Creative main dish recipes for a no-turkey Thanksgiving

This holiday, think outside the box and let your centerpiece shine with these non-traditional mains from The Healthy Cook. Think rich, savory, plant-forward showstoppers, unique poultry alternatives, cozy stews, and seafood that’s equal parts elegant and easy. These recipes deliver big flavor and crowd-pleasing comfort without weighing down the rest of your spread. Your guests (and your taste buds) will thank you.

Plant-based showstoppers

There’s no reason Thanksgiving has to be about the turkey. If you’re vegan, vegetarian, or flexitarian, enjoy the holiday season with your favorite plant-based proteins. These are our favorite festive fall recipes featuring tofu, beans, lentils, and more.

Mushroom Lentil Dressing. A holiday classic reimagined! This hearty vegetarian main course is loaded with meaty mushrooms, hearty lentils, and whole-grain bread. It’s a delicious dish that’s satisfying enough to headline the plate. Plus, it wins over omnivores, too! Tip: Cook the lentils just enough so they stay intact, not mushy, for the best bite. The side-dish-size serving (3/4 cup) has 12 grams of protein, so consider bumping up your portions if you’re planning to make it a main dish.

Miso-Glazed Tofu & Squash. Savory-sweet miso, soy, ginger, and toasted sesame meet crisp-edged tofu and caramelized winter squash for a festive, colorful centerpiece. It’s simple but elegant enough for the holiday table. Tip: Serve on a bed of stir-fried greens (like bok choy, gai lan, or broccolini) or a hearty grain (like wild rice or farro) and watch this creative main come together in a flash.

Roasted Vegetables over White Bean Purée. The contrast of colors and textures between the bright roasted peppers and tomatoes and the creamy bed of garlicky purée in this entrée will delight your guests’ eyes and taste buds. Tip: If you want to make this dish fully plant-based (vegan), omit the sprinkle of Parmesan.

For more creative, nutritious recipes, check out The Healthy Cook’s Kitchen: Whole Grains and The Healthy Cook’s Kitchen: Beans & Lentils. Looking for great seasonal veggie sides? Our monthly produce guides feature every month’s favorites along with tips for choosing the best one, storing safely, and even more recipes.

Chicken and seafood classics that still feel fancy

No-turkey doesn’t necessarily mean meatless. If you enjoy chicken and fish, why not serve them instead? They’re also simpler to portion out for small households than a whole roasted turkey. (Another option: Roast a small turkey breast or a small whole chicken.) These satisfying seasonal mains are just as beautiful as a turkey on your holiday.

Winter Chicken Braise. Looking for a rich and decadent turkey alternative? This cozy braise gives you succulent, fall-apart chicken in a savory broth, a perfect balance to your veggie-forward Thanksgiving sides. Tip: Even if raw radishes aren’t your thing, braised radishes might surprise you! Cooking turns them surprisingly mellow—like less-starchy, more colorful mini potatoes!

Salmon with Lemon Herb Sauce. Hosting pescatarians or craving something lighter than poultry? This lemony herb sauce brightens up a simple poached salmon fillet. As long as your poaching liquid stays at a gentle simmer—a glass lid helps you keep an eye on it—the fish will cook slowly and stay juicy. Green beans make a great side.

Chicken in Mushroom Sauce. Pan-seared chicken finished in a silky mushroom pan sauce built with Marsala, sherry, or port for deep, lightly sweet flavor. Plus, it’s ready in about 30 minutes. Tip: Cooking alcohol-free? No problem! Simply swap in chicken stock and the juice of half a lemon.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms. Meaty portobello caps get a tomato–balsamic–soy glaze, then are packed with lean ground chicken and sun-dried tomatoes and finished with a crisp panko-Parmesan topping; this recipe is savory, satisfying, and holiday-worthy! Tip: Roast the caps gill-side up first, then mix a little olive oil into the panko for extra crunch.

Balsamic-Glazed Salmon. Holiday polish at broiler speed: a tangy-sweet balsamic, tomato paste, thyme, soy, and molasses glaze that caramelizes fast and leaves your guests wanting more. Tip: Make extra glaze; it’s also fabulous on tofu!

For more heart-healthy recipes, check out From the Heart: Heart-Healthy Dishes from The Healthy Cook. In-season fruits and veggies are often more affordable than their hot-house or imported counterparts, so be sure to check out this month’s produce guide for inspiration, too.

Soup-to-centerpiece mains

Not every holiday meal has to be fussy or complicated. Cozy it up this year with a hearty soup or stew, a beautiful salad or roasted veggie sides, and some warm whole-grain bread.

French Lentil Stew. Cozy, brothy, and packed with vegetables, this stew anchors Thanksgiving dinner without skimping on satisfaction. Look for small French green lentils so they stay pleasantly firm. Ladle into warmed bowls for a main that’s both bright and comforting! Bonus: It freezes like a dream for leftovers all week.

Italian Bean & Kale Stew. Cozy meets lightning-fast: Tender baby kale and two kinds of beans simmer with garlicky olive oil and bright lemon for a 15-minute, one-pan stew that delivers fiber, protein, and serious comfort. Finish with freshly grated Parmesan and a bit of black pepper. Tip: Don’t skip the lemon zest; it wakes up the greens and makes the whole pot taste fresher.

Simple Butternut Soup. Creamy, cozy, and perfect for fall: Just seven ingredients and one pot yield a silky squash soup you can dress up with a sprinkle of dukkah. And if your market is out of butternut squash, swap in any winter squash you have on hand (except spaghetti squash). Tip: Don’t skip the sauté! Brown the squash briefly first to build deeper flavor before simmering and puréeing.

For more filling, flavorful ideas, check out The Healthy Cook’s Kitchen: Fall & Winter Vegetables. For more autumn recipes using in-season produce like pumpkins, carrots, sweet potatoes, and artichokes, take a peek at our monthly produce guides.

Tips for a stress-free Thanksgiving

Spend more of your time enjoying the company of your friends and family—and far less of it in the kitchen with The Healthy Cook’s Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy. If you want a gravy that’s great on just about everything (mushroom lentil dressing! mashed potatoes!), this make-ahead gravy technique lets you chill and defat the broth ahead of time for a cleaner, lighter pour. Plus, it’s one less last-minute task on a busy day.

Skip the stress (and the doctor visits) with Nutrition Action’s guide to turkey safety and doneness. Whether you’re stuffing a turkey or a chicken, keep your stuffing separate (safest) or ensure the stuffing in the center reaches 165°F. Cook your turkey at 325°F or higher and verify that the thigh, wing, and thickest breast reach 165°F before serving. Tip: A quick thermometer check helps you sail through dinner confidently.

For more seasonal inspiration, browse The Healthy Cook’s recipe collections and roundups. They’re great places to discover additional stews, salads, sides, and mains that fit your table and your crowd.

Use it all

If, after all that Thanksgiving cooking, you’ve found yourself with an abundance of vegetable scraps—turnip greens or peels, skins, cores or tops from carrots, mushrooms, onions, celery, or tomatoes, for example—you’ve also got the base for a quart or two of Vegetable Stock for future meals; it makes a perfect start for soup, can give grains of all kinds more flavor when used instead of water, and is easy to freeze for quick and tasty weeknight meals in the future.

Find more No-Waste Kitchen Tips from The Healthy Cook in Nutrition Action. And be sure to use our monthly produce guides to enjoy produce at its peak and at its most affordable.