For some reason, it seems like retail stores have decided to skip Thanksgiving this year and go straight to the December holidays. But what about all of the delicious Thanksgiving food?? Don’t you worry, dear reader, this foodie Mama has NOT forgotten about Thanksgiving. Not at all! I’m here to bring you some delicious, meat-free options for your Thanksgiving table. Below I’m sharing some of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes that are scrumptious, mostly nutritious and satisfying to vegetarians and the meat eaters at the table. Click here for even more meat-free recipe ideas for your holiday table.
Squash Macaroni & Cheese
By far, my favorite dish to make or share during the fall and winter is Pumpkin Macaroni & Cheese. I’ve decided that any Thanksgiving I’m either hosting or participating in will henceforth have this macaroni and cheese as a staple at the table. But, I’ve decided to make two changes to my original recipe: first, I’ve begun using Roasted Butternut Squash Purée rather than Pumpkin Purée and I’m using all-purpose flour versus a mixture of whole-wheat flour and all-purpose flour. I’m planning to make this dish a day ahead of time. I’ll follow the recipe right up until the steps for adding the breadcrumbs and baking it. I’ll do that part on Thanksgiving Day. You could also make the entire dish and just pop it back into the oven to reheat it for the feast.
Very Veggie Soup
I love this vegan soup because it is so easy to make and it tastes great. Soup often tastes better the next day so this is another dish you can make a few days ahead of time. Before serving, bring the entire pot of soup back up to a vigorous boil for 5 minutes and then reduce the heat so it simmers for another 10 minutes.
Vegetable Frittata
I like to make a dish with eggs to ensure that there is some vegetarian-friendly protein on the table. An easy dish to make, that can be made ahead of time and either reheated, served cold or served at room temperature is a frittata. This baked egg dish is so forgiving you can use any number of different ingredients for the filling. This Farm Fresh Frittata uses vegetables that are prevalent in the summer but you can swap them out for more seasonally appropriate vegetables such as shredded carrots, chopped broccoli or roasted root vegetables. The rice is not necessary here either so if you have some to use, throw it in. If not, don’t feel like you need to make some just to toss it into the frittata.
Quinoa with Vegetables
Quinoa with vegetables is such a flexible dish that I make different versions of it regularly depending on the vegetables I have on hand. The best part is that quinoa is packed with protein so I don’t have to waste time thinking about how to add protein to any dish with quinoa. Sometimes I add cheese and sometime I omit it for a plant-based or vegan meal. But, cooking quinoa can be tricky so if you’ve never made it before, visit this post to learn how to make it well.
Warm Farro Salad
Farro is definitely one of my favorite grains. It’s a little chewy and a little nutty and plays well with various types of vegetables and sauces. This Warm Farro Salad highlights produce that’s typically in season during the fall but you can swap them out for other vegetables you prefer or have on hand. Make this dish vegan by omitting the cheese or serve it on the side so people can add it if they so choose.
Happy Cooking for Thanksgiving!
Tags: Thanksgiving, vegetarian
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