Plan the perfect gluten-free vegan Thanksgiving for your friends and family! Main dishes, soup, sides, and desserts that are perfect for holiday meals and that the whole family will love!
Are you overwhelmed trying to figure out what to make for a gluten-free vegan Thanksgiving meal?
When I celebrated my first Thanksgiving as a vegan, I was kind of excited. There seemed to be enough options like Tofurkey, stuffing, and rolls to still have a great meal. Then, when our family needed to go gluten-free as well, it got very difficult!
This will be our 18th year having a vegan Thanksgiving and our 9th year doing a gluten-free vegan Thanksgiving. We've tried many things over the years and these are some of our favorites!
Vegan, gluten-free, allergies, picky eaters... How do you please them all?
Our extended family has about as many food restrictions, allergies, and food aversions as there are people, so it makes big family meals challenging. You're probably in the same boat, but don't worry, I've got you covered. I compiled all of my family's favorite gluten-free vegan Thanksgiving foods along with the best recipes from other specialty bloggers to give you a complete list of options from breakfast to dessert, and everything in between!
Breakfast/ Brunch Ideas:
For those of you that do an early Thanksgiving brunch type meal or simply want a fancier breakfast than you would typically have, I have included some breakfast ideas. Many of these things you can make the day before and have ready to eat in the morning when you are busy with other things.
- Gluten Free Vegan Pumpkin Muffins - The Hidden Veggies
- Vegan Smoked Carrots (Vegan Smoked Salmon) - Veetcookbake
- Baked Pumpkin in Oatmeal – Spabettie
- Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Glaze – Allergy Awesomeness
- Mini Vegan Quiche Muffins - The Hidden Veggies
- Cranberry Orange Muffins - The Hidden Veggies
Appetizers:
Since Thanksgiving is such a big long meal, you probably don't have to go crazy over the appetizers, but having a few special things out to snack on is nice to have.
- Quinoa Stuffed Squash Rings – Rhubarbarians
- Vegan Clam Dip - The Hidden Veggies
- Homemade Vegan Cheese - The Hidden Veggies
- Vegan Spinach Balls - The Hidden Veggies
- Pumpkin Hummus – Rhian’s Recipes
- Spicy Carrot Dip - Flavours Treat
- Homemade Quinoa Crackers - The Hidden Veggies
Main Dish:
The main dish when you are both vegan and gluten-free is not easy. My family loves my "chicken" a la King or we sometimes do a loaf or a Wellington. (Note: Schar's brand now sells a gluten-free vegan pastry puff that you can use to make wellingtons! I tried it this weekend and it was delicious)!
- Harvest Veggie Loaf - Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
- Vegan "Chicken" A la King - The Hidden Veggies
- Vegetable Wellington - Yummy Mummy Kitchen (Use a GF pastry puff)
- Vegan Cauliflower Lentil Loaf – Strength and Sunshine
- Lentil Meatloaf Muffins – Veggies Save the Day
- Vegan Tofurkey with Mushroom Gravy – Epicurious
- Extra Veg Vegan Shepard’s Pie – Tinned Tomatoes
- Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese – Vnutrition
- Sweet Potato Seed Loaf Roast - Trinity's Conscious Kitchen
- Lentil and Brazil Nut Roast with Sage and Onion Stuffing – Tin and Thyme
Thanksgiving Classic Sides:
These are the sides that you would think of with any traditional Thanksgiving meal.
- Rosemary Roast Potatoes – Trinity’s Conscious Kitchen
- Gluten-Free Vegan Green Bean Casserole - The Hidden Veggies
- Mama Easy Dairy-Free Mashed Potato Recipe - Go Dairy Free
- Gluten Free Stuffing - Gluten Free Jules
- Cranberry Orange Relish – Fried Dandelions
- Gluten Free Bread Sticks - The Hidden Veggies
- Sweet Potatoes in the Instant Pot – Delightful Adventures
- Gluten Free Vegan Cheddar Bay Biscuits - The Hidden Veggies
Thanksgiving Sides with a Twist:
These are things that pair perfectly with your holiday meal, yet maybe a little different from the typical sides.
