I’ve been pescatarian for over a decade, for health and ethical reasons. Typically, it’s easy to find something to eat that won’t inconvenience everyone else, but the holidays are particularly tough. On my first Thanksgiving as a pescatarian, I panicked, thinking I wouldn’t have anything to eat besides sides. While mashed potatoes, brussels sprouts, and veggie stuffing are delicious, you need a hearty main dish that feels just as filling as turkey. Now that it has been nearly 14 years of enjoying a meatless Thanksgiving, here are some of my favorite substitutes that even your meat-eating loved ones will adore.
Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
I was obsessed with the vegan haggis at Ridgewood, Queens’ Flying Fox Tavern, which was made with lentils, mushrooms, chestnuts, whipped potatoes, and mushroom gravy. It’s since been taken off the menu, but I realized that it’s essentially a vegetarian shepherd’s pie under a different name. It’s so comforting and reminds me of the coziness of the holidays. While there are many variations of the recipe online, The New York Times has the perfect one.
Tofu Cutlets
Tofu gets a bad rap because it’s flavorless and unappealing by itself, but with seasoning and some fat, it can be even better than turkey. While seemingly every vegetarian (or, in my case, pescatarian) starts out Thanksgiving under their new diet with frozen meals like Gardein’s Turk’y Cutlets, eating an elevated version made from scratch is far more satisfying. Plantifully Based has a great recipe for it that’ll put the pre-made cutlets to shame.
Loaded Baked Sweet Potatoes
Besides turkey, nothing says Thanksgiving more than sweet potatoes, with staples like candied yams and sweet potato casserole with marshmallows. But as much as I have a sweet tooth, I prefer my sweet potatoes on the savory side. Discovering recipes for loaded sweet potatoes upgraded Thanksgiving for me, because they’re so filling and packed with flavor. You can add any topping to them, but if you’re the type who loves anything loaded with cheese and onions, you’ll want to try this version from AllRecipes. That one includes bacon, but you can easily make it without meat or use vegan bacon bits.
Eggplant Steaks
I love eggplant! Even if I weren’t pescatarian, I would still eat it all the time. It’s not a savory fruit that screams Thanksgiving, but sometimes you need a wild card to switch things up. So when Gordon Ramsay made an eggplant steak on TikTok in 2021, I knew I had a new option for the holiday. Admittedly, it doesn’t taste like steak, but it has everything you need from a vegetarian meal: it’s packed with flavor and leaves you wanting more. Here’s a step-by-step guide to making it, courtesy of the celebrity chef.
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