30 Stunning Plant-Based Entrées That Will Be the Star of Thanksgiving Dinner

We don’t mean to raise any panic, but Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching. With all of the careful planning and orchestrating that it takes to put together an amazing Thanksgiving dinner, we can understand that stress levels can be high. But truth is, they don’t have to be. …Okay, so the holidays will likely never be stress-free, but planning your dinner doesn’t have to be! That’s why this year, we’re here to help you plan everything from the mashed veggies, gravy, sides, desserts, and yes — the entrée.

What can you make for Thanksgiving dinner when turkey is off the table? While browsing the Food Monster App, we came up with three ideas: plant-based meatloaf, meaty recipes, and seasonal vegetable-based entrées. So, without further ado, let’s jump right into it. Here are 30 show-stopping, plant-based dinners that’ll be the star of Thanksgiving:

Plant-Based Meatloaf

1. Lentil Loaf With Celery Root Mash

Source: Lentil Loaf With Celery Root Mash

If you’re looking to quench your cravings for meatloaf or simply need an effortless, nutrient-dense recipe that doesn’t disappoint, you need to try out this Lentil Loaf With Celery Root Mash by Gabrielle St. Claire. Lentils can have the same hearty texture as meat and are perfect for recreating classic umami flavors. For a healthier alternative to mashed potatoes, this recipe uses celery root! When mashed, it is starchy and fluffy- just like the cozy mashed potatoes you grew up with.

2. Lentil Loaf With Tomato Glaze 

Source: Lentil Loaf

This Lentil Loaf by Alison Edmund is a hearty, wholesome, and healthy meal that is far better than any old meatloaf. The tomato glaze recipe is made with just three simple ingredients; ketchup, yellow mustard, and brown sugar. Even picky eaters will love this sauce on top of your lentil loaf!

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3. Black Bean, Quinoa, and Walnut Loaf 

Source: Black Bean, Quinoa, and Walnut Loaf

This delicious Black Bean, Quinoa, and Walnut Loaf by Julie Zimmer won’t fall apart on you. It holds together really well, just like a classic meatloaf. This loaf hits all the high notes for nutrition. It’s made with black beans, quinoa, black rice, chia seeds, rolled oats, and walnuts. It’s also made with mushrooms, but you don’t really taste the mushrooms in the loaf, instead, they are in there to add depth and a savory taste. You can also substitute the mushrooms with zucchini. The loaf can be served as a main course or a side dish. It tastes great as is or with mushroom gravy.

4. Nut Roast With Cranberry Orange Compote 

Source: Nut Roast With Cranberry Orange Compote

This Nut Roast With Cranberry Orange Compote by Holly Jade is packed full of festive holiday flavors, with no added sugar, and is 100 percent tasty. It’s made with a mixture of walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, and cashews to create a flavorsome, moist, and textured entrée. A seasonal cranberry orange compote is complementary to this festive dish. This would be the perfect dish to serve up for your Thanksgiving dinner along with seasonal vegetables.

5. Lentil Vegetable Loaf

Source: Lentil Vegetable Loaf

This Lentil Vegetable Loaf by Camille David is pure comfort food! A blend of aromatics, spices, lentils, vegetables, and nuts, the ingredients are extremely simple, and yet the result is striking. This is perfect for all occasions, from weeknight dinners to potlucks.

6. Thanksgiving Vegetable Loaf With Cranberry Glaze

Source: Thanksgiving Vegetable Loaf With Cranberry Glaze

Need an entrée that will please all palates? This Thanksgiving Vegetable Loaf With Cranberry Glaze by Jasmine Briones is it. The combination of the quinoa, oats, mushrooms, and nuts provide this dish with the perfect “meatloaf” texture — and it’s speckled with cranberries, so it’s perfect for the season. Finish it off with your choice of our cranberry glaze recipe or a traditional meatloaf glaze.

7. Cranberry Lentil Loaf With Maple Glaze

Source: Cranberry Lentil Loaf With Maple Glaze

This gluten-free Cranberry Lentil Loaf With Maple Glaze by Lindsay Cotter is one to be thankful for and it’s super easy to make. Black lentils create a meaty, hearty base speckled with chia seeds, vegetables, and bright red cranberries that provide a burst of flavor. It’s finished off with a sweet maple-mustard glaze that’s like icing on the cake … err, loaf.

8. Hazelnut and Orange Nut Roast With Cranberry Sauce 

Source: Hazelnut and Orange Nut Roast With Cranberry Sauce

Who needs regular meatloaf when this Hazelnut and Orange Nut Roast With Cranberry Sauce by Annabelle Randles makes a unique, beautiful, and most importantly delicious centerpiece for any occasion? It is made with fluffy quinoa, hearty lentils, and a rich assortment of vegetables including leeks, mushrooms, onion, and celery. The citrusy notes from the orange and the fruity flavor from the cranberries are a wonderful contrast to the otherwise savory profile of this loaf.

9. Lentil Cashew Loaf

Source: Lentil Cashew Loaf

This hearty Lentil Cashew Loaf by Katie Culpin and Josh Bailey is as tasty as it is simple – and it is simple. The lentils and cashews make a dense moist loaf while the sundried tomatoes accent the flavor perfectly. The loaf is finished with a savory glaze that puts this dish over the top.

10. Lentil Potato Nut Loaf

Source: Lentil Potato Nut Loaf

This hearty, colorful Lentil Potato Nut Loaf by Nele Liivlaid is made from red lentils, chickpeas, vegetables, and potatoes. It’s nutty, savory, and slightly sweet thanks to the addition of roast sweet potatoes and carrots. The loaf goes extremely well with vegan cheese sauce, a salad of Romain lettuce, steamed kale, oven-roasted tahini-sauce-coated Brussels sprouts, and raw red cabbage.

Plant-Based Meat

1. Classic Seitan ‘Roast’

Source: Seitan

Seitan is a meat substitute derived from the protein portion of wheat. There are several different ways to prepare this meaty wheat – this Seitan recipe by Azucena Noriega is one of the most basic, requiring only bread flour and water and then some seasoning. The process is pretty involved but the savory, meaty result is worth it! Use this seitan on sandwiches, as a salad topper, or as a delicious main that will stun your guests!

2. Gluten-Free Seitan

Source: Gluten-Free Seitan

Here’s a “seitan” that is gluten-free. This Gluten-Free Seitan by Rhea Parsons contains oats though, so make sure to get certified gluten-free oats if you have celiac disease or are gluten-intolerant. Oats gave it that meaty “chew” that makes it perfect for Thanksgiving entrées.

3. Vegetable Stuffed Seitan Roast 

Source: Vegetable Stuffed Seitan Roast

Forget the store-bought stuff. This Vegetable Stuffed Seitan Roast by Yana Chistyakova is an entrée that will satisfy all your guests. Herbs like rosemary, thyme, and smoked paprika are worked into the seitan dough, adding to its flavor and visual appeal. The stuffing is made from meaty mushrooms, carrots, apples, nuts, and raisins if desired. Then the whole roast is boiled in a savory vegetable broth to infuse it with umami flavors. Yum.

4. Seitan Roast With Sausage and Pear Stuffing and Apple Cider Gravy

Source: Seitan Roast

If you’re serving a small party of guests for the holidays, but don’t want to compromise on extravagance, make this stuffed Seitan Roast by Zsu Dever. This savory, meaty roast is stuffed with vegan sausage, cabbage, and dried fruit, and then braised in the oven for three hours so it’s perfectly tender. As a final step, it’s pan-seared and then baked again. The top is crisp, the stuffing is sweet, savory, and tasty, and it’s served in a tangy onion-cider gravy.

5. Seitan Pot Roast 

Source: Seitan Pot Roast

This Seitan Pot Roast by Dawn Kriss isn’t exactly like a traditional meat pot roast your mom would have prepared for dinner, but if you make this plant-based version for her, she’ll probably beg you for the recipe! Who wouldn’t want to know all the secrets to prepare tender homemade seitan in a lip-smacking vegetable stew? Plus, the pot roast is made in a slow cooker, so you can just throw everything in, go about your day, and come home to a warm, comforting meal.

6. Savory Seitan Roast

Source: Savory Seitan Roast

This Savory Seitan Roast by Inka Szot is simmered in broth to infuse it with flavor, then rubbed with cayenne pepper and baked with leftover broth to give it even more flavor. This tender roast is perfect as it is, but don’t forget to pair it with mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy, roasted vegetables, and cranberry sauce!

7. Mini Stuffed Seitan Roasts With ‘Instant’ Mushroom Gravy 

Source: Mini Stuffed Seitan Roasts

Don’t be intimidated — these Mini Stuffed Seitan Roasts by Anja Cass are the easiest homemade roasts you’ll ever make. The savory bread stuffing in this recipe requires no pre-cooking at all, nor does the gravy, which takes only a minute of your time. Once everything is prepped, you just pop it in the oven and let the magic happen.

8. The Unturkey Roast

Source: Unturkey Roast

This mighty Unturkey Roast by Tami Noyes is enough to feed the family and still has leftovers, as is traditional. The roast may be cut into thin or thick slices. If desired, let cool, then bake the slices in broth until heated. The slices may also be wrapped in puff pastry with sautéed mushrooms, greens, or cooked crumbled vegan sausages and bread cubes. Follow the package directions to bake the wrapped unturkey. Serve with gravy.

9. Stuffed Seitan Roast

Source: Stuffed Seitan Roast

This Stuffed Seitan Roast by Josephine Watmore can be made in the morning and left to cool before things get too hectic. Then just slice off the portions you need for dinner and reheat for 10 minutes until hot just before serving. This way, it frees up space in the oven and makes preparing dinner more relaxed and less overwhelming!

