Food

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Sides and Mains

November 8, 2010

These hearty vegetarian dishes from around the world will satisfy every appetite this holiday.

Fresh Mushroom Cutlets with Mornay Sauce
This throwback to the Ranch House restaurant is still a popular choice with vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. See the Fresh Mushroom Cutlets with Mornay Sauce RecipeChristopher Hirsheimer

See the RecipeDavid Sawyer

See the RecipeDavid Sawyer

See the RecipeLaurie Smith

See the RecipeRoger Sherman

The kick of chile, ginger, and lime offers a welcome counterpoint to the rich, sweet flavor of yams. See the recipe for Yams with Ginger and Scallions »Larry Nighswander

This recipe proves that the flesh isn't just for pies but makes a delicious soup as well. We found it best to use a heavy pumpkin, with thick flesh that keeps it intact during baking. See the recipe for Pumpkin Soup in a Pumpkin »Christopher Boas

Treviso and Gorgonzola Tart — Delicately flavored treviso is combined with pungent gorgonzola and baked atop pillowy puff pastry.Maxime Lattoni

Traditionally used for stuffing fatty birds like goose because of their high starch content, we like using chestnuts in stuffings for leaner birds like turkey as well, for the sweet nutty flavor they impart. See the recipe for Chestnut Stuffing »Christopher Hirsheimer

Rutabagas are the star in this autumnal twist on the well-known Sicilian eggplant relish. See the recipe for Rutabaga Caponata »Larry Nighswander

Salade Lyonnaise — Hailing from Lyon, this French bistro standard gathers a delectable trio of bitter frisée, runny poached egg, and crisp lardons.Andre Baranowski

Serve this mash with pork sausages, if you like. See the recipe for Turnip-Potato Puree »Ben Fink

Roasted pecans add crunch while complimenting the earthy, slightly sweet flavor or Brussels sprouts. If you don't have pecans on hand, hazelnuts make a great substitute. See the recipe for Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Pecans »André Baranowski

No one will miss the meat in this creamy, vegetable-laden lasagne with perfectly al dente noodles.Andre Baranowski

Luscious pearl onions are rendered complex by curry powder and Tabasco. See the recipe for Curried Creamed Onions »James Oseland

Frying whole spices to release their flavor--a technique known in many parts of India as baghar--is crucial to developing the flavors in this simple dish of cauliflower and tomato. See the recipe for Curried Cauliflower with Tomatoes »James Oseland

Green Beans with Sesame Sauce — Ginger-spiced green beans make a light and simple side dish.Todd Coleman

Roasted Radishes — This colorful side is unbelievably simple, requiring only radishes, olive oil, thyme, and salt and pepper.André Baranowski

Salata Adas (Garlicky Lentil Salad) — This light, Lebanese lentil salad is flavored with lemon juice, cumin, allspice, and parsley.Todd Coleman

We created this composed salad with baby collards to showcase their natural affinity with peanuts and black-eyed peas. See the recipe for Collard Greens Salad with Peanut Vinaigrette »A.J. Wilhelm

Piquant Corn Bread — Jalapeños and cilantro punch up classic cornbread.Todd Coleman

Red Cabbage Gratin — A lightly-spiced and creamy cabbage casserole is baked with a crunchy breadcrumb and Parmesan topping.Todd Coleman

This fragrant recipes involves a few ingenious methods for infusing the herb's brisk flavor into the mash.Todd Coleman

Butter-Braised Kohlrabi — Kohlrabi, with its turniplike flavor, takes well to a slow simmer on the stove with chicken stock, butter, and thyme.Todd Coleman

Roasted Vidalia Onions with Herbed Bread Crumbs — Sweet Vidalia onions, grown in and around the namesake Georgia city, turn even sweeter when roasted with a savory herbed bread crumb topping.Todd Coleman

A satisfying vegetarian main course, these sweet potato, white bean, and spinach patties are terrific served with cranberry-ginger chutney. See the recipe for Autumn Vegetable Patties »Todd Coleman

This sophisticated take on cranberry sauce, laced with spices and plenty of fresh ginger, gets a boost from chopped celery and tart apples. See the recipe for Cranberry-Ginger Chutney »Todd Coleman

Peas with Orange and Mint — Fresh orange juice and plenty of mint enliven ordinary frozen peas.Todd Coleman

Potato and Rutabaga Gratin — Earthy rutabagas and aged Gruyere add intrigue to a classic potato gratin.Todd Coleman

Eastern spices like cumin and cardamom bring bright notes to this earthy, pleasantly chewy pilaf. See the recipe for Spiced Wheat Berry Pilaf »Todd Coleman

Winter Squash and Apple Soup — A garnish of fried mushrooms and a drizzle of spiced mint butter adds elegance to a simple pureed vegetable soup.Todd Coleman

Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad — A simple salad of raw shredded kale and Brussels sprouts is a refreshing variation on cold weather's ubiquitous green vegetables.Helen Rosner

