Vegan Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes

Find healthy, delicious vegan Thanksgiving side dish recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Vegan Scalloped Potatoes

Rating: 5 stars
1
These scalloped potatoes are surprisingly rich and creamy even though they're made with no dairy (milk, butter or cheese)--vegan comfort food at its best. We use almond milk, herbs and spices to make a flavorful sauce and finish the dish with a crunchy almond topping. This makes a satisfying side dish if you're cooking for dairy-free or vegan diets.
By Hilary Meyer

Roasted Potatoes & Brussels Sprouts

Roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts make a great quick and easy side dish for dinner, or you can twist it into a breakfast hash served with an egg on top. Either way, with its super-easy prep, you'll come back to these roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts again and again.
By Jasmine Smith

Steamed Butternut Squash

Rating: 5 stars
1
Butternut squash steams quickly, making this a great cooking technique to enjoy this fall vegetable as a weeknight side dish. For extra flavor, toss the steamed butternut squash with salt, pepper and a little bit of olive oil, butter or Parmesan cheese after cooking.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Sautéed Butternut Squash

Sautéeing butternut squash in olive oil quickly yields perfectly cooked results and slighly caramelizes the squash for extra flavor. This recipe makes a delicious vegetable side dish to pair with roasted meats.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Orange & Avocado Salad

Rating: 4.75 stars
5
This colorful salad would be a welcome addition to a Mexican-inspired meal.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Lemon-Herb Roasted Beets

Rating: 4.33 stars
5
We love how roasting brings out the sweet flavor of beets. Golden beets look especially pretty when tossed with the fresh herb and lemon seasoning mix, but any type of beets will work in this recipe. If you're a lemon lover, be sure to add the squeeze of fresh lemon juice after the beets are roasted.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Oven-Roasted Squash with Garlic & Parsley

Rating: 5 stars
6
Winter squash becomes tender and sweeter when roasted--a delicious side for a holiday dinner. Look for interesting squash like kabocha or hubbard at your farmers' market and try them in this recipe. Recipe adapted from Alice Waters.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Wilted Kale with Warm Shallot Dressing

Rating: 5 stars
2
Vinegar is the key to making this sautéed kale recipe special. Look for vinegar that's cloudy--it likely still has some of the mother in the bottle and will give you a sweet acidity rather than a harsh bite. Organic apple cider vinegar is usually your best bet. For the most eye-catching version of this side, use different colored varieties of kale.
By Summer Miller

Lemon-Dill Green Beans

Rating: 4.71 stars
4
This lemon and dill vinaigrette is a natural complement to green beans. It's also great tossed with steamed asparagus or drizzled over sliced fresh tomatoes. To make this recipe serve 10, multiply all the ingredients by 2 1/2: Use 2 1/2 pounds green beans, 3 tablespoons dill, 2 1/2 tablespoons each shallot, oil and lemon juice, 2 1/2 teaspoons mustard and 3/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Roasted Root Vegetables

Rating: 5 stars
1
Roasted carrots, red potatoes and shallots are a terrific accompaniment to any roast meat or poultry dish. For a vegetarian supper, serve over Creamy Gorgonzola Polenta.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

Whir cauliflower into a creamy low-carb substitute for mashed potatoes. This easy recipe gets a kick of flavor from garlic-infused olive oil, making it a dairy-free (and vegan) vegetable side dish.
By Carolyn Casner

Garlicky Green Beans

Rating: 4.5 stars
6
We cook then cool the beans in advance so they can be heated up and seasoned moments before the meal. If you don't like tarragon, substitute dill or leave it out completely.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
Advertisement

Inspiration and Ideas

Warm Red Cabbage Salad

Warm Red Cabbage Salad
Rating: Unrated
5
In this quick German-inspired side dish, red cabbage is cooked until just tender and combined with sweet apples, caraway and a tangy vinaigrette. Serve with roasted pork loin or turkey kielbasa.
Carrot & Radish Slaw with Pickled Onions

