Holidays are synonymous with feasting with friends and family and are usually focused on meals that often center around meat. For anyone following a vegetarian or vegan diet, or even for someone who isn’t a fan of the traditional turkey on Thanksgiving or ham for the Holidays, there are alternatives available.
In the past plant-based and meatless options were far less grandiose than they are now—giving us a lot of options. From steaks to turkey to roast, a small or large crowd can still enjoy a meal without opting for something that doesn’t follow tradition.
Best Full Vegan/Vegetarian Feast
Tofurky Plant-Based Holiday Feast
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What We Like
Made with tofu
All-in-one
Feeds 6 people
What We Don't Like
No sides included
Anyone preparing a festive meal for a crowd of any size knows that for some things, convenience is key. Luckily, just like there are full meals available for meat feasts, there is a way to get a vegetarian tofu-based entree, gravy, and a dessert together in the same package.
Tofurky has been supplying non-meat-eating people with holiday roasts since 1995 but has been in business since its beginnings in Oregon in 1980, and this over 3-pound box is one you can get for your next feast. The roast itself is filled with stuffing and can be slathered with the gravy provided. For dessert, a plant-based brownie is included.
Size: 3.8 pounds | Serves: 6 people | Allergens: Wheat, soy, coconut
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What We Like
Quick cooking time
Seasonal flavor
Can be served cold
What We Don't Like
Small
Field Roast’s version of this meatless holiday main course is made with wheat protein and stuffed with butternut squash and lentils. The flavors and seasonings used couldn’t get more traditional—they include garlic, onion, apples, mushrooms, tomato, red wine, paprika, rosemary, carrots, sage, and more.
All it takes to get it to the table at your next gathering is 30 to 40 minutes in the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit, but it can also be served cold in sandwiches and salads or cooked in small pieces on the stove.
One of the best parts about this meatless roast, though, is the price. At a few dollars per serving, it is cheaper than other vegetarian and vegan options out there.
Size: 15 ounces | Serves: 3-4 people | Allergens: Wheat
Best Small Serving
Gardein Lightly Breaded Plant-Based Turk'y Cutlets
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What We Like
Cooks in 8 minutes
Breaded
Gravy included
What We Don't Like
Might be too salty for some
If you don’t need a full turkeyless roast but still want to serve something with its flavor, these Turk’y Cutlets are a great choice. Gardein lightly breads these and includes a pack of gravy to pour over them once they are cooked for 15 to 20 minutes in the oven.
Each patty has about 9 grams of protein and has the taste and texture of real turkey, all while having a breaded crust. One bag contains four individual cutlets, which feeds about two people, so get a bag if you are only feeding a few non-meat eaters. Pair with mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, or any other seasonal side for a holiday meal that won’t make you miss meat.
Size: 12.3 ounces | Serves: 2 people | Allergens: Wheat, soy
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What We Like
Smoked flavor
Made from tofu
Cheap
What We Don't Like
Not roast-style
Although this vegan sliced ham isn't a roast, it still can work for any holiday meal and saves the effort of slicing it. In the ingredients is "natural smoke flavor" which gives it a good flavor, just like some of our favorite holiday hams have. Another pro? This ham is made from tofu, and contains 13 grams of protein per 5 slices. The price for this option isn't bad, either.
Size: 5.5 ounces | Serves: 3 servings included | Allergens: Contains wheat and soy
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What We Like
Cooks quickly
Gets crunchy
Comes with a lot
What We Don't Like
Can be dry
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other holiday meals usually have meat as the main course, but some of the sides incorporate it, as well. For ones that use bacon, swap it out with this Lightlife Foods Smart Bacon so non-meat eaters can still enjoy it with a full plate.
it can be prepared two ways: on a skillet for 3-3.5 minutes on each side, or in a toaster oven at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes. The result are crispy pieces, but be careful not to overcook, because they can turn out dry. Once it’s ready, add it to green beans, mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts, biscuits, or any other side that is on the menu. We love that there are 7 servings worth of vegan bacon in each box, too.
