with Holiday Mushroom Gravy (see page two).

Holiday Stuffed Butternut Squash
serves 4

2 butternut squash
2 cups brown rice (cooked)
1 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup celery & 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. herb seasoning
1/2 tsp. cumin powder
2 Tbsp. tamari or substitute
1/2 tsp. each, garlic powder & onion powder
1 cup walnuts & 1/2 C. pecans, chopped
3 Tbsp. tahini
3 slices of toast

1. Slice butternuts in half and scoop out the seeds. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, until tender. Remove from oven and let cool.
2. Carefully scoop out insides without breaking shells. Mix squash with rice. Save shells.
3. Saute vegetables then add them to this mixture. Add seasonings, nuts and tahini.
4. Slice the toast into small squares like croutons and add to mix.
5. Stuff mixture into hollowed squash shells.
6. Bake for another 20 minutes and serve with Holiday Mushroom Gravy.

Next: Herb Roasted Vegetables and Holiday Mushroom Gravy

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Image:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mydailycommute/ / CC BY 2.0

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Christy B.

11:28AM PST on Nov 21, 2011

one word: yum! a note to those who want to try the recipes not to be intimidated in the kitchen, having confidance in your own cooking skills is half the battle (if not more)!
http://www.helium.com/items/2241895-how-to-improve-your-cooking-skills

send a green star

Kirsten B.

9:50PM PST on Nov 14, 2011

The recipe looks great - thank you!

Jennifer C.

2:16AM PDT on Jul 18, 2011

Yummy! Love these recipes. Thanks.

Adam K.

3:24PM PST on Nov 24, 2010

I have made vegan stuffing before and it is delicious. I have been a vegan for more than 16 years.

Manuela C.

8:59AM PST on Nov 24, 2010

Sounds/looks delicious!

Jessika B.

9:03AM PDT on Oct 30, 2010

Mari... what?! Thanksgiving is a holiday that revolves around the pilgrims, not columbus... he's got his own day in october, while we celebrate thanksgiving in november... I hear some countries have both of these on the same day, but not in america, we give our plunderers seperate holidays.

Mari '.

5:11AM PDT on Oct 13, 2010

Not Thanksgiving.............Holiday. I can't celebrate a killer such as Columbus. We can't move on until people deal with reality, We are living a lie Columbus was no better than other criminals.

Maureen H.

8:46PM PST on Jan 3, 2010

I love mushroom gravy. Very glad to have a recipe for it - I'm used to canned.

Angel F.

4:23PM PST on Dec 12, 2009

Hi Marcia,

I'm sorry - Someone I didn't see your comment until now.

Bread is usually not vegan. Most bread contains some sort of ingredient (even if it is a trace ingredient) that is not vegan.

However, there are many breads which *are* vegan. You can find some of them here:

http://www.gentleworld.org/vegan_alternatives/breads.html