Thanksgiving is all about family, food, and gratitude. If you’re like many families trying to embrace a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle, you may be looking to add more plant-based dishes to your holiday table. And the best part? You can get the whole family, especially your kids, involved in the cooking process! Kids love being part of something special, and what’s more special than creating a delicious meal together?
Here’s a list of 35 plant-based Thanksgiving recipes that are so easy and fun to make, your kids will be excited to join you in the kitchen!
Cauliflower “Mac and Cheese”
Who doesn’t love mac and cheese? This plant-based version swaps traditional cheese for a creamy, cauliflower-based sauce. It’s so delicious your kids won’t even notice they’re eating vegetables!
How to involve your kids: Have them help blend the sauce and stir it into the cooked pasta.
Plant-Based Artichoke Spinach Dip
This creamy, indulgent dip is a healthier take on the classic appetizer. It’s packed with spinach, artichokes, and a cashew-based cream, making it rich in flavor but still plant-based.
How to Involve Your Kids:
Kids can help by draining and chopping the artichokes, and they’ll love mixing all the ingredients together. You can let them stir the dip as it heats up or spread it into a dish for baking. Younger ones can also sprinkle some nutritional yeast or vegan cheese on top for extra fun.
Vegan Roast Turkey | plant-based, perfect for the holidays | Chef Ani
This vegan roast turkey by Chef Ani is a fantastic plant-based alternative to traditional turkey, packed with flavor and perfect for the holiday table. It has a savory, meaty texture and can be served with all your favorite Thanksgiving sides.
How to Involve Your Kids:
- Mixing: Let your kids help mix the ingredients for the turkey loaf, which often includes ingredients like vital wheat gluten, chickpeas, and spices. Mixing is an easy and engaging task for little hands.
- Shaping: Have them help shape the “turkey” into a loaf or mold it into a fun shape. Kids love being creative with food!
- Glazing: Once baked, let them brush on the holiday glaze to give the roast that beautiful, golden finish.
Quick & Easy Gluten-free Bread Recipe | No-yeast & No-knead
This quick and easy gluten-free bread is a fantastic side for Thanksgiving, and it’s perfect for kids to make since there’s no kneading or yeast involved. It’s a simple recipe that delivers delicious, crusty bread.
How to Involve Your Kids:
- Measuring Ingredients: Let your kids measure the gluten-free flour, baking powder, and other dry ingredients. This is a great opportunity to practice counting and math skills.
- Stirring the Dough: Once the ingredients are in the bowl, your kids can mix them together until a dough forms.
- Shaping: Have your kids help shape the dough into a round loaf or into mini rolls. It’s fun for them to make their own little creations.
Easy Vegan Pumpkin Scones
These pumpkin scones are lightly sweetened and flavored with warm spices, making them a great addition to your Thanksgiving brunch or dessert table.
How to Involve Your Kids:
Kids will enjoy helping to mix the dry and wet ingredients together. Let them shape the dough into a circle and cut it into scone wedges. After baking, they can help drizzle a simple glaze over the top for a finishing touch.
Honey butter Vegan Fried Chicken | Air Fryer Recipe
This plant-based fried chicken is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a sweet and savory honey butter glaze. Perfect for Thanksgiving, it’s a comfort food classic with a vegan twist. Using the air fryer keeps things healthier without sacrificing flavor.
How to involve your kids:
- Coating the “chicken”: Let your kids help with dredging the plant-based chicken in the flour and seasonings. They’ll love dipping it into the various mixtures, getting their hands a little messy.
- Air fryer setup: Show your children how to safely arrange the “chicken” in the air fryer basket and set the timer. It’s a great way to teach them basic kitchen appliance skills under supervision.
Creamy & Delicious Plant-based Gluten-free Mac n Cheese Recipe
This creamy plant-based version is gluten-free and made with a delicious cheesy sauce that even non-vegans will adore. It’s a classic dish perfect for the Thanksgiving table.
How to involve your kids:
- Stirring the cheese sauce: Once you’ve prepared the creamy plant-based cheese sauce, let your kids stir the mixture while it’s on low heat. They’ll love watching the sauce come together and thickening.
- Mixing pasta and sauce: After the pasta is cooked, have them mix the pasta with the sauce, ensuring it’s fully coated. This simple task is easy for even the littlest helpers.