Carrot & Radish Slaw with Pickled Onions
Cutting vegetables into long thin strips--a technique called julienning--rather than shredding them gives this healthy slaw recipe a marvelous, crisp texture. You can cut the vegetables by hand, but a mandoline will save you a lot of time. If your radishes still have the greens attached, reserve them and use as a garnish.
Quinoa Salad with Oranges, Beets & Pomegranate

Quinoa Salad with Oranges, Beets & Pomegranate
Rating: Unrated
4
Pear & Arugula Salad with Candied Walnuts

Pear & Arugula Salad with Candied Walnuts
Rating: Unrated
1
Butternut & Barley Pilaf

Butternut & Barley Pilaf
Rating: Unrated
5
Simple Green Salad with Citronette

Simple Green Salad with Citronette

Roasted Vegetable Antipasto

Rating: 4.67 stars
3

A zesty vinaigrette makes these roasted Brussels sprouts, fennel, carrots and beets pop. If you can't find small carrots, halve larger ones crosswise then quarter lengthwise. Serve this vegetable antipasto as a side dish or appetizer.

All Vegan Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes

Apple, Fig & Brussels Sprouts Salad

Rating: 4 stars
1
Salad dressing made from sweet and mellow white balsamic vinegar balances out the assertive greens and Brussels sprouts in this healthy winter salad. If you have one handy, a small mandoline makes it easy to slice the Brussels and apple. To make it a dinner salad, top with shrimp or chicken.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Roasted Brussels Sprout & Butternut Squash Salad

Serve this hearty and healthy fall salad with roasted pork tenderloin, chicken or salmon, or with your Thanksgiving meal. All of the vegetables are roasted on the same pan, so this recipe is easy to prep, and it tastes great warm or at room temperature so it's perfect for holiday buffet tables and potlucks. Cranberries add a sweet-tart edge, while the maple-tahini dressing provides depth.
By Julia Levy

Pear-Quinoa Salad

Rating: 4 stars
1
Quinoa is a quick-cooking whole grain with a slightly nutty flavor--a perfect partner for pears and walnuts in this fresh-tasting salad recipe. The flavor is best when the salad is at room temperature or cold. Refrigerate the salad for at least 15 minutes before serving.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Butternut Squash and Quinoa Pilaf

Quinoa, butternut squash, and almonds combine to make this hearty vegetarian side dish. It's perfect for a family dinner or to delight your vegan friends on Thanksgiving.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Rosemary Mashed Potatoes

In this healthy mashed potato recipe, we use “no-chicken” broth instead of milk, cream or butter to make full-flavored, vegan mashed potatoes. Regular reduced-sodium chicken broth can be used as a substitute.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Roasted Carrots with Calimyrna Fig Dressing

Rating: 4.5 stars
2
Whole roasted carrots make quite a statement on the dinner table when they're topped with a port wine-and-fig dressing. In this recipe, we like dried Calimyrna figs because they're a tad less sweet than Mission figs and taste slightly nutty as well.
By Nora Singley

Mixed Green Salad with Grapefruit & Cranberries

Rating: 4 stars
2
Grapefruit juice is the base for the tangy vinaigrette on this salad studded with grapefruit segments and dried cranberries. It serves 12 as a starter or about 6 if you'd like a large portion per person.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Kale Salad with Preserved Lemon & Walnuts

Rating: 3.75 stars
3
In this kale salad recipe, we massage dressing into the kale leaves until they're tender and coated with flavor. Topped with bold Mediterranean flavors--olives, walnuts and preserved lemons--this healthy salad is as delicious as it is nutritious. Look for preserved lemons at specialty-foods shops or online at surlatable.com. Or, to make your own, see the recipe on eatingwell.com.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Brassica Salad

Rating: 4.5 stars
1
Chef Jennifer Jasinski has this healthy recipe for Brussels sprout, cauliflower and radicchio salad on the menu at her restaurant Rioja for fall and winter. The balance of roasted vegetables alongside the tang of the oranges and the chewy sweetness from the apricots is a crowd-pleaser.
By Jennifer Jasinski

