Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes 2012

The $64,000 question for Thanksgiving with vegetarians is what to do about the main course. There are two schools of thought:

1. An entree is really important; a meal isn't a meal unless there is something is in the middle of the plate.
2. Don't worry about it. The turkey, after all, is only one of about two hundred and sixty seven things on the table; most of the rest of them are vegetarian anyhow. It is one meal a year, just let the vegetarians eat all the delicious side dishes and save them an extra slice of pumpkin pie. (Like how I slipped that pie part in there?)

Personally, I'm more in camp 2, at least if I'm joining an omnivorous Thanksgiving. It just isn't that big of a deal to me to be worth making a veg entree when there is so much else to eat. But if I was putting on my own fully vegetarian Thanksgiving, I'd pick one of these main courses:

• Saffron Chickpea Stew with Grilled Porcini Mushroom
• Crisp Polenta Cakes with Braised Cabbage and Beans
• Summer Squash and Portobello Mushroom Lasagna
• King Oyster Mushroom with Roasted Cherries and Sage
• Roasted Tomato and Corn Risotto
• Farro with Chanterelles and Apples
• Delicata Squash Stuffed with Orzo in a Sage Brown Butter Sauce

• Syrian Red Lentil Soup
• Red Lentil and Kabocha Squash Soup with Harissa Oil

Salad:

• Persimmon Carpaccio with Fennel Salad
• Baby Turnip Salad, Tip-To-Tail Style

Appetizers:

• Caramelized Apple and Blue Cheese Crostini
• Golden Beet Tartare

Side Dishes:

• Alice's Roasted Carrots with Sage Brown Butter
• Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Shiitakes and Smoked Paprika
• Savory Bread Pudding with Morels and Beet Greens
• Potatoes, Chanterelles and Shallots in Red Wine Sauce
• Potato and Fennel Gratin
• Braised Baby Artichokes with Fennel and Cherry Tomatoes
• The Modestly Named Best Cornbread Ever
• Roasted Purple Cauliflower with Sherry Vinaigrette

• The Vegetarian Gravy

Something sweet?

• Butterscotch pudding with Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache
• Maple Pudding with Spiced Pecans

I hope this list is helpful! If you need any more suggestions (soups? appetizers? dessert?) or ideas for combinations that will work well with other things you are serving, just add a comment below and I'd be happy to help you brainstorm. And if you like the recipes you see here on Herbivoracious, enter your email address below and I'll send you my free email newsletter: