What is a good vegan main dish for Thanksgiving?

GravyBoat's planner uses stuffed roasted acorn squash with wild rice, cranberries, and pecans. It is vegan and gluten-free, so it also works when guests have both needs. Plan about one acorn squash per two guests (our own rule of thumb).

How do I make Thanksgiving gravy vegan and gluten-free?

Make a mushroom gravy with vegetable stock and olive oil instead of drippings and butter, and thicken it with cornstarch instead of wheat flour. One pot covers vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free guests.

What does a gluten-free label mean in the US?

Under FDA's rule (21 CFR 101.91), a food labeled gluten-free can't be made with wheat, rye, barley, or their hybrids unless the ingredient was processed to remove gluten, and any gluten in it must be below 20 parts per million. Oats can be labeled gluten-free if they meet the same under-20-ppm limit; certification isn't required.

Which Thanksgiving dishes usually hide gluten?

Stuffing (bread), gravy (wheat-flour roux), green bean casserole (cream of mushroom soup and fried onions), rolls, pie crust, and crisp toppings made with flour or regular oats. Swap in GF cornbread stuffing, a cornstarch-thickened gravy, roasted green beans with almonds, labeled GF rolls, crustless pumpkin custard, and an apple crisp with gluten-free oats and almond flour.

Vegan & Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Menu (2026): Swaps That Work

Quick answer

Main: stuffed roasted acorn squash with wild rice, cranberries, and pecans is vegan and gluten-free at once.
Gravy: one mushroom gravy with vegetable stock, thickened with cornstarch, covers every diet.
Stuffing: gluten-free cornbread stuffing; for vegan guests use olive oil and veg broth and check the mix for egg and dairy.
Already fine as-is: cranberry sauce, maple sweet potatoes, kale salad, and cider are vegan and gluten-free in our menu.
Labels: in the US, "gluten-free" means under 20 ppm gluten (FDA). Store-bought rolls, crusts, and mixes still need a check for egg and dairy if a guest is vegan.

Build your swap list

Who's coming? Vegetarian guests Vegan guests Gluten-free guests

Classic dish	Make this instead

These are the same swaps GravyBoat's planner makes. They're our own menu choices, not medical or dietary advice. Always ask guests about allergies.

Where gluten and animal products hide

Dish	Watch for
Stuffing	Wheat bread; butter; chicken broth
Gravy	Wheat-flour roux; drippings, butter, and turkey stock
Green bean casserole	Cream of mushroom soup and fried onions (wheat and dairy)
Mashed potatoes	Butter and milk
Rolls and bread	Wheat; some loaves contain milk, butter, or egg
Pumpkin pie	Wheat crust; eggs and evaporated milk in the filling
Apple crisp	Flour and regular oats in the topping; butter
Snack board	Wheat crackers; cheese and dairy dips

What "gluten-free" on a label means (FDA)

A food labeled gluten-free can't be made with wheat, rye, barley, or their crossbred hybrids (like triticale), or with an ingredient from them that wasn't processed to remove gluten.
Any gluten left in the food, including from cross-contact, has to be under 20 parts per million.
Oats don't need to be certified to carry the claim, but oats labeled gluten-free have to meet the same under-20-ppm limit. That's why our crisp uses oats labeled gluten-free.
The claim is voluntary, so an unlabeled food isn't necessarily unsafe. Read the ingredients and ask your guest what they're comfortable with.

Sources: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Questions and Answers on the Gluten-Free Food Labeling Final Rule and "Gluten-Free" Means What It Says. Last updated Oct 22, 2026.

Serving a mixed table

Cook the gluten-free and vegan versions first, cover them, and set them out before the rest, so stray crumbs and butter don't land in them.
Give each gluten-free or vegan dish its own serving spoon and a small card naming the dish.
If turkey is still on the menu, the planner keeps it and adds the squash as a second main. Turkey thaw and roast times are on our turkey guide.
Hosting a potluck? Our potluck guide covers who brings what and how much.

Let GravyBoat build the whole plan

Tick vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free in the planner and it builds the menu with these swaps, a shopping list with cost estimates, potluck assignments, and a day-by-day timeline.

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