If you do prefer the more traditional, small, crispy "bacon bits" we recommend the All Y'all's Foods version. They are cut into small pieces, flavorful, and made from plants.
Size: 5 ounces | Serves: 7 servings included | Allergens: Contains wheat and soy
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What We Like
Not breaded
Cooks in about 25 minutes
unseasoned
What We Don't Like
Small
Many alternative chicken options are breaded to mimic chicken nuggets, but if you are looking to swap out regular chicken breast for a meatless version, we recommend this one from Lightlife foods. It comes with two pieces made from chickpea flour and pea protein that you can cook in the oven or on the stove in under 30 minutes. They also come unseasoned, so you can flavor them to your liking based on the holiday meal being prepared.
Size: 8 ounces | Serves: 2 people | Allergens: Contains wheat and coconut
Final Verdict
If you are in need of a vegetarian/vegan meal, Tofurky makes a Holiday Feast complete with meatless turkey, gravy, and dessert in a meal that serves six people. If it's a smaller serving of turkey that you need, though, the Gardein Lightly Breaded Plant-Based Turk'y Cutlets are a great option.
What to Look For
Ingredients
Many vegan/vegetarian/plant-based meats are made with different ingredients that taste and feel like meat, including tofu, chickpeas, seitan, soy, lentils, wheat gluten, and more. Many also have seasonings and flavors incorporated into the mix like garlic, onion, tomato, soy sauce, and others.
Always check the nutritional label; some also use things like tree nuts, soy, wheat gluten, and other common allergens. "If shopping or cooking for a vegan, watch out for the sneaky addition of eggs and whey. There's nothing worse than a stomach ache on top of that conversation with the weird uncle!" says Kale Walch, co-founder of The Herbivorous Butcher.
Size
When cooking a plant-based/vegan/vegetarian celebration feast, make sure the packages of meat are the appropriate size. While animal turkeys, chickens, hams, and other meats can come in large sizes that can feed two dozen people, the meatless versions are not usually as big. The good news is that, unlike real meat, alternatives usually keep for a few days or weeks in the refrigerator or freezer, even after opening.
FAQs
What is alternative turkey and ham made out of?
Brands like Tofurky, Field Roast, Gardein, Beyond Meat, Lightlife, and more use plant-based ingredients in the products you can buy for any vegetarian/vegan guests. On the list of ingredients you’ll find ones like tofu, chickpea flour, soy protein, wheat gluten, lentils, pea protein isolate, and more that give it a meaty texture. Beet juice, garlic, onion, oils, sugar, lemon juice, and others add juiciness and flavor to replicate that of real meat.
How do you make vegan meat?
The packaging of the meatless option you pick up will have instructions for cooking on it, which is usually in the oven or on the stove (but sometimes in the air fryer). Just like real meat, these run the risk of giving anyone who eats it food poisoning should it not be cooked properly to kill off any harmful bacteria.
If you are making vegan meat from scratch at home for a holiday celebration or for a meatless dinner, the instructions will be clear about how to get everything just right. From Vegetarian Tofu Turkey with Stuffing to Seitan Vegan Pot Pie or Vegan and Gluten-Free Lentil Loaf, if you follow the steps, you won’t miss the meat at all!
And don't be afraid to go above and beyond. "If cooking a vegan roast at home don’t be afraid to spice it up!" Walch says. "Adding herbs and spices to the meat itself creates a depth that you can’t find in store-bought brands."
How We Selected
To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best vegan/vegetarian turkey and other meat on the market, evaluating their key features—like ingredients, price, and size—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. We then used our own knowledge and first-hand experiences to choose the items listed above.
Why Trust The Spruce Eats?
Amanda McDonaldis an editor at The Spruce Eats and has over seven years of experience researching, writing, and editing about all things food — from what new products are at the grocery store to chef-approved hacks that keep tricky leftovers fresh for days. She has been a vegetarian for 5 years and is constantly on the hunt for delicious meat alternatives. She wrote the original piece and has since updated it to include the most accurate information.
Sources
- Kale Walch, co-founder of The Herbivorous Butcher
