For many, the holiday season orbits around food, food, and more food. For those with certain diet restrictions, the emphasis on traditional dishes can be intimidating—but it doesn’t have to be.

Marymount Manhattan College students have the unique privilege of access to a NY Times subscription that introduces not only reliable journalism into their diets but also countless recipes from NY Times cooking. Anyone with a valid MMC email address—whether student, faculty, or staff—can sign up for free access to the NYTimes.com website and mobile app. 

Here are a few vegetarian-specific recipes selected from the NY Times cooking app for MMC students looking to cook for their needs this Thanksgiving!

Main Dishes:

• Mushroom potpie recipe: This dish features porcini mushrooms, caramelized fresh mushrooms, and a filling of root vegetables like parsnips, carrots, and potatoes, though substitutions are easy. It can be baked in a large skillet, individual ramekins, or two pie dishes, and is rich, creamy, and perfect for feeding a crowd—especially when made in advance. Simply refrigerate the filling overnight, then assemble and bake for delicious results.
• Twice-baked butternut squash: This simple take on squash is vegan as is, but with the addition of some goat cheese the flavor can be elevated to taste. This dish from Caitlin Galer-Unti, a vegan food blogger, is filled with a flavorful combination of cashew cheese, nuts, and cranberries. It’s versatile enough to serve as either a main course or a side dish.
• One-pot broccoli mac and cheese: This recipe can take a total of 25 min, making it one of the fastest and most satisfying main dishes for a holiday dinner. In the time it takes to make boxed mac and cheese, you can have a homemade version that’s creamy, sharp with Cheddar, and loaded with broccoli. The sauce thickens as the pasta cooks in milk, absorbing seasonings like garlic powder (or mustard, cayenne, or nutmeg for variety). For softer broccoli, add it early; for more bite, toss it in halfway. 

Sides:

• Vegan mushroom make-ahead gravy: When it comes to the dilemma of vegan/vegetarian gravy, this recipe, made with caramelized mushrooms and a touch of soy sauce, is flavorful enough to please meat-eaters. Use high-quality vegetable stock, preferably homemade, for the best result. You can prepare it up to five days ahead and refrigerate; just reheat before serving.
• Silky creamed corn: The original creamed corn likely didn’t contain cream—Native Americans simmered scraped corn cobs with kernels to create a natural creaminess. This recipe mimics that texture by blending some of the cooked corn, with half-and-half for richness without overpowering the corn’s sweetness. You can customize the flavor with herbs, cheese, or peppers, or keep it simple.
• Sous-vide brown sugar sweet potato with pecans: These sweet potatoes, lightly sweetened with brown sugar and spiked with bourbon, are puréed and topped with toasted pecans. For convenience, cook the sweet potatoes sous-vide, or bake them wrapped in foil at 375°F for 1–2 hours until tender, then purée.
• Cranberry pomegranate relish: This cranberry relish swaps the classic orange and walnut for pomegranate and pistachios, adding pops of green. Make the cranberry mixture a day ahead, but add the nuts and pomegranate seeds just before serving to keep their crunch. 

Deserts: 

• Chocolate pudding pie: This vegan pie combines a rich, chile- and cinnamon-spiced pudding inspired by Mexican hot chocolate with a graham cracker crust from Vegan Pie in the Sky. The mousse-like filling, made with silken tofu, comes together in just 10 minutes in the blender. Use high-quality chocolate, and top with shaved chocolate if desired.
• Cranberry curd tart: If you love lemon curd and gluten free options, you’ll enjoy this cranberry twist. To save time, prepare the crust and curd a day or two ahead. The wheat-free hazelnut crust is adapted from David Lebovitz’s website and the tart keeps well for a couple of days.
• Kalakand: This no-bake Kalakand, a popular South Asian mithai, shortens the long cooking process with condensed milk and grated paneer, cutting prep time to just 10 minutes. Top with nuts for texture and to balance sweetness. After chilling for at least 2 hours, it sets into a soft, chewy, and decadently sweet dessert that keeps for up to a week in the fridge. If paneer isn’t available, ricotta works as a substitute.

Happy cooking!