Being vegan comes with so many great things, but Thanksgiving dinner is not usually one of them. Just because you are vegan does not mean your family is or their Thanksgiving dinner will be, so if you’ve found yourself at a loss for what you’ll be eating come November 23rd, then this is the article for you. Here is a guide for a fully vegan Thanksgiving dinner, complete with easy recipes that anyone can manage to make on short notice and bring with them this Thursday.
For starters, no Thanksgiving dinner is complete without some delicious bread rolls. Lucky for us vegans, the Pillsbury crescent rolls, which will probably show up at your Thanksgiving dinner already, are completely vegan! Just remember to skip the butter, or opt for alternatives such as Smart Balance or Earth Balance.
Now, onto the main meal.
Entree: Lentil Loaf
Ingredients Needed:
- 1 cup of green or brown lentils
- 2 1/2 cups of water or vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves of garlic (or 1/2 tsp of garlic powder)
- 1 small onion
- 1 small red bell pepper
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery stalk
- 3/4 cup oats
- 1/2 cup any flour
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon each garlic powder & onion powder
- pepper & salt to taste
Total Cook Time: Roughly two hours. Serves eight.
Directions: For the full recipe and directions, courtesy of The Simple Veganista, click here.
Side Number One: Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 6-8 gold potatoes (best for mashing)
- 3/4 stick of vegan butter (I prefer Smart Balance) OR 6 tbs of vegan butter
- 1 tsp of garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- Notes:
- Olive oil can be substituted for the vegan butter, but use more sparingly.
- You can add unsweetened dairy-free milk to make the potatoes creamier, but use less butter if you do this.
Total Cook time: 45 minutes. Serves four.
Directions: Peel and chop potatoes. Place in a large pot of boiling water. Boil for 15-20 minutes or until soft. Drain. Mash potatoes by hand or with a mixer. Mix in butter and flavorings. Enjoy!
Side Number Two: Roasted Vegetables
Ingredients:
- 6-8 small carrots, halved
- large handful of green beans
- 1/2 red onion (cut in small wedges)
- 1/2 small squash (your choice), cut into chunks
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 2 tbs balsamic vinegar (optional)
- salt and preferred seasonings to taste
Total Cook time: 1 hour. Serves 4-6.
Directions: Preheat oven to around 425°F. Place the cut vegetables in a bowl. Toss with olive oil, balsamic, and seasonings until evenly coated. Place on a non-stick or lined baking tray. Bake for 45 minutes. Enjoy!
Dessert: Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 tbs ground flaxseeds (+ 3 tbs of water)
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- Note: Recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups but this can sometimes make the dough too dry.
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup vegan butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup non-dairy chocolate chips (I prefer the Enjoy Life brand)
- Note:
- This recipe can be easily halved if you don’t want too many cookies (which would be crazy, I know).
- This is also my all-time favorite cookie recipe!
Total Cook Time: 20 minutes. Makes roughly 15-20 cookies.
Directions: For full and detailed directions, check out the My California Roots recipe here!
So, there you have it! Here is a fully vegan Thanksgiving dinner that will be sure to satisfy vegans and non-vegans alike! Try it out and bring your yummy results to Thanksgiving dinner this year. Your family will probably love it as much as you do. Enjoy and happy holidays!
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