DELICIOUS Cauliflower Steak Recipe | Easy & Healthy Plant-based Dinner Idea!
Cauliflower steaks are a visually appealing, tasty, and healthy alternative to meat-based dishes. When roasted with herbs and spices, cauliflower takes on a rich, savory flavor that even the pickiest eaters will enjoy.
How to involve your kids:
- Seasoning the steaks: Give your kids a small brush and let them baste the cauliflower with olive oil and spices. This hands-on activity is fun and easy for them to handle.
- Arranging on the tray: Have your kids help arrange the cauliflower steaks on the baking sheet. It’s a great way to teach them about portioning and spacing for even cooking.
Simple cooked fennel & orange recipe
This light and refreshing fennel and orange dish is a perfect contrast to heavier Thanksgiving meals. The combination of the subtle anise flavor of fennel with the bright, citrusy tang of orange makes for a delightful side.
How to involve your kids:
- Peeling and slicing the oranges: Let your kids peel and slice the oranges. This task is easy and fun, especially for younger children.
- Arranging the salad: They can also help arrange the fennel and orange slices on a platter, giving them a chance to be creative in presenting the dish.
Vegan Fried Chicken with Cauliflower Recipe
This vegan fried chicken made with cauliflower is crunchy, flavorful, and a perfect centerpiece for a plant-based Thanksgiving. The cauliflower florets are coated and fried to crispy perfection, offering a satisfying bite.
How to involve your kids:
- Coating the cauliflower: Kids will love dipping the cauliflower into the batter and breading. It’s a messy, hands-on job that’s perfect for little helpers.
- Serving the cauliflower bites: Once cooked, your kids can help arrange the fried cauliflower on a serving platter, making them feel proud of their work.
Apple Vanilla Muffins – Plant-based Recipe
These apple vanilla muffins are a delightful plant-based dessert or snack to add to your Thanksgiving spread. They’re sweet, moist, and bursting with apple and vanilla flavors.
How to Involve Your Kids:
- Peeling and Chopping: If your kids are old enough, they can help peel and chop the apples into small pieces. For younger children, you can pre-chop the apples and let them sprinkle them into the muffin batter.
- Stirring the Batter: Kids can mix the wet and dry ingredients and fold in the apples. Stirring is one of the most fun parts of baking!
- Scooping: Give them the job of scooping the batter into muffin tins. They’ll love filling the cups and watching the muffins rise in the oven.
Sweet Potato Waffles – Plant-based Recipe
These sweet potato waffles are a fun and festive breakfast option for Thanksgiving morning. They’re plant-based and filled with nutritious sweet potatoes that give them a beautiful orange hue and rich flavor.
How to Involve Your Kids:
- Mashing Sweet Potatoes: After the sweet potatoes are cooked, your kids can help mash them into a smooth consistency. This is a simple task they’ll enjoy.
- Mixing the Batter: Let them combine the mashed sweet potatoes with the other ingredients like flour, almond milk, and cinnamon. Stirring helps them feel like they’re really making the waffles themselves.
- Pouring the Batter: With supervision, let your kids pour the waffle batter into the waffle maker. They’ll be excited to see how the waffles turn out!
Pumpkin Steel-Cut Oatmeal
This warm, hearty oatmeal is the perfect way to start your Thanksgiving morning. With pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg, it’s like eating dessert for breakfast—but healthier!
How to Involve Your Kids:
Let them measure out the oats, pumpkin puree, and spices. Kids can help stir the oatmeal as it cooks, keeping an eye on the pot to make sure it doesn’t stick. For extra fun, let them top their bowls with nuts, seeds, or fruit when it’s ready to serve.
Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms
These bite-sized treats are savory, stuffed with a mix of breadcrumbs, herbs, and veggies. They’re a hit with both kids and adults at any Thanksgiving spread.
How to Involve Your Kids:
Your kids can help by removing the mushroom stems and spooning the stuffing into the mushroom caps. For older kids, they can also help chop the ingredients for the stuffing (with supervision) and arrange the mushrooms on a baking sheet.
Olive Tapenade Recipe
This salty, flavorful spread made from olives, capers, and garlic is a delicious addition to your appetizer table. It’s easy to make and can be served with crackers or fresh veggies.