10. Crispy Breaded Chickpea Cutlets in Mushroom Gravy 

Source: Crispy Breaded Chickpea Cutlets

In this recipe, Crispy Breaded Chickpea Cutlets by Amy Lyons are served with savory homemade mushroom gravy — and the “breading” is gluten-free! Chickpeas have the perfect flavor and texture for this meal that’ll win over anybody. Serve this alongside some fresh greens or any vegetable of your choosing.

Vegetable Entrées

1. The Vegducken

Source: The Vegducken

Meet the ultimate in holiday centerpieces: The Vegducken by Jasmine Briones. It looks too show-stoppingly awesome to eat without taking hundreds of photos but smells so mouthwateringly delicious that you might forget all about that part. Roasted butternut squash is stuffed with eggplant, zucchini, and whole scallions, and layered with a savory, filling of sautéed mushrooms, red onion, scallions, red lentil, chickpeas, and gluten-free breadcrumbs that are puréed into crumbly deliciousness. Happy Thanksgiving!

2. Roasted Root Vegetable Stack With Dukkah 

Source: Roasted Root Vegetable Stacks

These delicious Roasted Root Vegetable Stacks by Cassandra Star are quick, easy, and irresistibly tasty. The layers of tender sweet potatoes, potatoes, and onions are interspersed with a liberal amount of dukkha and garlic that perfectly complement the sweetness brought out by roasting root vegetables.

3. Pecan Stuffed Butternut Squash

Source: Pecan Stuffed Butternut Squash

Filled with natural sugars from the squash, packed full of vitamins and minerals to help you stay energized and happy. Not only is this Pecan Stuffed Butternut Squash by Maria Koutsogiannis extremely simple to make, but it is also easy on the eyes, filled with fragrant flavors, and gorgeous as a centerpiece. The pecan-stuffed slices are just stunning and adding that extra pop from the pomegranates adds a wow factor as well as a burst of fruity flavor!

4. Roasted Cauliflower Piccata With Mashed Potatoes With Sour Cream and Chives

Source: Cauliflower Piccata

When you cut a head of cauliflower like you would a loaf of bread, the resulting slabs can be roasted and served as delicious steaks. This Cauliflower Piccata from VEGANIZE IT! is seasoned with a luscious lemony piccata sauce and mushrooms atop a serving of creamy mashed potatoes will be your new favorite way to serve this versatile veggie.

5. Portobello Wellington 

Source: Portobello Wellington

This Portobello Wellington by Jennifer Strohmeyer that gourmet vegan is not only possible but can rival the classics. This dish is earthy, naturally sweet, and full of flavor. Make this for your next dinner party and you will be sure to impress your friends.

6. Roasted Eggplant With Cashew Cream and Pomegranates 

Source: Roasted Eggplant

This Roasted Eggplant by Kristen Genton is unbelievably simple but incredibly delicious! The roasted veggie becomes beautifully tender and its umami flavor is countered by the cashew cream. Toss in some pomegranate arils for a burst of tartness and you have an easy snack or meal that doesn’t skimp on flavor.

7. Double-Baked Butternut Squash With Quinoa, Spinach, and Rosemary 

Source: Double-Baked Butternut Squash

This Double-Baked Butternut Squash by Maria Engbjerg is a tribute to the fall and is the perfect accessory for the Thanksgiving table. Serve them with a beautiful salad – make a dinner that is healthy, beautiful, and filling! This is a butternut squash recipe that gets twice as good for two laps in the oven!

8. Brown Rice and Lentil Stuffed Cabbage Rolls 

Source: Brown Rice and Lentil Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

These Brown Rice and Lentil Stuffed Cabbage Rolls by Kathryn Pfeffer-Scanlan are mixed with green lentils and brown rice as a healthy, plant-based meat substitute for corned beef. Topping them with vitamin C-rich tomato sauce also makes them an even better source of iron!

9. Rosemary Roasted Butternut Squash With Lentil, Tomato, and Mushroom Sauce

Source: Rosemary Roasted Butternut Squash

If you’re looking for a dish that’s big on flavor without all the hassle, then this Rosemary Roasted Butternut Squash by Philipp Ertl is for you. Butternut squash is roasted until tender with garlic and fresh rosemary, enhancing its flavors in all the best ways. It’s served with a chunky lentil and mushroom tomato sauce that’s as filling and as nourishing as it is delicious. This dish makes the perfect weeknight dinner, but it can also be used as a holiday side or main.

10. Maple Parsnip and Chestnut Wellington 

Source: Maple Parsnip and Chestnut Wellington

This Maple Parsnip and Chestnut Wellington by Natalie Tamara is a centerpiece worthy of any party. Wrapped in a puff pastry, maple syrup takes the natural, subtle sweetness of roasted vegetables to the next level. Serve this wellington alongside roasted mushrooms and red peppers for a real feast!

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