Feeling uninspired by the idea of cooking another Thanksgiving dinner? You’re not alone!
It’s a feeling that comes, at one time or another, for just about everyone who cooks a traditional turkey dinner. Don’t get me wrong, I love my mother’s stuffing recipe and the distinctive plop of a canned cranberry sauce being born, but when I’m cooking, I can’t help but start looking for ways to add a little creativity, and that goes double for Thanksgiving.
Whether you’re hosting family for the first time or the fortieth – or hoping to make an impression at a Friendsgiving! – there are plenty of good reasons to want to mix things up a little this Thanksgiving dinner.
In this list, you’ll find a mix of product recommendations, recipe links, and general tips to help you figure out how to make this year’s Thanksgiving a stand out. While they might not all work for you, I hope you find something in here that sparks your imagination so you can fully enjoy your meal while you give thanks!
Worth noting: What you won’t find in here is any tips on the bird. Turkeys are a large and unwieldy main protein. Dry brine it, spatchcock it, bake it upside down – unless you replace it with a chicken, it’s my feeling that simply doing your best to cook it through, season it, and keep it from drying out, all while maintaining your sanity, is as much as can be asked of any person.
12 Easy Ways To Jazz Up Your Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes
This list was designed to have something for everyone. If you’re in a house full of traditionalists, consider an optional sauce that can go on the side. And if you’re hoping to excite some adventurous eaters, you have room to run wild, so find something that makes you sing!
1. Shop Local & Seasonal.
Thanksgiving is a holiday where we give thanks for the harvest, but depending on where you are in the world, what’s currently being harvested might not align with the old standbys. While going all-farmer’s market for a big group might not be financially doable, replacing a few key vegetables with something farm fresh can add more flavor to your dinner. Even a great local carrot can smell and taste so much better than the more commercially processed grocery store veg! Plus, you might see something new that inspires you to add a local seasonal vegetable to your stable of sides. This website can help you discover what’s in season in your region now.
Besides, making time to vary your rituals around shopping can add a little more interest to the same old-same old if you’re experiencing a hint of turkey ennui.
2. Swap Textures.
Tired of mashed potatoes and roasted parsnips? Why not make crispy roasted potatoes and creamy parsnip puree? I think generally maintaining the same ratio of textures can help things feel familiar and balanced but give cooks feeling unchallenged or uninspired room to switch things up. And everyone loves a crispy potato.
Stuffing can also be a great canvas for new textures – try an Italian sausage stuffing or this popular Bon Appétit stuffing recipe that makes use of giant hunks of Challah.
3. Turn Up the Heat.
For many Americans, the standard turkey dinner doesn’t have any particularly spicy elements. Adding a few Scoville units to even one dish is a simple way to add some zing. My husband’s standard Thanksgiving contribution is now this NYTimes Brussels sprouts recipe with Thai chilis, bacon, and maple syrup, and everyone always loves him for it.
And if there are eaters in your house that can’t stand the heat, you can still spice things up by making or buying a sauce that can be kept on the side, so people can choose to spoon it over their food or leave it off.
When I test-drove these tips, the things I found went well with my plate were hot honey (especially for root vegetables like carrots and turnips) and chili crisp (for just about anything, in my humble opinion). Depending on your meal’s usual flavor profile, you could also try salsa macha, sambal, nước chấm, or even a chimichurri for a more gentle heat.
via Amazon
Mike’s Hot Honey. Shelf-stable spicy honey infused with chili peppers. 10 oz bottle, 1 pack.
$11 at Amazon
via Amazon
Fly by Jing Xtra Spicy Chili Crisp, 6 oz jar. Sichuan-style Chili Crisp.
$12 at Fly by Jing
4. Add Tang with Something Pickled.
Ok, I’m biased. I’m a huge pickle fan. I’m the person no-pickle people give their pickle to, and for me, there’s no pickle too tangy or briny. Plus, in my house, we rarely had cranberry sauce with our turkey. Instead, the meal was usually served with a side of pickled beets or chow, the slightly more tart Maritime Canadian variation of chow-chow. And you know what? They rock. Tangy, earthy beets and sharp green tomato relish feel almost addictive when eaten alongside the rich, unctuous flavors of stuffing and gravy – and can add some much need moisture when things get dry in turkey town.
