No one will miss the turkey this year with these Thanksgiving menu ideas. My parents were recently visiting from Oregon, and we decided to celebrate Thanksgiving early with a mini feast for four. Since three people in our group don’t eat dairy (and none of us are huge fans of turkey), we had to get a little creative with the menu. Thankfully, we created a mouthwatering assortment of dishes that even turkey lovers can appreciate. Here are some dairy-free Thanksgiving recipes to try out this year—no turkey required!

To help you out, I also created a Thanksgiving menu shopping list with a selection of kitchen items. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases made through affiliate links on this post (at no extra cost to you). Thanks in advance for your support!

Breakfast

We prefer to keep things light and easy for breakfast on Thanksgiving Day to save room for all the other goodies in store. You can never go wrong with making canned cinnamon rolls at home—we usually stick to brands like Annie’s or Immaculate Baking Company.

Biscuits and gravy are another go-to of ours, since some of the canned Pillsbury Grands! Southern Homestyle Biscuits are accidentally vegan. Making the sausage gravy is as easy as browning some Impossible Ground Sausage, sprinkling the pan with flour, and whisking in an unsweetened, non-dairy milk until everything is thick and bubbly. I’ll be the first to admit the sausage gravy isn’t super appealing in the picture above, but I promise it tastes better than it looks.

Don’t forget to pour yourself a mimosa, too!

Lunch

Since my family usually enjoys our main Thanksgiving meal for dinner, we often do a midday charcuterie board for lunch. If time allows, I like making a fresh loaf of sourdough using this Alexandra’s Kitchen recipe. You do have to start prepping the bread a few days in advance, so keep that in mind when planning your holiday festivities. Charcuterie board staples in our house include a dairy-free cheese spread, crackers, stuffed olives, tin fish, hummus, and a selection of cured meats, like salami and prosciutto.

Another option is a hard-boiled egg flight with tons of different toppings. Boil your eggs, cut them in half, and let everyone go wild dressing them up with sauces, seasonings, and condiments. Getting creative with the flavor and texture combos is a lot of fun. You can’t go wrong experimenting with items like Kewpie mayo, chili crisp oil, Everything But the Bagel seasoning, furikake seasoning, Tajín, and sriracha!

Pair your lunch with a fun beverage (we made cranberry gin cocktails this year) and you’re in for a real treat.

Dinner

Now, it’s time for the main event. If you’re set on having poultry for Thanksgiving, consider duck instead of turkey. Cooking a whole duck is a lot easier and more time-efficient for a small group, and the flavor is rich and savory. This roast duck recipe is a good place to start.

Steaks are another delicious option if you have access to a cast-iron pan or a grill. I recommend reserve-searing your steak if you’ll be cooking it in a pan, but this prep method isn’t necessary when grilling. Nothing beats a medium-rare ribeye right off the grill—especially when paired with a nice red wine.

When it comes to side dishes, we keep things pretty minimal with green bean casserole, au gratin potatoes, and stuffing. I like this Simply Whisked recipe for the green beans, but I use mushroom broth instead of vegetable for an extra savory flavor. You can use almost any standard au gratin potatoes recipe, but we skip the onions and swap the milk and cheese for non-dairy versions (like Violife shreds).

My favorite stuffing to make on Thanksgiving is an old family recipe I learned from my grandma:

• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 1 1/2 sticks of (dairy-free) butter
• 1 box of vegetable broth (you won’t use the whole thing)
• 2 demi baguettes, ripped into bite-sized shreds and left to sit overnight to get slightly stale
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Wipe casserole dish(es) with oil or butter
3. Sauté veggies over medium heat with 1/2 stick of butter until slightly soft
4. Add seasonings and cook for another minute or so
5. In a big bowl, combine the baguette pieces, sauteed veggies, 1 stick of butter, 1 cup of broth, and stir
6. Add more broth a little bit at a time if the bread seems dry
7. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary
8. Once the stuffing is properly mixed and thoroughly moistened, pour it into the casserole dish and bake for about 45 minutes (until the brown is golden brown and lightly toasted)

Makes enough for about 4 people, with leftovers.

Dessert

I hope you saved room for dessert! Of course, there are many dairy-free recipes available for classic Thanksgiving pies, like pecan, apple, and pumpkin. My husband also introduced me to this cranberry custard pie years ago, though I haven’t experimented with making a non-dairy version yet.

Cookies are another holiday essential that I usually bake a day or two in advance. Thumbprint cookies with fruit jam are always a hit—I use raspberry preserves and a dairy-free butter. My family also loves making these espresso chocolate chip cookies for special occasions:

• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 sticks of (dairy-free) butter, room temperature
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 bag bittersweet (or semi-sweet) chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon finely ground espresso

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy
3. Scrape the sides of the bowl before mixing in the eggs and vanilla extract
4. Stir in the oats, flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly combined
5. Add the chocolate chips and espresso, and mix until just combined
6. Evenly space spoonfuls of cookie dough (about 2″ big) onto the baking sheets and bake for around 15 minutes until lightly golden brown

Makes 15-18 cookies.

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There you have my ultimate roundup of non-turkey Thanksgiving menu ideas! Hopefully, you’re feeling inspired to cook up something delicious and dairy-free for the holidays this year. Cheers to a happy and healthy Thanksgiving surrounded by loved ones. Remember to browse my Amazon shopping list so you can snag all the essentials before the big day!