The Best Vegan Thanksgiving Sides

Thanksgiving is all about sharing the experience with others and that includes the vegans in our lives. With alll the bouillons and broths that can be involved in making a Thanksgiving feast, making a totally vegan Thanksgiving meal may seem like a tall order. But we found some really good side dishes in our taste tests that are totally (and surprisingly) animal product-free.

Sporked senior writer Jordan Myrick already covered what to buy for a vegan Thanksgiving, but I say we dig deeper into some vegan Thanksgiving sides. The best part of Thanksgiving is the sides, after all, so give your guests plenty of opportunity to find their favorite. They’ll be so thankful!

Related: The Best Vegan Turkey Roast for Your Plant-Based Thanksgiving Feast

Idahoan Original Mashed Potatoes

You cannot have Thanksgiving dinner without mashed potatoes (it’s the law), and that goes for a vegan Thanksgiving, too. Luckily, you don’t have to leave out the classics just because you’re stocking up on vegan Thanksgiving sides. These Idahoan Original Mashed Potatoes are vegan (as long as you make them with vegan butter and an alternative milk) and they can be whipped up in a jiff. Save time by making these instead of using a burner all afternoon to boil a pot of potatoes. Just don’t forget the plant-based gravy.

Read the full guide to vegan Thanksgiving

Del Monte Cut Green Beans + Amy’s Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup

You know what we said about mashed potatoes being mandatory at Thanksgiving dinner? Welp, same goes for green bean casserole. Thankfully, it’s super simple to make this classic dish into a vegan Thanksgiving side. Del Monte Cut Green Beans are the perfect start to a green bean casserole. They’re meaty and a good length, so they won’t get lost in the sauce. Plus, they have a “totally inoffensive and neutral flavor” that makes them a wonderful canvas for the flavor of Amy’s Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup. Although we didn’t try Amy’s vegan mushroom soup in our cream of mushroom soup taste test, we can vouch for the non-vegan version, so I have high hopes for this one.

Read the full rankings of the best canned green beans and the best cream of mushroom soup

Happy Harvest Yams

Serving yams as a vegan Thanksgiving side dish gives you options, and we love options! These are wonderfully soft right out of the can, so you don’t have to worry about baking them up. Just toss ’em in a pot with a bit of vegan butter and bacon bits (most are vegan!), and voila. Or you could, of course, make a vegan sweet potato casserole—just make sure your mini marshmallows were made without gelatin.

Read the full ranking of the best canned yams

Salad with Gotham Greens Vegan Caesar Dressing & Dip

I’m sure every vegan out there is sick of being fed salad. It’s the most cliche move in the book when you need to find something that’s vegan. Give your vegan guests something they’ve never had before: a salad slathered in a dressing so good they’ll give you the third degree about whether it’s actually vegan. It tastes so much like parmesan (without actually containing parmesan); it’s creamy, peppery, and cheesy just like the real thing should be. If you need a salad dressing that will have people coming back for more, use this dressing to make your vegan Thanksgiving side salad.

Read the full ranking of the best vegan Caesar dressing

Trader Joe’s Vegan Brioche Loaf

Sure, Trader Joe’s Vegan Brioche Loaf might not be quite as buttery as real-deal brioche, but it’s pretty darn convincing. It’s sweet. It’s eggy. It’s pillowy. It’s perfect to add as a side to your table when you’re looking for vegan Thanksgiving sides. Or you can use it to make a vegan stuffing that’ll have your vegan buds knocking down your door for a Thanksgiving invite next year. At the end of the day it’s bread and every bread deserves a spot at the Thanksgiving table.

Read the full ranking of the best Trader Joe’s bread