You’ll often see Thanksgiving feasts that center around turkey and all the trimmings, but if you’re practicing a vegan diet, you may be looking for plant-based alternatives to fill up your holiday table. We’ve rounded up a list of vegan Thanksgiving recipes that will please everyone. Bonus: we added a few money-saving tips along the way!
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar
This quick-and-easy brussels sprouts dish from The Spruce Eats is a great option for any Thanksgiving table and happens to be vegan. Brussels sprouts are in abundance during the fall season, so you’ll often find them on sale either at grocery stores or the farmers market, which will help keep dinner costs down. Check your pantry to see if you already have the remaining ingredients on hand. Balsamic vinegar can be an expensive ingredient, but don’t feel the need to splurge for this recipe. When you cook down the vinegar into a reduction, you’ll concentrate the flavor for a richer taste.
Maple-Glazed Carrots with Warming Spices
Roasted carrots are a simple way to add more vegetables to your plate, and the warming spices will add some flavor, too. Check out this recipe for maple-glazed carrots from Go Dairy Free for a recipe that you can easily prepare the day of your holiday meal. To save time, and get some help in the kitchen, have kids wash and peel the carrots the day before. If you don’t have the “warming” spices on hand, consider buying a pre-made spice blend to use instead, which will help you save a few dollars at checkout.
Butternut Squash Risotto
Risotto is a hearty dish that can easily be used as a side dish or main entrée. Butternut squash is a traditional fall vegetable, but many recipes can be adapted to include any other seasonal vegetables you enjoy. Get creative by adding roasted mushrooms or sauteed leeks to this recipe for vegan butternut squash risotto for additional nutrients and flavor. Increase the amount of rice you use to make this recipe feed a larger crowd on a small budget.
Winter Lentil Stew
This hearty vegan winter lentil stew from Budget Bytes can easily feed a large crowd and will fill your home with the comforting smells of a holiday meal. Using in-season vegetables helps keep costs down, while lentils are an affordable way to add bulk to the dish. To save some money, seek out bulk bins at your local grocer when buying grains like lentils. They’re often cheaper than pre-packaged alternatives.
Stuffed Butternut Squash
This sweet and nutty, orange-fleshed winter squash is the star of Running in a Skirt’s vegan-friendly dish. Bringing together favorite holiday flavors and spices in a creative display, this hearty and nutritional dish will make your guests say, “Wow!” While it may take longer to roast the butternut squash, you can save some time by taking shortcuts like using pre-cooked rice and quinoa and pre-chopped kale and mushrooms.
Mushroom Wellington
If you’re looking to wow your guests with a show-stopping main dish, ditch the meat and opt for this mushroom wellington recipe from Feasting at Home. Many grocery stores carry pre-made vegan items, like the puff pastry used in this entrée. Use an assortment of mushrooms - you can mix more expensive varieties with less expensive varieties in the name of being cost-friendly.
Vegan Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Don’t forget to round out your holiday meal with dessert. These vegan pumpkin sugar cookies from Minimalist Baker are the perfect treat to keep on hand for visitors or to package up and send home with your guests. Stock up on cans of pumpkin before the holiday season hits, and look for coupons for vegan-specific items, like plant-based butter, to get the best deals.
Celebrating Thanksgiving with a vegan dinner doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive with these recipes and money-saving tips. For more financial tips and tools, visit our blog.
