I recently partook in my first ever vegetarian (Canadian) Thanksgiving! I was quite sceptical at first – because I love turkey so much, however, my vegetarian friends did not disappoint! While traditional Thanksgiving dishes are quite limited for vegetarians, many people tend to forget about lots of seasonal vegetarian dishes that can be enjoyed during the holidays. Here are 7 healthy vegetarian dishes for Thanksgiving!
1. Pumpkin Soup
Or any other vegetarian soups! Fun fact, pumpkins are actually native to North America and are super healthy. They are highly nutritious and particularly rich in vitamin A, so they are fabulous for soups. Check out this Spoon recipe for spicy pumpkin soup! Also, take a look at this article highlighting other vegetarian soups.
2. Green Beans
A super simple, easy side dish, but also very healthy! Green beans are a good source of fibre, potassium, and folate. They also contain anti-oxidants that help with heart health, and, they also taste great! I recommend sautéing the beans on a stove top with chilli garlic and soy sauce ... yum! It's a perfect vegetarian side dish for Thanksgiving!
3. Vegetarian Meatballs
These veggie "meatballs" from IKEA are actually just a bunch of vegetables shaped into a ball! They are not meant to imitate meat. These veggie balls were so delicious, healthy, and quite filling as they are made from chickpeas, green peas, carrots, kale, bell peppers, and corn! A great source of protein and fibre, you can check them out for more information or to purchase here!
4. Mashed Potatoes
What is Thanksgiving without mashed potatoes? This super simple vegetarian dish is guaranteed to bring smiles to everyone's faces during Thanksgiving. Check out these recipes for different takes on the simple meal! Also, for extra healthiness, check out this recipe for cauliflower mash!
5. Quinoa Salad
SO delicious. Quinoa is packed with nutrients such as fibre, protein, essential amino acids, and is gluten-free! We made our quinoa salad with chick peas, onions, cucumbers, red peppers, tomatoes, avocado, salt, pepper, and balsamic dressing! Quinoa salad makes a perfect vegetarian dish for Thanksgiving. Check here for more delicious and healthy quinoa recipes.
6. Beet and Goat Cheese Salad
*Adds goat cheese to everything*. This salad is one of my favourites and is super easy to make! I usually add chopped up beets, goat cheese, candied walnuts, along with balsamic and olive oil, and voila! You have yourself a delicious and healthy colourful salad. Check out this awesome beet salad Spoon recipe!
7. Dessert!
I can't think of a dessert that is not vegetarian, however I couldn't not include it to the list! To finish off the perfect vegetarian Thanksgiving, go get yourself a pumpkin pie. Pumpkin pie is guaranteed to hit the spot 100% of the time. Or, if you're up to the challenge, take a look at this awesome Spoon recipe!
So there you have it! 7 dishes that are guaranteed to impress your vegetarian friends at Thanksgiving!
Lets all take a moment to think about what we're thankful for: Food.