18 Favorite Vegan, Healthy Thanksgiving Vegetable Side Dishes

These Thanksgiving vegetable side dishes will give you lots of tasty choices for your holiday table. Enjoy all of your favorite flavors with these vegan options! Whether you are looking for more plant-based side dishes to serve with a turkey or making a total vegetarian meal, you should find plenty here to enjoy.

Plus these side dishes have little or no saturated fat or added sugars. This is a great way to balance out richer foods you may be enjoying, like my favorite – desserts – or appetizers, rolls, soup, drinks, and more. Most of these recipes are from registered dietitian nutritionists.

These recipes are organized by the type of vegetable, although some may contain more than one type. For planning your Thanksgiving meal, think about what is in season and fresh in your area. Recipes you can make ahead of time are really useful too. Consider your space on the stove or oven: adding another appliance like a slow cooker or grill can help. You can add even more vegetables with a fresh green salad or a soup kept warm in a slow cooker too.

Winter Squash

Whole Acorn Squash: green and orange — Whole acorn squash

This is a wonderful time of year to enjoy winter squash. So many varieties are fresh and available. They are good sources of beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, and fiber. According to this article from the Smithsonian Magazine, winter squash was probably part of the first harvest celebration with Wampanoag people and Pilgrims in Plymouth, 1621.

Try one of these Thanksgiving vegetable side dishes made with winter squash. In many recipes, you can substitute for other types of winter squash. These are great make-ahead recipes, too! Use extra winter squashes for a centerpiece with mini gourds and pumpkins!

Honeynut Squash Stuffed with Cranberry Wild Rice Pilaf

These little honeynut squash are so cute, perfectly portioned, and practically begging to be stuffed with amazing Cranberry Wild Rice Pilaf.

Honeynut Squash Stuffed with Cranberry Wild Rice Pilaf

Simple Orange Cinnamon Acorn Squash Rings

A tasty and easy side dish for everyday healthy eating or special occasions

Simple Orange Cinnamon Acorn Squash Rings

Butternut Squash with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Looking for a delicious butternut squash side dish? One of the best vegetarian squash recipes out there, this baked side comes with a naturally sweet pomegranate vinaigrette.

Butternut Squash with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Air Fryer Delicata Squash

Air fryer delicata squash is simple, easy, and perfect for fall! It’s crisp, just like roasted squash, and is a healthy 20-minute side dish!

Air Fryer Delicata Squash

Garlicky Sauteed Butternut Squash & Arugula

Sauteed butternut squash is an easy recipe to make if you’re looking for a quick veggie recipe. The sweet flavor pairs well with arugula

Garlicky Sauteed Butternut Squash & Arugula

Cruciferous Vegetables

These veggies like cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, bok choy, broccoli, romanesco, and cauliflower contain phytonutrients called glucosinolates. These are associated with a lower risk of some types of cancers and reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol levels, too. Cauliflower needs to cook for a longer time than the other vegetables in this group, and would work well for make-ahead recipes.

Learn cooking tips from this Beginner’s Guide to Cruciferous Vegetables

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini Sauce

Whole roasted cauliflower with tahini sauce is great for serving as main vegan dinner. Such an easy gluten-free recipe, but full of flavor.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini Sauce

Sticky Chili Broccoli: Quick and Easy

Sticky chilli broccoli is a quick and easy side dish. So tasty you might want to eat it all by itself. Spicy, umami-rich & almost addictive.

Sticky Chili Broccoli: Quick and Easy

Indian Spiced Sauteed Cabbage and Green Beans

I’m always looking for tasty ways to season veggies since it’s the one food group my family doesn’t seem to “seek out”.

Indian Spiced Sauteed Cabbage and Green Beans

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes with Maple Glaze

This sweet & savory sweet potatoes & Brussels sprouts side dish is topped with maple glaze, cranberries and pecans, making them perfect for Thanksgiving.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes with Maple Glaze

Vegan Cauliflower Gratin | Baked Casserole Recipe

This easy vegan cauliflower gratin creates a deliciously cheesy baked cauliflower casserole. No need to pre-cook the sauce or cauliflower!

Vegan Cauliflower Gratin | Baked Casserole Recipe

Ultimate Leeks And Cabbage Recipe

This indulgent leeks and cabbage recipe takes just 25 minutes to make, and needs just 3 ingrdients! Perfect for any Sunday roast.

Ultimate Leeks And Cabbage

Thanksgiving vegetable side dishes mashed potatoes. acorn squash, leeks with cabbage, and sesame sweet potatoes

Other Thanksgiving Vegetable Side Dishes

stuffed peppers with butternut squash and quinoa in a white baking dish topped with chopped parsley and basil leaves

Stuffed pumpkin, peppers, roasted carrots, and baked crispy eggplant are more ideas to serve:

Stuffed Pumpkin with Baked Vegetables

Stuffed pumpkin with baked vegetables is beautiful and healthy meal. You can serve this pumpkin as a side dish or main dish for vegan dinner!

Stuffed Pumpkin with Baked Vegetables

Stuffed Peppers with Butternut Squash and Quinoa

These Italian-style stuffed peppers with butternut squash, Great Northern beans, quinoa, and herbs are a great vegan meal for everyday, holidays, and entertaining. They freeze well, too.

Stuffed Peppers with Butternut Squash and Quinoa

Balsamic Roasted Carrots and Brussel Sprouts

These roasted brussels sprouts and carrots come together in under 30 minutes. Here’s how to make them this holiday season…

Balsamic Roasted Carrots and Brussel Sprouts

Crispy Baked Eggplant (Vegan)

Crispy breaded eggplant slices: a healthy vegan eggplant parmesan style appetizer or side dish

Crispy Baked Eggplant (Vegan)

crispy baked eggplant with fork on flowered plate

Lighter Versions of Family Favorites

Don’t forget potatoes or sweet potatoes!

Easy Vegan Mashed Potatoes

This easy Vegan Mashed Potatoes recipe is the best dairy-free comfort food side dish. It’s delcious and made with simple ingredients.

Easy Vegan Mashed Potatoes

Pecan Topped, Slightly-Sweet Sweet Potato Casserole

When I think of sweet potato casserole, images of brown sugar, butter, and mini marshmallows come to mind. It’s one of those traditional side dish recipes most families gobble up at Thanksgiving, but the sugar, fat,

Pecan Topped, Slightly-Sweet Sweet Potato Casserole

Sesame Sweet Potatoes with Green Onions

Sesame sweet potatoes are an easy side dish with an Asian flair. A different flavor profile than the typical Thanksgiving ones: vegan and gluten-free.

Sesame Sweet Potatoes with Green Onions