25 Thanksgiving Recipes

In keeping with the 2020 trend — you know, the one where nothing will quite be able to go ahead as planned — I’m imagining that your Thanksgiving will be a little different this year. As the pandemic continues to age across the U.S, it’s likely that your large extended family has opted not to gather, and you probably won’t be able to fly home to celebrate. You might have to wait until next year to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with your family, or to get your fill of your aunt’s famous pecan pie, or watch the post-meal game with your cousins. The usual attributes of Thanksgiving — hugs for relatives you haven’t seen in a long time, gathering in large groups, sharing food, sitting side by side at a table, — are not exactly compatible with social distancing.

But you still have to eat, right?!

You might not be able to celebrate as you usually do this year, but you can still cook and feast this 26th of November; after all, the heart of this holiday is food — a lot of food — which has a way of providing not only comfort when times are rough but also some consistency and stability, an anchor to keep tradition going at least until things can go back to normal.

In the name of normalcy, here are 25 recipes to help you celebrate Thanksgiving this year, wherever you are and whoever you are managing to spend the holiday with. You’ll find some classics (what’s Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie?), some Italian recipes that would fit in nicely with your feast, and dishes that work well for a smaller group. And if you have never cooked a Thanksgiving meal on your own and aren’t sure what to cook? I hope that these (tried and true and tested) recipes can tide you over until next year when you can get back to your mom’s stuffing.

And let’s be honest: in the spirit of this holiday, aren't we all a little thankful to not be battling with that 25lb turkey that you annually panic over (the thawing! the complicated turkey cooking time math! the constant monitoring of that thermometer that was supposed to pop an hour ago and hasn’t yet!)?

For more of the blog’s shiny new compilation posts, check out this post on pumpkin recipes, this one on comfort food, this one on apple recipes, and this one here, which has been proven to transport you directly to Italy.

Prosciutto Palmiers

These little gems consist of flaky puff pastry spiraled around prosciutto, honey mustard, and Parmesan cheese (disclaimer: it is impossible to eat just one). They are perfect Thanksgiving appetizer fare – low maintenance, made with only a few ingredients, and great at room temperature too, so you can make them ahead of time. Click here for the recipe.

Cornbread muffins with maple butter

If you're not from the States and thus not familiar with cornbread, here’s what you need to know: cornbread is a quick bread made with cornmeal ("kind of like polenta in a cake form," is how I explain this to my Italian friends). Cornbread is versatile, perfect for breakfast, served as an accompaniment to chili or stew, or on the table as part of your Thanksgiving menu. Click here for the recipe.  

Cacio e pepe biscuits

Following a cacio e pepe kick I added the last of the Pecorino to biscuit dough along with a generous amount of black pepper, and the results were downright splendid, a flaky, cheesy, spicy meeting of the Eternal City and the American South. These would be the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving bread basket. Click here for the recipe!

Apple Sausage Stuffing

No Thanksgiving menu is complete without stuffing! There are countless recipes for stuffing (every family seems to have their own) but my favorite version has tart green apple, sweet dried fruit, and salty, savory sausage. Please pardon the photo here, which was taken in my early blogging days of 2015. Click here for the recipe!

SILVER PALATE MASHED POTATOES

What’s Thanksgiving without mashed potatoes?! These Silver Palate mashed potatoes have been present at every holiday my family has ever hosted; they are truly indulgent, calling not just sour cream but also cream cheese and butter. Click here for the recipe.

PERFECT ROAST POTATOES

The very best roast potatoes I have ever made or eaten, with a crazy crisp exterior and creamy interior, extra herb-y and golden and glorious, perfect alongside the Thanksgiving turkey, yes, but just as marvelous eaten as are, from a cereal bowl, just you and a fork. I speak from experience. Click here for the recipe.

Canederli with butter & sage

Cooking for a small group this year? Canederli are bread dumplings that remind me of individual portions of stuffing; these are cloudlike in texture,  jam-packed with cheese and speck, and divine when served with sage butter. Click here for the recipe.

carciofi alla romana

This recipe requires just a few ingredients and half an hour in the pan, after which you will find yourself with: a pot of fork-tender artichokes braised in olive oil with garlic and parsley. A perfect veggie addition to your menu, and especially good if you’re cooking for a small crowd this year. Click here for the recipe.

Butternut Squash Galette

A great main for any vegetarians at your Thanksgiving meal — the crust here is flaky and buttery, and when filled with caramelized onions, roasted squash, lots of cheese and a sprinkle of sage, it makes for a truly divine dish anyone would be thankful for. Click here for the recipe.

Green Beans with shallots and pancetta

These green beans are an antidote to the heavy, sodium-laden green bean casserole of your youth; the green beans are crisp and fresh and bright, countered nicely by the sweet caramelized shallots and fatty pancetta. The final touch, a dash of bright sunny lemon zest, brings the whole dish together. Click here for the recipe.

