While I typically make 8 to 10 (sometimes, even 12) courses and spend 20 hours in the kitchen, I decided 2020 was too stressful to repeat that. Plus, since many of our Thanksgiving dinners (including my own) will be significantly smaller this year, I wanted to keep the menu on the small side and make it relatively fuss-free. This five-course vegan Thanksgiving meal consists of three side veggie dishes (or two side dishes and an appetizer, depending on how you look at it), a hearty yet wholesome main dish, and an easy no-bake tart. Most of these recipes are a bit more modern than classic Thanksgiving recipes for a few reasons. One, I already have several more traditional Thanksgiving recipes on my blog (mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, etc.). And two, my cooking style skews more modern and elegant than traditional.
Creamy Lentil Stuffed Butternut Squash (main course) Sweet Chili-Ginger Brussels Sprouts (side dish) Roasted Carrots with Gremolata (side dish) Fresh Herb Salad with Sumac Shallots (starter or side dish) Salted Chocolate Cream Tart (dessert)
If you want so supplement this meal with something more carb-heavy and indulgent, I suggest either my miso butter mashed potatoes or my wild mushroom stuffing, or some fluffy bread rolls would be divine. If you work efficiently and make the dessert ahead of time, you can easily make this five-course meal on Thanksgiving day in 3 hours or less. Whether you make the whole menu or just one recipe, I hope you’ll enjoy these recipes this holiday season!
Creamy Lentil Stuffed Butternut Squash
Roasted butternut squash gets stuffed with a hearty and creamy lentil filling that is packed with umami and punchy flavors (sticky browned onions, lots of garlic and fresh herbs, red wine, tahini, balsamic vinegar). It makes for a hearty and satisfying main course that the whole family will love. When ready to serve, drizzle with a creamy (and quick) sauce made from the scooped out butternut squash.
Sweet Chili-Ginger Brussels Sprout
My holiday table is never complete without Brussels sprouts, so I love coming up with new and fresh ways to serve them. Like these Chinese-inspired Sweet Chili-Ginger Brussels Sprouts! Brussels sprouts get roasted until browned, then doused in a sticky, spicy and slightly sweet sauce with fresh ginger and garlic.
Roasted Carrots with Gremolata
For my next veggie side dish, I chose to make a simple carrot dish because (1) both veggies roast in the oven at the same temperature for the same time, so you save on a lot of time there; (2) I love starchy veggies on my Thanksgiving table; (3) and roasted carrots are so delicious that you don’t need much to turn them into a crowd pleasing side dish.
Big Vegan Flavor
Techniques and 150 recipes to master vegan cooking. You do need to use skinny carrots if you want to roast them whole. If your carrots are standard-sized or large, you’ll want to cut them into half or quarters, lengthwise, and then into large chunks.
Fresh Herb Salad with Sumac Shallots
Since most holiday tables are packed with heavy, rich dishes, I love adding a salad into the mix to lighten things up. You can serve this salad as a starter, or as a palate-cleansing side dish.
Big Vegan Flavor
Techniques and 150 recipes to master vegan cooking. And if salad sounds boring for the holidays, keep in mind that this is a fun and non-traditional salad. The base consists of cucumber ribbons, fresh herbs, scallions, and wedges of crisp Little Gem lettuce. The star of the show are the shallots, which get quickly marinated in vinegar and sumac, a spice common in Middle Eastern cooking that’s bright, tangy, citrusy yet a little earthy.
Salted Chocolate Cream Tart
While pie (and pumpkin) is more traditional for Thanksgiving, I prefer tarts because they’re so much easier and quicker to make. And while I definitely enjoy pumpkin desserts, not everyone in my family does so I often end up making a chocolate dessert, which is guaranteed to satisfy every appetite.
Big Vegan Flavor
Techniques and 150 recipes to master vegan cooking. And this salted chocolate cream tart is a no-brainer when it comes to an easy holiday meal. With a no-bake brownie base and a creamy salted chocolate filling, it’s rich and creamy but made with wholesome ingredients and requires no baking. Best of all, it can be made several days in advance for a stress-free holiday. The hardest part about this recipe: remembering to refrigerate your coconut cream a day in advance.
