How often do vegetarians end up hosting? I picture Thanksgiving as a family thing for the most part and the odds of 100% vegetarians are not so common---I imagine there will always be carnivores and they will want their turkey and usually that would mean hosting.

We always do a variety of sides (we have several vegetarians in the family), plus a turkey breast for the meat-eaters, and it works out great! Everyone likes to cook, so each person will be responsible for a few dishes; we end up with so many options that I don't miss the "main dish" at all. This year we're planning the basics (cornbread dressing, cranberries, etc.) plus shredded brussels sprouts, some kind of sweet potatoes, roasted root vegetables, and more.

When I hosted a vegetarian Christmas dinner (back in my idealistic university days), the centrepiece of the meal was a nutmeat paté in brioche, from the Vegetarian Epicure.

It did not come off as a side -- it was big, magnificent and quite stunning. Err, heavy too. It looked like a very impressive and highly decorated Beef Wellington (I went to town with the brioche).

My parents and I were all vegetarians at the same time (not so now -- my mother claims to be, and then when faced with meat, scarfs it down rather guiltily), and so the guests were forced to be vegetarian for the evening (and since some of them were Hindu, it wasn't unwelcome).

I've hosted Thanksgiving and am vegetarian. My brother brings a turkey breast that's he's seasoned/prepped ahead of time and just needs to be cooked in my oven. A whole turkey would be too much food - only 4 out of 7 people eat it.

I'm not a fan of those Tofurkeys either. Instead I just eat "sides" - which is plenty of food! Mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, spinach salad, and cranberry sauce fill my plate and me just fine. =)

tofurkey made me into a carnivore. It's a sad excuse for food.

Actually, one of the best Thanksgiving meals I've ever had wa at a vegan potluck. Now, most of the guests were staff at a vegan restaurant... so that may have had a lot to do with the quality of the food!

I always prepare the Quorn Turk'y Roast -- I slice it into cutlets and prepare it as a Turkey Scallopini. I serve it with a Merlot-infused tomato sauce and it's delish!

for many years, while we lived far away from relatives, my parents and I, long time vegetarians, would host a vegetarian potluck thanksgiving for family friends. my mom would usually make something special to stand in for the main course (vegetable strudel or home made ravioli or something like that) and everyone would bring their favorite traditional thanksgiving sides (vegetarian versions, of course). no one ever missed the turkey.

there are lots of vegetarians hosting. maybe there aren't in the burbs, but there are many vegetarian families (seventh day adventists). also, many of my veg friends across the country are hosting veg thanksgivings for those that can't afford to fly home/don't want to go home/have to be at home for meat eating christmas!

I've hosted vegetarian Thanksgivings with great success, and changed the menu every year. One year the main course was artichoke quiche, the next it was cashew nut roast en croute. I'm best at making desserts, though, so no matter what the main dish was, the dessert (usually some kind of pumpkin cake) always stole the show.

I'll be working on Thanksgiving (retail...I have to change the window displays), so I've got a reservation at a nearby veg. restaurant. It beats having to clean the kitchen later :)

My boyfriend and I are vegetarians, but the rest of my family is not. My mom and I make all the traditional dishes plus a tofurky (not the whole tofurky feast with side dishes, just the tofurky by itself) and vegetarian gravy for us. We eat all of the side dishes (she doesn't cook the stuffing in the turkey so it's vegetarian) and it is a wonderful meal.

I'm not a vegetarian, but I love reading all the wonderful meals that people of all culinary persuasions plan for the best of American Holidays - Thanksgiving! Some of the ideas I have been reading are enough to make me plan more vegetarian options.

I once hosted Thanksgiving for myself and one couple -- she was vegetarian, he was not -- and had fortunately just picked up the Moosewoods CELEBRATIONS cookbook, which is all party- and special-occasion-food. They had a great idea for a big "main dish" type of dish that I prepared -- a big polenta mold, flavored with squash and carmelized onions, with roasted vegetables surrounding it on the plate. I made that and a turkey breast -- I figured that the polenta could count as one of the vegetarian sides for the carnivores - and it worked quite well.

I've also seen recipes for pumpkin, mushroom, and spinach lasagnas that could also work as a vegetarian main dish (maybe it's not as awe-inspiring looking, but doesn't that sound good?).

I'm a vegetarian, and no one else in my family is; but they aren't minding an all-vegetarian meal.

it's the side dishes that are special, anyways.

I'm making tempeh loaf and golden gravy,and green been casserole (all from the real food daily cookbook);

mashed yams with marshmellows (yes, not vegetarian but only once a year...)

and pumpkin pie and pecan pie for dessert.

and fresh potato bread if I can fit it in. (luckily, all the baked items are with 25 degrees of each other in temperature!)

it will be yummy :)

I always make a spinach and vegetable lasagna for my family's thanksgiving, along with the turkey. Oven space can be an issue, but one that can be worked around.
Come on! Vegetarians deserve a main course too! Plus, everyone likes lasagna!

I'm not sure why it's such a big deal for carnivores to forego meat on Thanksgiving (or the other 364 days of the year, for that matter...). I'm veg, but my parents are not, yet Thanksgiving is a cornucopia of Asian vegan treats- all kinds of spicy tofu dishes, miso soup, bean cakes, "kong namul," rice dishes, and various fried goodies. No centerpiece- just lots of savory, wonderful small dishes to sample and enjoy.

These magazines always seem to have some kind of whole vegetarian meal for veggies, and it invariably is starchy and starchy. Like a farro pie. I'd like something smaller and more intensely flavored to go with all the thanksgiving sides. I was contemplating maybe making a 'mock duck' with seitan, but we'll see.

I noticed that smitten kitchen made the pie and it was a bit bland...

My partner and I did Thanksgiving on our own last year, and I made vegetarian Indian food. It was unorthodox, but it did live up to the Thanksgiving tradition of spending hours in the kitchen and having a feast!

Usually at Thanksgiving I just eat the sides, which are plenty, really.