Everyone loves Thanksgiving because its a great family occasion filled with heartwarming memories and stomach-filling recipe classics.
From turkey to stuffing, cranberry sauce and sweet potato pie too, we are going to talk about them all! What we aim for is thinking of dishes that will be hits at the table. Nothing too out of the ordinary, just some beautiful staples that you will be very satisfied with if you decide to try.
Don’t be afraid to try something new, what is important on Thanksgiving is that we share the time together with our loved ones and give thanks for the bounties of life. The best way to do that is with a big meal, so with that being said-let’s dig in!
Thanksgiving Recipe #50: Wild Rice Stuffing
Wild rice stuffing is a creative take on an already delicious and iconic Thanksgiving side.
Its a fun yet healthy way to shake up the meal, and with colorful veggies. Add some nuts and figs into your wild rice mix and place them in split squashes. They will cook and blend together to create a delicious symphony of veggies and rice.
Thanksgiving Recipe #49: Butternut Squash Risotto
Here is your opportunity to blow people away with your culinary skills! Risotto is a delicious dish that goes perfect with a variety of different vegetables. In this case with butternut squash, its rich and sweet yet savory as well.
This dish will definitely require time and patience, but its absolutely worth it for the final result.
Thanksgiving Recipe #48: Pumpkin Cheesecake
Cheesecake is one of the best desserts in the world! Its got so many delicious components that when combined, create the perfect sweet treat.
Pumpkin cheesecake needs a proper crust, but the filling is much like a pumpkin pie but with lots of cream cheese! This delicious dessert will have your Thanksgiving guests STUFFED. Its rich, decadent, and flavorful.
Thanksgiving Recipe #47: Green Bean Casserole
Green bean casserole is a great Thanksgiving dish offering a variety of different flavors and textures. Whether its the green beans cooked to tender perfection, the creamy mushroom sauce, or the crispy onions, this is the ultimate Thanksgiving dish. Consider making more than one because its going to be a table favorite.
Thanksgiving Recipe #46: Spiced Apple Galette
Apple galette is a beautiful pie-like creation, however it is way easier to make. It is a visual masterpiece and a tasty work of art. You can serve this with some vanilla bean ice cream or a raspberry sorbet, but it is also perfect on its own. Spice it up with some different tastes like cinnamon, and make sure everyone gets a slice before its gone!
Thanksgiving Recipe #45: Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Glaze
Turkey meatballs are a great substitute to traditional beef and pork. For Thanksgiving time too they have some exciting possibilities. The cranberry glaze on top of turkey meatballs will make each bite savory and sweet. This dish is absolutely worth trying!
Thanksgiving Recipe #44: Sweet Potato Marshmallow Casserole
You won’t see this dish out often throughout the year, but come Thanksgiving time, sweet potato casserole is a must-eat, and you can’t forget the mallows! Marshmallows make a perfect toasty but creamy top that balances perfectly with the sweet potato.
A hard topper like pecans is great to add because it will offer some texture to the dish as well.
Thanksgiving Recipe #43: Smoked Turkey Legs
Smoking turkey is one of the many ways to try and perfect this great piece of the bird. You will have to take your time smoking the turkey, but the legs will be absolutely fantastic when you pull out the finished product.
You can also pull the legs and let them smoke longer for added flavor. Enjoy with some tasty gravy or a cranberry sauce.
Thanksgiving Recipe #42: Cranberry Brie Bites
Its always important to have snacks available before the main meal or after. Thanksgiving is an all day ordeal. Small and light bites are a great way to fulfill that snack-need.
Brie is a delicious creamy cheese that pairs beautifully with any type of fruit. These small bites are delicious and perfect before meal time. Pair them with a nice wine or heavy stout beer and everyone will keep going for more!
Thanksgiving Recipe #41: Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Sweet potato gnocchi is delicious and incredibly savory. Paired beautifully with broccoli rabe and anything garlic (we say garlic butter) you have a dish that will be the #1 hit at the table and people will be begging you for the recipe.
This is another opportunity to show off your cooking skills!
Thanksgiving Recipe #40: Turkey Pot Pie
Pot pie is one of those delicious meals where everything tastes better because its sitting underneath a pie crust. Include turkey and other Thanksgiving sides and you can create a beautiful pot pie. Make mini versions so people can easily grab one at the table. Make a couple and serve them family style. Any way you go with a pot pie, you can’t go wrong!
Thanksgiving Recipe #39: Chorizo Cornbread
Chorizo is a delicious sausage that originates from Spain and it does well with a number of different dishes. During Thanksgiving time, there is no better way to incorporate foods into your meal then by putting it directly in your cornbread!
