Whole Food Plant-Based Thanksgiving Food Prep

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Thanksgiving Menu

Check out how my mom and I prepared for our whole food plant-based Thanksgiving. Every recipe, except the pasta salad, can be made and frozen ahead of time so your holiday meal prep is a breeze!

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Large plate in the foreground loaded with a thanksgiving meal of party potatoes, bean patties, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, pasta salad, and a roll. In the background is a small side salad and a slice of pumpkin pie.

Pasta Salad

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces whole wheat or your choice of rotini pasta
  • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup chopped bell peppers, assorted colors
  • 1 cup chopped purple onions
  • 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • ½ cup sliced black olives
  • 12 ounces oil-free Italian Dressing (we use the Italian Dressing from Well Your World*)

Directions

  1. Cook pasta per packaged directions then drain and rinse in cold water.
  2. Add pasta and all remaining ingredients in a large airtight storage container, and mix well.
  3. Store in the fridge for 3 or 4 days.

Party Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 48 ounces frozen cubed hashbrown potatoes defrosted
  • 1 large yellow onion
  • 1 batch cheesy sauce:
    • 1 can no salt added great northern beans, drained and rinsed
    • 1 cup cooked sweet potato or other variety of potato (steamed or boiled)
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
    • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ to ½ cup nutritional yeast* (optional)
    • 1 tablespoon stone ground or dijon mustard
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 2 to 4 tablespoons cashews (optional)
    • 1 teaspoon salt substitute (I used Stardust by Well Your World*)
    • 2 cups water
  • Breadcrumbs for topping

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
  3. Water saute the onion for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until translucent and brown.
  4. Add all the cheesy sauce ingredients to a high powered blender and blend until smooth.
  5. Add the cooked onions and cheesy sauce to the mixing bowl with the potatoes and stir until well coated.
  6. Place the mixture into a 9 by 13 inch parchment-lined casserole dish and spread evenly.
  7. Cover with foil and bake for about 40 minutes to an hour, or until the potatoes are completely heated through.
  8. Remove from the oven and top with breadcrumbs. Then bake for another 5 to 10 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients

  • 6 large cooked sweet potatoes – see notes
  • 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
  • ⅓ cup mixed nuts (walnuts and pecans)
  • 2 or 3 teaspoons cinnamon to taste
  • 1 or 2 teaspoons date syrup or maple syrup

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Remove the skins from the cooked sweet potatoes and then mash in a casserole dish. Mix in about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. If you need a little extra sweetness, you can add a little date syrup or maple syrup to taste.
  3. Add the oats, nuts, and another teaspoon of cinnamon to a food processor and pulse a few times.
  4. Transfer the oat nut mixture to a small bowl and stir in about a teaspoon of date syrup or maple syrup. Then spread the mixture evenly over your mashed sweet potatoes.
  5. Bake for about 20 or 30 minutes.

Notes: We cooked our sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot at high pressure for 24 minutes. The time will depend on the size of the potatoes, adjust as needed. You can also roast the potatoes to cook them.

Thanksgiving Patties

Ingredients

  • 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 2 tablespoons water)
  • 15 ounce can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • 15 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 cup cooked rice and sorghum mix (or cooked brown rice)
  • 2 tablespoons dried onion flakes
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
  • ½ teaspoon granulated onion
  • ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt substitute (we used Selacious from Local Spicery)
  • pinch nutmeg
  • pinch black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
  • 2 tablespoons low sodium vegetable broth

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Mix together the flax and water in a small dish and set aside to make your flax egg.
  3. Add the beans and chickpeas to a large mixing bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher. Try to mash most of the beans, but it’s ok if there are a few whole beans left.
  4. Add the flax egg and all remaining ingredients to the mixing bowl with the mashed beans. Mix everything together well.
  5. Form into 12 to 14 patties and lay out on a parchment- or silicone-lined baking sheet. An ice cream scoop works well for portioning the patties out evenly.
  6. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip and bake another 15 to 20 minutes.
  7. Serve with gravy.