27 Best Vegetarian Main Dishes for Thanksgiving

Looking for some vegetarian and vegan ideas for your Thanksgiving main entree? Here are some vegetarian main dishes for Thanksgiving that are both delicious and stunning enough to be a centerpiece dish. The below ideas range from hasselback butternut squash and stuffed acorn squash, to whole roasted cauliflower and pot pies.

And if you want some fabulous ideas for side dishes, check out this post for 21 side dish ideas for a vegetarian Thanksgiving. Or maybe you need ideas for appetizers? Then check out this post for A Vegetarian Thanksgiving : 27 Appetizers & More.

Want to create something truly special for your vegetarian Thanksgiving table this year? I want to help with that. So, check out this Table of Contents to what I've got for you!

Jump to:

• Roasted or Stuffed Squash Main Dishes
• More Stuffed Vegetable Dishes
• Whole Roasted Cauliflower Main Dishes
• Vegan and Vegetarian Roasts
• Pot Pies All Dressed Up
• Go Non-Traditional with Italian Main Dishes

We’re working ourselves towards mid-November and the biggest feast day of the year. All over the country, meal planning is beginning in earnest. And I've got your back if you need ideas for vegetarian main dishes for Thanksgiving that are centerpiece-worthy.

Roasted or Stuffed Squash Main Dishes

Winter squash is a natural choice because of their wide variety, range of vibrant colors, and different sizes. And when you scoop out the pulp and seeds, the hollowed out bowls are perfect for a wide variety of stuffings.

Pomegranate Glazed Hasselback Butternut Squash

If you have two knives, then this dish is easy to make. Just put one knife on each side of the butternut squash, and cut into thin slices. The knife prevents you from cutting all the way through the squash. And the recipe has step-by-step instructions with photos for each step of the way.

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Vegan Stuffed Butternut Squash with Quinoa, Apples and Figs

In this recipe, first slice the butternut squash in half. Next, roast it in the oven while basting with plant-based butter mixed with fig jam and maple syrup. Finally, spoon the stuffing over the squash and slide it back in the oven for a final bake.

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Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash

The cornbread stuffing for this recipe includes charred poblano peppers, red peppers and apples. Save the stuffing recipe to use with other dishes too!

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Stuffed Delicata Squash

One of the many great things about delicata squash is you don't have to peel it. Just scrape out the seeds and pulp, and roast it, skin and all. It's all edible. And you can make the spinach, quinoa and apple stuffing ahead!

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Spicy Squash Boats with Fruity Quinoa

Whisk together some chipotles in adobo sauce, hoisin and maple syrup, and baste Delicata Squash with it while it roasts. Spoon a quinoa pilaf mixed with apples and dried fruits over the roasted squash boats.

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Mushroom & Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash (Bakerita blog)

Fill acorn squash halves with caramelized onions, mushrooms, wild rice, cauliflower florets, spinach, dried cranberries, and pecans. Roast and serve with a drizzle of lemon tahini sauce for a delicious, hearty main dish.

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Roasted Carnival Squash with Chickpea Spinach Dip Filling (Heartbeet Kitchen blog)

Caramelized roasted Carnival Squash is filled with a creamy spinach artichoke dip with added chickpeas for tons of flavor! If you're not familiar with this squash, Carnival Squash looks like acorn squash. But the coloring is more similar to Delicata Squash with cream and green stripes, and a little orange.

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Vegan Stuffed Butternut Squash (Chocolate Moosey - Homemade in the Kitchen blog)

These vegan stuffed butternut squash boats are filled with cranberry rice, pecans, chickpeas and some butternut squash puree. When the squash is roasted, you'll remove some of the squash to add to the filling. 

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Lentil Wild Rice and Cranberry Stuffed Squash (Recipe Runner blog)

This vegan acorn squash dish uses a stuffing made of lentils, wild rice, cranberries and toasted pecans for a beautiful and flavorful vegetarian main dish. 

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Thanksgiving Roast Stuffed Pumpkin (The Good Hearted Woman blog)

This roasted stuffed pumpkin is filled to the brim with a savory multigrain stuffing, dried and fresh fruits, nuts, and warm toasty seasonings

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More Stuffed Vegetable Dishes

Stuffed Red Bell Pepper Casserole

These vegetarian jambalaya stuffed peppers can be made in a flash with Zatarain's Jambalaya Mix, and then scooped into red peppers ready for roasting. They're all topped off with cornbread and cheddar cheese.