Cornbread is so delicious as it is but if you include a spicy sausage with a flavorful kick, the cornbread will be elevated to an entirely different level. It is without a doubt worth trying.
Thanksgiving Recipe #38: Hasselback Potatoes with Garlic Herb Butter
Hasselback potatoes are a great way to create visual works of art. You slice the potatoes from the top into what looks like small round slices but the bottom will stay in tact and as it cooks the slices will blossom.
It is almost like a long blossoming potato or a potato caterpillar. Its delicious and when seasoned right its perfect for any meal. Garlic herb butter in particular is an excellent topper for it.
Thanksgiving Recipe #37: Fried Turkey
The fried turkey is a work of art. This recipe calls for some special skills, but the result is some of the crispiest meat and skin you will ever come across. You have to be extremely careful with the turkey, the oil, and the frying mechanism. It will require careful precision but the finished product is well worth it.
Thanksgiving Recipe #36: Turkey Sandwiches (for leftovers)
Everyone knows that the #1 rule of Friday after Thanksgiving: work on the leftovers! Here is a great way to eat them but with some flair. Get some leftover rolls or buy some Hawaiian rolls and make the most delicious Thanksgiving leftover sliders.
This recipe is not set in stone obviously, so get weird with it! Cranberry sauce, turkey, stuffing, green beans, pile it all on your sliders!
Thanksgiving Recipe #35: Sweet Potato Pie
Sweet Potato pie is one of those iconic Thanksgiving desserts that will always be a hit. Sweet potatoes are a great main element to go between a pie crust, and especially when its perfectly prepped and baked, you have yourself a perfect pie!
Thanksgiving Recipe #34: Moroccan Spiced Roast Chicken
Moroccan Spiced Roast Chicken is a great meat option because as we have mentioned a couple times before, not everyone is the biggest turkey fan. Moroccan spices in particular are savory and blazing but also full of rich and deep flavor.
Thanksgiving Recipe#33: Green Salad
Its always good to have some simple options available during Thanksgiving. What’s great about a simple green salad is it will offer a change up in texture and really the season of the food your eating.
Everything will be so heavy, savory, and sweet-the salad will balance with it all perfectly! Everyone will appreciate the effort to have something healthy on the table during Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving Recipe#32: Apple Cider Sangria
Apple cider sangria is a delicious drink option for Thanksgiving. Its perfect for before the big meal or after when everyone is relaxing on the couch.
The pinot pairs beautifully with other foods and mixed with the fruits and apple cider-you have yourself an ideal fall beverage. Serve it with lots of cut up fruit too! Its a visual work of art.
Thanksgiving Recipe#31: Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs are a go to appetizer or pre-meal introduction. The flavorful egg and the yolk mix inside is a beautiful bite each and every time.
Its usually a good idea to make your deviled eggs up to two days in advance, and ideally keep the yolk and whites separate during that period before they are prepped and eaten. Do not forget some cayenne pepper on top!
Thanksgiving Recipe#30: Baked Camembert Cheese with Fresh Figs
Its always important to have snacks for your loved ones at Thanksgiving. Especially before the meal, while people are enjoying their drinks and catching up, something handheld and crunchy is just ideal.
Camembert, a richer and creamier version of Brie is incredible on toasted bread bites or crackers. Just like brie, it deserves a proper pairing. Figs are a great option. They offer a sweet yet unique taste that will blend perfectly with the creaminess of the cheese.
Serve it hot and bake it or slice it and serve it cold, either way people will be all over that cheese!
Thanksgiving Recipe#29: Oyster Cornbread Dressing
Many people aren’t into traditional stuffing, and that’s okay! Here is an alternate option that is so good and so easy to make. Dressing is typically served as a casserole-type dish while stuffing is traditionally served inside the bird.
This option allows for cornbread too which everyone loves along with some oysters. Its a southern classic that will do well in any part of the US!
Thanksgiving Recipe#28: Pumpkin Scones
Scones may be considered more of a breakfast, but hey some people have Thanksgiving at 11 AM, why not serve scones with it?
Pumpkin scones are delicious and also surprisingly filling. The frosting on top is a great “icing on the cake” and they pair beautifully with a cup of coffee or a spot of tea!
Thanksgiving Recipe#27: Beet Salad
Beet salad is a nice way to add more color to your Thanksgiving spread. Bright red beets always will catch the eye. While not everyone loves beets, those that do will enjoy this kind of salad.
Spice it up with goat cheese, walnuts, micro greens, apples, shallots, and more. You can do a lot with beets, and the salad can be quite delicious!
