Thanksgiving is getting closer and closer, and each day you worry more about your crazy in-laws and cousins coming in from out of town. Thanksgiving is made even more stressful when you or someone else in your family doesn’t eat meat. So not only do you need to figure out your plans, you also need to figure out a meatless Thanksgiving Day menu! Well, look no further because all the perfect meatless Thanksgiving main courses are right here for you. Now you have one less thing to worry about!
>> Read more: 50 Meals for Meatless Monday
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1. Green Bean and Potato Casserole: This low-calorie, low-fat casserole is the perfect family recipe, and it’s an easy cleanup as well! The panko breadcrumbs on top give it a kid-friendly feel, while you know the kids are getting all the good stuff from the veggies below the breadcrumbs. This delicious casserole is vegetarian and skinny! What more could you ask for? Click here to check it out.
2. Twice Baked Butternut Squash: This delicious vegetarian dish is just so simple to make. All you need to do is scoop out the insides of the squash and mix them with sour cream, paprika and chives. Then mold your mixture back into the squash skins and bake with some breadcrumbs sprinkled on top. You can even choose smaller squash so each person can have their own. (via Martha Stewart)
11. Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie with Garlic Mashed Potatoes: With the cold weather, shepherd’s pie sounds like a great meal, especially with Thanksgiving dinner. To make it vegetarian, this dish substitutes spaghetti squash for the ground beef as its base. The rest of it is filled with lentils, celery, carrots and mushrooms. It’s then topped off with goat cheese-infused mashed potatoes. How does this not sound delicious?! (via The Fig Tree)
>> Read more: 9 Healthy and Hearty Spaghetti Squash Recipes
12. Pumpkin and Sage Ravioli: Another pumpkin dish that doesn’t just put pumpkin in a pie or cookie. Mix up your Thanksgiving dinner by making these homemade ravioli that are filled with seasonal ingredients like nutmeg, sage and ricotta cheese. Make sure you serve them with a bit of melted butter and parmesan cheese. (via Reclaiming Provincial)
3. Broccoli and Cheddar Casserole with Leeks: What would a Thanksgiving meal be without a nice casserole? This dish is a play off of the original broccoli and cheese. It uses yummy white cheddar with just a hint of cayenne pepper and is topped off with crumbled crackers and toasted almonds. (via Food and Wine)
4. Baked Polenta with Wild Mushrooms: While you’re still baking that one dish that seems to take forever, quickly whip up this polenta dish. A quick dish that you are sure to love and your stomach will be just as satisfied. (via Food and Wine)
5. Pumpkin Lasagna with Ricotta and Swiss Chard: Thanksgiving is always crazy with baking various dishes around your family all day. This lasagna is perfect because you can make it the day before and bake it later. This lasagna also allows you to enjoy the savory pumpkin flavor that Thanksgiving likes to focus on. (via Food and Wine)
6. Roasted Vegetable Lasagna: Be ready for a lightened up version of your favorite lasagna! You can use a variety of vegetables to make this cheesy entree. You can even take those vegetables in your refrigerator that you never seem to use and put them to good use. (via Dinners for a Year)
>> Recipe: World’s Best Skinny Lasagna
7. Green Bean Casserole with Red Curry and Peanuts: A Thanksgiving dinner always seems to have at least one green bean casserole. This recipe puts a Thai spin on your classic green bean dish by using red curry and coconut milk. To make it a main dish, you can just stir in some tofu. You can also prepare this dish ahead of time! (via Food and Wine)
8. Stuffed Thanksgiving “Burger”: Combine all the greatness of Thanksgiving dinner into a burger! Think stuffing filled with healthy vegetables and bits of cranberry to provide a burst of sweetness. There are lentils for protein, earthy mushrooms and festive hazelnuts with traditional celery, sage and thyme. If you don’t want to try this as a Thanksgiving main dish just yet, you can make it the day after Thanksgiving by combining all your leftovers. (via The Post Punk Kitchen)
9. Roasted Parsnip Bread Pudding: Be sure you use this recipe as a yummy stand-in for traditional stuffing. It melds together cubes of brioche, grated cheese and thyme while the parsnips give it an earthy dimension. Your family will be sure to love it especially with the satisfying richness that the cream and parmesan add. (via Martha Stewart)
10. Pumpkin Pot Pie: Take your classic pot pie and change it a little by adding some pumpkin. It’s a seasonal dish that is sure to steal the spotlight and soon become a Thanksgiving tradition. There is no meat in this pie; instead it’s filled with pumpkin, carrots, celery and kale with some white kidney beans for protein. You can opt for whole-wheat crust for a healthier option (or no crust at all) and it will still be delicious! (via Earthy Feast)
