Vegetarian Thanksgiving Main Dishes

October 14, 2016
Photo: John Autry
A roasted turkey is the classic Thanksgiving table centerpiece. However, if you don't eat meat or have a guest who abstains from meat coming to your dinner table this Thanksgiving, these vegetarian Thanksgiving main dish recipes will come in handy. We picked through our collection of the season's best vegetables, pastas, grain dishes, and more to find a collection of vegetarian Thanksgiving main dishes you'd be proud to serve anyone, not just vegetarians.
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Autumn Glow Salad

Photo: Greg DuPree
View Recipe: Autumn Glow Salad

This plant-powered salad delivers over 50% of your daily fiber and one-third of your daily potassium goal. Butternut squash is an excellent source of eye-healthy vitamin A and a good source of immune-boosting vitamin C and blood pressure–supporting potassium.

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Fall Vegetable and Lentil Salad

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Fall Vegetable and Lentil Salad

This salad of lentils with roasted butternut squash, carrots, and onions gets plated over a bed of creamy, lemon-scented Greek yogurt—so with each bite, you get the flavors of sweet caramelized veggies, earthy-nutty legumes, and tangy yogurt. We love the firm texture of French green lentils, but you can also use standard brown lentils. You’re not likely to find a whole butternut squash that’s only 1 pound; just buy the smallest one you can find, and use 1 pound of it.

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Vegetable “Meat” Loaf

Photo: Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Vegetable “Meat” Loaf

This umami-rich recipe received our Test Kitchen’s highest rating in March 2012 and continues to get raves from both vegetarians and meat lovers. Be sure to tightly pack the mushroom mixture into the pan so the slices hold their shape after baking.

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Butternut-Kale Frittata

Photo: Greg DuPree
View Recipe: Butternut-Kale Frittata

Frittatas are some of the most efficient vehicles for leftover vegetables. Here, we combine roasted butternut squash with quick-cooking kale for a fiber-rich breakfast duo. A touch of dairy lends custard-like creaminess to the egg mixture.

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Acorn Squash With Sage-Cranberry Rice Stuffing

Photo: Victor Protasio
View Recipe: Acorn Squash With Sage-Cranberry Rice Stuffing

Hack the cooker so that you can make smaller amounts with great results. For a stew or braise, use smaller amounts, place into 8- or 10-ounce ramekins, and set those down in the cooker to slowly simmer to perfection while you’re at work. With this recipe, you’re basically treating the slow cooker like a small steam oven.

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Eggplant Parmesan

Photo: Caitlin Bensel
View Recipe: Eggplant Parmesan

Traditional versions of this dish can tip the scales at nearly 1,000 calories and 30g sat fat per serving. This makeover cuts that by more than two-thirds and still has plenty of marinara, melty cheese, and crispy baked eggplant.

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Acorn Squash with Pomegranate and Kale Tabbouleh

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Acorn Squash with Pomegranate and Kale Tabbouleh

This is a fun dish to "carve" at the table, as each person gets one wedge to enjoy as a side dish. For an entrée take, give each person half a squash.

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Butternut-Kale Lasagna

Photo: Brian Woodcock
View Recipe: Butternut-Kale Lasagna

Gruyere-spiked Bechamel drapes over the noodles and squash to give this dish velvety richness. Hearty, earthy kale perfectly balances the sweet squash, and crunchy, toasted pecans crown the top of this luscious lasagna.

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Vegetable Paella

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Vegetable Paella

"Paella may sound like something fancy, but it is a humble dish, made from ingredients that are fresh and healthy," says star chef José Andrés, whose restaurants in Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, and California helped spark America's celebration of Spanish cuisine. The classic Spanish rice dish is a crowd-pleaser in his celebrated restaurants and at home. The heat for this paella starts high and reduced gradually, making the rice perfectly al dente and then crisping it at the bottom.

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Pumpkin-Poblano Casserole

Photo: Iain Bagwell
View Recipe: Pumpkin-Poblano Casserole

This oven-baked side couples the earthiness of poblanos with the sweetness of red bell peppers. Combine those with rich pumpkin and you have a new fall-weather classic you'll make time and again.

