The art of vegan Thanksgiving: 7 make-ahead plant-based dishes that save your sanity on turkey day

Thanksgiving always seems peaceful in the photos. In the kitchen it is a different story.

If you are the plant-based person in the family, you are usually balancing flavor, expectations, and the unspoken challenge of proving your dishes belong at the table.

What I have learned over the years, somewhere between burned Brussels sprouts and an overachieving mashed potato disaster, is that make-ahead recipes are the secret to a calmer, better tasting, more sustainable Thanksgiving.

Each of these dishes was chosen because it improves with time, reheats beautifully, and brings a plant-forward punch of comfort to the holiday table.

Let’s cook smarter this year.

1. Maple roasted butternut squash salad

Warm, sweet, peppery, and crunchy, this salad has become one of my Thanksgiving staples. The squash caramelizes overnight, and the toasted pecans keep their bite.

Ingredients (serves 6)

For the squash

• 1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 half teaspoon sea salt

For the salad

• 6 cups baby arugula or mixed greens
• 1 half cup toasted pecans
• 1 third cup dried cranberries
• 1 quarter small red onion, thinly sliced

For the dressing

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Pinch salt and black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss squash with olive oil, maple syrup, paprika, and salt. Spread evenly on a lined baking sheet.
2. Roast 28 to 32 minutes, flipping once, until caramelized. Cool completely and store airtight overnight.
3. Whisk all dressing ingredients in a small jar and refrigerate.
4. When ready to serve, warm squash slightly at 350°F for 8 minutes.
5. Toss greens with onion, cranberries, pecans, and warm squash. Drizzle dressing on top and serve immediately.

2. Creamy cashew mashed potatoes

Cashews create a velvety richness that reheats like a dream. These mashed potatoes stay creamy for days, a rare Thanksgiving miracle.

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1 cup raw cashews soaked 4 or more hours or boiled for 10 minutes
• 1 and 1 half cups vegetable broth, warmed
• 3 tablespoons vegan butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 half teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives

Directions

1. Place potatoes in a large pot, cover with salted water, and boil for 15 to 18 minutes or until fork tender.
2. In a blender, combine soaked cashews, warm broth, and garlic and blend until silky.
3. Drain potatoes and mash with vegan butter, salt, and pepper.
4. Pour in the cashew cream and mash until smooth. Stir in chives.
5. Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove with a splash of broth for extra creaminess.

3. Herb infused mushroom gravy

This gravy is an umami powerhouse. The flavors deepen overnight, and the texture becomes even more velvety on day two.

Ingredients (serves 6 to 8)

• 3 tablespoons vegan butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 half teaspoon black pepper
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Melt vegan butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
2. Add mushrooms and sauté until browned, about 8 minutes.
3. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4. Sprinkle flour over mushrooms, mixing well to form a roux.
5. Slowly pour in broth while whisking to prevent lumps.
6. Add soy sauce, thyme, pepper, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until thick.
7. Cool completely, refrigerate overnight, and reheat gently before serving.

4. Smoky lentil and walnut meatloaf

This is the vegan entrée that even meat eaters go back for. It slices perfectly the next day and pairs beautifully with mushroom gravy.

Ingredients (serves 6)

For the loaf

• 1 cup dry green or brown lentils, rinsed
• 2 and 1 half cups vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 half teaspoon black pepper
• 1 half teaspoon salt

For the glaze

• 1 quarter cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Directions

1. Add lentils and broth to a pot and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until tender and the liquid is absorbed.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a pan, heat olive oil and sauté onion, carrots, celery, and garlic for 8 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, combine cooked lentils, vegetables, walnuts, oats, flaxseed, tomato paste, soy sauce, paprika, thyme, pepper, and salt.
4. Press mixture into a parchment lined loaf pan.
5. Mix glaze ingredients and spread evenly on top.
6. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool fully, refrigerate overnight, and reheat whole or sliced.

5. Orange ginger cranberry sauce

This version tastes like the grown-up cousin of the classic can-shaped cranberry sauce. It is bright, tangy, and full of warmth.

Ingredients (serves 6 to 8)

• 12 ounces fresh cranberries
• 1 half cup orange juice
• 1 half cup water
• 1 half cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• Zest of 1 orange

Directions

1. Add cranberries, orange juice, water, sugar, ginger, and zest to a saucepan.
2. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
3. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most berries burst and the sauce thickens.
4. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

6. Sage cornbread stuffing

This stuffing tastes like home, warm, herby, and deeply comforting. Preparing it ahead makes the flavor noticeably richer.

Ingredients (serves 6)

For the cornbread

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 half teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 quarter cup vegetable oil

For the stuffing

• 3 tablespoons vegan butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon dried sage
• 1 half teaspoon thyme
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Mix cornbread ingredients, pour into a greased 8 by 8 dish, and bake for 20 to 22 minutes. Cool, then cut into cubes and toast at 300°F for 20 minutes.
2. For stuffing, melt vegan butter in a skillet. Sauté onion, celery, and garlic 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Add sage, thyme, salt, and pepper.
4. In a bowl, combine toasted cornbread cubes and sautéed vegetables.
5. Pour broth over mixture until lightly moistened.
6. Transfer to a baking dish, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
7. Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes before serving.

7. Pumpkin chai overnight cheesecake bars

These bars taste like autumn in a bite. They are creamy, warmly spiced, and surprisingly easy. The overnight set is where the magic happens.

Ingredients (makes 12 bars)

For the crust

• 1 and 1 half cups almonds or pecans
• 1 cup pitted dates
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• Pinch salt

For the filling

• 2 cups raw cashews soaked 4 or more hours
• 1 cup pumpkin purée
• 1 half cup maple syrup
• 1 quarter cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 half cup coconut cream
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons chai spice blend
• Pinch salt

Directions

1. Line an 8 by 8 pan with parchment.
2. In a food processor, pulse nuts, dates, coconut oil, and salt until sticky. Press into the pan.
3. Blend all filling ingredients until completely smooth.
4. Pour over the crust and smooth the top.
5. Chill overnight. Slice cold for clean edges.

Final bite

Thanksgiving tastes better when the food and the cook get time to rest.

These make-ahead recipes let you step out of the kitchen, slow down, and actually enjoy the day.

And if a few relatives ask how you pulled off such a calm holiday spread, just smile and pass the gravy.