WINTER CAPONATA

A less traditional, Italian addition to your Thanksgiving spread – this is the cold weather version of Sicilian caponata, made with either fennel or artichokes instead of eggplant (I leave the choice up to you). It’s tangy, sweet, and punchy all at the same time, and would be a lovely accompaniment to your turkey. Click here for the recipe.

Fennel, Orange, Olive Salad

A salad that puts the usual pile of iceberg lettuce to shame: here we've got crisp, anise-flavored fennel, sweet juicy oranges, buttery, crunchy pine nuts, sharp, biting red onion, and salty rich olives tossed with a splash of fruity olive oil and sunny orange juice. Click here for the recipe.

Lasagne alla bolognese

Lasagna is not a traditional Thanksgiving dish by any means, but was always part of the spread in my Italian-American home growing up (plus it is great for a crowd!) This is my recipe, inspired by the lasagne I ate while living in Bologna, Italy -- here we have  Parmesan cheese, béchamel, and a ragù. made with red wine, pork, beef, and veal. Click here for the recipe.

Want a more seasonal lasagna? I’ve also got this butternut squash lasagna

Pumpkin Pizza

Who says you can’t have pizza on Thanksgiving? Here it is dressed up in its autumnal best, topped with roasted pumpkin, sage, sweet, slowly cooked onions, a sprinkle of pancetta, plus two kind of cheese. Bonus: the color is gorgeous, a bright, festive, fiery orange. Click here for the recipe.

Pollo fritto alla toscana

Swap the turkey for fried chicken this year if you’re planning on a small Thanksgiving. This chicken follows a Tuscan Jewish recipe and makes for chicken that is incredibly crunch and very juicy, with a hint of lemon and garlic and a subtle nudge of spicy cinnamon and nutmeg. Click here for the recipe.

Pollo alla cacciatora in bianco

Another option if you are cooking for a small crowd and skipping the roast turkey this year — chicken simmered in wine, rosemary, sage, and garlic with a handful of green olives. This dish comes together quickly, and eliminates any potential turkey math (you know, if the turkey weights 25 pounds, how many hours will it take to cook?!) Click here for the recipe.

Pumpkin Pie

The most classic of all Thanksgiving desserts, this is my go-to, very favorite recipe for pumpkin pie. The filling is packed with Fall spice and has a rich, smooth texture thanks to the addition of heavy cream. Raise your hands if you too think that pumpkin pie is deserves to be baked and eaten year round, and not just once a year! Click here for the recipe.

Apple Tart

In this low-key dessert, pastry is rolled out and then folded around a heap of cinnamon sugar apples -- the less perfect, the better, just chalk it up to a "rustic" appearance -- and then baked directly on a baking sheet, no pie plate or double crust required. Click here for the recipe!

Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie

Adding chocolate to your standard pecan pie takes it to a whole new level, the slightly bitter chocolate balancing out the sweetness of the filling and giving the dessert another dimension of flavor and melty gooey-ness. Click here for the recipe.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Among the most popular desserts I’ve ever baked (who doesn’t love cheesecake?!) this pumpkin cheesecake calls for four autumnal spices, all of which settle into the cake and intensify in the day or two after baking; the sauce, which tastes exactly like pecan pie without the crust, is phenomenal. A perfect alternative to pumpkin pie, if you’re not a fan. Click here for the recipe!

Black Bottom Oatmeal Pie

Another alternative to the usual pecan, apple or pumpkin pie – here we have a sort of oatmeal cookie-pecan pie hybrid (dreams do come true) with caramel-y filling held together by a heap of toasted oats and a layer of melted bittersweet chocolate. Click here for the recipe.

HONEY PINENUT TART

One of my favorite things I’ve ever baked, or rather a salted honey caramel filling packed with buttery pine nuts, whose crunch contrasts beautifully with the soft caramel. This is especially good warm out of the oven. Click here for the recipe.

PEAR & CHOCOLATE TART

This dessert is a winner, with a buttery, salty-sweet crust and layers of spiced pears tucked into a thick layer of truffle-y chocolate, pretty with a shower of powdered sugar over the top. Click here for the recipe!

OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE CAKE

Not in the mood for pie this year? Enter the Cookie Cake, or rather a giant, soft baked cookie that can be cut in to slices and served to a crowd. This cookie cake is filled with pockets of melted gooey chocolate and chewy oats, tinged with cinnamon and perfect served warm with a scoop of ice cream. Click here for the recipe.

TURKEY, SPINACH, WHITE BEAN SOUP

A great way to use up your leftover Turkey! This soup manages to be filling but not too heavy (perfect for those of us who feel a little overstuffed the day after Thanksgiving) and is full of healthy ingredients like white beans and spinach. It is a great cozy dish to combat the cold weather, too. Click here for the recipe.