Thanksgiving is coming along again, can you believe it? People might say it wouldn’t be quite Thanksgiving-y if it’s without turkey. But now with more people chose to change their lifestyles and practice veganism, how are they gonna do with this turkey-themed holiday?
That is actually not a problem.Whether you’re looking for a satisfying alternative toturkeyor want to have a variety of vegetable-forward side dishes, these recipes are all perfect for the holiday season. Here are eight vegetarian dishes to enjoy this Thanksgiving that you won’t even think of the massive bird.
Sweet Chili Roasted Brussels Sprouts
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Food blogger Abbey of Abbey’s Kitchen shares her beloved roasted Brussels sprouts as the vegetarian Thanksgiving dish. If roasted right,Brussels sprouts will become crunchy and has a little bit of a french fries taste–in my opinion. Anyway, it can taste so good that some people are addicted to it.
Here’s the whole recipe to make the sweet chili roastedBrussels sprouts:
3tbsp olive oil¼ cup sweet chili sauceJuice 1 lime2 tsp sriracha1 tsp reduced sodium tamari2 cloves garlic(minced)2 lb Brussels(halved)Salt and pepperTopping:
1/2 cup Chex cereal1/4 cup cashews1 tsp olive oilFleur de selInstructions:
Preheat oven to 425°F and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper.In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, lime juice, tamari, and garlic.On a large baking sheet, toss Brussels sprouts in the sauce until fully coated. Season generously with salt and pepper.Roast until slightly charred and tender, 30 to 35 minutes.Meanwhile, pulse the cereal in a food processor until crushed to look like panko breadcrumbs. Remove and set aside. Add in the cashews and pulse until they reach crumbs.Add the olive oil to a pan over medium heat along with the crushed cereal and cashews. Toast until just golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.Top the crispy brussels sprouts with the “panko” nut topping and sprinkle with fleur de sel.Roasted Red Pepper & CauliflowerDip
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Food52 author Ella Quittner shares this very special and healthy dip that’s made of red pepper and cauliflower. I’m curious as to how she turns those two vegetables into something addicting. Quittner also claims that “It’s equal parts creamy and perky, with a welcome tang from lemon and a little kick in the pants from the cayenne.”
Recipe of Quittner’s roastedred pepper and cauliflower dip:
6 cups chopped cauliflower (in roughly large bite-sized florets), stalks included (about 1 small head of cauliflower, minus the green core part)2 red bell peppers, with seeds and stems removed, quartered4 cloves garlic, peeled1/4 cup olive oil, plus more as needed and for drizzling to serve2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus a big pinch, plus more to taste1/2 teaspoon white pepper, plus more to taste (you can substitute black or rainbow if you prefer)2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste1/3 cup tahini, well stirred1 pinch cayenne pepper3 tablespoons water, room temp1 handful finely chopped herbs, toasted seeds, and/or crushed nuts to serve (optional)Instructions:
Heat oven to 450°F. Toss cauliflower, peppers, and garlic together with olive oil, salt, and pepper on a sheet-pan, and spread out into an even layer. Roast in oven for about 30 minutes, stirring once midway through until the cauliflower is tender enough that you can squash a floret easily with the tines of a fork. Let cool for a few minutes.In a food processor, combine roasted cauliflower, peppers, and garlic (scrape in any browned bits from the bottom of the pan!) with lemon juice, tahini, cayenne, and a big pinch of salt. Blend to combine until it’s fully hom*ogeneous, scraping down sides with a spatula midway through, about 3 minutes. Add the water, and blend for another couple of minutes, until it’s smooth and light. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, and lemon juice as needed.To serve, transfer to a bowl and make a dramatic swooshy pattern on top. Drizzle with your favorite toppings. (Store for up to a week, covered, in the refrigerator.)Vegetable-Loaded Baked Pasta
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You can cook pasta in a variety of ways. But here Fork in The Kitchen’s Becca has another idea to make her pastavegan, non-GMO, and gluten-free–aka, extra healthy times two. And apparently, it’s super easy.
Here’s the recipe for the #WINNING pasta dish:
Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto
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This gluten-free and easy vegan dish is introduced by food blogger Kathryne Talor of Cookie And Kate.This risotto is also healthier than most, since it calls for brown rice instead of white, and requires practically no stirring. You can just bake it all in the oven.
Recipe:
Butternut squash risotto
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided1 small yellow onion, chopped2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth, divided1 cup water1 ½ cupsbrown arborio/short-grain brown rice1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled and sliced into ½” cubes1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese* (about 2 ½ ounces)½ cup dry white wine, optional3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced1 teaspoon salt, more to tasteFreshly ground black pepper, to tastePinch red pepper flakes, to tasteFried Sage
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil16 to 20 fresh sage leaves, chopped (to yield about ¼ cup chopped fresh sage)Instructions:
Place the oven racks in the lower third and upper third positions (we’re going to bake the risotto on the middle rack and roast the squash on the upper rackat the same time), then preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for the butternut squash. Reserve 1 cup broth from your container and set it aside for when the risotto is out of the oven.Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in amedium-to-large Dutch ovenover medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened and turning translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant 1 to 2 minutes.Add 3 cups broth and 1 cup water, cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and stir in the rice. Cover the pot and bake on the lower rack until rice is tender and cooked through about 65 to 70 minutes. It will seem pretty dry when you take off the lid, but don’t worry!Immediately after placing the pot of risotto in the oven, toss the cubed butternut with 2 tablespoons olive oil on your lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and some freshly ground black pepper and arrange the butternut in a single layer on the pan. Roast on the upper rack until the butternut is fork-tender and the edges are deeply caramelized, tossing halfway. This took 55 to 60 minutes for me, but start checking for doneness around 40 minutes.While the risotto and butternut are in the oven, fry the sage: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the sage and toss to coat. Let the sage get darker green and crispy (but not brown) before transferring it to a plate covered with a paper towel. Sprinkle the fried sage lightly with salt and set it aside.Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Remove the lid and pour in the remaining cup of broth, the Parmesan, wine, and butter. Stir vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice is thick and creamy. Stir in the salt, a generous amount of pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes.Stir in the roasted butternut. Taste and add more salt and/or pepper, as needed. Divide the risotto into bowls and top each with a sprinkle of fried sage.Sweet Potato Casserole
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Sweet Potato Casserole is a traditionalThanksgiving dish. Follow Becky from The Cookie Rookie’s recipe for this make-ahead sweet potato casserole to make your holiday preparations easy!
