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Friendsgiving: Vegan Thanksgiving Dinner

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Vegan cheeseboard with persimmons, broccoli, carrots, celery, Marcona almonds, and Castelvetrano olives.

Today I’m sharing the vegan Thanksgiving dinner menu from our recent Friendsgiving.

This Saturday we celebrated Friendsgiving. You’ve heard of Friendsgiving, right? It’s when friends get together in the days just before or just after Thanksgiving to do their own rendition of the meal.

It seems like this past weekend was the time to do it, if my Instagram feed is any kind of indication.

In fact, there was such a whirlwind of fall foods in my feed, I had to wonder when Friendsgiving got so popular. It’s like the Elf on a Shelf of Thanksgiving.

Obviously, we’ve collectively been having Thanksgiving with friends for years – for as long as people have lived in other parts of the globe as their relatives or preferred to dine with their chosen families for whatever reason.

But dubbing it “Friendsgiving” and doing it en masse feels like it came out of nowhere – like the Berenstein/Berenstain Bears phenomenon of the Mandela Effect.

(Have you heard of the Mandela Effect? I hadn’t, and then David mentioned it one day. Apparently, there is some internet conspiracy theory that there are alternate timelines. And you can see glitches in the system by way of shared inconsistent memories.

One of the common examples is that some people remember it being the Berenstein Bears as children. And yet, the name of the book series is Berenstain Bears. You can read more about it on Snopes.)

Napkin with napkin ring and two candles on table.

Some people say that Friendsgiving actually started with the TV series, Friends, when the gang gathered together for Thanksgiving, because of past traumatizing experiences with the holiday. No one referred to it as Friendsgiving on that episode, though.

The earliest print uses of Friendsgiving happened in 2007. And it was added to the Urban Dictionary back in 2009.

Anyway, now that the Friendsgiving history lesson has been sufficiently discussed…

We celebrated Friendsgiving this past weekend by sharing a vegan Thanksgiving dinner with a few of our favorite people.

Cranberry mimosa

Cranberry champagne cocktail in stemless champagne flute.

Since our vegan Thanksgiving dinner actually fell over lunchtime, I wanted a cocktail that was on the lighter end of the spectrum but still festive.

So I made this simple cranberry mimosa.

Cranberries in cranberry champagne cocktail in champagne flute on dinner table.

It was refreshing and fizzy, as I didn’t want a drink that would make me crash at 1 pm.

For a non-alcoholic version, David and I have also made them with cranberry juice and sparkling water. That’s also really nice without being too sugary.

If a person prefers things on the sweeter side, I bet it would work with tonic water or club soda as well.

Vegan cheeseboard

Vegan cheeseboard with carrots, persimmons, grilled artichoke hearts, Herbivorous Butcher cheese, and olives.

I had everyone arrive first for cocktails & nibbles.

This vegan cheeseboard is one of David and my favorite weeknight meals – a series of nibbles from the refrigerator. But of course, it’s also a beautiful & colorful way to start a dinner party.

The vegan cheeseboard included:

  • Warmed Castelvetrano olives with lemon & garlic
  • Sliced persimmons
  • Broccoli florets
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Jarred grilled artichoke hearts
  • Vegan smoked gouda
  • Vegan cheddar chive
  • Marcona almonds with truffle salt
  • A variety of crackers

I’ve been making the most of persimmon season. But I know they’re not as familiar and beloved for everyone. So I wanted to share them with my friends who may not have had them before.

(Do you love persimmons too? I recently made a video of my delicata squash salad with persimmons that is worth seeking out during this brief window of time that they’re around.)

I also made a batch of my warmed Castelvetrano olives with lemon & garlic. This one works well for dinner parties, because you can make it ahead of time and then quickly warm them again once guests arrive. The longer the olives marinate, the better the flavor.

Finishing out the cheeseboard were jarred grilled artichoke hearts, fresh vegetables, and two kinds of non-dairy cheese from Herbivorous Butcher.

Herbivorous Butcher offers a Thanksgiving feast this time of year that can be purchased in their brick and mortar store or online. Since the store is in Minneapolis, which is a jaunt, we did an online order.

It came with two kinds of non-dairy cheese, maple sage breakfast sausage, vegan marshmallows, and a Thanksgiving roast…. But more on that in a second.

By the time our cocktails were done, the cheeses were a memory. Both of them went over well, but the smoked gouda was a particular hit. It has those wonderful undertones of smokiness without overwhelming.

