Hearty vegan dishes for Thanksgiving

For many of us, gathering friends and family together means cooking and sharing favorite dishes — especially on Thanksgiving. And Thanksgiving hosts want to be sure that everyone leaves the table satisfied. Even if turkey is the main attraction at your celebration, with a couple of simple steps, you can ensure that your vegetarian and vegan guests have a filling and delicious meal.

Many traditional holiday sides already feature vegetables and it’s easy to make substitutions to holiday classics. Try preparing mashed potatoes and stuffing with vegetable broth instead of chicken stock or milk and butter.

You can add herbs that are traditionally used in poultry seasoning — think sage, thyme, marjoram — so no one misses the chicken stock. And remember to bake the stuffing outside of the turkey!

You can also add a grain and vegetable side dish to your menu. These recipes are hearty enough to serve as a vegan entrée that everyone at the table can enjoy.

Try one of these favorites:

1. Kale-quinoa salad with roasted butternut squash
2. Kale, farro, and roasted yam salad
3. Roasted poblano peppers with squash and quinoa
4. Fall farro salad
5. Baked farro Mediterranean salad

Finally, if you’re looking for a vegetable side dish that will wow your guests, try this spiced Hasselback butternut squash.

Happy Thanksgiving!