Raw Vegan Thanksgiving Menu Ideas

Starters

As a starter, try a savory raw vegan soup. A creamy raw vegan mushroom soup or a fresh raw vegan corn chowder can be warmed just a touch before serving. Another starter idea? Try stuffed mushrooms with a herbed walnut pate. These yummy little mushrooms would also work as a Thanksgiving side dish, or even an entree, if you used large mushrooms, such as portobello, to stuff.

Salads

Certainly, salads don't have to be a part of your raw Thanksgiving menu, but if you want to serve a salad, there's no need for it to be boring. Try a beet green and fresh herb salad with basil and parsley in a fresh vinaigrette.

The Main Dish

No, you won't be eating turkey for Thanksgiving as a raw vegan, but neither will you be eating tryptophan, growth hormones, or cholesterol. For a centerpiece at your raw holiday table, try a savory sprouted quinoa pilaf made with a medley of vegetables marinated in a balsamic blend and seasoned with the fresh fall herbs central to any Thanksgiving meal.

Stuffing

No Thanksgiving table is complete without stuffing! Or dressing, depending on where you're from. An incredible raw vegan stuffing recipe is made from all the traditional thanksgiving herbs—thyme, sage, and rosemary—and filled with celery and sunflower seeds for crunch. Raw stuffing will be a welcome addition to your raw food Thanksgiving meal, year after year.

Side Dishes

For a side dish for your raw food Thanksgiving, try a mashed potato substitute such as raw vegan mashed potatoes made from mashed cauliflower and parsnips instead of potatoes, topped off, of course, with a raw vegan food gravy made from mushrooms. Yum! You can also enjoy a raw cranberry sauce made from fresh cranberries and dates to sweeten them up.

Dessert Ideas

What Thanksgiving dinner would be complete without pumpkin pie? Try raw spiced pear cobbler with nutmeg, cinnamon, and dates. Not feeling traditional? Try another one of these raw food dessert recipes.

Other Tips

If you're surrounded by people with a very different diet than yours, it can be a bit difficult to share a holiday table without feeling at least a little bit odd and socially ostracized at best. However, just make sure that you communicate your dietary plans beforehand. You can offer to bring a few dishes for other people to try as well. And of course, remember to compromise when possible. Get creative and you can easily find ways with your family to incorporate what you would like to eat.