With our palates whetted, it was time for the main attraction!

Dinner

Vegan Thanksgiving spread with seitan, cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes.

Dinner included:

  • Mashed potatoes and seitan bacon gravy
  • Orange cranberry sauce
  • Stuffed seitan turkey
  • Green bean casserole
  • Wild rice stuffing
  • Apple pie

I made vegan mashed potatoes, and then I stirred caramelized onions into them. I served them with seitan bacon vegan gravy.

I knew that my friend, Adam, isn’t into mushrooms. So I wanted to serve a gravy that he’d be excited to eat as well.

This gravy includes sage and rosemary, with the added edge of smoked salt and chewy seitan bacon to finish it off.

Of course, it isn’t vegan Thanksgiving dinner without cranberry sauce. I like to make orange cranberry sauce that is sweetened with orange juice and maple syrup. They mellow out the tartness of the cranberries and add another dimension of flavor.

Overhead picture of vegan Thanksgiving dinner with seitan, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce.

Hannah & Carl brought green bean casserole, which I was really excited about. Green bean casserole was always one of my favorites growing up. But the version I grew up eating was made with non-vegan ingredients like cream of mushroom soup.

Hannah used the recipe from Fatfree Vegan. It was absolutely wonderful. It had a peppery bite that I really enjoyed.

Ashley & Adam brought wild rice stuffing. They are from Minnesota, where wild rice pride is akin to the way Iowans get about corn.

They’ve talked for years about how there has to be a wild rice dish at Thanksgiving to make it official. So it was very fitting that they came in tow with this wild rice dish dotted with apples and cranberries.

Sliced vegan turkey seitan roast from Herbivorous Butcher.

For the main course, we had the stuffed vegan turkey from Herbivorous Butcher. I’d had their turkey seitan in the past, but in the form of deli slices from their store.

I cut this holiday roast into thick slices. There was plenty for our group of 6 with enough for leftovers.

(Still planning your main course? Mini vegetable pot pies, full-sized vegan pot pie, or polenta stacks with BBQ squash & cashew cream would also be eye-catching options.)

Hannah holding apple pie.

Slice of vegan apple pie on plate.

Hannah & Carl also brought dessert – apple pie. This classic pie had big slivers of apples just the way I like and a perfectly puffy crust. The apple pie recipe is a family secret, but the crust comes from Namely Marly.

It’s no wonder that Friendsgiving has gotten so popular.

Thanksgiving is known to be a holiday that can have its share of stresses – with travel, clashing politics & ideologies, and other drama. But Friendsgiving has none of that – just a relaxed vegan Thanksgiving dinner with friends in the comfort of our home.

Cadry, Hannah, and Carl at vegan Friendsgiving.

Carl, David, Adam, and Ashley at vegan Friendsgiving.

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Posted On: November 20, 2017
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About Cadry

Cadry Nelson is the writer, photographer, and recipe creator behind Cadry’s Kitchen, a vegan food & lifestyle blog started in 2009. Through approachable recipes, vegan travel guides, and down-to-earth discussions on the social aspects of being vegan, Cadry shows that living a vegan lifestyle is deliciously uncomplicated. Cadry has been featured on NBC News, Mashable, Today, Reader's Digest, Yahoo, Delish, Shape, and Huffington Post.

Comments

  1. Jennifer Bliss says

    November 20, 2017 at 12:58 pm

    SOunds like a great time!
    That vegan cheese board looks amazing! WOTW!
    And that cranberry beverage! So festive!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      November 20, 2017 at 1:52 pm

      Thanks, Jennifer! It was a picture perfect day. I think vegan cheese boards are beautiful too – so much color! It makes you just want to dig in right away.

      Reply
  2. Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day says

    November 20, 2017 at 2:44 pm

    I’m coming to your house next year! I hope you have a spare room!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      November 21, 2017 at 9:46 am

      I would love that so much! The next time you’re in Iowa, we’ll have our own Friendsgiving – even if that happens in July.

      Reply
  3. Bianca Phillips says

    November 20, 2017 at 4:24 pm

    Yay! We had our Friendsgiving last night! Yours looks fab, esp that turkey from HB! OMG!!! I may need to order one for myself next year. I just got a Tofurky for my big day with the parents this week. Also, that cheese board looks phenom!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      November 21, 2017 at 9:48 am

      I know how you love good mail, just like I do, and you can’t beat the arrival of seitan & cheese in the mail from Herbivorous Butcher. I highly recommend getting the pastrami too. We ordered that as well, in addition to the Thanksgiving feast. Can you believe I’ve never tried the original Tofurky roast? I don’t know how I’ve missed it after 10 years of veganism, but somehow I have!

