Plant-based eating is certainly on the rise. In the past few weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, U.S. top poultry companies have been reportedly suffering fiscal losses of millions of dollars because more and more people are switching to meatless Thanksgiving options.
In fact, the Good Food Institute reports that vegan meat sales have increased by 23% this year.
Last week only, the iconic Oregon-based Tofurky company sold its fifth million vegan turkey (a blend of seitan or ‘wheat meat’, wild rice, and breadcrumbs) since its founding in 1995.
If you’re done with chuckling over the Tofurky, wait till you hear what’s currently in the works in terms of festive protein substitutes, beyond the well-known tofu loafs and seitan roasts! What is Thanksgiving without the taste of Gello mold?
Cali-based bio-design company Geltor which has come up with vegan gelatin for cosmetics is expected to release an edible version in 2020.
Also, Clara Food, the San Fran-based cellular agriculture business, is planning to release a vegan egg white followed by a vegan egg with yolk by 2020. This would make baking a vegan pumpkin pie much easier – you could even follow a traditional recipe using the plant-based substitutes!
Not to mention that market niche leaders like Beyond Meat keep on rolling out vegan sausage varieties, so your stuffing is also sorted!
While we are waiting to try all these vegan innovations, and since the festivities are upon us, we have selected the finest vegan Thanksgiving recipes that wouldn’t take a whole day in the kitchen! These delicious, mouth-watering recipes will satisfy the appetites of even the most voracious meat lovers!
Table of Contents
Festive Falafel with Cranberry Pear Dip
These delectable chickpeas balls with parsley, cilantro, cumin, and garlic take under half an hour to cook. The sauce is prepared by softening the pears and cranberries in a pan with brown sugar or coconut sugar.
Vegan Mushroom Gravy
You can use baby portobello mushrooms – preparation time is half an hour and you can simmer it up to five days ahead of Thanksgiving! Keep it refrigerated in the meantime.
Gluten-Free Cornbread
We had to deliver a vegan bread option! Made from ‘pecan flour’, this delicacy boasts an addictive buttery taste without any oil or butter as an ingredient.
Butternut Roast
You can count us in any time you cook with red wine. We love pistachios and spinach as an addition! The recipe takes a little over an hour and serves four people.
Another Vegan Mushroom Gravy
An alternative mushroom gravy prepared with a mix of fresh and dried mushrooms! And lots of red wine…
Vegan Sweet Potato Pie
Satisfying your sweet tooth as a vegan is not always a careless affair! This mouth-watering pie takes about two hours but the pecan crust is so worth it! You can serve it with whipped coconut cream.
Tofurky Recipe
Those fine cuts are not of animal origin! Tofurky already comes with plenty of spices, but this recipe calls for adding a few more, including fall classics like thyme, oregano, and rosemary.
Thanksgiving Meatless Loaf
Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, this flavorful loaf filled with mashed sweet potatoes is also soy-free and gluten-free!
No-Bake Pumpkin Tarts
Naturally sweetened by Medjool dates, these easy and creamy bites with a sweet pumpkin filling boast aromas and tastes like vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and ground cloves!
Carrot Chips
Use a simple vegetable peeler to shave the carrots thinly and bake with oil, salt, and pepper! So scrumptious!
Maple Pecan Pie
Pecan pies usually contain a ton of butter and eggs, but this fantastic recipe recreates the craved flavor with only vegan ingredients! It relies on organic tofu and Graham Crackers for the texture.
Vegan Stuffing Recipe
Requiring only nine simple ingredients, this superb stuffing recipe uses lentils, flaxseed meal, and veggie broth as substitutes for the meat, eggs, and chicken broth, respectively, from the original recipe.
Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing
This leafy meal requires only 50 minutes of preparation time and an hour to cool down. We love the toasted pine nuts and the zesty lemon and tahini dressing!
Celery Root Soup
Technically, any vegan fall soup would do, but we particularly like this silky soup, because it is simmered with potatoes and aromatic apples!
Baked Taro Chips
It takes about half an hour to prepare and is a great alternative to potato chips! You can serve it with any dip, like white bean and edamame hummus, for instance.
Speaking of which…
White Bean and Edamame Dip
It takes about 20 minutes in the food processor and it’s a refreshing alternative to traditional hummus!
Bon Appétit!