How to Involve Your Kids:
Have your kids pit the olives (if necessary) or measure out ingredients. They’ll love pressing the button on the food processor to blend everything into a smooth tapenade. Once it’s ready, let them scoop the tapenade into a serving dish and arrange it with crackers or veggies.
Pear Pecan Salad
This light, refreshing salad is perfect as a side dish for your Thanksgiving meal. Sweet pears, crunchy pecans, and a tangy dressing come together for a satisfying bite.
How to Involve Your Kids:
Kids can help by washing and slicing the pears, tossing the salad greens, and sprinkling pecans on top. You can also let them shake up the salad dressing in a jar to make it more interactive.
Fall Pumpkin Pancakes with Vegan Coconut Pumpkin Cream
Who doesn’t love pancakes? These fluffy, spiced pumpkin pancakes are topped with a rich, vegan coconut pumpkin cream, making them perfect for breakfast or dessert.
How to Involve Your Kids:
Your little helpers can mix the pancake batter, stir in the pumpkin, and help ladle the batter onto the griddle. Let them watch as the pancakes cook and help flip them with your supervision. For the coconut pumpkin cream, they can stir the ingredients together and drizzle it over the pancakes when it’s time to eat.
Simple Vegan Duchess Potatoes with Herbs
These elegant, fluffy mashed potatoes are piped into beautiful swirls and baked until golden. They’re fancy enough for Thanksgiving but simple enough to make with your kids.
How to Involve Your Kids:
Let your kids mash the potatoes with a potato masher and help stir in the plant-based milk and seasonings. The most fun part? Have them help pipe the mashed potatoes into pretty swirls on a baking sheet. They’ll be so proud of their little potato masterpieces!
Vegan Garlic Knots
These soft, fluffy garlic knots are the perfect side for your Thanksgiving meal. They’re easy to make, and the smell of fresh bread baking is irresistible.
How to Involve Your Kids:
Your kids can help with kneading the dough, which is a great sensory activity. They can also roll the dough into little knots and brush them with garlic-infused olive oil before baking. You can let them sprinkle some herbs on top for a fun finishing touch.
Easy Vegan Homemade Sausages
These plant-based sausages are packed with flavor and protein, making them a great addition to your Thanksgiving table. They’re surprisingly simple to make, and your kids will love helping out.
How to Involve Your Kids:
Let your kids help measure and mix the ingredients for the sausages. They can help form the sausages into links, and older kids can wrap them in foil for steaming. You’ll also have fun working together to cook them on the stove or bake them in the oven.
Stuffed Mini Pumpkins
Stuffed mini pumpkins are as fun to make as they are to eat! Filled with quinoa, cranberries, and kale, they are packed with flavor and nutrients. The kids can help hollow out the pumpkins and stuff them with the filling.
How to involve your kids: Let them scoop out the pumpkin seeds and fill the pumpkins with the stuffing.
Asian Slaw With Red Chili Peanut Sauce
This refreshing Asian slaw is a crunchy, colorful side dish that pairs well with many Thanksgiving main courses. The tangy red chili peanut sauce gives it an extra kick, making it a crowd-pleaser.
How to Involve Your Kids:
- Shredding the Veggies: For older kids, you can teach them how to safely shred or chop cabbage, carrots, and bell peppers. For younger ones, let them help arrange the pre-cut veggies in a bowl.
- Mixing the Sauce: Kids can help measure out and whisk the peanut sauce ingredients together. They’ll have fun stirring it up and tasting the flavors come together.
- Tossing the Salad: Finally, let your kids toss the veggies with the sauce. It’s a fun and simple task that gives them a sense of accomplishment.
Sweet Potato “Mash” Muffins
These sweet potato muffins are both sweet and savory, making them a perfect addition to your Thanksgiving spread. Your kids will love mashing the potatoes and mixing the ingredients. Plus, it’s a great way to sneak in some veggies!
How to involve your kids: Let them mash the cooked sweet potatoes and stir the batter.
Cranberry-Orange Sauce
Ditch the canned stuff and make fresh cranberry sauce with your kids. This recipe is so simple and fresh, and the vibrant color will attract their attention. The combination of sweet and tart makes it a hit.
How to involve your kids: Have them help measure the cranberries, sugar, and juice. They can also stir while the sauce simmers.
