by, Shari D
I am all about the sides! I really have no desire to recreate the traditional centerpiece of my Thanksgiving Dinner. My thought is if you make super tasty appetizers and side dishes, no one will miss the "turkey". Since I ditched all animal products 7 years ago, I've had plenty of time to search, make, and tweak what I consider to be some of the tastiest holiday recipes.
Let's start with some appetizers:
This appetizer is easy to make and super tasty. It's so nice to have vegan puff pastry right in the freezer section now. I buy Aussie Bakery Puff Pastry - it is 100% vegan and can be used for a variety of tasty appetizers and desserts.
Easy Vegan Mushroom Crostini - this is so festive and impressive! You'll be so happy you made this and so will your company.
I'd add a fun festive drink to get the party started, such as a Rosemary and Orange winter champagne cocktail. I substitute agave for the honey and use sparkling water instead of champagne to make it a vegan mocktail.
One of my ALL TIME GO TO appetizers is Vegan Crab Cakes. These can be made appetizer size or as a main dish. Everyone I have made these for has the same reaction, these are absolutely delicious! You can find Hearts of Palm in the grocery section where you find artichoke hearts in the can. And you can find Old Bay in the spice section. You will absolutely fall in love with this recipe and will find other ways just to use Old Bay because its so tasty.
Let's talk about the side dishes for the main meal portion of your dinner:
I always make mashed potatoes....who doesn't like mash potatoes?? And they are so easy to make. You can even make them ahead of time and just reheat. If you do this, just add a little more non-diary milk to make the consistency creamy again. One of my favorite recipes is The Best Vegan Mashed Potatoes Recipe - Build Your Bite. I use Oat milk, lots of garlic, vegan cream cheese and diced red onion. This recipe is fun to play with and make to your liking.
Stuffing is absolutely my favorite dish of Thanksgiving Dinner. There are so many recipes to make a homemade stuffing but this is one of my favorites. You searched for roasted apple and root vegetable vegan stuffing - Rabbit and Wolves
Now let's talk gravy. Gravy is so easy to make that I recommend doing that rather than buying store bought. My go to recipe is Easy Vegan Gravy - Nora Cooks.
This recipe calls for Nutritional yeast. This can be found in the spice section usually right below on the bottom shelf. If you've never heard of or used Nutritional Yeast be prepared for it to become your best friend. You will be looking for any way to use it. Try it in pasta recipes and on popcorn. This is what it looks like.
Now for a main-stay Vegan Green Bean Casserole (karissasvegankitchen.com) A classic, favorite holiday side dish turned vegan. This vegan green bean casserole is easy and so delicious. Green bean casserole is one of my favorite holiday side dishes, second only to stuffing. The crunchy green beans and the creamy sauce and the yummy onion topping...oh my!
Let's finish off your wonderful dinner with dessert. There are so many vegan desserts that can be made even if you're not much of a baker. Here are a couple of my favorites.
And a must have at any Thanksgiving dinner is Vegan Pumpkin Pie Bars - Easy Recipe - Vegan Richa
The nice thing about cooking a vegan thanksgiving dinner is that the majority of these recipes can be made ahead of time and reheated just before serving. This way you can enjoy your company and not stress about cooking in front of everyone or trying to time all the different dishes.
And if you absolutely do not have the time to prepare a homemade Thanksgiving dinner, Whole Foods has you covered. Chef Chloe Coscarelli, one of the best vegan chefs in the world has curated a Thanksgiving Dinner feast. You'll need to place your order by Nov. 23rd Vegan Thanksgiving Menu | Whole Foods Market
Serving a Vegan Thanksgiving Dinner will be one of the best things you do for your company, the environment and for the animals. It is truly one of the best ways you can "give thanks".
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
