Hi there! I’m Lex, an editor and recipe developer with New York Times Cooking. As an adoring Veggie reader, I was delighted when Tejal and Tanya asked me to step in this week and tell you about the vegetarian Thanksgiving menu I’ve been working on for three months.
Thanksgiving is not the time to reinvent the wheel, so I set out to create five dishes that could fit into any menu while delivering bursts of color and acidity, piles of herbs, and pops of bold flavor. Perky and bright, this menu was created for vegetarians, but aims to appeal to all.
I wanted the centerpiece to feel theatrical, with enough ceremonial pomp to be served tableside. I got stumped, and intimidated. (How would I compete with my mushroom Wellington?) Stuffed gourds? Too ’90s! Hasselback butternut squash? Just an outsize side! Pasta? Potpie? Not today!
Ombré Gratin
I landed on this ombré gratin, which is about as dramatic as you can get, with a crispy phyllo frill that gives way to Technicolor stacks of creamy potatoes, butternut squash, sweet potatoes and beets. Instagram catnip, but one that happens to be as delicious as it looks. The recipe is exacting — now is the time to break out a mandoline (I love this one) and sharpen your knives — but you’ll get wows.
Roasted Mushrooms With Smoky Pomegranate Sauce
A lot of recipe development starts with the question: What if? The problem with roasting mushrooms is that by the time they’re caramelized and crisp, they’re also singed and stringy. So in developing these roasted mushrooms with smoky pomegranate sauce, I wondered what would happen if I covered one of two sheet pans with foil. The covered mushrooms were plumper than their emaciated, uncovered siblings. They broiled as easily, with more tender results, so now I’ll forevermore be pseudo-steaming my roasted mushrooms first. And the pomegranate sauce, which adds color and tang, can be made ahead!
Ginger Beer-Glazed Butternut Squash With Gremolata
And to give the oven a break — an important Thanksgiving strategy! — this glazed butternut squash recipe simmers squash in ginger beer until succulent, topping it with an edible confetti of orange-ginger gremolata.
I imagine you’ve already got a slew of beloved nonnegotiable Thanksgiving dishes planned. Keep ’em! But if any of the above strikes your fancy, I’d be honored if it makes it onto your table. These recipes are yours now!
One More Thing!
We’ve got so many recipes that will inspire you to plan an absurdly lengthy Thanksgiving menu: our best vegetarian Thanksgiving mains, more vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes and lots of vegan Thanksgiving options. But do yourself a favor: Don’t overdo it! Pick a mix of make-ahead options, stovetop dishes and oven dishes so you don’t burn out on the big day. (You can even employ your air fryer, to great results, with this air-fryer green bean recipe from Eleanore Park. She’s taught me to love mine.)
