If you really want the vegetarians at your Thanksgiving table to give thanks, start by not serving them a roasted faux meat. There is a time and place for not-meats, but Thanksgiving isn’t one of them.
Instead, consider making a hearty vegetable dish that can serve as the main course for nonmeat eaters, while doubling as a delicious side for the carnivores: this deliciously creamy strata that marries layers of roasted eggplant, delicata squash and red cabbage with a rich bechamel sauce. Think of it as a white-sauce lasagna crossed with ratatouille.
And to help you as you struggle to get all of the various dishes on the table, this strata is easily prepped the day before. On Thanksgiving, just pop it in the oven for about 35 minutes, and it’s ready.
Thanksgiving Eggplant Strata
Start to finish: 1 1/2 hours (30 minutes active); Servings: 10