- Stove Top Rainbow Carrots with Caramelized Onions – The Baking Fairy
- Lentil Mushroom Wild Rice Pilaf - Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
- Maple Cinnamon Cranberry Pear Sauce - Veggie Inspired
- Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes - Vnutrition
- Vegan Butternut Squash Risotto - The Hidden Veggies
- Paleo Mashed Cauliflower Kale – Tasting Page
- Quinoa Stuffed Squash – Diane’s Vegan Kitchen
- Cauliflower Stuffing - The Hidden Veggies
- Roasted Maple Balsamic Veggies - The Hidden Veggies
- Crispy Maple Mustard Stuffed Potato Balls - Spabettie
Salads:
For those who want a lighter side of your Thanksgiving meal with some fresh and healthy salads.
- Wild Rice Salad with Apples and Pomegranate – Veggies Save the Day
- Harvest Salad – Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
- Vegan Broccoli Salad with Cranberries - The Hidden Veggies
- Vegan Kale Salad with Cranberries - The Hidden Veggies
- Molasses, Miso & Maple Candied Vegan Sweet Potatoes – Go Dairy Free
- Broccoli and Shredded Brussel Sprout Salad - Veggie Inspired
Soups:
Some creamy warming soups are great to have if you have people coming and going on Thanksgiving. You can just keep a pot warm on the stove or in the crockpot for people who stop by or serve with the main meal.
- Creamy Smokey Butternut Squash Soup – Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
- Roasted Squash with Smoky Chili - The Vegan Larger
- Red Lentil Pumpkin Soup - The Hidden Veggies
- Pumpkin Curry Soup - Rhian's Recipes
- Creamy Vegan Butternut Squash Soup - The Hidden Veggies
- Pumpkin Bean Soup - The Hidden Veggies
Desserts:
It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without desserts!
- Lemon Meringue Pie - The Hidden Veggies
- The Best Vegan Pumpkin Pie - The Hidden Veggies
- Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Pie – Delightful Adventures
- Vegan Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars – A Whisk and Two Wands
- No-Bake Cheese Cake - The Hidden Veggies
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars – Where Do You Get Your Protein
- Cast Iron Cranberry Crisp - A Whisk and Two Wands
- Pumpkin Apple Pie Cake – Go Dairy Free
- The Best Vegan Gluten-Free Apple Pie - The Hidden Veggies
- Pumpkin Pie Peanut Brittle Pudding Cups – A Whisk and Two Wands
Dessert topping:
- Top it all off with come homemade Aquafaba Whipped Cream - The Hidden Veggies!
- Or give it a drizzle of some Vegan Salted Caramel Sauce - The Hidden Veggies!
Most of us go vegan by choice, but let's face it, few of us go gluten-free by choice! I felt totally overwhelmed by the idea of gluten-free holiday meals in the beginning, so I wanted to give you a comprehensive list of awesome recipes to choose from to plan your holiday meal start to finish! I hope you have found it helpful and I wish you and your family a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!
Beautiful Pictures!! Thanks for the great collection of recipes. It helps so much to have the whole menu in one place
Thanks so much! Hope it helps you plan your vegan Thanksgiving! 🙂
What a fantastic collection of gluten free and vegan recipes for Thanksgiving! Thanks for putting this collection together! Everything looks so delicious. Saving this!
Thanks Erin! Hope it helps you plan what you will be having!
So many delicious options not sure you can go wrong with any of them! The lemon pie looks so good and would be a great ending. We always have pies, lots of pies, but never lemon. Hoping to make that Butternut Squash Soup and many other recipes soon, they aren't just for Thanksgiving!
Thank you for including a couple of my recipes in this fabulous round up!!
You're welcome Sarah! Thanks for being a part of it! I'll be making the lemon meringue pie for Thanksgiving this year too! 🙂
Thank you so much for including our recipes in this amazing Thanksgiving Round-Up! Everything looks delicious 🙂
You're welcome! Thanks for being a part of it and for your absolutely beautiful photography!
Love this. It's always useful to have a handy reference for interesting and delicious dishes to make for Christmas. Thanks for including one of mine.
Thanks! So happy that you participated!