Brussels Sprout Chips with Sweet Chile Sauce — Tossing crisp-fried brussels sprout leaves in a spicy Thai-flavored dressing spiked with yuzu juice, sesame oil, and Sriracha enlivens the old standby vegetable.Helen Rosner

SAVEUR associate food editor Ben Mims loves brown sugar and black pepper together: the pepper provides a pleasant heat, and the sugar brings out the spice's latent sweetness. On a rich and earthy baked potato, the combination is a natural. See the recipe for Baked Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar and Black Pepper »Todd Coleman

Green Beans and Tomatoes — In so many green bean casseroles, the beans are cooked well past the point of mushy. In this recipe they keep some snap.Todd Coleman

Raw Kale Salad with Lemon, Pecorino, and Currants — In this simple, elegant salad, the spicy flavor of thinly sliced raw kale is offset by creamy Pecorino cheese, bright lemon, and sweet-tart dried currants.Helen Rosner

A little ham added to the ricotta filling for this classic baked pasta imparts an extra layer of richness.Landon Nordeman

Pumpkin-Chickpea Curry — With warming notes of curry and cinnamon, this hearty vegetable curry is perfect for a cozy meal.Helen Rosner

Roasted Vegetable Terrine — Our colorful vegetarian take on terrine features smoky roasted vegetables, tangy goat cheese, and a sun-dried tomato pesto.Helen Rosner

Creamed Brussels Sprouts — This creamy, savory preparation brings out Brussels sprouts' natural sweetness.Maxime Iattoni

Maple Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes — Maple syrup enhances the sweetness of this simple sweet potato mash.Maxime Iattoni

Kale and Sweet Potato Gratin — Don't limit traditional pie spices—clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg—to the dessert table. In this cheesy, rich gratin, the spices take a savory note alongside kale, sweet potatoes, and sharp white cheddar.Maxime Iattoni

Broiled Spaghetti Squash with Walnut-Miso Glaze — It's rare that we encounter spaghetti squash not shredded into its eponymous noodle-like threads. But kept intact, it reveals a beautifully yielding texture and a savory, subtle flavor that's perfectly offset by a rich walnut-miso glaze.Maxime Iattoni

Green Bean Salad with Feta and Mint — Feta, red onion, and mint are a classic combination; tossed with snappy green beans they make a salad of surprising complexity.Maxime Iattoni

Lemon-and-Herb-Roasted Vegetables — Chopped whole lemon and spicy fresh ginger lend brightness to hearty roasted vegetables including sweet potatoes, acorn squash, and carrots.

Creamy Watercress Dip — Creamy cottage cheese combines with watercress, lemon, chive, and parsley to make this bright dip for raw vegetables.Helen Rosner

Fall Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Kale Chips, and Pomegranate Seeds — Crispy baked kale, sweet roasted squash, and peppery arugula and watercress are combined with pumpkin and pomegranate seeds in this colorful salad.Ariana Lindquist

Sautéed Green Beans with Pickled Shallots — Shallots are quick-pickled and sautéed with green beans in this refreshing side.Ariana Lindquist

Roasted Onion and Chestnut Compote — For this compote, roasted onions, bacon, and chestnuts are simmered in cream with cognac.Ariana Lindquist

Creme fraiche mashed potatoes — Mashed potatoes combined with butter and crème fraîche make a rich, creamy side. Any root vegetable can be used in combination with or in place of the potatoes.Farideh Sadeghin

Sweet Noodle Kugel — Kugel—the creamy egg noodle casserole that's a staple of Jewish holiday cooking&dmash;gets a Midwestern topping of cornflakes in this Thanksgiving side dish.Ariana Lindquist

Cranberry-Walnut Relish — Raw cranberries and earthy walnuts are transformed into a tart, fresh condiment for turkey.Farideh Sadeghin

Roasted Carrot and White Bean Dip — Carrots are roasted with rosemary and garlic until tender and slightly caramelized before being puréed with cannelini beans and coriander to make a vibrant, sweet, and earthy dip for raw veggies or pita chips.Helen Rosner

Lemon Parmesan Dip — Creamy and bright-tasting, lemon parmesan dip makes for an excellent accompaniment to a chip or crudité platter.Helen Rosner

Mashed Yams with Lime and Honey — Creamy baked yams mashed with butter, lime juice, and honey make an easy, bright autumn side dish.Helen Rosner

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts — This simple, satisfying side rounds out any Thanksgiving dinner.Helen Rosner

Roasted Beets with Orange and Crème Fraîche — A cool and tangy crème fraîche dressing adorns roasted beets for a simple, colorful side dish. We like to use a combination of red and golden beets for presentation.Vanessa Rees

Creamy Garlic Soup — A rich soup heavy with garlic and shallots makes a hearty first course or light main dish. Serve it with plenty of crusty bread. Get the recipe for Creamy Garlic Soup »Vanessa Rees

Cream of Fennel Soup — This rich, smooth soup balances the gentle flavor of fennel with spices and a bracing addition of Pernod. Get the recipe for Cream of Fennel Soup »Vanessa Rees

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