Giving Thanks, Compassionately: The Beauty of a Vegan Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is all about gratitude, togetherness, and—of course—great food. But as more people become conscious of their health, the environment, and animal welfare, the traditional turkey-centered feast is getting a compassionate makeover. Hosting a vegan Thanksgiving isn’t about giving up beloved flavors or traditions—it’s about reimagining them. From vibrant plant-based dishes that wow even the most skeptical guests to the satisfaction of knowing your celebration aligns with your values, a vegan Thanksgiving offers a delicious, meaningful, and sustainable way to give thanks.
Reasons to Host a Vegan Thanksgiving
Keep Turkeys Happy, They Deserve it:
Turkeys are magnificent creatures with loads of curiosity and personality, worth celebrating rather than eating on Thanksgiving. Having a vegan Thanksgiving means having a compassionate holiday.
Going Meatless:
Nearly one-third of Americans consider going meatless for Thanksgiving in 2019. The global pandemic led to a surge in sales of plant-based foods. This number continues to grow due to higher grocery prices and the bird flu outbreak. Teenagers and young adults are more likely to experiment with meatless diets than their older family members.
Animal welfare and moral values are among the top reasons people switch to a vegan diet after health and the climate. Many love the idea of giving thanks, just not the way we do it.
Thanksgiving becomes a dark day for many. Vegans are highly aware of the immense suffering and slaughter of animals in factory farms, particularly the approximately 46 million turkeys explicitly killed for Thanksgiving in the US each year. This makes the holiday a day of mourning and sadness for them, rather than a celebration. Being present at a feast where a dead animal carcass is the centerpiece, while others express gratitude, can be jarring and upsetting.
Animals Shouldn’t be Raised Just for Food:
The ritualized feasting, nearly 50 million animals consumed on a single day by more than 300 million people, brings with it the undeniable reality of animal slaughter.
The Moral Dilemma:
Protesting animal exploitation is not new, but you can help by objecting to animal cruelty, environmental destruction, the exploitation of slaughterhouse workers, and the deep wounds inflicted upon rural communities by the factory farming industry.
Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet:
Going plant-based can help alleviate the feeling of being overly stuffed after the Thanksgiving meal, and can have you rethinking turkey this year.
Plant foods are generally lower in calories and higher in fiber, helping you feel satisfied and full. A plant-based diet can offer a complete profile of nutrients — protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals — and tends to be loaded with fiber and phytonutrients.
Studies have shown that a diet focused on plant foods can reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, certain cancers, and may even lead to a longer life. One of the most significant benefits of enjoying a plant-centric Thanksgiving is the impact that it has (or doesn’t) have on our planet.
Meat-Based Diets' Effect on the Planet:
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University measured the carbon footprint of a traditional Thanksgiving meal. They found that a 16-pound turkey created 34.2 pounds of CO2, equal to the combined total amount of CO2 produced by roasted brussels sprouts, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, gravy, biscuits, and apple pie.
Most beef products have even higher CO2 emissions. Plant foods have a lower environmental impact than animal products. Foods like asparagus and squash create 7.33 and 0.10 CO2 per pound, respectively, on their way to your table.
The Meaning of Tradition:
None of us is required to go along with any given tradition whose roots or symbolism, or in the case of turkey eating, causes direct harm that we disagree with. We are free to both want to celebrate a holiday and its traditions and do so in a way that puts us in a position of power to choose which traditions to carry forward and how to connect those traditions with our values and the meaning we take from the holiday.
The meal's insignificance becomes undeniable. Unlike religious traditions, like the bitter herbs eaten on Passover to signify the suffering of the Jewish people, there’s no moral or religious impetus to eat turkey on Thanksgiving.
What a Vegan Thanksgiving Can Mean for Your Friends and Family:
Certain dishes can mean Thanksgiving to you, and some of these dishes you can make vegan, and some of which are already vegan, such as corn or other vegetables.
The concept and practice of gratitude are traditions to keep alive, and they can help kids and young adults with some of the everyday stressors of childhood. A practice to take on is talking about what turkeys are really like when they are not trapped in the system of animal agriculture to be made into meat. Turkeys can be very affectionate and fascinating animals.
Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes Everyone at the Table will Love:
From the “Delish” website featuring 60 recipes, written by Camille Lowder.
Photo: Andrew Bui
Recipe: Makinze Gore
Toasted Sesame Oil Mashed Potatoes
This recipe makes the perfect vegan mashed potatoes, just as creamy and delicious as the real thing. The toasted sesame oil adds tons of flavor and creaminess, and the green onions and extra sesame seeds round them out for some of the best mashed potatoes you’ll have at your Thanksgiving gatherings.
Photo: Parker Feierbach
Recipe: Kat Boytsova
Easy Vegan Stuffing
Because of the butter, eggs, and chicken broth that usually go into classic stuffing, it’s a dish that vegans can’t always enjoy until now. For the best results, it’s recommended that you use a quality, hearty loaf of bread.
Photo: Lauren Miyashiro
Recipe: Makinze Gore
Vegan Sweet Potato Pie
This pie is perfect thanks to its oat-pecan crust and creamy, spiced filling. Vegan marshmallows make a good topping, or keep it simple with your own vegan whipped topping made with coconut cream.
Photo: Bryan Gardner
Recipe: Makinze Gore
Vegetarian Gravy
Vegans and meat-eaters alike will be piling this flavor-packed gravy on top of all the Thanksgiving sides. This gravy also comes together within minutes.
View the Rest of the Recipes Here!
Hosting a vegan Thanksgiving isn’t just a culinary choice—it’s a statement of kindness, creativity, and connection. By filling your table with vibrant, plant-based dishes, you’re showing that tradition can evolve without losing its heart. You’re celebrating gratitude not only for the people around you, but for the planet and all the life it sustains. Whether you go fully vegan or incorporate more plant-based options this year, every mindful choice counts. After all, the true spirit of Thanksgiving isn’t about what’s on the table—it’s about the love and intention behind it.