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Creamy Artichoke and Asparagus Lasagna

Photo: Rob Culpepper
View Recipe: Creamy Artichoke and Asparagus Lasagna

Lemon rind brightens the sauce, making for a more delicate lasagna. To save on salt, use frozen artichokes, which contain a quarter of the sodium of the canned variety that are usually packed in brine.

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Mushroom and Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

Photo: Iain Bagwell
View Recipe: Mushroom and Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

While old-school stovetop-stirred risotto is undeniably delicious, the pressure cooker also delivers astonishingly good results: perfectly creamy, al dente risotto without constant stirring.

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Mushroom and Caramelized-Shallot Strudel

View Recipe: Mushroom and Caramelized-Shallot Strudel
This recipe makes two strudels; for an eye-catching centerpiece, place them on a large platter, and surround them with fresh thyme sprigs.

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Spinach and Feta Quiche with Quinoa Crust

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Spinach and Feta Quiche with Quinoa Crust

We’ve turned a classic dish into a perfectly clean brunch option that the whole family will love. The crunchy quinoa crust gives heartiness to the light and fluffy quiche inside. Swap out canola oil for coconut, almond, avocado, or olive oil, and look for organic eggs and dairy products.

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Creamy Butternut, Blue Cheese, and Walnut Cavatappi

Photo: John Autry and Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Creamy Butternut, Blue Cheese, and Walnut Cavatappi

Cavatappi pasta offers a fun element to an easy weeknight dish. Full of exquisite flavors from the walnut and blue cheese, this dish offers a pleasant palate of tastes and textures.

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Chickpea and Winter Vegetable Stew

View Recipe: Chickpea and Winter Vegetable Stew

This hearty, winter-worthy stew packs tender root vegetables, nutty chickpeas, and fluffy couscous into one comfort-filled bowl of goodness. Harissa is a spicy and aromatic chile paste used in Moroccan cooking; it packs a lot of heat and is extremely versatile, great with roasted vegetables, grilled meats, and anything served over brown rice or other neutral whole grains. Several of the reviewers commented that the stew is delicious without the harissa, but if heat is your beat then we highly recommend the addition. Use any variety of hearty root vegetables—parsnips and sweet potatoes make a lovely addition to this stew if you prefer a sweeter profile.

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Roasted Eggplant with Pomegranate, Pickled Chiles, and Pecans

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Roasted Eggplant with Pomegranate, Pickled Chiles, and Pecans

Toasted pecans and pickled jalapeños infuse some Southern accents into the traditional Middle-Eastern dish.

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Pappardelle with Mushrooms

Photo: Levi Brown
View Recipe: Pappardelle with Mushrooms

When this recipe first appeared in the magazine in October 2009, it was made with hollow bucatini noodles. For this version, we switched to ribbony pappardelle. In truth, any pasta would work well.

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Eggplant Parmesan

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Eggplant Parmesan

This perfect version of a classic Italian meatless dinner, Parmigiana, will quickly become a family favorite. Add a glass of vino for a Sicilian-style date night or a scoop of gelato for a kid-friendly Italian night.

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Browned Butter Gnocchi with Broccoli and Nuts

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Browned Butter Gnocchi with Broccoli and Nuts

Kids like the chewy gnocchi, sweet broccoli, and crunchy nuts. Look for shelf-stable packaged gnocchi with the dried pasta. To cut costs, swap in chopped almonds or pecans for pine nuts. Spinach, cauliflower florets, or green beans would also work nicely here. If you use spinach, simply stir it in when you add the cooked gnocchi to the skillet.

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Golden Beet, Greens, and Potato Torta

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Golden Beet, Greens, and Potato Torta

Sophisticated and delicious—make this tall, flaky pie the centerpiece of the table.

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Eggplant Involtini

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Eggplant Involtini

This vegetarian eggplant entree features thin slices of eggplant filled with a herbed cheese mixture, tomato sauce, and a cheesey topping.

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