In the spirit of holiday gratitude, Grist would like to give thanks for those creative souls who play with their food. Because without them, we wouldn’t have this festive slideshow of meat-free masterpieces shaped like turkeys! (OK, you’ll notice we snuck in one or two non-edible turkeys too, but they were just too good not to pass around the table this Thanksgiving.)
We’re not pulling your wattle here; we just love to gobble up vegetarian-friendly holiday fare every chance we get. What better way to celebrate not eating our feathered friends than with a shrine to their likeness? Whether it’s made of marshmallows or mashed potatoes, cauliflower or candy corn, tofurkey or tampons, you won’t want to miss a single bite of this Thanksgiving Day parade.
And if you’re so artistically and gastronomically inclined, send us any turkey-free turkey photos you might have on your plate and we may feature them on Grist next Thanksgiving.
Disclaimer: No actual turkeys were harmed in the making of this slideshow. But if any turkeys die of embarrassment after watching it, we can’t blame ’em and you can’t blame us.
And for more delish turkey-free dishes, visit the Grist archives below for some Vegetarian Recipes of Thanksgivings Past, plus a few harvested from reader comments. Enjoy!
Appetizers/Sides/Sauces/Stuffing
Dilly Dip
Cointreau Cranberry Sauce
Sherried Leek and Wild Chanterelle Sauce
Cranberry-Orange Relish
Tempeh and Wild Rice Stuffing with Toasted Hazelnuts
Quinoa Stuffing
Sweet Potato Pudding
Apple Pecan Stuffing
Brokeass Three Bean Salad
Shiitake and Wild Black Walnut Tartare
Entrees/Veggies/Soups
No-Boil Pumpkin Lasagna
Sweet Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic
Harvest Stuffed Acorn Squash
Roasted Red Pepper and Butternut Squash
Roasted Root Vegetables in a Sweet Balsamic Glaze
Creamy Bisque of Roasted Red Garnet Yams
Tempeh “Neat”-Loaf
Caribbean Sweet Potatoes
Braised or Sautéed Kale
Kale with balsamic vinegar, garlic, and raisins (scroll down to third recipe)
Squash Bisque with Maple and Templeton Rye
Breast of Tofu with Herb Cornbread Dressing
Desserts
Baked Whole Grain Fruity Custard
Pumpkin Bread
Frost On Pumpkin Pie
Baked Ginger Pears
Sweet Potato Pie
Pumpkin Pie (With the Best Pressed Pie Crust In the World)
Tofu Pumpkin Pie
Sauteed Peaches in Bourbon Sauce
