15 Vegetarian Thanksgiving Main Dishes That Deserve the Center of the Table

These vegetarian Thanksgiving main dishes are the ones that get passed around the table twice, even by the people who came for the turkey. Think golden pot pie, bubbling lasagna, and stuffed squash that looks like it took all day to make. Instead of piecing together a meatless Thanksgiving from six side dishes, you get one real centerpiece that stands on its own and still plays nicely with stuffing, cranberry sauce, and gravy.

This collection gathers 15 meatless Thanksgiving main courses from my kitchen: stuffed vegetables, savory pies and bakes, and cozy pasta dishes. Several are vegan, many can be assembled a day ahead, and each one is filling enough to serve as the main course for vegetarian guests or the whole family. Pick one centerpiece, or set out two for a fully vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner.

Jump to:

• How to Choose a Vegetarian Thanksgiving Main Dish
• Pin It for Later
• Make-Ahead Tips and Vegetarian-Safe Sides
• Easy Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa and Cranberries
• Lentil Stuffed Eggplant
• Stuffed Bell Peppers with Indian Spices
• Maple Roasted Tempeh with Fall Veggies
• Savory Vegan Mushroom Pot Pie with Flaky Crust
• Hearty Lentil and Onion Shepherd's Pie
• Wild Rice and Mushroom Casserole
• Ratatouille Casserole
• White Bean and Tomato Bake
• Vegan Pumpkin Lasagna with Creamy Cashew Sauce
• Butternut Squash and Sage Cottage Cheese Lasagna
• Cheesy Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna Roll Ups
• Sweet Potato Gnocchi in Browned Sage Butter
• Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff with Cottage Cheese Sauce
• Baked Mac and Cheese
• Vegetarian Thanksgiving Main Dish FAQs

How to Choose a Vegetarian Thanksgiving Main Dish

The right vegetarian Thanksgiving main dish fits around the turkey, fills people up, and still looks like a centerpiece. A few things make the choice easier:

• Lasagnas, pot pies, and casseroles slide onto a lower rack while the turkey roasts.
• The gnocchi and the stroganoff cook on the stovetop, so they need no oven at all.
• Lentils, beans, tempeh, and cheese give a main the heft that a plate of roasted vegetables lacks.
• A golden crust, a stuffed squash, or a tray of layered pasta looks as festive as a carved roast.

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Make-Ahead Tips and Vegetarian-Safe Sides

Most of these Thanksgiving mains can be assembled a day ahead and baked fresh. One year I made the lentil shepherd's pie the night before, and it came out of the oven bubbling right as everyone sat down.

• Assemble lasagnas, pot pies, and casseroles the day before, then cover them and keep them in the fridge.
• Give anything that goes into the oven cold a little longer than the recipe says.
• Tent the dish loosely with foil if the top browns before the center is hot.
• Bake the stuffing in its own dish with vegetable broth, since stuffing cooked inside the bird is not vegetarian.
• Keep a separate mushroom or vegetable gravy, because gravy from pan drippings is not vegetarian either.

For meat-free Thanksgiving recipes beyond the main course, the fall vegan recipes collection has salads, soups, and desserts that suit the same table. The Thanksgiving appetizers collection covers the snacking before dinner and rounds out your vegetarian Thanksgiving ideas.

Easy Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa and Cranberries

Each acorn squash half becomes its own serving bowl, filled with quinoa and tart cranberries, so every vegetarian guest gets a plated centerpiece instead of a scoop of sides. It is vegan, it looks festive with very little effort, and the squash roasts while you finish everything else. If you want one Thanksgiving vegetarian main that says holiday at first glance, start here.
Get the recipe: Easy Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa and Cranberries

Lentil Stuffed Eggplant

Roasted eggplant halves packed with a savory lentil filling bring Mediterranean flavor to the holiday table and real substance to the plate. Lentils make this one of the more filling vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes in the lineup, and the halves bake on a single sheet. Serve them next to the mashed potatoes, and nobody will ask where the turkey went.
Get the recipe: Lentil Stuffed Eggplant

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Indian Spices

Bharwa shimla mirch brings warm Indian spices to the table, and the bright peppers look beautiful lined up in a baking dish. They are vegan and easy to portion, which makes them a smart pick when you are cooking for a mixed crowd. Set them next to the cranberry sauce and the sweet and savory combination works better than you might expect.
Get the recipe: Stuffed Bell Peppers with Indian Spices

Maple Roasted Tempeh with Fall Veggies

Maple-glazed tempeh roasts alongside fall vegetables on one pan, giving you a protein-rich centerpiece with caramelized edges. It earns its place as a Thanksgiving main course for guests who want something hearty without a heavy cream sauce. The maple glaze also echoes the sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce already on the menu.
Get the recipe: Maple Roasted Tempeh with Fall Veggies

