5 vegan Thanksgiving recipes even meat-eaters will fight over at the dinner table

There’s a funny thing that happens every Thanksgiving.

You can put an entire roasted turkey on the table, complete with glossy skin and rosemary sprigs, and someone will still end up crowding near the sides.

It’s the sides that start fights. It’s the sides people text you about the next day. It’s the sides people “accidentally” take home in containers you will never see again.

Over the years, I’ve noticed something else. Some of the most competitive, most aggressively devoured dishes at Thanksgiving just happen to be vegan.

Not because people expect them to be.
But because flavor wins every single time.

So if you’re looking to serve dishes that pull people in, dishes that even your most stubborn meat-eating family members will fight over, these recipes are the ones I’ve repeatedly watched vanish first.

Let’s get into it.

1. Creamy garlic mashed potatoes with crispy herbs

There has never been a Thanksgiving where these mashed potatoes didn’t start a mild family dispute. They’re creamy, silky, and loaded with roasted garlic. And because the richness comes from olive oil instead of dairy, the flavor hits deeper and somehow feels lighter at the same time.

Ingredients (serves 6–8)

• 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 head garlic
• 1/3 cup high-quality olive oil, plus extra for roasting
• 3/4 to 1 cup unsweetened oat or almond milk, warmed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Black pepper, to taste
• Handful of fresh sage leaves
• Flaky salt, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice the top off the garlic head, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast for 40 minutes until soft and caramelized.
2. Boil the potatoes in salted water until fork-tender, about 15–20 minutes.
3. Drain, return to the pot, and squeeze in all the roasted garlic cloves.
4. Add the olive oil and begin mashing.
5. Slowly pour in warm plant milk until you reach the texture you like.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. In a small pan, fry the sage leaves in a little olive oil until crisp.
8. Serve topped with the crispy sage and flaky salt.

Olive oil binds to the starch in potatoes in the same way butter does, which is why the texture stays silky even without dairy.

2. Maple-balsamic roasted carrots with pistachio crumble

This is the dish that turns carrot skeptics into carrot evangelists. It’s sweet, tangy, a little smoky, and has that crunchy-top-soft-center balance that makes people hover near the platter.

Ingredients (serves 6)

For the carrots:

• 2 pounds whole carrots, peeled
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the pistachio crumble:

• 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, chopped
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Pinch of salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Toss the carrots with olive oil, maple syrup, balsamic, smoked paprika, and salt. Spread onto a baking sheet.
3. Roast for 25–35 minutes, flipping halfway, until caramelized and tender.
4. Stir together the pistachios, lemon zest, olive oil, and salt.
5. Transfer the hot carrots to a serving dish and sprinkle the crumble over the top.

Recent food psychology research shows that texture plays a key role in how we experience a dish, shaping preference, satisfaction, and even emotional response. This recipe taps into that by pairing soft, caramelized carrots with a crunchy pistachio topping.

3. Savory mushroom and walnut stuffing

Stuffing is usually where meat-eaters draw the line. They want sausage. They want drippings. But this version wins them over because mushrooms and walnuts bring that deep, savory umami that feels like comfort in every bite.

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 1 large loaf rustic bread, torn into cubes (about 10 cups)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 12 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped
• 6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Bake the bread cubes for 10 minutes to dry them out.
3. Sauté onion and celery in olive oil until softened.
4. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add mushrooms and cook until browned and reduced, about 8–10 minutes.
6. Stir in walnuts, herbs, salt, and pepper.
7. Add bread cubes to a bowl and pour the mushroom mixture over them.
8. Slowly add broth, tossing until evenly coated.
9. Transfer to a baking dish and bake for 35–40 minutes until the top is crisp and golden.

Mushrooms bring a natural savory richness that gives this stuffing the kind of depth people usually expect from meat.

4. Brown butter style green beans with toasted almonds and lemon

I added this one because every year it becomes the unexpected favorite, the dish people underestimate until the first bite. It’s rich, bright, nutty, and takes almost no time at all.

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed
• 3 tablespoons vegan butter
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the beans for 3–4 minutes until crisp-tender.
2. Drain and rinse under cold water.
3. In a large skillet, melt the vegan butter over medium heat until it foams and turns lightly golden.
4. Add garlic and cook for one minute.
5. Add almonds and toast for 2–3 minutes.
6. Add the green beans to the skillet and toss to coat.
7. Finish with lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss again and serve warm.

Toasted almonds bring a savory crunch that surprises people, and the lemon brightens everything so it never feels heavy.

5. Silky pumpkin pie with ginger cookie crust

For dessert, this is the one that breaks people. The filling is creamy and spiced, the crust is crisp and fragrant, and the coconut milk gives everything a custard-like finish that tastes far richer than it actually is.

Ingredients (serves 8)

For the crust:

• 2 cups vegan ginger snaps, crushed
• 6 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• Pinch of salt

For the filling:

• 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
• 1 can (13.5 ounces) full-fat coconut milk
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Mix crushed cookies, coconut oil, and salt. Press into a 9-inch pie dish and bake for 8 minutes.
3. Whisk all filling ingredients until smooth.
4. Pour into the crust and bake for 45–50 minutes until set at the edges.
5. Cool completely before slicing.
6. Aroma has a big impact on how sweet something tastes, which is why the coconut spice combination in this pie ends up feeling so decadent.

Final thoughts

If there’s a theme running through these five recipes, it’s this.

When vegan food is done well, people forget it’s vegan. They just want more of it.

These dishes bring bold flavor, great texture, and that warm holiday comfort people look for this time of year.

They’re easy to make, they travel well, and they win over even the most committed meat eaters at the table.

Try one. Try all five. Just don’t expect leftovers.

Happy cooking.