9 Omni-Tested Thanksgiving Recipes, Products, & Dishes

The VN editors have a lot of experience when it comes to Thanksgiving. Whether we’ve convinced our families to go completely veg for the occasion, or our vegan holiday table consists of single servings of mashed potatoes and our own Tofurky roast, we’ve eaten through it all (and the leftovers!). But with time comes experience, and after testing recipe after recipe, year after year, we’ve found vegan dishes and products that get gobbled up—even when a formerly living turkey is around. Make sure to serve one of these crowd-pleasers at your holiday feast!

The gluten-free Pumpkin Parsnip Lasagna from the VegNews Ultimate Vegan Thanksgiving Issue is the perfect dish for my family since my mum and sister are both sensitive to gluten. While classic lasagna is traditionally served at Italian Christmas dinner, the tasty goodness of pumpkin gives it an unmistakable holiday flavor everyone will love. Plus, it was the entire staff’s favorite recipe from the issue!
—Editorial Assistant Kimberly Budziak

The secret to making Thanksgiving a completely decadent experience for eaters of all stripes is sauce. Think about it: cranberry sauce makes the flavor of meatless turkey pop, gravy brings mashed potatoes to life, and a citrusy dressing layers fresh flavor over candied pecans in a delicious salad. One of my all-time favorite Thanksgiving recipes is Tal Ronnen’s Pumpkin Seed Battered Chicken with Cranberry Cabernet Sauce, which you can find in our Holiday eCookbook. One of my omni uncles loved this dish so much he had three servings!
—Editorial Director Elizabeth Castoria

Dessert always wins everyone over. I swear by the Chocolate Pumpkin Bread Pudding by Beverly Lynn Bennett from the September+October 2012 issue. It’s a huge hit at holiday parties. Of course, you have to smother it in Salted Caramel Sauce, which turns it into a little piece of heaven. My omnivore friends can’t get over how rich and decadent it tastes, and there are never any leftovers.
—Senior Editor Jennifer Chen

When I want to dazzle omni guests, a fancy dessert always does the trick. I like to do something fruity (like a warm apple cobbler) and something chocolaty (such as a dark chocolate torte)—complete with whipped cream and caramel sauce.
—Associate Publisher Colleen Holland

My mom’s nut loaf never fails to blow our guests away. Its dense texture and savory nutty flavors fill you up and pair nicely with a dollop of VegNews’ Cranberry Chutney.
—Editorial Assistant Kaitlyn Mekertichian 

Vegan Cauliflower Crunch, a rich blend of cauliflower and Brussels sprouts baked in rich coconut oil and sea salt, might sound a little boring, but I get requests for this recipe year-round from all of my omnivore friends. Served as-is, or over wild rice, it's a lovely side dish in a holiday dinner.
—Office Manager Jennifer Pickens

Skeptics: we all have them, and we all have to deal with them. And that’s fine, because we love them anyway and they’re great. But what to feed them? The Field Roast Celebration Roast. Veggie sausage, butternut squash, mushrooms, and apples are incased by Field Roast’s classic faux meat that will seriously wow everyone. Believe me—I’ve seen it at my own family table. (Oh, and it makes a really great post-Thanksgiving sandwich.)
—Online Editor Anna Peraino

I have lots of experience with Thanksgiving omni-feeding, as I make a whole vegan spread every year despite my very non-veg family. The biggest hits, hands down, are Easy Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake and Awesome Mushroom Gravy. I've used VegWeb recipes for both since I was 16!
—Assistant Editor Hilary Pollack

And now, a foolproof recipe from VN Publisher Joseph Connelly! His Roasted Winter Vegetables have been wowing guests for years, and they’re sure to do the same for yours.

Joe’s Roasted Winter Vegetables

Serves 6

What You Need:

2 large carrots
2 sweet potatoes
2 yams
2 parsnips
1 medium red onion, quartered
1 acorn squash
1/2 large butternut squash
12 Brussels sprouts
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
Fresh rosemary, to taste
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

What You Do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse all vegetables and cut into 1/3-inch pieces (the Brussels sprouts can be left whole). In large mixing bowl, add vegetables, garlic, oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
2. Place vegetables in large, flat roasting pan and bake 45 to 60 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes, until tender. Serve immediately.