Roasted Delicata Squash & Onions

Rating: 4.45 stars
8
Roasting intensifies delicata squash's flavor. Seasoned with rosemary and maple, this recipe's great with pork or turkey.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Slow-Cooker Chai Apple Butter

Rating: 4.75 stars
3
Seasoned with spices inspired by chai tea, this slow-cooker apple butter can be slathered on your favorite toast, served with a fall cheese plate or stirred into yogurt.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Roasted Turnips & Butternut Squash with Five-Spice Glaze

Rating: 3 stars
1
In this delicious side dish recipe, turnips and butternut squash are glazed with a mixture of molasses and flavorful five-spice powder. Try the dish with garlic-rubbed roasted chicken or pork.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Barley Pilaf with Mushrooms, Red Peppers & Spinach

Rating: 4.8 stars
4
Flecks of sweet red pepper and spinach add festive flair to the classic mushroom and barley combo. You can use either convenient quick-cooking barley or pearl barley, but note that the amount of liquid and the cooking times will vary.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Red Wine Braised Roots

Rating: 5 stars
1
Braised root vegetables, rich with red wine, mushrooms and thyme, make a fabulous vegetarian entree or side dish. Enjoy alongside roast chicken or turkey. If you're serving it as an entree, be sure to have plenty of whole-grain bread to soak up the sauce.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Mashed Squash with Caramelized Onions

A touch of sherry vinegar brightens up this healthy mashed squash recipe. Buttercup squash will give it a bright orange color but any 3-pound winter squash, such as butternut or acorn, can be used in its place.
By Molly Stevens

Wild Rice with Dried Apricots & Pistachios

Rating: 3 stars
3
Colorful apricots, scallions and pistachios make this vibrant dish worthy of any holiday table. Since wild rice (really a grass) does not absorb liquid to the extent that true rice and other grains do, cook it in boiling water and saute the vegetables separately so they stay tender-crisp.
By Patsy Jamieson

Green Beans with Caramelized Red Onions

For an attractive presentation, trim the stem ends of the beans, leaving the pointed ends intact. Most fresh beans today do not require stringing, as the fibrous string has been bred out of them.
By Kathy Farrell-Kingsley

Barley & Wild Rice Pilaf with Pomegranate Seeds

Rating: 4.92 stars
3
This pilaf melds the chewy texture of barley and wild rice with the richness of toasted pine nuts and the sweet-sour crunch of pomegranate seeds. The elegant dish is perfect for entertaining.
By Kitty Morse

Sautéed Green Beans & Onions

Sautéed onions, garlic powder and red pepper add plenty of flavor to canned green beans to make an easy and economical side for your Thanksgiving table or any other dinner.
By Andrea Mathis, M.A., RDN, LD

Arugula & Pear Salad

Besides giving this salad a nutty crunch, walnuts are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, as well as vitamins, minerals, protein and antioxidants. For an added flavor dimension, crumble some Gorgonzola cheese over each salad.
By Kathy Farrell-Kingsley

Romaine, Red Onion & Orange Salad

Sweet oranges and sharp red onion perk up romaine lettuce in this colorful salad.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Rating: 5 stars
1
Now everyone can enjoy classic Thanksgiving favorites, like this dairy-free green bean casserole. We make a homemade vegan cream of mushroom soup using almond milk for the creamy base that's combined with fresh green beans. Top it off with classic french-fried onions (we have a vegan recipe for that, too!) for a side dish everyone will devour.
By Hilary Meyer

Roasted Squash with Garlic, Lime & Chile

Cumin, garlic, lime and a jalapeño pepper spice up this roasted butternut squash recipe. If you like the consistent look of squash rounds, look for a long-necked butternut or use just the necks from a couple, reserving the bulbous bottoms for another use, such as for healthy muffins or soup.
By Molly Stevens

Grape & Fennel Salad

Rating: 4 stars
2
Crunchy fennel and celery are combined with grapes in this delicious salad recipe.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
Load More
Advertisement
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.eatingwell.com