How do you feed a vegetarian or vegan Thanksgiving guest who doesn’t like sweet potatoes?
That was the dilemma for a reader, Joe DiMaria of Somerville, Mass., whose best friend, a vegan, joins his family table every Thanksgiving. His friend loves many vegetables, but unfortunately she does not enjoy many traditional fall vegetables that are the typical side dishes on a Thanksgiving table.
“Being vegetarian or vegan around the holidays is incredibly difficult,” says Mr. DiMaria. “It’s even more difficult when you don’t like squash, root vegetables or sweet potatoes.”
Mr. DiMaria set out to create a dish that would be delicious for all of his guests, but would also offer a satisfying vegan option for his friend. “It was a little bit of a challenge to come up with something that didn’t have those fall vegetables in it, but still felt like it was fall inspired,” said Mr. DiMaria.
He came up with a hearty risotto flavored with a taste of fall by caramelized onions and fennel. While the dish was created for a vegan diner, using Earth Balance in place of butter and eliminating the Parmesan cheese, it was a hit with everyone at the table. His friend liked it so much, she is the one who suggested he submit it to Well’s Vegetarian Thanksgiving this year. The dish is now a family tradition.
“We’re Italian so we eat a lot of risotto and pasta,” said Mr. DiMaria. “This risotto felt very comfortable on my family Thanksgiving table.”
Caramelized Onion and Fennel Risotto : A hearty risotto flavored with a taste of fall by caramelized onions and fennel, created as a Thanksgiving dish for a friend who doesn't like sweet potatoes.
More reader-submitted recipes from Well’s Vegetarian Thanksgiving 2014:
Panzanella of Plenty : A reworking of a traditional Italian summer bread salad, adding fall produce so that it resembles a traditional American Thanksgiving stuffing.
Brussels Sprouts Sliders : A creative and fun way to enjoy a great fall and winter vegetable: crunchy “buns” of roasted brussels sprouts with a tasty middle of caramelized onions and tempeh that makes for “dreamy bites of pure umami goodness."
Black Rice, Beet and Kale Salad With Cider Flax Dressing : This delicious salad resulted from an effort to create a hearty vegetarian dish while at the same time offering a delicious gluten-free option.
Really Big Beets : A show-stopping main course for the vegans at your dinner table — and one that even meat-eaters will want to eat.