Putting together a traditional Thanksgiving dinner can be a lot of work but when you or some of your guests eat a plant-based diet, trying to find vegan recipe alternatives to the classics can seem rather daunting.
These days, it can feel like we all have one dietary restriction or another, whether by choice, allergy or other medical need. Fortunately, if you have diners at your table who eat only vegan meals, you don’t have to stress. There are some fantastic classic recipes that are very easy to make and that allow you to be entirely plant-based at the same time.
This year, give thanks for these delicious vegan Thanksgiving recipes:
Vegan pumpkin pie recipe – Preheat your oven to 350ºF. In a blender, combine a 14 ounce can of pumpkin puree (not pie filling), ¾ cup canned coconut cream (full fat coconut milk), ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup maple syrup, ¼ cup cornstarch, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt, then pour into a vegan uncooked store-bought pie crust (9 inch) once it’s smooth. Bake for an hour. The edges may have a slight crackling and the center will still have a jelly look. Let it cool then chill in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours to set it. Ideally, leave it in there overnight.
Vegan green bean casserole recipe – Preheat your oven to 350ºF. In a large pot, boil 1 pound fresh or frozen cut green beans until tender and drain. In a small pan, fry 1 yellow onion (chopped) in olive oil until translucent. Do not brown the onions. Add onions to green beans and stir. Add 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary, salt and pepper to taste. In a blender, combine cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans), 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 clove garlic and a touch of water if needed to help blend it to smooth. Mix that combination into the bean mixture. Add to baking pan and sprinkle lightly with breadcrumbs if desired. Bake for 30 minutes or until hot in the middle.
Vegan stuffing recipe – Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine 5 celery stalks sliced, 1 medium diced onion, 3 peeled and diced carrots, 10 cloves of garlic. Sautee in pan with olive oil until onion is translucent and carrots are tender. Add 1 loaf of dense bread (around 14 slices) cubed, 3 tablespoons ground sage, 1 ½ each of teaspoons oregano and thyme and a couple of cups of veggie stock. Simmer and reduce until liquid is absorbed. Add stuffing to baking dish and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until desired texture. A softer stuffing requires less time. A more dry stuffing cooks longer.