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Portabella Mushrooms Stuffed with Cabernet Onions and Gorgonzola

Portabella mushrooms are stuffed with onions sautéed in cabernet wine with spices, raisins and wilted spinach. Serve with gorgonzola cheese crumbles and pomegranate arils for a festive dish that's full of flavor.

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Whole Roasted Cauliflower Main Dishes

Cauliflower, roasted whole, is a dramatic main dish, and absolutely delicious. The outside is a little crispy, and the inside nice and tender. One of the great things about cauliflower is that it plays so well with other flavors. So have some fun with spices and sauces like the below recipes.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini Sauce

This is another of my favorite vegetarian main dishes for Thanksgiving. Roast a whole cauliflower head until charred and caramelized at the edges, and then cover it in a smoky paprika dressing. Serve it on top of a tahini sauce.

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Roasted Whole Cauliflower in Air Fryer (Healing Tomato blog)

A whole cauliflower marinates for several hours in a red bell pepper pesto, and then cooked in the air fryer until the surfaces are just crispy. The recipe for the pesto is included in this post!

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Pistachio Crusted Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Pistachio Cream Sauce (Snixy Kitchen blog)

The soft subtle cauliflower core contrasts the crispy and deeply roasted pistachio crust. And a creamy bright lemony parsley pistachio sauce drizzled over the top adds depth of flavor.

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Cauliflower Steaks over a Lentil Salad

Spice rubbed cauliflower steaks are roasted and served on top of a lentil salad with a drizzle of tahini dressing, parsley and pepitas.

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Vegan and Vegetarian Roasts

There are several ways to think about vegan and vegetarian roasts, from nut roasts and seitan, to mushroom wellington (a vegetarian take on the classic Beef Wellington dish).

Mushroom Wellington (The Last Food Blog blog)

A deliciously rich Mushroom Wellington roast with chestnuts, spinach, caramelized red onions, and crispy puff pastry. 

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Epic Vegan Sunday Roast Dinner with Gravy (Thank You Berry Much blog)

This epic vegan Sunday roast dinner is complete with savory seitan roast beef, marinated tender root vegetables, and a creamy mushroom gravy. 

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The Best Nut Roast Recipe for Celebrations (Thinly Spread blog)

This stunning nut roast has layers of butternut squash, spinach, beets and of course spiced nuts. Feel free to swap in your favorite veggies for the layers.

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Thanksgiving Baked Tempeh (The Live-In Kitchen blog)

Marinate slabs of tempeh in herbs, spices, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar and more. Wrap in roasted butternut squash ribbons, and then bake in the oven for gorgeous packages of goodness.

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The Ultimate Vegan Wellington (Vegan Huggs blog)

Mushrooms and chickpeas are broken down for a nice meaty texture, and mixed together with sautéed veggies and seasonings. Form the filling into a loaf, wrap in puff pastry, and bake.

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Vegetarian Wellington Recipe (Wholesome Soulfood Kitchen blog)

Butternut squash combines with a savory mushroom mix of portabella mushrooms, chestnuts, herbs and feta cheese to create a flavorful, savory filling. Wrap it in puff pastry and bake.

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Pot Pies All Dressed Up

Pot pies are the ultimate comfort food, but they're super special when they dress up with filo dough (phyllo) and puff pastry.

Vegan Pot Pie with Filo Crust (Happy Kitchen blog)

Simmer broccoli, leeks, mushrooms, carrots, green peas and herbs in a smooth and nutty vegan béchamel sauce. Wrap it in layers of flaky phyllo crust and bake.

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Vegetarian Pot Pie (Life Currents blog)

This meat-free vegetable pot pie version of the classic comfort food is easy, wholesome, and nutritious food that you can cook with mostly pantry and freezer ingredients.

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Go Non-Traditional with Italian Main Dishes

Welcome Italian food to your vegetarian Thanksgiving table with some filling comfort food.

Butternut Squash and Sage Risotto with Pears

This post includes directions for both the Instant Pot and stove top.

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Eggplant Pesto Parmesan Casserole

I recently updated this recipe to make it a little faster to make! It's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

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Cheesy Polenta Lasagna Casserole

This delicious vegetarian lasagna is made with layers of polenta (either homemade or purchased from the market), cheeses, peppers, spinach and marinara sauce. And thanks to the polenta, it's gluten-free. 

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