Savory Vegan Mushroom Pot Pie with Flaky Crust

Nothing says holiday dinner like cutting into a flaky golden crust, and this mushroom pot pie delivers that moment without any meat. The mushrooms give the filling a deep, savory flavor that stands up to gravy and stuffing. It is the recipe I point people to when they want a vegetarian Thanksgiving main dish that feels classic.
Get the recipe: Savory Vegan Mushroom Pot Pie with Flaky Crust

Hearty Lentil and Onion Shepherd's Pie

A thick layer of mashed potatoes over a lentil and onion filling makes this shepherd's pie pure comfort food. You can assemble this vegetarian Thanksgiving main dish the day before and keep it in the fridge, which frees up your Thanksgiving morning for everything else. Leftovers reheat well, and that is a gift on the Friday after.
Get the recipe: Hearty Lentil and Onion Shepherd's Pie

Wild Rice and Mushroom Casserole

Earthy mushrooms and nutty wild rice bake together into a creamy casserole that tastes like the best part of the stuffing. If you are short on vegetarian Thanksgiving menu ideas, this is the dish that works as a main for vegetarians and a side for everyone else. Bring it to a potluck, and the dish comes home empty.
Get the recipe: Wild Rice and Mushroom Casserole

Ratatouille Casserole

Layers of eggplant, zucchini, tomato, and peppers bake into a colorful French-style casserole that brightens a table full of golden-brown holiday food. It is vegan, and it is just as good warm as at room temperature, so timing it around the turkey takes no stress at all. Spoon it over creamy polenta or mashed potatoes to turn it into a full main.
Get the recipe: Ratatouille Casserole

White Bean and Tomato Bake

Creamy white beans bubble in tomato sauce under melted cheese in one pan, and the result is cozy, rustic, and very easy to love. It is one of the simplest no-meat Thanksgiving recipes in this collection, with very little hands-on time. Serve it with crusty bread or dinner rolls for dragging through the sauce.
Get the recipe: White Bean and Tomato Bake

Vegan Pumpkin Lasagna with Creamy Cashew Sauce

Pumpkin and a silky cashew sauce turn lasagna into something that tastes like late November. It is fully vegan, yet rich enough that dairy lovers go back for seconds. Lasagna is also one of the easiest vegetarian Thanksgiving dishes to assemble ahead, which is exactly what you want on the busiest cooking day of the year.
Get the recipe: Cozy Vegan Pumpkin Lasagna with Creamy Cashew Sauce

Butternut Squash and Sage Cottage Cheese Lasagna

Sweet roasted butternut squash and earthy sage are the flavors of Thanksgiving, and here they get layered with a creamy cottage cheese filling. The cottage cheese adds protein and keeps the layers tender, so the lasagna slices cleanly once it rests. It is a vegetarian Thanksgiving main dish that feels special enough for guests and easy enough for a busy host.
Get the recipe: Butternut Squash and Sage Cottage Cheese Lasagna

Cheesy Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna Roll Ups

Individual roll ups filled with spinach and ricotta take the guesswork out of serving, since every guest gets a neat portion. Baked in marinara under melted cheese, they are familiar enough for kids and pretty enough for a holiday platter. Make a pan alongside the turkey and watch the meat eaters help themselves too.
Get the recipe: Cheesy Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna Roll Ups

Sweet Potato Gnocchi in Browned Sage Butter

Pillowy sweet potato gnocchi tossed in browned sage butter is the kind of main that makes a small Thanksgiving feel like a dinner party. It is one of the few meatless Thanksgiving recipes here that cooks entirely on the stovetop, so the oven stays free for the pies. A handful of toasted pecans or crispy sage leaves on top makes it look restaurant-worthy.
Get the recipe: Sweet Potato Gnocchi in Browned Sage Butter

Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff with Cottage Cheese Sauce

Mushrooms in a creamy, tangy sauce over noodles is cold-weather comfort at its best, and this vegan version keeps all of that richness. It comes together on the stovetop while the turkey roasts, so a vegetarian guest gets a hot, fresh main right at dinnertime. Spoon it over egg-free noodles or mashed potatoes, whichever fits the rest of the plate.
Get the recipe: Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff with Cottage Cheese Sauce

Baked Mac and Cheese

In plenty of families, baked mac and cheese is already on the Thanksgiving table, so making it your vegetarian Thanksgiving main dish is an easy win. The creamy sauce and crunchy topping hold their own as a centerpiece, especially with a big green salad or roasted Brussels sprouts on the side. Bake an extra pan, because the meat eaters will want some too.
Get the recipe: Baked Mac and Cheese

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Main Dish FAQs