      Reply
  4. Andrea says

    November 20, 2017 at 5:43 pm

    We used to do this back in the old days, but now that we live near, and celebrate Thanksgiving with, actual family members, the thought of hosting a second dinner gives me pause. Next year, though, we may do it! Your food choices are similar to what we’ll be having — especially the wild rice and the cranberries.

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      November 21, 2017 at 9:59 am

      I hear you! Since everyone pitched in and brought things, it didn’t feel like the amount of work was overwhelming for any one person. Plus, a dinner party for six is a pretty doable number. But if you’re already hosting a big family affair, I can see how doing that twice wouldn’t appeal. The Thanksgiving potluck David and I will be attending on the actual holiday with extended family won’t be a vegan event, and so it was really nice to have a Thanksgiving celebration first that was 100% compassionate.

      Reply
  5. Mandy says

    November 20, 2017 at 6:38 pm

    That’s kind of a trip…Berenstain looks wrong to me! I remember reading those books as a kid, and oddly enough, in my mind I always thought it was Berenstein Bears! I’ll have to check out Snopes after this 😉 Your post stirred up all sorts of memories and feelings (now I’m craving a binge session of Friends)! But let’s talk about this amazing Friendsgiving, shall we?? Everyone looks so happy and the food…oh, my. Save me a spot at the table next year, ok???? That cheese plate looks incredible – everything does! I love that you mixed caramelized onions into the mashed potatoes! Happy Thanksgiving to you and David! xo

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      November 21, 2017 at 10:03 am

      Berenstain looks wrong to me too! Before David mentioned it, I absolutely would have said it’s Berenstein. Obviously the only logical conclusion is that there must be a glitch in the alternate timeline. 😉 Haha! You officially have a spot at next year’s table & Willow too, of course! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. 😀

      Reply
  6. Becky Striepe says

    November 20, 2017 at 7:34 pm

    This looks like such a nice celebration! I’m loving that champagne cocktail. A little splash of cranberry is all you need!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      November 21, 2017 at 10:04 am

      Of course you love the cocktail! It has Becky Striepe written all over it.

      Reply
  7. Susan says

    November 20, 2017 at 10:00 pm

    Now I am going to go down a Snopes wormhole for the rest of the afternoon!
    This sounds like such a lovely meal. We don’t have any Thanksgiving equivalent here.

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      November 20, 2017 at 10:09 pm

      It’s so funny that you say that, Susan! We had a long conversation that day about whether or not there was an Australian equivalent to Thanksgiving. We were talking about what kinds of things could go on an Australian Thanksgiving-style feast, but pretty much stopped at Vegemite on toast and Fairy bread. In our fictitious version, it will be mostly a toast-based holiday. 😉

      Reply
  8. Shell says

    November 22, 2017 at 2:06 pm

    Looks like a fun time was had by all! I love what you did with the cocktails. They seem so light and crisp. All of the dishes look divine! Happy Thanksgiving to you and David!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      December 4, 2017 at 12:48 pm

      Thanks, Shell! Yes, the cocktails were nice and light – great for a daytime celebration. I hope you had a happy Thanksgiving too!

      Reply
  9. johanna @ green gourmet giraffe says

    November 23, 2017 at 3:26 am

    happy friendsgiving – never heard of the term but I am sure there are many who celebrate this way who still haven’t heard of it – lots of great food and served so beautifully. I love your cheese platter at the start – the almonds with truffle salt sounds wonderful – I have almonds and truffle oil so maybe could do something with them!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      December 4, 2017 at 12:45 pm

      Thanks, Johanna! It was a really lovely day. I buy Marcona almonds with truffle salt at Trader Joe’s, but of course, that wouldn’t be an option for you. You’re a creative cook, and so I’m sure you could work something out with truffle oil or a pinch of truffle salt.

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Cadry Nelson. I'm the recipe creator, writer, and photographer behind Cadry's Kitchen.

Cadry's Kitchen is a vegan food blog featuring comfort food classics. Most recipes are ready in about 30 minutes.

Contact me at cadryskitchen@gmail.com.

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