But the world of pickles is wide and varied! Here are a few more ideas to get you started.
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I’m a fan of the many pickled offerings from Rick’s Picks, like Mean Beans and pickled snap peas (bonus if you can sub a pickled vegetable in for a cooked dish!).
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Many Korean-Americans serve kimchi alongside their feast (check out this article with Korean-American Thanksgiving recipes by Sunny Lee from Serious Eats).
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A jar of bright and spicy hot mango pickle from Patak’s could do the trick, or you can add tang with a chutney (like this cranberry chutney from Masala and Chai).
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Italian marinated mushrooms go nicely with many Thanksgiving dishes and can be made at home or purchased at most local Italian specialty stores.
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And, of course, quick pickling your own cucumber slices or red onions the week of Thanksgiving would work, if you’re working on a dime!
via Amazon
Rick’s Picks Phat Beets, 15 oz. jar of pickled beets. Pickled with rosemary, ginger, and lemon.
$11 at Rick’s Pick’s
To Make Quick Pickles: Simply cut your veg and add to a jar, Ziplock bag, or container. Combine with equal parts vinegar and water, salt (roughly 1 tbsp per pound of food), 1 tsp-1 tbsp of sugar (to taste), and any flavorings you want to add, like herbs, spices, or garlic. You can let sit in the fridge a few hours to several days. (Heads up: This is a quick pickle, so it won’t be shelf stable and won’t last as long as other pickles!)
5. Boost The Fresh Factor with Herbs & Salad.
A few years ago, Samin Nosrat wrote an article for the New York Times about Thanksgiving foods and how she dials up the flavor. My favorite takeaways from the recipes she put together for that article were her use of fresh herbs and insistence of the inclusion of a salad in every Thanksgiving meal. This is a great and easy change to make and can add crunch, freshness, and interest – while also being something that can exist on the side for the picky eaters among us.
When I tested recipes for this article, I made an herb sauce and added it to different root vegetables, with great success. You can make your own or buy pesto or chimichurri to make things easy breezy.
via Amazon
6.5 oz. fresh classic pesto. Contains pine nuts. Keep refrigerated.
$7 at Amazon
via FreshDirect
via Amazon
7.5 oz. jar of Swad Coriander Chutney, manufactured in India. Contains hot serrano peppers.
$9 at Amazon
Here’s How I Make My Own Herb Sauce with What’s on Hand: Combine any leftover herbs from the fridge (minimum 2-3 handfuls, preferably tender herbs like parsley, basil, cilantro) with a few tablespoons of olive oil or neutral oil, a few spare unseasoned nuts and/or chunks of leftover cheese (think something hard and mild like parmesan, grana padano, or gruyère – not cheddar or brie!), a splash of vinegar or lemon juice, a chili pepper if I feel like it, and a hefty dash of salt and pepper. Blend in a blender or food processor – tasting and adjusting seasoning, oil, and vinegar once it starts coming together – until happy with the taste and texture.
6. Vary Your Fats.
For many of us, a run-of-the-mill Thanksgiving means lots of cream and butter. Swapping butter for a good olive oil can vary up the experience, for one example, but there’s no reason to stop there. Add flavor by using full-fat coconut milk instead of cream – I’ve used good coconut milk instead of cream in both purées and pies with great success! Channel the spirit of 2011 and add bacon to one of your sides. Buy a jar of duck fat or schmaltz (chicken fat) and amp up the poultry flavor. Any of these can add an extra layer of deliciousness and intrigue to your meal with minimal updates to the overall menu.
via Amazon
Chaokoh Coconut Milk Unsweetened, 6 Pack of 13.5 oz cans. Premium canned coconut milk from Thailand.
$19 at Amazon
7. Add a Splash of Booze.
Have you ever noticed that whichever contestant uses booze the most usually wins Chopped? No, just me? Well, trust me, they usually do – and there’s a reason for that!
