A vegetarian-friendly Thanksgiving

Of all the holidays, I find Thanksgiving the hardest to do as a vegetarian.  That’s mostly because it’s so steeped in tradition, and in many families (certainly in mine) particular recipes are expected year after year.  It’s okay, because many of the traditional side dishes are vegetarian by nature: sweet potatoes (maybe skip the marshmallows, depending on your strictness), dinner rolls, and cranberry sauce.  Stuffing can easily be made vegetarian with a little forethought: just substitute veggie stock, and bake it in a casserole dish instead of inside the turkey.  So there are plenty of foods around.

But the turkey is problematic.  It’s the centerpiece at most Thanksgiving dinners, it’s what everyone oohs and aahs over, and it’s the focus of the meal.  If you’re vegetarian, you’re left out.  It can be sad not to eat turkey, especially if you substitute something mediocre in its place.  I’ve tried Quorn roast, and it was unsatisfying.  I’m not excited by Tofurkey, either.  These are kind of pale substitutes that don’t really taste like the real thing.  They don’t fool you.

So the trick for a vegetarian Thanksgiving (as with so many vegetarian adaptations) is to prepare something so great in its own right that you don’t miss the turkey.  Don’t fake it; just choose something that fills the same role: hearty, moist, delicious, pretty.  In a perfect world, for someone who likes to cook, the veggie alternative should be a complex preparation, something mirroring the effort that goes into roasting a turkey.  It’s not always possible, though – this year, we’re traveling to visit Nathan’s family for Thanksgiving, and with the number of people and kitchen constraints, we can’t do much more than heat up our vegetarian dish when we get there.

That’s not a problem, though.  There are many good veggie options that can be prepared ahead of time without too much effort, and reheated after the turkey comes out of the oven.  I’ve assembled this list in my own search for this year’s turkey alternative.  Hopefully it’ll help you if you’re in a similar situation.  (Warning: some of these may be so good, you’ll have to fend off meat-eaters to get your fair share!  Also, these are just ideas – I haven’t personally vetted these recipes unless otherwise indicated.)

• Stuffed squash, filled with well-seasoned rice and veggies, is both filling and seasonal.  You could bake the squash half-way and prepare the stuffing at home, then assemble and finish baking just before dinner.
• Spanikopita is rich and festive, and complicated enough to feel special.
• Lasagna is a classic vegetarian entree, with lots of room for variation.  I like these suggestions for something more interesting than your standard tomato-ricotta-mozzarella lasagna.  (Mushroom goat cheese lasagna?  Yum!)  This is also easy to prepare ahead and bake at the last minute.
• This sweet potato gratin sounds delicious and healthy to boot.  It’s also appropriately seasonal.
• If you do go for a simple tofu or seitan main dish, serve it with a good gravy.  I made this mushroom gravy a couple years ago and loved it.  I substituted veggie stock for the water, and added a few tablespoons of cooking wine.
• Baked “veggie loaf” is an easy and semi-traditional option, though your mileage may vary depending on your recipe.  I’ve done this on past Thanksgivings with mediocre results.  Then again, I may just not be a “loaf” person.  I never liked meatloaf very much, so the veggie equivalent isn’t stirring any nostalgia for me.
• This article on Chow has ten tasty-sounding suggestions, complete with make-ahead tips.  (Apparently this concern is not unique to us!)
• You don’t have to go traditional or seasonal, either.  I know one vegetarian who likes Indian cuisine a lot, so her Thanksgiving dinners have a lot of curry and rice.  Try something a little different – you could start a new tradition!

One year, I hope to host my own all-vegetarian Thanksgiving, with no turkey in sight.  On that day, I’ll prepare something exciting and involved, like Hezbollah Tofu’s Roulade of Wild Seitan.  (Doesn’t it look gorgeous?)  It would be great fun, I think, to plan a less traditional Thanksgiving dinner with a full spread of festive vegetarian/vegan dishes.  But for now, I feel good that there will be something delicious to eat this year, and good company to share it with.

Are your Thanksgivings vegetarian?  What do you eat in place of turkey?