18 vegan Thanksgiving side dishes to brighten your holiday table

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For a holiday side dish that is sure to impress, make a batch of cheesy vegan scalloped potatoes.

Thin potato slices are encased in a custard-like cashew cheese sauce and cooked until tender. They are absolutely heavenly.

Mashed potatoes are a must on your Thanksgiving menu. These easy vegan mashed potatoes are made with just four ingredients – potatoes, non-dairy milk, vegan butter, and salt!

They’re light, fluffy, and terrific with a ladling of vegan turkey gravy, one of my most popular holiday recipes.

I have these roasted Brussels sprouts on my Thanksgiving table every year! They’re a perfect encapsulation of fall flavors, and I always go home with an empty dish.

Brussels sprouts are roasted with apples until browned and tender. Then they’re tossed with caramelized onions for added sweetness and pistachios for crunch.

(This sweet and savory side dish is great with vegan schnitzel as the main course.)

For something outside the usual Thanksgiving standards, branch out with fried Brussels sprouts in a gochujang garlic glaze.

It hits all the notes with umami, acid, and spice. Even ardent sprouts haters can’t resist these crisp, flavorful, and tangy bites.

Green beans and mushrooms are a popular combo at Thanksgiving. This stir-fry recipe offers a unique spin!

Green beans are charred until tender and tossed with softened shiitake mushrooms in an easy stir-fry sauce. 

Add indulgent flair to your Thanksgiving spread with crispy air fryer green beans.

A seasoned panko coating gives them an excellent crunch. Perfect for dipping in spicy chili crisp dipping sauce.

(Don't have an air fryer? No problem! The recipe includes optional pan frying instructions as well.)

Put on a pot of vegan collard greens for a tender and garlicky side that falls apart in the mouth.

Ideal for a day with lots of cooking, it’s one of those rare side dishes that’s only more inviting if it sits on the stove for a while.

While creamed spinach is more common, dairy-free creamed kale is a delicious alternative that brings the cozy to this dark leafy green.

Covered in a flavorful cashew sauce, this simple side dish comes together in 17 minutes!

Mild cabbage is a popular vegetable side dish at Thanksgiving. And that’s even more so when it’s roasted cabbage!

It’s made with chopped cabbage, which gets beautifully caramelized when cooked at a high heat. It’s a delicious blend of caramelized edges and buttery soft centers.

This easy roasted cauliflower is a simple vegan side dish that can be made in the oven or in the air fryer. (Very handy when the oven is working overtime!)

Finished with a squeeze of lemon juice and pinch of salt, the toasty flavor of cauliflower really shines.

Add some brightness to your holiday table with sautéed summer squash and zucchini. It has loads of light and bright flavors, thanks to garlic, lemon, toasted pine nuts, and fresh basil.

While summer squash and zucchini are typically thought of as summer veggies, they’re still widely available in grocery stores this time of year.

Roasted delicata squash is a fall classic! It’s dotted with flavorful rosemary for a fragrant and lightly sweet side dish.

(Of all the winter squash, delicata is my favorite. It’s simple to prepare and easy to cut.)

Of course, at Thanksgiving stuffing is a must!

This vegan stuffing is the one I make year after year. It’s packed with carrots, celery, onions, and chestnuts.

(No chestnuts? No problem! You can use browned seitan sausage or walnuts instead.)

Garlicky red wine mushrooms are a delicious side dish that’s positively loaded with umami.

These mushrooms have a meaty taste and texture with the boldness of red wine & sautéed garlic. It’s a savory side that really stands out.

This fall salad was inspired by a dish my sister-in-law brings to Thanksgiving every year.

Baby spinach is topped with thinly sliced baked apple, vegan feta cheese, and candied pecans for sweetness. It’s finished with cider vinaigrette.

The perfect seasonal salad for Thanksgiving! (It’s especially good with mini vegetable pot pie as the main course!)

I’m always so excited when persimmons show up in grocery stores in the fall. So what better way to celebrate autumn produce than with this salad with persimmons and delicata squash?

It’s finished with pistachios and caramelized onions for a combination of salt, sweet, and crunch. (It’s terrific with vegan chicken pot pie as the Thanksgiving main.)

My go-to orange cranberry sauce is made with fresh cranberries, orange juice, maple syrup, and orange zest for a perfect balance of tart and sweet.

Many folks love the kitsch factor of canned cranberry sauce, but homemade is so simple to make and wonderfully tangy.

In celebration of apple season, I also love to add apple chutney to my holiday table. It goes well with vegan holiday roast as a sweet and savory condiment.

Similar to a chunky apple sauce, it sings with the warming flavors of curry, ginger, and cinnamon.

What are your favorite vegan Thanksgiving side dishes for your holiday table? Let me know in the comments!