Recipe
How To Make A Vegan Thanksgiving Menu Without Tofurky
Planning and cooking any large meal is a challenge; preparing a big meal when guests have dietary restrictions is even harder. As Thanksgiving approaches — bringing with it a list of conflicting restrictions including allergies, vegetarianism, veganism, and religious restrictions — it’s easy to panic over whether people will be able to eat what you put on the table.
To prepare a table for everyone, you might have to think outside the box. This article is not going to tell you to use egg substitute or any other type of substitute to make classic Thanksgiving dishes. Instead, I’ve rounded up a filling fall menu filled with naturally vegan or easily-adaptable options that can take the place of everything from the turkey to the pie.
Instead of turkey, try stuffed pumpkins
While I appreciate the innovation behind the tofurkey, it’s not fooling anybody. Make fall produce the star of the show instead, by putting an entire pumpkin on the table. A friend recently introduced me to the Armenian dish, ghapama, an entire pumpkin stuffed with a rice filling, and I had to ask for the recipe. The dish has both meat and meatless versions, so it’s sure to be a crowd pleaser. Also, there’s nothing quite as theatrical as opening up an entire pumpkin for the table.
Ghapama (Stuffed Pumpkin)
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 2 hrs 30 mins
- Total Time: 2 hrs 45 mins
- Servings: 10
Ingredients
- 3 pie pumpkins
- 1 cup long-grain rice
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp oil
- 4 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup chopped dried fruit
- 1 diced apple
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Instead of rolls, try dairy-free crusty bread
Buttered rolls are delicious, but such small things may remain untouchable if you have guests who are vegan or have dairy allergies. Luckily, many breads are traditionally dairy-free. Cut the eggs and dairy this year, and bake a nice, rustic loaf everybody can enjoy. It may take time to prep, but it’s worth the wait. This recipe is the result of my experimentation with the King Arthur original recipe. Tip: measure out your ingredients by weight.
Crusty Bread
- Prep Time: 12 hrs
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 12 hrs 30 mins
- Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 4 cups or 450g flour
- 1 ½ cups or 340g lukewarm water about 100 F
- 1/2 tbsp or 9g salt
- 2 tsp or 7g instant yeast
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Instead of mashed potatoes, try roasted Fingerling potatoes
I’ve never been a fan of mashed potatoes to begin with, and attempting to make mashed potatoes without any dairy makes them incalculably worse. Why go through all the labor of peeling, boiling, and mashing potatoes when you could just throw them in the oven for a quick no-hassle side? Try roasting some fingerling potatoes this year. I put together the spice blend based on my tastes, but feel free to change it up.Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fingerling potatoes halved
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp red chili flake
- 1/2 tsp fresh thyme
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
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Try making a vegan apple pie?
My grandmother’s apple pie recipe is coincidentally vegan. Some things in life are just naturally perfect.
Bubbe's Apple Pie
- Prep Time: 1 hr
- Cook Time: 1 hr
- Total Time: 2 hrs
- Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup margarine
- 1/3 cup cold vegetable shortening
- 4 tbsp cold water
- 1 tbsp margarine
- 3 pounds apples
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
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Thanksgiving is both a solemn day and a time to gather with family or friends. Take some time to reflect on why you’re at the table — and what you put on it — this year!