Used properly, a little booze can be a great shortcut to more complex flavors. For Thanksgiving, the easiest place to incorporate it is in your desserts, as in this rum-spiked pumpkin pie from the Barefoot Contessa herself and this Coquito cheesecake from Chef Paola Velez via Food & Wine magazine. That said, with a little research, you can find vegetable recipes that use it too, like these whisky maple-glazed carrots. (Or how about a little whiskey BBQ sauce on your turkey?)
8. Make Use of Pre-made Sauces & Condiments.
Now, I’ve already referred to a few of these, but I think this deserves its own little section. My fridge is full of condiments, I’m a real sauce hound (is that… is that a thing?), and I think they can make a big difference with the lowest possible lift. You can spoon these on top of elements of your plate or incorporate them into the cooking process.
Here’s a round up of all the sauces I’ve successfully tested with my own Thanksgiving recipes that you can buy for between $2 and $20.
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Mike’s Hot Honey (best with sweet potatoes, carrots, turnips, gourds)
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Fly by Jing Xtra Hot Chili Crisp (good on turkey, root vegetables, purees/mash)
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Salsa Macha by Masienda (good on turkey, root vegetables, purees/mash)
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Huy Fong Sambal Oelek (used in moderation at end to add heat, moderately spicy)
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Mama Lam’s Malaysian Hot Sauce (used in moderation during cooking to add heat, very spicy)
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Matiz Alioli Garlic Sauce (pair with something roasted and crispy or use on green beans or broccoli)
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Villa Jerada Harissa No. 1 (used in moderation to add mild heat)
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Gotham Greens Classic Pesto (with roasted vegetables, turkey)
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Haven’s Kitchen Herby Chimichurri (with roasted vegetables, turkey)
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Swad Coriander Chutney (with roasted vegetables, turkey, can be spicy)
via Masienda
6 oz. jar of Masienda’s version of salsa macha, a Mexican condiment made with chilis, nuts, seeds, and oil.
$14 at Masienda
9. Add One New Recipe.
Here’s an idea if you’re feeling blasé about your turkey dinner this year. Find something you can do ahead so you don’t get too in the weeds come turkey day and add one more project to your to-do list – or simply swap out one item for something new that excites you. When you’re doing the hard work of cooking a big meal for other people, you’re in the driver’s seat. So what sounds interesting to you? I’ve shared some of my picks in this article, but ultimately it has to be something that sings to your heart!
10. More Snacks, Less Dinner.
One of the hallowed traditions of my house is something called appetizer night. It is, as the name might suggest, a night where a series of appetizers become dinner. Now, I’m not saying you could get away with that for the whole Thanksgiving dinner (although, maybe?), but if you want to mix things up this year, you could certainly pair back the main meal and put more time into creating fun pre-dinner snacks and a post-dinner plate of grapes and cheese (how refined of you!).
One of my personal favorite variations on this is making a double batch of pie dough and using one batch for a pie (how could I not?) and the other to create a butternut squash galette or little brie and cranberry bites.
Don’t know how to make a pie dough? I’ve got you.
Speaking of which…
11. DIY Your Carbs.
For the ambitious cooks only! Adding a yeasted dough to your Thanksgiving repertoire is sheer madness. And yet… it can really add an extra layer of opulence and coziness to the meal. My top picks are Kelly Janke’s Brown-and-Serve Dinner Rolls, these soft dinner rolls from Sally’s Baking Addiction, or a homemade focaccia (my party trick). I haven’t put the recipe online for my focaccia just yet, but if you want it, feel free to message me on Instagram and I’ll get it posted! If that all sounds like too much, frozen baguettes or garlic bread heated to be ready with the meal or supporting a great local bread bakery (appreciated long after the pies have sold out!) can be a win too.
And last, but certainly not least–
12. Cheese. Just, Cheese.
Add cheese to something where there wasn’t cheese before. I dare you. Goat cheese in the salad. Cheddar in the mash. Brie in the green beans. It’s so simple, it just might work.
Put These Ideas To Work For Your Best Thanksgiving Dinner Yet!
It’s natural to want a little variation in a meal you eat every year. Use these tips to find a solution that works for you and your dinner guests and put your own spin on this tradition. And hey, if you read this far, let me just say – I’m thankful for you.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
