These Thanksgiving meals are bound to satisfy your vegan guests

Perhaps Sir Beef might not agree with this, but I say nonsense! Mushrooms are amazing: satisfying, rich in texture, abundant, budget-friendly, and wonderfully juicy when cooked. Let’s encase those beauties in a layer of vegan puff pastry. Surprisingly, vegan puff pastry is more common than you’d think. While butter-based versions tend to be pricier, most store-bought puff pastries are actually made with oil or vegetable shortening unless explicitly labeled with butter. Pepperidge Farm offers a frozen, boxed puff pastry that’s entirely free of animal products, and so does Jus-Rol. When checking your local store’s freezer section, just flip the box over and check the ingredients. You can also try this recipe from The Kitchn—don’t worry about the egg in the list, it’s just for brushing on the pastry’s surface, and you can skip it easily.

This mushroom-filled casserole delivers a rich, well-rounded flavor without being overly heavy. It’s creamy, savory, and packed with alliums (onions, shallots, and garlic!). While making the soup base takes more time than just opening a can, you can prepare it a week in advance and store it in the fridge for a quick assembly on Thanksgiving day.

As for mushrooms, they also make a hearty side dish filled with umami and endless possibilities. You can make stuffed mushrooms using common white button or baby cremini mushrooms, or opt for large portobellos to turn them into individual main courses. Just remove the stem (save them!) and you’ve got the perfect shell for a mix of chopped herbs, nuts, vegan cream cheese, breadcrumbs, or beans. Be sure to chop up those stems to add to the filling. Arrange the hollowed mushrooms on a greased, foiled baking sheet, and stuff them generously. Bake at 350°F for 20-40 minutes, depending on their size.

Brining isn’t just for meat! Soaking an entire cauliflower head in a salty, sugary solution before roasting it infuses the vegetable with rich flavor, transforming it into a true showstopper. I use a 10% salt brine, as suggested by Matty Matheson, but be careful: Make sure the brine has cooled completely before adding it to the cauliflower, and always use sea salt. I once used iodized salt to brine cauliflower and it turned out far too salty (and that’s saying something because I’m a huge fan of salt!).

Vegans and vegetarians are often overlooked in the presentation department, so why not treat them to something both visually stunning and flavorful? This fanned delicata squash dish is not only beautiful to look at, but it’s also glazed with a mix of miso, brown sugar, and fresh hot chilies, making it a feast for the eyes and the palate.

Did you know that it's possible to whip up comforting, creamy vegetable soups without using cream or dairy? All you need is plenty of fat—at least half a cup of olive oil—your choice of vegetables, and some vegetable or chickpea broth. Sauté the veggies in the fat, blend them with the stock in a powerful blender, and season as you wish. It’s simple, almost effortless, but of course I’ve got a recipe for you!

Eggplant parm may seem like a no-fuss vegan main dish, but what about the cheese? Thankfully, modern food science has come a long way, particularly in the realm of vegan cheeses. Visit the non-dairy section of your local grocery store and you’ll probably spot at least two types of vegan mozzarella. After picking out your favorite plant-based cheese, make this vibrant and tangy, super-easy vegan marinara to coat your succulent eggplant slices. Top with gooey, non-dairy cheese, and bake as per the recipe's instructions.

This elaborate stuffed kabocha dish was originally created four years ago—where did the time go?—as a vegetarian twist on the famous Turducken. The dish is loaded with carrots, mushrooms, shallots, and fresh herbs, but it’s the entire head of roasted garlic that truly sets it apart.

While there are many frozen vegan roasts available, few offer mock duck and mock goose. The latter is specially designed to crisp up, giving your roast that coveted crackling skin. Prepare this when you’re catering to a crowd of meatless guests, and don’t forget to make stuffing and gravy. What’s a Thanksgiving feast without stuffing and gravy?

Don't complicate things: A simple pot of warm, aromatic, and soothing lima beans will please everyone (especially if you have any Southern vegans around). Lima beans create their own gravy and often just need a dash of salt and pepper. For an extra touch, try simmering them with a bouquet garni of fresh herbs and a whole head of garlic.

Leaving Brussels on their stalk makes a spectacular, entirely vegan centerpiece. Seriously, take a look at it. Cutting little cross-sections in the sprouts helps the maple glaze soak right into the vegetable, and that glaze is absolutely delicious. When you're ready to serve, simply slice them off with a sharp knife or hold the stalk upright and carve them off, churrascaria style. It's a bit more work than serving sprouts from a bowl, but it's nothing compared to carving a turkey.

I don’t follow a “strict” recipe for vegan mashed potatoes, but honestly, one isn’t necessary. With all the advancements in vegan options, you’re almost spoiled for choice. You can add richness with coconut cream, a buttery taste with Miyoko’s vegan butter, and blend everything together with vegan mayo (I personally prefer “Just Mayo”).

But the true secret doesn’t lie in the substitutes, but in the extras: Roast two or three heads of garlic until they're dark and sticky, then mash and fold the tender, sweet cloves into the potatoes. Top the dish with vegan parmesan and pop it under the broiler for a few minutes to form a crisp, savory crust.

Who says Thanksgiving has to be purely traditional? One of my favorite quick and flavorful Thai dishes is Galam bplee pad nam pbla, or large cabbage strips stir-fried with garlic, oil, and fish sauce. Swapping out the fish sauce is simple; to make it vegan-friendly, just use a substitute like tamari, soy sauce, or this vegan fish sauce. It's an affordable dish with minimal ingredients that’s quick to prepare and serve.