The recipe‘s here:
3 15 ounce cans of sweet potatoes. drained.1/4 cup melted butter1/2 cup sugar1/2 teaspoon salt2 eggs well beaten1/2 cup milk1/2 teaspoon vanillaTopping:
1 cup packed brown sugar<1/4 cup butter softened1/3 cup flour2 teaspoon cinnamon1.5 cups chopped pecans honey roasted or regularInstructions:
Pour the butter over the sweet potatoes in a large bowl and mash.Add sugar, salt, eggs, milk, and vanilla. Blend them well.Pour into 9in. glass baking dish.Combine ingredients for topping and crumble with your hands until combined.Sprinkle the topping mixture over the potatoes.Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes.Broccoli Casserole
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Food blogger Kristine of Kristine’s Kitchen has another recipe for the casserole dish. “Besides thesweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and roast turkey, one dish that always graces my family’s Thanksgiving table is broccoli casserole,” the blogger stated. “Ever since I first made this broccoli casserole recipe years ago, it has been my family’s favorite holiday side dish. Thanksgiving dinner isn’t complete without it!”
The recipe:
2 ½ pounds broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces (about 8 cups)6 tablespoons butter, divided1 cup finely chopped crimini or button mushrooms¼ cup flour1 cup milk (whole or 2% preferred)½ cup half and half½ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper½ cup plain Greek yogurt*1 cup finely chopped yellow onion1 egg, lightly beaten1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese, divided1 ¼ cups whole-wheat breadcrumbs (homemade* or store-bought), dividedInstructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 3 quart baking dish with cooking spray.Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add broccoli and boil for 4 minutes. Transfer to a colander, rinse with cold water, and drain. Place broccoli in a large bowl.Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until soft, about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer mushrooms to the bowl with the broccoli.In the same saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, for 30 seconds. Whisk in the milk and half and half. Bring to a low simmer and continue to whisk constantly until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the salt, pepper, and Greek yogurt.Pour the sauce into the bowl with the broccoli and mushrooms. Add the onion, egg, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, and ½ cup of the breadcrumbs. Stir to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and stir into the remaining ¾ cup breadcrumbs. Stir in the remaining ½ cup cheddar. Sprinkle breadcrumb topping over the casserole.Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15-20 minutes more, until topping is lightly browned and casserole is hot. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.Cheesy Kale & Mushroom Strata
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This recipe from Smitten Kitchen is great for both vegetarian and kids who are picky eaters.
Ingredients:
13 oz. sourdough or country-style bread, cut into 1½” pieces (about 7 cups)2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil8 oz. crimini mushrooms, sliced ¼” thick2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided3 leeks, white and pale green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced crosswise ¼” thick1 bunch curly kale, ribs and stems removed, leaves torn into 2″ pieces8 large eggs2 Tbsp. whole grain Dijon mustard2½ cups whole milk5½ oz. Gruyère or Comté cheese, coarsely grated, divided2 oz. Parmesan, finely grated, dividedInstructions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Toast bread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet until beginning to dry out but not yet browned, 8–10 minutes.Meanwhile, heat oil in a 12″ cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Arrange mushrooms in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.Add garlic, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing and reducing heat if needed, until mushrooms are golden brown all over, about 2 minutes.Push to one side and melt 1 Tbsp. butter in the center of skillet. Add leeks and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often and mixing into mushrooms, until softened, about 5 minutes.Add kale by the handful, tossing to wilt slightly after each addition, and cook, tossing often, until all of the kale is mostly wilted, about 4 minutes.Transfer kale mixture to a medium bowl. Let skillet cool slightly, then wipe out and coat with remaining 1 Tbsp. butter.Whisk eggs, mustard, 1 tsp. salt, and ½ tsp. pepper in a large bowl until no streaks remain, then whisk in milk.Arrange half of bread in skillet. Cover with half of kale mixture, then top with half of Gruyère and half of Parmesan. Top with remaining bread and kale mixture; pour egg mixture over. Press down on strata with a spatula to help bread absorb egg mixture. Scatter remaining Gruyère and Parmesan over.Bake strata until golden brown and no liquid seeps out when a knife is inserted into the center, 35–40 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.Gruyere and Thyme Scalloped Potatoes
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If you are a cheese lover, look over! Food blogger Becca of Fork In The Kitchen introduces her special vegetarian Thanksgiving dish “Gruyere Scalloped Potatoes,” as she claims is a “cheesy, creamy, comforting side dish for any main course!”
Here’s the whole recipe from Fork In The Kitchen:
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a 9×9 baking dish with butter.In a large stockpot, melt butter. Add onion and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and continue to saute for 2 minutes. Stir in flour and continue stirring for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in vegetable broth until combined. Whisk in milk. Add salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon thyme. Bring cream sauce to a simmer and continue to lightly simmer for 4-5 minutes.Layer half of the potato slices at the bottom of the greased baking dish. Pour over half of the cream sauce and sprinkle 3/4 cup of gruyere and 1/2 cup parmesan on top. Layer the See the whole recipe from Fork In The Kitchen.