Thanksgiving Recipe#26: Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms
Roasted garlic mushrooms are great at accompanying meats. When you can cook them to perfection there is nothing quite as good as putting some on top of a steak or roast chicken.
You can choose from a variety of different mushrooms. You can prep them in a number of ways, just remember to always add on the perfect spices and herbs so they are a hit at the table.
Thanksgiving Recipe#25: Pumpkin Soup
Pumpkin soup is a tasty and light way to get people ready for the main course. Its perfect if you add on some pumpkin seeds for a nice crunch.
There are a variety of different soups you can serve around Thanksgiving time. Pumpkin soup is one that you cannot go wrong with.
Thanksgiving Recipe#24: Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin bread is a classic fall time dessert. Many people will also not wait for dessert and have it during the day. It does go well with a cup of coffee…But for after Thanksgiving, the main meal, serve this for dessert. Add some chocolate chips in it and you will have people begging for the recipe.
Thanksgiving Recipe#23: Cheese Grits
Cheese grits are simple and savory. They match perfectly with nearly everything. It is an ideal side to have on the Thanksgiving table. This southern dish makes you feel so warm and cozy, its perfect for this time of year.
Thanksgiving Recipe#22: Cranberry Jalapeno Dip
When its still snack and drink time, a nice dip does wonders. This cranberry jalapeño dip, bound together by cream cheese is fantastic and does particularly well with crackers and toasted breads.
Thanksgiving Recipe#21: Creamy Green Pea and Bacon Salad with Red Onions
There has to be some salad at Thanksgiving, but why not salad with bacon?! This perfect creation blends together peas and onions and cheese with bacon to create a fantastic salad that balances well with the other meat, cheese, and starch dishes. Season it to perfection and your guests will be thanking you dearly!
Thanksgiving Recipe#20: Pomegranate Glazed Lamb Chops
Lamb chops are a perfect dish to serve at Thanksgiving. It can be cooked and served for large tables and is a good option for people not-so-into turkey. The pomegranate contrasts the savory flavor of the lamb so perfectly.
Thanksgiving Recipe#19: Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin pie, oh how we love pumpkin pie! Its so good you can even find it from a can! The crust is crunchy and flakey while the pumpkin filling is flavorful and the whipped topping cools it all perfectly.
Pumpkin pie is one of the most iconic desserts served at Thanksgiving, it’s a can’t miss pie.
Thanksgiving Recipe#18: Rolls
Everyone loves rolls. They are simple, usually accompanied with butter, and always goes well with the rest of the meal.
Make sure to pair them with butter and to serve them hot. Your guests will be eating multiple and rightfully so, some say rolls are the best part of the meal!
Thanksgiving Recipe#17: Cornbread
Cornbread is a delicious cake-like creation filled with corn flavor and ideally bits of corn. Cornbread is great in roll form or muffins, but you can also serve it from a pan. While many people may save it for chili night, there is no wrong night for cornbread, especially Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving Recipe#16: Pecan Pie
Pecan pie is undoubtedly one of the most popular desserts served during Thanksgiving. The glazed pecans just are perfect when the weather is cool and everyone is gathered together for a beautiful occasion.
Some people may shy away from pecan pie because its easy to burn the pecans and you need to toast them perfectly for your pie. However if you can master this, which is generally not too difficult with practice, you are making a pie that is going to have people drooling and begging for more.
Thanksgiving Recipe#15: Macaroni and Cheese
Macaroni and cheese-it’s warm, gooey, usually burnt to perfection, and there’s frequently never enough! Avoid that problem and make extra but regardless don’t leave this staple out of your Thanksgiving menu.
It is going to be a hit with the young ones and it will take everyone back to a simpler time as a kid but with the whole family together! it is a nostalgic masterpiece.
Thanksgiving Recipe#14: Apple Pie
Apple pie is often served in the summertime because it goes perfectly with cool vanilla ice cream, but you can also serve it piping hot,. Fill it with flavors like cinnamon and nutmeg, pair it with a pumpkin whipped topping, do whatever you need to make it “Thanksgiving-friendly”.
Thanksgiving Recipe#13: Bacon Brussel Sprouts
Its funny how so many people have gone through waves of disliking then liking brussels sprouts. As kids we think of them as a gross and smelly veggie, but today they are flavorful, easy to prepare, and go with so many different other dishes.
Prepping it with bacon is great because the bacon grease will be absorbed by the brussels sprouts. Its a great flavor addition to the brussels sprouts.
Thanksgiving Recipe#12: Glazed Carrots
Glazed carrots are a great side filled with sweet flavor and a semi-crunchy texture. Ideally you will cook these carrots to tender perfection but there will usually be a little crunch from the middle and it is just great. It goes in contrast with most other dishes you are serving and who doesn’t love carrots?!
