How to Have a Happy and Vegan Thanksgiving

by Aimee Douglass | Apr 20, 2026

Going vegan is one of the best things you can do, for yourself, for the planet, and of course, for the animals. If you are a new vegan, you may be dreading the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, wondering what to serve, or what to eat if you are going to another person’s house. Never fear, HAP is here to share the many vegan options available, whether this is your first holiday as a vegan, or you are an experienced vegan.

National Options

Turkeyless roasts are a great option, and readily available at grocery stores like Whole Foods, Walmart, and local grocery stores such as Giant Eagle, etc. Sadly, Trader Joe’s has discontinued their own Turkeyless Roast this year, but there are still options available:

First is the OG, the one that started it all – the Tofurky Roast. This soy and seitan based roast is available in several formats, including the Roast on its own, the Roast and Gravy, and the Feast

Another option comes from Gardein. The Holiday Roast is available as a full roast and also as individual servings in a bag. Both come with gravy packets and are a great main course selection.

Field Roast is another option, offering the Celebration Roast and the Hazelnut and Cranberry Plant Based Roast, which is wrapped in puff pastry.

Locally, women-owned company Self-Reliant Seitan is selling a holiday roast, with or without stuffing, and with optional gravy. Orders are live now and can be placed here.

If, however, you want to leave the cooking to the professionals, however, Pittsburgh offers a lot of options for meals to go.

Nurture Pittsburgh

Nurture, a mostly plant-based company that offers weekly meal delivery as well as one-off items during farmer’s markets around the city, has a Thanksgiving menu for two as well as add-ons such as soup and pumpkin cinnamon rolls via their website:

Moodz Company

Moodz, located on the South Side, offers several catering bundles. You can call them at 412-501-3261, email info@moodzcompany.org, or fill out the catering form on their website.

Bistro to Go

Located on the North Side, this cafe is offering an individual vegan meal via their website. Look under the Catering section and click the link for “Thanksgiving Pans to Go” to order.

Veggies ‘N At

Local vegan food truck Veggies ‘N At is once again offering their single serve dinners – see menu below. Orders can be placed here and picked up or delivered depending on your location.

Entree (Choose One)

Mushroom & Beet Wellington: Local mushroom medley, beets, caramelized onion, puff pastry, garlicky kale chimichurri (Nut Free | Contains Gluten)

Lasagna: Lasagna noodles, veggie bolognese, basil pumpkin ricotta (Nut Free | Contains Gluten)

Sides (All Included):

Slow Roasted Agave Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potatoes, coconut sugar, and agave syrup (Nut and Gluten Free)

Sausage and Herb Quinoa Stuffing: Quinoa, sourdough, mirepoix, sausage crumbles, caramelized onion gravy (Nut Free | Contains Gluten)

Smoky Braised Kale Greens: Slow cooked fresh kale greens (Nut and Gluten Free)

Baked Mac ‘n Chz: Elbow pasta, signature cashew chz sauce (Contains Nuts and Gluten)

Cranberry sauce – Fresh cranberries cooked in orange juice, maple syrup (Nut and Gluten Free)

East End Food Co-op

Long a great source of many things vegan, organic, and ethically-sourced, East End Food Co-op also offers many items through their cafe. Orders for everything from a vegan turkey to all the sides, and even dessert, can be placed here.

Whole Foods Market

As in years past, Whole Foods Market is offering their vegan meal for two including an entree, sides, and soup. They also sell a vegan pumpkin pie that can be added on to your order.

Of course, if you are an adventurous cook and want to try your own hand at a vegan feast, there are many lists with vegan Thanksgiving recipes such as:

Tofurky? More Like No-furky – Here’s 60 Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes Everyone At The Table Will Love

40 Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes – Love and Lemons

20 Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes That Will Delight Everyone at Your Table

Of course, you can always just veganize the standard recipes that your family is familiar with, using vegan ingredients like plant-based butter, vegetable broth, almond, soy, or oat milk, egg replacements, and vegan sugar.

Whatever way you choose to go, have a Happy Thanksgiving and know that you are one less person harming animals this year.

Authors

Aimee Douglass

Aimee Douglass is the Director of Compassionate Living. Aimee works in the healthcare industry and has a bachelors degree in Creative Writing from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown and a masters degree in Communications with a health care focus from Southern New Hampshire University.

Abhi Nadendla

Abhi Nadendla is a blogger at HAP and has been volunteering at the organization since late 2022. She is a student at the University of Pittsburgh and loves spending her free time helping out at animal shelters.

Hannah Lewis

Hannah Lewis is a grant writer and blogger from Pittsburgh’s North Side who has been with HAP since 2020. In addition to writing and advocating for animals, she enjoys hiking, cooking plant-based meals, bouldering at her local climbing gym, and curling up with a good book and her long-haired cat, Freyja.

Kelly Frantz

Kelly Frantz has recently joined the HAP family as a blog writer. She is passionate about animal protection and is excited to educate the community about animal welfare.