Holiday favorites like mashed potatoes and stuffing are staples of any Thanksgiving table — but what if this year you usher in a few unexpected turns? We’re talking vibrant colors, larger-than-life flavors, ingenious cooking techniques and more. To help you pull it off, we’ve created some legendary Thanksgiving dinners, from mains to sides to desserts, that are sure to fit every occasion and make every bite amazing.
Epic Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes
From turkey to dessert, this legendary feast will fill your table with color, flavor and — most importantly — joy.
Light and Bright App: Muhammara + Crudités
Kick off your feast and avoid food fatigue with muhammara, a smoky-sweet, fiery-red roasted red pepper dip. Pair with colorful, crunchy veggies like sliced watermelon radishes, rainbow carrots, cucumber and Romanesco (a nutty, earthy cousin of cauliflower).
The Juiciest, Crispiest Bird
This year, up your turkey game by dry brining your bird. This easy, foolproof technique involves rubbing salt, sugar and seasonings directly onto the turkey skin and meat before cooking. As a result, your bird stays tender and moist on the inside and perfectly crispy on the outside.
Epic Vegan Main: Stuffed Squash
If turkey is off the table for yourself or your guests, it’s smart to have a vegan alternative in your back pocket. Festive and eye-catching, stuffed whole squash like acorn or kabocha is the perfect solution. Stuff with an array of fillings, like whole grains, dried cranberries, sweet potatoes, chopped apples, fresh herbs and more.
Kicked-Up Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry sauce is vibrant on its own, but incorporating fresh orange or lemon zest gives it extra color and brightness. Don’t stop there — try grated ginger for a touch of spiciness, chopped fresh rosemary for an herby kick, or a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom.
A Colorful, Produce-Packed Salad
Add brightness to your meal and balance out the heavier dishes with an over-the-top, produce-packed salad. Start with a colorful assortment of lettuces, like green romaine and red radicchio, then add in everything from thinly sliced beets to roasted butternut squash. Don’t forget crunch — try toasted walnuts or pecans.
Get the recipe: Beet Salad with Gorgonzola and Maple Dressing
Spiced and Roasted Rainbow Carrots
Add excitement to your favorite side dishes by introducing unexpected flavors. If you’re roasting carrots, don’t just toss them with butter — serve them over a bed of Greek yogurt and sprinkle with harissa, sesame seeds and coriander seeds.
Upgraded Green Beans
Haricots verts are thin in appearance and delicate in flavor — call them classy green beans. They’re also the ideal blank canvas for just about any flavor or texture. For next-level beans, toss with a citrusy vinaigrette and top with crunchy pickled shallots and fiery Fresno chiles.
Mac and Cheese, All Grown Up
Kick a favorite side up a notch with a secret produce ingredient — butternut squash. Roast whole, then process into a smooth purée to create the base for a gooey, creamy cheese sauce. What’s more, you can feel a little less guilty about reaching for a second serving.
Best-in-Class Holiday Wines
An epic Thanksgiving meal deserves equally epic wines. Lucky for you, our expert Wine team has rounded up 30+ special bottles, from cava to cabernet sauvignon, for the holiday season, all of which pair perfectly with your meal.*
Epically Easy Galette
What’s easier than, well, pie? Meet the galette, a free-form, open-face pie that looks fancy yet couldn’t be more effortless. Pile on your favorite fruits (try peak-season cranberries or apples) over top-rolled, chilled pie dough and bake. Bonus points: Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
More Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas
From traditional turkey to unexpected delights and everything in between, we’ve got your Thanksgiving plans covered.
Classic Thanksgiving Dinner
This is a familiar Thanksgiving menu of turkey, gravy, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, stuffing and pumpkin pie. It doesn’t get more traditional!
Simple Thanksgiving Supper
Simple definitely does not mean boring. This six-dish menu will satisfy all of your Thanksgiving cravings with a pared-down recipe list. Make it easier by preparing the cranberry sauce, butternut squash soup and cheesecake ahead of time.
Small Thanksgiving Gathering
This wow-worthy Thanksgiving menu serves up classic flavors on a smaller scale. Roasted turkey breast with apple cider gravy is easier to manage than a large bird, while make-ahead recipes for potatoes and dinner rolls save you time.
A Vegan Thanksgiving Feast
Going vegan for Thanksgiving is easier and tastier than you may think. From roasted acorn squash to creamy mushroom gravy and cranberry-apple stuffing, here are a few tried-and-true, showstopping vegan recipes and soon-to-be classics.
Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dinner
Rich, elegant and festive are just a few ways to describe this vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner that will not disappoint. Every vegetable gets star power in these dishes, from Swiss chard with shallots to cider-glazed turnips.
Unexpected Thanksgiving Dinner
Do you love food adventures, relish trying new flavors and eschew tradition? Then this menu is right up your alley with nontraditional recipes and ideas for your Thanksgiving feast.
*Must be 21+. Please drink responsibly.
