Thanksgiving: a vegan’s worst nightmare. It is an event centered around eating turkey, making it arguably the most exclusive holiday for the 5% of adults in the U.S. whose diets strictly prohibit meat or other animal products. However, do not lose hope just yet because there are plenty of appetizing recipes out there to make the holiday season vegan friendly.

To start, consider having a non-traditional Thanksgiving food option and making this heavenly vegan pumpkin soup. Make sure the shelves are stocked with:

1/4 c. olive oil

3 large sweet onions, sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 large sage leaves, chopped

2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated and peeled

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

2 qt. lower-sodium vegetable or chicken broth

3 15-oz. cans pure pumpkin

1 tbsp. lemon juice

In a 5-quart saucepot, heat the oil on medium and add in onions and salt. Cook for 40 minutes or until deep golden brown, stirring occasionally. Then add garlic, sage, ginger and nutmeg and cook for 5 minutes or until garlic is golden, again stirring occasionally. Add the broth and pumpkin. Turn heat to high, and start scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Then reduce heat to maintain a simmer; cook for 20 minutes and stir every so often. With an immersion blender or in batches in a blender, puree soup until smooth. Stir in lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Reheat on medium to be enjoyed at any time.

Contrary to popular belief, dairy-free mashed potatoes are not only possible, but delicious and easy to make. Their short ingredient list consists of…

3 lb. gold creamer potatoes, halved

Kosher salt 

1/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 sprigs fresh rosemary, plus more for garnish

6 tbsp. vegan butter

Black pepper

Chopped parsley

To whip up this Thanksgiving favorite, start by covering potatoes with water and salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil and cook until completely soft for 15 to 18 minutes. Drain the pot for excess water and use a potato masher to mash the potatoes until smooth. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, cook oil and rosemary. Then, add garlic and cook until fragrant for one minute. Discard the rosemary and pour oil over potatoes. Add vegan butter and stir until completely combined and creamy, seasoning with salt and pepper. Transfer the vegan mashed potatoes to a serving bowl and garnish them with rosemary and parsley.

Everyone knows mashed potatoes are nothing without the gravy. For this tasty vegan add-on, all one needs is:

1/4 c. vegan butter

4 cremini mushrooms, finely chopped

1 large shallot, finely chopped

1/3 c. all-purpose flour

4 c. low-sodium mushroom or vegetable broth

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

1 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce

Pinch grated nutmeg

Black pepper

First, heat the vegan butter in a large skillet on medium. Add in mushrooms and shallots, then cook until golden brown and tender, stirring occasionally for six to eight minutes. Sprinkle flour on top and begin stirring until golden brown for four to five minutes. Slowly whisk in the broth, then add rosemary and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently until thickened for eight to 12 minutes. Finally, stir in soy sauce, nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; cook for one minute. 

To compliment all the savory food, dessert is an essential part of Thanksgiving… and for some, it is the best part of the meal! This classic sweet with a twist is sure to satisfy everyone’s cravings at the table this year. To make a delectable, vegan pumpkin pie, make sure to have:

Crust Ingredients: 

Cooking spray

1 1/2 c. pecans

2/3 c. old fashioned oats

3 tbsp. packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

3 tbsp. coconut oil, melted and cooled

Filling Ingredients:

1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin puree

1 c. coconut milk

3/4 c. packed brown sugar 

2 tbsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Topping Ingredients:

1 (13.5-oz.) can full fat coconut cream, refrigerated overnight

3 tbsp. powdered sugar 

Pinch kosher salt

Begin by preheating the oven to 375 degrees and greasing a circular 9 inch pie plate with cooking spray. To create the crust, combine pecans, oats, sugar and salt and pulse in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Slowly add in coconut oil, then pulse again until the ingredients are well combined, and a dough forms. Press the mixture into the pie plate into an even layer. Then, line the crust with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights. Bake the contraption for 15 minutes, then remove the paper and weights and stick it back in the oven for an additional 15 minutes. Next up is the pie filling: in a large bowl, whisk together the filling ingredients above and pour over the crust. Bake until only slightly molten in the center, for 50 to 55 minutes, covering the crust with foil if it starts to get too dark. Let cool completely. For the topping, in a large bowl hand beat coconut cream, powdered sugar and salt together until stiff peaks form. 

Thanksgiving can be a tough time for vegans and people with dietary restrictions alike, but all it takes is a little bit of creativity and determination to make the holiday meal palatable. For more vegan friendly recipes, check out pinterest.com, delish.com or veganricha.com.