Family, food, and football—speaking broadly, this is Thanksgiving. Of course, it’s about connecting with loved ones and expressing gratitude, but these acts are often performed around the table—a table full of traditionally gluten-laden food. There’s stuffing, breadrolls, biscuits, macaroni and cheese, gravy, pie … even the green bean casserole may have some hidden gluten by way of the fried onion topper.
What is a vegan and gluten-free person to eat besides a raw brussels salad and cranberry sauce? With a little prep, you can have it all—yes, even the biscuits and pie.
Thanksgiving foods may not be inherently vegan and gluten-free, but we have plenty of recipes to help you out. Whether you’re hosting or bringing a tupperware full of a Thanksgiving-meal-for-one, these recipes will ensure you can enjoy Thanksgiving just as much as everyone else at the table.
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What Thanksgiving foods contain gluten?
Before recreating the entire Thanksgiving meal, let’s identify the dishes that likely contain gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Essentially, anything made with flour is a no-go for those adhering to a gluten-free diet. Obvious culprits include bread, baked goods, macaroni and cheese, and stuffing, but flour is also used in a number of other not-so-obvious dishes. Here are six other dishes you’ll be surprised to learn may also contain gluten.
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1 Gravy
Gravy is a condiment all gluten-free eaters should be skeptical of. All gravy is made with a thickener, and while some recipes use cornstarch, flour is a popular choice, according to Martha Stewart. “[A] mix of fat and flour is an essential step in ensuring a thick and rich gravy,” Stewart notes. When in doubt, ask your host if the gravy in question contains flour.
2 Green bean casserole
Green bean casserole also contains gluten, most often in its crispy onion topping and in the cream of mushroom soup. However, there are naturally gluten-free fried onions out there. Sprouts makes an organic version that is made with buckwheat instead of wheat flour. “Despite its name, buckwheat is not wheat and contains no gluten,” Beyond Celiac confirms.
To avoid the gluten in the canned, creamy soup, we recommend making yours from scratch (recipe below).
3 Gluten-free stuffing mixes
Before you reach for that gluten-free stuffing mix, check the ingredients. While you won’t find gluten, many boxed stuffings contain animal products. For example, Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Stuffing mix contains non-fat milk powder, chicken fat, and eggs. And while this may be suitable for gluten-free eaters, it’s definitely not suitable for those who adhere to a gluten-free and vegan diet.
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4 Cornbread
Yes, cornbread is made with corn, but it gets its cakelike texture with the help of white wheat flour. Like gluten-free stuffing, gluten-free cornbread mixes may also contain animal-based ingredients like milk or eggs, so check the back of the box before purchasing.
5 Vegan roasts and meats
For vegans, the main dish is also gluten-rich. Any roast made with seitan (vital wheat gluten) or any centerpiece wrapped in puff pastry is out of the question for the gluten-intolerant. Most plant-based meats, with the exception of a select few like Abbot’s, also contain traces of gluten.
6 Pie and other desserts
Finally, any dessert made with traditional pie crust, wheat flour, or graham crackers should be avoided for the gluten-averse.
Vegan and gluten-free swaps for Thanksgiving dishes
All of that being said, being vegan and gluten-free does not have to limit your enjoyment of the Thanksgiving meal. You can opt for naturally vegan- and gluten-free recipes like the ones below, or you can swap in allergen-friendly ingredients in your traditional recipes. Here are our favorite swaps.
King Arthur Baking Company
1 Gluten-free flour
Not all gluten-free flour is created equal, but overall, this category has greatly improved in taste and texture since its early days. Many blends claim they can be used in a one-for-one ratio for wheat-based flour. We’ve tried a few brands, and while some still make our baked goods feel grainy, King Arthur is fairly reliable when it comes to our gluten-free desserts.
2 Cornstarch
Whether you need a pie to set or gravy to thicken, cornstarch is a gluten-free ingredient you’ll want on hand. We took a page from Serious Eats and learned to always create a slurry (cornstarch combined with a bit of water) before adding it to a hot pot of gravy to avoid unpleasant lumps and create a smooth texture. Cornstarch’s thickening properties are activated with heat, which is why it helps a liquidy pie solidify in the oven or tightens a pot full of stock into a velvety gravy.
Kikkoman
3 Gluten-free breadcrumbs
From macaroni and cheese to any kind of casserole, gluten-free breadcrumbs are essential in creating that signature, crispy topping. We’re not picky about brands, as most are naturally vegan as well. Try Target’s Good & Gather brand or Kikkoman Gluten-free Panko Japanese-Style Breadcrumbs.
