Elevate Your Holiday Feast: 15 Irresistible Vegan Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude, togetherness, and, of course, an abundance of incredible food. While the main course often takes center stage, we all know that the true stars of the holiday table are often the delectable side dishes. From comforting casseroles to fluffy biscuits and perfectly seasoned mashed potatoes, these accompaniments complete the festive meal. If you’re planning a plant-based celebration or simply looking to incorporate more delicious vegan options, you’ve come to the right place.
This collection features 15 of my absolute favorite vegan Thanksgiving side dishes, carefully crafted to be both incredibly flavorful and surprisingly easy to prepare. We’ve taken beloved traditional recipes and given them a compassionate, plant-based makeover, ensuring every dish is packed with taste and texture that will impress even the most discerning palates. Get ready to explore a world of vegan culinary delights that will make your Thanksgiving feast unforgettable. Let’s dive into these must-try recipes!
Our Top 15 Vegan Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Green Bean Casserole
No Thanksgiving spread is truly complete without a classic Green Bean Casserole, and this vegan version rises to the occasion. What makes this recipe truly special is that it’s made entirely from scratch, ensuring a fresh and vibrant flavor profile. The homemade creamy sauce perfectly coats tender green beans, creating a comforting side that tastes even better than the traditional rendition. Topped with crispy, oven-fried onions, this casserole delivers an irresistible crunch and savory depth that will have everyone reaching for seconds. It’s a testament to how incredible plant-based comfort food can be.
Sweet Potato Casserole with Maple Pecan Topping
This Sweet Potato Casserole with Maple Pecan Topping has consistently been a fan favorite among readers, and for good reason! It offers all the rich, comforting flavors you expect from a holiday sweet potato dish, but without feeling overly heavy. The natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes is beautifully enhanced, while the luxurious maple pecan topping provides a delightful texture and an extra layer of caramelized goodness. It’s a perfectly balanced side dish that brings warmth and indulgence to your Thanksgiving table, proving that healthy choices can still be incredibly delicious.
Best Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions
Prepare to fall in love with these Garlic Mashed Potatoes! They are unbelievably creamy, rich, and utterly satisfying – the kind of mashed potatoes that practically melt in your mouth. Mashed potatoes are a quintessential side, pairing perfectly with virtually every item on a holiday plate. What elevates this recipe to an essential status are the sweet, savory caramelized onions folded throughout. The golden-brown onions add an incredible depth of flavor that transforms a simple side into a truly gourmet experience. Don’t skip the caramelized onions; they are pure gold!
Fluffy Biscuits
These Fluffy Biscuits are a revelation – not only are they incredibly light and tender, but they are also gluten-free, making them a fantastic option for guests with dietary preferences. Of course, they can easily be made with regular flour if preferred. The real magic, however, lies in their irresistibly flaky texture and buttery flavor (vegan butter, of course!). They are surprisingly simple to whip up, requiring minimal effort for maximum deliciousness. Serve them warm with extra vegan butter for a truly comforting addition to your Thanksgiving table.
Cornbread Stuffing
This Cornbread Stuffing is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser and truly made my week when I first perfected it! Crafted with either homemade cornbread (or a high-quality store-bought alternative for convenience), this stuffing is bursting with robust, savory flavors. It captures the essence of traditional cornbread stuffing with its perfect blend of herbs, vegetables, and tender crumb, ensuring it tastes just like the cherished holiday classic. It’s hearty, aromatic, and provides that comforting, familiar taste that defines a perfect Thanksgiving meal.
Loaded Sweet Potato Skins
For those who appreciate creative and flavorful twists on classic sides, these Loaded Sweet Potato Skins are an absolute must-make! Regular readers know these are a personal favorite, and if you’re new here, prepare to be amazed. The crispy sweet potato skins are generously refilled with a creamy sweet potato mixture, then layered with a zesty Tex-Mex inspired filling and crowned with savory coconut bacon. The combination of sweet, savory, and smoky flavors makes these skins unbelievably good and a vibrant addition to any Thanksgiving spread.
Easy Cheesy Cornbread Skillet
Oh, YUM! This Easy Cheesy Cornbread Skillet takes everything you love about cornbread and elevates it to new heights, especially with that incredible crust! The magic happens when melted vegan butter meets a hot cast iron skillet and the cornbread batter, creating an unbelievably crispy, buttery, and golden-brown crust. Inside, the cornbread is studded with vegan cheese, sweet corn kernels, and a hint of jalapeños for an extra kick of flavor. This delightful side is guaranteed to wow your guests and become an instant Thanksgiving favorite.
Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Onions & Apples
This recipe is an oldie but a genuine goodie that continually proves its worth! If you’re already a fan of Brussels sprouts, you will absolutely adore this dish. Even those who claim not to like them will likely be converted after trying this sweet and savory rendition. The Brussels sprouts are perfectly roasted with sweet maple syrup, alongside tender apples and caramelized onions, creating a harmonious blend of flavors and textures. The combination is simply divine, offering a refreshing and sophisticated green side that brightens up the entire holiday meal.
Cranberry Orange Sauce
While perhaps not a “side dish” in the traditional sense, a truly great Cranberry Orange Sauce is an absolute essential for any Thanksgiving feast. Its vibrant, tangy sweetness cuts through the richness of the other dishes, making it the perfect condiment to slather on everything from mashed potatoes to stuffing. This homemade version is particularly special because it incorporates fresh orange juice and zest, adding a bright, aromatic depth that store-bought varieties simply can’t match. It’s incredibly easy to make and can be prepared in advance, freeing up valuable kitchen time on the big day.
Jalapeño Cornbread Muffins
Transforming classic cornbread into individual muffin portions is pure genius, especially for a holiday gathering! These Jalapeño Cornbread Muffins offer all the comforting flavors of traditional cornbread with a delightful hint of heat, perfectly portioned for easy serving. They are ideal for sharing with your guests, allowing everyone to grab their own warm, fluffy piece. Plus, having them in muffin form is the perfect excuse to enjoy more than one! They’re not just delicious; they’re also convenient and a fun addition to your Thanksgiving table.
Stuffed Mushrooms with Coconut Bacon
These Stuffed Mushrooms are a personal favorite and a standout recipe! They’re generously filled with all the savory goodness you’d expect from traditional stuffed mushrooms, making them perfect as a delightful side dish or even as an elegant appetizer to kick off your feast. The real game-changer here is the crispy, smoky coconut bacon sprinkled on top; it adds an incredible layer of flavor and texture that is utterly essential. Once you make this coconut bacon, you’ll find yourself putting it on everything – it’s that good!
Garlic Butter Roasted Potatoes
When you combine butter, garlic, and potatoes, magic happens, and these Garlic Butter Roasted Potatoes are proof! There’s not much more that needs to be said to convince you of their deliciousness. These potatoes emerge from the oven perfectly crispy on the outside, tender and fluffy on the inside, and drenched in a rich, aromatic garlic butter (vegan, of course!). They come together incredibly quickly, making them an ideal last-minute addition to your holiday spread. Simple, classic, and utterly addictive.
Maple Garlic Roasted Carrots
These Maple Garlic Roasted Carrots are so good, they’re practically mandatory for Thanksgiving! The carrots are beautifully maple-glazed and infused with garlic, resulting in a wonderfully sweet, slightly caramelized flavor and a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. What truly elevates this dish is the vibrant carrot greens chimichurri drizzled over them – it adds a fresh, herbaceous zest that is absolutely out of this world. If you can find multi-colored carrots, they will make this side even more visually stunning and impressive on your holiday table.
Vegan Mushroom Gravy
While perhaps not a side dish in the strictest sense, a rich and savory Vegan Mushroom Gravy is undeniably a non-negotiable component of any Thanksgiving meal. This gravy is incredibly creamy, smooth, and bursting with deep umami flavor from the mushrooms and herbs. It’s absolutely essential for drizzling generously over mashed potatoes, stuffing, and any other dish that could benefit from a luscious, savory coating. A major bonus? This gravy can be made ahead of time, reducing stress and ensuring you have a flavorful, ready-to-serve condiment on the big day.
Baked Mac and Cheese
Finally, no Thanksgiving dinner is truly complete without a generous serving of Baked Mac and Cheese! This vegan rendition is simply outstanding; the creamy, flavorful sauce perfectly coats every noodle, creating an intensely satisfying dish that rivals any traditional mac and cheese. The golden-brown topping adds a delightful crunch and extra layer of texture, making each bite an absolute delight. It’s comfort food at its finest, guaranteed to be a hit with both vegan and non-vegan guests alike. Prepare for this to disappear quickly from your holiday table!
We hope this collection of 15 irresistible vegan Thanksgiving side dishes inspires your holiday menu planning. Each recipe has been crafted to bring incredible flavor, comforting textures, and festive cheer to your table, proving that plant-based eating can be truly decadent. From creamy casseroles to savory stuffings and delectable roasted vegetables, these sides are designed to impress and satisfy everyone gathered around your feast.
So go ahead, indulge, eat up, and enjoy your Thanksgiving, friends! We’re confident that these dishes will become cherished favorites for years to come. If you’re eager for more remakes of traditional side dishes or have specific requests, please let us know. We always love hearing what you’re looking forward to making and sharing!