Thanksgiving Recipe#11: Grilled Sweet Corn
Grilled sweet corn is a good side dish and is pretty easy to prepare. You can add on a maple glaze or spray it with a pumpkin seed oil and help give it more of an autumn flavor.
Sweet corn needs time to cook, it isn’t something that you will need much time to make but you will want to make closer to sit down time, that way it can be served piping hot.
Thanksgiving Recipe#10: Butternut Squash Soup
Butternut squash soup is one of the most iconic fall dishes. It is a perfect introduction to your Thanksgiving meal. What’s great is it has a lot of depth and flavor to it and it also can be very filling so we wouldn’t suggest serving too much. This is a perfect way to warm the belly and get ready for a fun and delicious night of eating.
Thanksgiving Recipe#9: Pumpkin Ice Cream
Pumpkin ice cream is a great introduction to the big dessert table at Thanksgiving. You can also make a pumpkin sorbet pallet cleanser for in between courses at the meal. Its just a very simple and smooth pumpkin taste that is not too over the top like some other pumpkin flavored foods.
Thanksgiving Recipe#8: Thanksgiving Brisket
Brisket is often seen at Passover or a Sunday dinner but it also is perfect for Thanksgiving. Especially when you prep it with carrots and potatoes and onions and get it all tender and moist to perfection.
When you make brisket its super important to continuously baste it to ensure a perfect cook.
Thanksgiving Recipe#7: Beer Can Chicken
This one is a head scratcher to some, and an easy option for others. Beer is great as a cooking component for a number of different meats, chicken included.
The chicken is coated in a rub, usually one with a kick, then its placed on top of a beer can and grilled. There are some subtle variations on the prep for this recipe, but it will be a hit at your Thanksgiving meal, especially the beer lovers.
Thanksgiving Recipe#6: Apple Cider
Apple cider is great at Thanksgiving especially before the meal is served or after around dessert time. You can always make an “adults-only” version with some spiced rum or a drop of whiskey, but on its own, apple cider is great served hot. You should always throw a couple cinnamon sticks in while you heat the cider and after in the cups for maximum aroma.
Thanksgiving Recipe#5: Roasted Vegetables
Roasted vegetables are where you get the color on your plate. Carrots, turnips, brussel sprouts, onions, broccoli-really there are endless options for your roast. They typically don’t require a bunch of seasoning or oil, you can make it a simple dish. Just always remember to evenly spread them out on the cookie sheet before you roast them.
Thanksgiving Recipe#4: Baked Ham
Turkey doesn’t have to be the only meat served at Thanksgiving-We got ham! Baked ham is a perfect meat to serve at Thanksgiving because you can carve up pieces with the ham and it is perfect for serving the masses.
How you prepare your ham is entirely on you. Many have fried it, smoked it, roasted it, or the classic bake. It provides beautiful slices of tender meat, as long as you can carve! Its also a good option at Thanksgiving for those that aren’t big turkey fans.
Thanksgiving Recipe#3: Mashed Potatoes
Many people say they love Thanksgiving for the sides, well one of the most popular recipes has to be for mashed potatoes. It is the perfect starch to go with your turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole, and rolls.
Mashed potatoes are a beautiful side because generally everyone eats them, you can be creative with them if you’d like, and leftover mashed potatoes will be good for days!
Thanksgiving Recipe#2: Stuffing Casserole
Stuffing is a great addition to any Thanksgiving table. Stuffing typically will consist of a starch like a bread or cereal. It will be mixed together with eggs, a blend of spices and herbs, ground meats, and vegetables.
While many people do enjoy preparing stuffing in a turkey the prepare, the best and most delicious results usually come from making it casserole style. This will ensure maximum crispiness.
Thanksgiving Recipe#1: Roast Turkey
The classic roast turkey is just about as savory a dish as there is. Whether its the crispy skin or mouthwatering gravy that goes on top, roast turkey is as good as it gets.
While there are countless ways to prepare Thanksgiving turkey, roasting it with vegetables is always the best way. Serve it up with gravy, let your guests choose between white and dark meat, and don’t forget to save the leftovers!
To Wrap Things Up
We have looked at countless different recipe options that are perfect for Thanksgiving. It is all about capturing the essence of Thanksgiving flavor-pumpkin, sweet potato, butternut squash, and turkey.
When you are picking out your Thanksgiving menu, its always good to look at each recipe and decide what will be the best with what.
Don’t worry too much about over-serving, that’s what this holiday is about-enjoying large amounts of food with your family and saying thanks for all the beautiful things you have in your life!
