So one year, I convinced my (very supportive) family to forgo the traditional roast bird and indulge in my strange vegetarian concoction: tofu, seasonings and sesame oil, all mashed together, molded into a bowl and then baked.
It tasted, well, like greasy seasoned tofu. Everyone smiled and lied through their teeth saying that it was delicious. (Yes, I told you they’re a very supportive family!) But I thought to myself: definitely won’t make that mistake again.
So I smartened up and started bringing a really fantastic meatless entrée to share. Here are my 5 favorite vegetarian alternatives to Thanksgiving turkey. They’re so rich and satisfying—even the meat eaters will want some on their plate.
Sweet Potato, Red Onion, & Fontina Tart (recipe
below)
The pastry dough for this roasted-vegetable free-form tart is very
forgiving and quite easy to roll out on parchment paper or a
nonstick baking mat. The walnut-studded crust is crisper served
warm, but you can enjoy the tart at room temperature or cold
too.
Crispy Phyllo Spinach Tartlets
Frilly layers of phyllo dough surround the festive spinach and
sun-dried tomato filling in a dressed-up version of Greek
spanakopita.
Acorn Squash Stuffed with Chard & White Beans
Acorn squash’s natural shape makes it just right for stuffing. This
filling has Mediterranean flair: olives, tomato paste, white beans
and Parmesan cheese.
Broccoli & Goat Cheese Soufflé
This elegant broccoli and goat cheese soufflé will wow your family
and friends. Soufflés are surprisingly easy to make—the only trick
is getting them onto the table before they deflate.
Squash & Leek Lasagna
Grated butternut squash, pine nuts and sautéed leeks in a creamy
white sauce are layered with sheets of whole-wheat pasta for this
wintery variation on vegetable lasagna.
Sweet Potato, Red Onion, & Fontina Tart
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare the crust (Step 2), wrap
tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 6
months. Cool, cover and refrigerate the baked tart for up to 1 day.
Reheat at 350°F.
Ingredients
Crust
- 3/4 cup walnuts
- 1 1/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour (see Ingredient Note, below)
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme and/or rosemary
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 7 tablespoons ice-cold water
Filling
- 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced red onion
- 1 cup shredded fontina or Cheddar cheese
- 1 large egg white mixed with 1 teaspoon water
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme and/or rosemary
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- To prepare crust: Pulse walnuts in a food processor until finely ground. Combine in a large bowl with whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons thyme and/or rosemary, 3/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Make a well in the center and add 1/2 cup oil and water. Gradually stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients to form a soft dough (it will seem wetter than other types of pastry dough). Knead in the bowl just until the dough comes together. Pat it into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 3 days.
- To prepare filling: Combine sweet potatoes, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Spread on three-fourths of a large rimmed baking sheet. Toss onion in the bowl with 1 teaspoon oil. Spread evenly on the remaining one-fourth of the baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Reduce temperature to 375°.
- Line a work surface with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat, lightly dust with flour and dust the top of the dough with flour. Roll the dough into a rustic 15-inch circle, adding more flour, if necessary, to prevent sticking. Transfer the crust to a baking sheet with the parchment or baking mat in place.
- Leaving a 2-inch border, sprinkle cheese evenly over the crust. Make an overlapping ring of the larger sweet potato slices over the cheese, leaving the 2-inch border. Spread the onion slices in another ring closer to the center. Using the rest of the sweet potato slices, make an overlapping circle in the center of the crust (the pattern will look like a bull’s-eye). Pick up the edges of the crust using a spatula and fold over the filling, making pleats in the dough as necessary; the filling will not be completely covered. Brush the crust with the egg-white wash. Drizzle the vegetables with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon thyme and/or rosemary.
- Bake the tart until lightly browned on the edges, about 50 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
Makes 12 servings.
Ingredient Note: Whole-wheat pastry flour has less
gluten-forming potential than regular whole-wheat flour and helps
ensure tender baked goods. Find it in the baking section of the
supermarket or online at bobsredmill.com and
kingarthurflour.com.
Nutrition
309 calories; 18 g fat (4 g sat, 10 g mono); 10 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrates; 7 g protein; 3 g fiber; 332 mg sodium; 177 mg potassium.By Penelope Wall
Penelope is a web producer and writer for EatingWell.com. When she's not busy geeking out at the computer, she loves cooking and trying new recipes on her friends. Some of her favorite foods are dark chocolate, coffee, apples, sweet potatoes and cheese.
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