One of the most challenging parts of hosting Thanksgiving dinner is taking various dietary restrictions into account. If guests are dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan, there are various swaps you can make in recipes, including plant-based butter for regular butter and gluten-free flour for all-purpose. But, when a guest is both gluten-free and dairy-free, or gluten-free and vegetarian or vegan, making ingredient swaps gets trickier.
Enter these gluten-free and vegan recipes. Since they are vegan, they will also accommodate dairy-free and vegetarian guests. None of them requires any substitutions; they’re all Thanksgiving-ready, as written. Happy feasting!
Green Bean and Celery Salad
Credit:
Greg Dupree
One of the secrets of a manageable Thanksgiving feast is to have a few room-temperature sides in the mix. This crunchy, vibrant salad fits the bill perfectly. Cook the green beans and whisk up the dressing the day before, and toss everything together before serving.
Squash and Lentil Salad
Credit:
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
Squash is a Thanksgiving staple and lentils are protein-rich and vegan, so this salad is a must for your vegan, gluten-free guests. Plan to make enough for everyone to enjoy. The sweet roasted shallots and rich date dressing make this beautiful dish tough to resist.
Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Credit:
Antonis Achilleos
There’s no cream (or any dairy for that matter) in this luscious, full-flavored soup. Silken tofu and coconut milk give the soup body. Red curry paste, ginger, and garlic give it loads of flavor. We love a cilantro and chopped peanut garnish, but feel free to use other herbs and nuts.
Roasted Garlic Potatoes
Credit: Greg DuPree
Most mashed potato recipes call for a boatload of butter and cream, not to mention the occasional sour cream or buttermilk. You can swap in non-dairy versions of those products in many recipes, or you can serve these simple and simply delicious spuds. This is the type of side dish that looks humble, but is the first to disappear.
Wild Rice and Mushroom Pilaf With Cranberries
Credit: Gentl + Hyers
No stuffing, no problem. This starchy (but gluten-free!) side hits all the same comforting notes. To prep, cook the wild rice blend according to package directions, and in a separate pan, sauté onions and mushrooms in olive oil for deep, savory flavor. Toss it all together, and you have a side with main dish energy.
Roasted Squash with Za’atar and Almonds
Credit:
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
This stunning side is leveled up so many times it’s hard to keep track! Start by tossing sliced acorn squash (no need to peel) with spices and roast until golden. Toss in some leeks and drizzle it all with a lemony dressing. Finally, the squash gets topped with almonds, herbs, and lemon zest. It’s a fantastic, centerpiece-worthy dish that happens to be gluten-free and vegan.
Roasted Carrot Salad
Credit:
Greg Dupree
A few little tricks take this roasted vegetable dish from good to great. First, cover the carrots with aluminum foil for the first 15 minutes of roasting time. This makes sure the veggies are tender, not woody. Second, toss a few shallots onto the baking sheet for fantastic flavor. Third, finish it all off with a few big-flavor toppings, including olive oil, flaky sea salt, and lemon zest.
Double Cranberry and Apple Sauce
Credit:
Greg DuPree
To be fully transparent, unless it has honey in it, most cranberry sauce is gluten-free and vegan. (Here, maple syrup is the sweetener of choice.) But, this recipe is so easy and so delicious that we couldn’t not include it. The whole thing takes less than a half hour, and you can make it a week in advance. So there’s no excuse to not have this zippy homemade cranberry sauce on the table.
Sweet Tahini and Date Truffles
Credit:
Victor Protasio
Whipping up a gluten-free dessert that’s also vegan is a challenge. That’s what makes these six-ingredient truffles so impressive—well, that and their rich flavor and luscious texture. Prep time is a mere 20 minutes, and if you’re not careful, they might outshine the pie on the dessert spread.
Dining and Cooking