Veggie Pot Pie
What kid doesn’t love pie? This veggie pot pie is loaded with colorful vegetables and a creamy plant-based filling. With a golden, flaky crust, it’s sure to be a family favorite.
How to involve your kids: Let them cut out fun shapes in the dough or help layer the veggies inside the pie.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Maple Syrup
Brussels sprouts may not be every kid’s favorite, but when they’re roasted and drizzled with a little maple syrup, they might just change their mind. The sweetness pairs perfectly with the slightly bitter Brussels sprouts, making it a kid-approved veggie side dish.
How to involve your kids: Let them toss the Brussels sprouts in olive oil and maple syrup before roasting.
Plant-based Chickpea Sausage Stuffing
Traditional stuffing is often loaded with butter, but this plant-based version uses chickpeas for added protein. It’s full of herbs, onions, and celery to keep that classic Thanksgiving flavor intact.
How to involve your kids: Your kids can help mash the chickpeas and tear the bread into bite-sized pieces.
Pumpkin Hummus
Give your hummus a festive twist by adding pumpkin to the mix! This is a perfect appetizer to serve with veggie sticks or crackers, and it’s super easy for kids to help make.
How to involve your kids: They can help with measuring, mixing, and taste-testing (the best part)!
Apple Crisp
This naturally sweet apple crisp is a healthier take on dessert, but still just as tasty. It’s simple to make, and the crunchy oat topping is irresistible.
How to involve your kids: Let them peel and slice the apples, and mix the oat crumble topping.
Butternut Squash Soup
This creamy, cozy soup is perfect for a chilly Thanksgiving day. It’s made with roasted butternut squash and spices, and it’s a hit for both kids and adults.
How to involve your kids: Your little ones can help scoop the roasted squash out of the skin and stir the soup on the stove.
Plant-based Cornbread
Cornbread is a Thanksgiving classic, and this vegan version is just as delicious as the original. It’s slightly sweet, moist, and perfect for pairing with soups or stuffing.
How to involve your kids: Let them stir the batter and pour it into the baking dish.
Rainbow Roasted Vegetables
Roasted vegetables are a staple on many Thanksgiving tables, and they’re even more fun when they’re colorful! Use a mix of carrots, beets, potatoes, and bell peppers to create a rainbow on your plate.
How to involve your kids: Have your kids arrange the veggies by color on the baking sheet and drizzle them with olive oil.
Plant-Based Gravy
Gravy ties everything together, and you can make a delicious plant-based version using mushrooms and vegetable broth. It’s savory, flavorful, and perfect for drizzling over mashed potatoes or stuffing.
How to involve your kids: Let them whisk the gravy as it cooks.
Vegan Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin pie is the ultimate Thanksgiving dessert, and a plant-based version is just as rich and flavorful. You can even use store-bought pie dough to make this recipe easier.
How to involve your kids: Let them stir the pumpkin filling and help pour it into the pie crust.
Cinnamon-Glazed Carrots
These sweet and slightly spiced carrots are a great way to get kids excited about vegetables. They’re glazed with cinnamon and maple syrup, making them both healthy and delicious.
How to involve your kids: Let your kids help peel the carrots and mix the glaze ingredients.
A Few Tips for Cooking with Kids on Thanksgiving:
- Patience is Key: Kids might take a bit longer to complete tasks, so plan extra time for cooking. Remember, the experience is just as important as the meal itself.
- Assign Age-Appropriate Tasks: Younger children can help with measuring, mixing, and stirring, while older kids can handle more complex tasks like chopping (with supervision).
- Make It Fun: Use cookie cutters to shape dough, create veggie rainbows, or let kids invent fun names for the dishes. The more fun it is, the more likely they’ll want to join in!
- Emphasize Teamwork: Thanksgiving is all about coming together as a family, and cooking together fosters that sense of teamwork. Celebrate each step, from planning the menu to serving the final dishes.
Wrapping Up
Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful, and what better way to celebrate than by creating a plant-based feast with your kids? Not only will you be sharing delicious, healthy meals, but you’ll also be making memories that will last a lifetime. From savory veggie pot pies to sweet cinnamon-glazed carrots, these 15 plant-based recipes are sure to become new family favorites. So, roll up your sleeves, gather your little sous-chefs, and have a fantastic time in the kitchen this Thanksgiving!
