One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving is collecting recipes and dreaming up a menu. (And yes, I do this even when I’m not the hostess.)Years ago my aunt Elizabeth, a pastry chef and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, hosted Thanksgiving. Many of us at the table were new to Texas so she welcomed us with a twist on tradition and served up a turkey dinner filled with the flavors of the Southwest. Over that delicious (and spicy!) meal we imagined future Thanksgiving themes and what she should serve: an Asian inspired meal with sriracha-laced sweet potatoes or a tropical menu with pineapple and mango added to the cranberry sauce. We went on and on letting our imaginations and our taste buds run wild.
My husband’s family, on the other hand, sticks with their tried-and-true recipes. And that’s just as delicious in my book. I look forward to Aunt Linda’s pumpkin rolls every year (she still refuses to share the recipe!) and we all still laugh about the time Grandma made a green gelatin salad instead of her usual red and the uproar it caused.
So whether you want to try something new every year, stick with classic faves, or you’re cooking up a vegan or gluten-free feast, here are five menus to inspire you. We encourage you to mix and match, browse all of our turkey recipes opens in a new tab, holiday recipes opens in a new tab or search our full recipe collection opens in a new tab to find just the recipes for your own Thanksgiving celebration. Happy planning!
A Classic Thanksgiving Feast opens in a new tab
A Gluten-Free Thanksgiving opens in a new tab
Green Beans with Goat Cheese, Cranberries and Bacon opens in a new tab
Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts and Crispy Bacon opens in a new tab
Cranberry Sauce with Clementines and Cinnamon opens in a new tab
A Thanksgiving Menu with a Twist opens in a new tab
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Macadamia Nuts opens in a new tab
Savory Cheese, Cranberry and Herb Mini Muffins opens in a new tab
Spiced Cranberry Sauce with Chardonnay and Orange Zest opens in a new tab
Thanksgiving for a Smaller Crowd opens in a new tab
Herb Crusted Turkey Breast with Mushroom-Leek Stuffing opens in a new tab
Butternut Squash with Wilted Spinach and Blue Cheese opens in a new tab
A Vegetarian Menu opens in a new tab
Warm Millet Salad with Brussels Sprouts, Creamed Mushrooms and Sage opens in a new tab
Wild Rice and Cranberry Stuffing with Walnuts opens in a new tab
Ale-Braised Baby Bok Choy with English Cheddar opens in a new tab
Bulgur with Arugula, Pomegranate and Hazelnuts opens in a new tab
Need a little help with choosing, cooking or carving the turkey? Take a look at our online Turkey Guide opens in a new tab.
Already got that oven pre-heating? You can order your ready-to-cook fresh turkey online opens in a new tab or through the holiday table at your store. If you choose to make some, buy some you can order fully-cooked birds, sides and desserts online opens in a new tab and pick them up at your local store.
What’s on your Thanksgiving menu this year (or every year)?
