So Long, Turkey: The Ultimate Vegetarian Thanksgiving Menu

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We at Serious Eats firmly believe a meat-free Thanksgiving can actually be a tastier Thanksgiving; one in which your precious stomach real estate is wholly devoted to therealstars of the show: the sides.

但是感恩节仍然要求一个核心,一个d we've got you covered on that front, too. This year, with gatherings staying small and, as a result, less dish requests to fulfill, why not try your hand at a meat-free Thanksgiving dinner? A smaller group to feed is reason enough to ditch the big bird, and you just might end up discovering a new favorite vegetarian dish to share at a larger Thanksgiving celebration next year. So allow us to introduce you to the cheesy, creamy, rich, but totally turkey-and-all-other-meats-free Thanksgiving of your dreams. For more recipes and Thanksgiving tips, check out our wholeguide to Thanksgiving here.

Thanksgiving Stuffed Roast Pumpkins

Photograph: Vicky Wasik

These pumpkins are marvels of stuffed-vegetable architecture. Contained within the wholly edible exterior, which you can glaze with a honey-miso mixture, is a mixture of roasted kabocha squash, mushrooms, kale, and cheese, which is both fall- and gut-busting-holiday-appropriate. And one of the best parts is this main dish can be prepared up to two days in advance, giving you a lot of time to focus on everything else.

Get the recipe for Thanksgiving Stuffed Roast Pumpkins
最好的南瓜千层面

The classic winter flavors of squash and sage are incorporated into a hearty, warming lasagna.Get the recipe »[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]. Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt

Roasted squash is pretty freakin' delicious. But you know what's even better? Roasted squash puréed with cream cheese and butter; spread on top of lasagna noodles; covered with sautéed, sage-seasoned cubes of apples andmoresquash; doused in a Gruyère-based white sauce; layered with all that stuff over and over again; and then topped with more cheese and sauce. Yeah. You'll like this one.

Get the recipe for The Best Squash Lasagna
Creamy Roasted Broccoli Soup With Buttermilk and Spiced Pepitas

On the one hand, this is a cream of broccoli soup—because it's creamy and has broccoli. Yet it has no cream, and the broccoli flavor is deeper, thanks to roasting instead of blanching. A splash of buttermilk adds brightness, while a garnish of spiced roasted pepitas plays off the roasted broccoli flavor.Get the recipe »[Photograph: Daniel Gritzer]. 照片:丹尼尔Gritzer

If the word "broccoli" tends to conjure a hellscape of limp, bland stalks, it's time to revisit the classic brassica. Rather than blanching or steaming our broccoli, we start by roasting it until it's tender and brown, for a deeper, more complex flavor. A pour of tangy buttermilk adds brightness and acidity, not to mention a creamy texture, to the mix. Puréed with sautéed onions and a seasoning blend of coriander, red pepper flakes, cumin, mustard seed, and turmeric, the resulting soup packs a powerful punch. But hey, if it's not quite over-the-top enough for you, you can always give ourbroccoli and cheddar cheese soupa shot instead.

Get the recipe for Creamy Roasted Broccoli Soup With Buttermilk and Spiced Pepitas
Ultra-Crispy New Potatoes With Garlic, Herbs, and Lemon

Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt

Plenty of potato recipesclaimthat they'll turn out crisp, but we can't count the number of times a so-called crisp potato has turned to soft, squishy mush within minutes of emerging from the oven. A few tricks help these new potatoes break the mold—boiling them in acidic water eliminates papery crusts, while using plenty of fat keeps those skins from veering into leathery territory. But one of our favorite elements of this method is that you get to beat the crap out of your potatoes. Bashing parboiled potatoes around a bowl with a bit of oil will cover their surfaces in starchy potato bits that crisp up far more efficiently when they head into the oven. The result is a bowl of creamy-on-the-inside and stunningly, durably crunchy-on-the-outside potatoes, which we finish with a bright, citrusy dressing of chopped herbs, garlic, and lemon.

Get the recipe for Ultra-Crispy New Potatoes With Garlic, Herbs, and Lemon

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Roasted Cauliflower With Pine Nut, Raisin, and Caper Vinaigrette

Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt

Some vegetables are just made for roasting, and cauliflower is one of them for sure. It does the brown-and-crispy-edges, tender-and-delicious-interior bit like a pro, and its mildly sweet, vegetal flavor partners well with most other ingredients. Like, for instance, a sweet-briny-nutty-grassy mix of olive oil, vinegar, honey, capers, pine nuts, raisins, and parsley.

Get the recipe for Roasted Cauliflower With Pine Nut, Raisin, and Caper Vinaigrette
东亚峰会y Roasted Mushrooms

Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt

Whether you're roasting or sautéing, the greatest challenge of cooking mushrooms is dealing with their spongy texture and high moisture content—they have a tendency to steam in their own liquids, rather than getting the rich, browned flavors we associate with roasted vegetables. Happily, the solution is straightforward, easy, and fast (we're talking five minutes of active labor and an hour in the oven). We start by quartering the mushrooms and tossing them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then, we roast them with sprigs of thyme or rosemary for about 15 minutes, until they've released all their liquid. Pouring off that liquid is key (but do save it—it doubles asa great vegan seasoning sauce), since it allows the mushrooms to continue roasting in a lower-moisture environment. Instead of steaming in their own juices, they'll crisp and brown and intensify in flavor. Toss them with some freshly chopped herbs, like parsley, chives, or tarragon, and you're good to go!

Get the recipe for Easy Roasted Mushrooms
Extra-Smooth Pumpkin Pie

Photograph: Vicky Wasik

Pumpkin isn't a universally beloved flavor, but even pumpkin-haters will make an exception for this pie. With ground nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger, it's spiced, sweet, and autumnal enough to satisfy lovers of all things pumpkin, but bright, acidic, and tangy enough to retain a broader appeal. Its superior flavor and remarkably velvety texture come thanks to a generous dose of cream cheese, which keeps the dessertjustshy of cloying territory.

Get the recipe for Extra-Smooth Pumpkin Pie