12 vegan and gluten-free Thanksgiving recipes
From appetizers to entrees and sides to sweets, here are 12 vegan and gluten-free Thanksgiving recipes.
Allyson Kramer
1 Gluten-Free Stuffed Mushrooms
Stuffed mushrooms can be deceiving for the gluten-sensitive; one would assume these elevated hors d’ouvres would naturally be gluten-free, but many recipes call for a breadcrumb topper. While the crunchy addition adds a delightful texture, it makes these mushrooms off-limits to those eschewing gluten. For a passed app everyone can enjoy, give these garlicky, herb-infused shrooms a try, no breadcrumbs needed!
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2 Holiday Stuffing Hummus
No gluten-free stuffing on the table? Get your fix with a big scoop of this hummus and a plateful of crudité. Familiar Thanksgiving herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage, and black pepper give this dip its distinct stuffing flavor, so you can at least get a taste of this classic holiday side.
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Gena Hamshaw
3 Vegan Sweet Potato Salad With Tempeh
If we could only eat one dish for Thanksgiving, this robust salad would be it. Cookbook author Gena Hamshaw incorporates all the fall flavors we love, from the roasted sweet potatoes to the hearty, maple-marinated tempeh to the peppery arugula. Yes, this can be a side, but it can also serve as a very satisfying main dish.
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4 Vegan Greek Lemony Roasted Potatoes
Not all potatoes have to be mashed on Thanksgiving. Generously coated with a lemon pepper-dijon dressing, these roasted spuds serve as a welcome, slightly acidic balance to the overly rich foods that typically grace the Thanksgiving table.
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Mareya Ibrahim
5 Charred Brussels Sprouts With Black Garlic
Give your tastebuds a break from the dominant flavors of rosemary, thyme, and sage with this bold and umami brussel sprouts dish. Recipe developer and cookbook author Mareya Ibrahim utilizes fermented black garlic for a punchy, pleasantly surprising complement to earthy, charred Brussels. Make these once, and they’re sure to forever make an appearance at every fall and winter holiday feast.
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6 Vegan Sweet Potato Swirled Mashed Potatoes
When you can’t decide between classic mashed potatoes or sweet potato casserole, have both. This eye-catching side combines buttery russets with warmly spiced sweet potatoes for the best of both worlds.
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Shanika Graham-White
7 Vegan Maple-Herb Glazed Carrots
No contest—this is our favorite way to eat carrots. Food blogger Shanika Graham-White takes whole carrots—stems and all—and coats them heavily with maple syrup and aromatic herbs, before roasting them until they are sticky-sweet and fork-tender. No cranberry sauce or gravy is needed here.
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Simon Smith
8 Stuffed Squash Vegan Roast
Think of this as the vegan version of a Turducken. A whole roasted butternut squash is stuffed with a medley of good-for-you ingredients including seasoned rice, glazed onions, sautéed mushrooms, roasted bell peppers, and a bright cranberry-orange sauce to balance out the savory flavors. It’s nothing short of a showstopper.
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9 Vegan Creamy Pumpkin Risotto
We love a minimal-ingredient dish, especially one that can feed a crowd. This simple, seasonal pumpkin risotto only requires eight pantry ingredients, and it doesn’t require the laborious task of chopping or mincing. Garnish with roasted pepitas or fried sage leaves for a gourmet touch.
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10 Vegan Pumpkin Caramel Chocolate Tarts
Looking for a clean ingredient dessert to balance out the heaviness of the holiday meal? These indulgent treats are naturally sweetened and gluten-free. Layered with a buttery almond flour crust, rich chocolate ganache, and a pumpkin spice caramel, we’ll often choose these tarts over traditional pie.
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Dreena Burton
11 Gluten-Free Vegan Apple Crisp
A crisp is an easy way to enjoy a pie-adjacent dessert without the complications of crust-making. Made with a crumbly oat topping and a gooey, juicy apple filling, no one will miss the pie dough (or the gluten).
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HealthyGirl Kitchen
12 Foolproof Vegan and Gluten-Free Pecan Pie
They say never try a recipe for the first time when baking for others, but sometimes you don’t have time to practice. This is when we gravitate toward any recipes that promise to be foolproof, and fortunately, this pie stands up to its name. It utilizes a storebought pie crust to make assembly a snap—just note that this pie needs eight hours of chill time, so prep accordingly.
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Tanya Flink is a Digital Editor at VegNews as well as a writer and runner living in Orange County, CA.
