My Favorite Thanksgiving Appetizers
spicy sour cream dip; butternut squash and wild rice soup; marinated goat cheese and more!
Hi friends,
Thanksgiving is almost here, and I'm excited to unveil a collection of my favorite tried-and-true recipes! If you know me, you know Thanksgiving has been my culinary playground for nearly 20 years.
It hasn’t always been easy (who among us hasn’t had a little kitchen disaster?), but the memories and incredible food have been worth every moment.
Over the years, I’ve tested countless recipes, and now I’m ready to share a few of my absolute favorites with you all.
Today, we’re starting with appetizers! Do you have any go-to appetizers and snacks you make on Thanksgiving? Share in the comments below!
Appetizers
The Game Plan: I usually focus on 1 - 2 prepared appetizers to serve alongside a smattering of fun store-bought options (think: marinated olives, spicy pickled peppers, tinned fish, and crackers/crostini/potato chips) so that I can focus my efforts on the rest of the meal.
Dips:
Alon Shaya’s Marinated Goat Cheese with Herbs and Spices (Bon Appetit)
Ali Slagle’s Baked Ricotta with Mushroom Confit and Balsamic Brown Butter (Food 52)
My Sour Cream Dip with Spicy Tadka: Classic French onion dip gets a makeover with a topping of spicy chili, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds.
My Whipped Ricotta with Honey and Flaky Salt: This whipped ricotta recipe with olive and honey is easy, comes together in less than ten minutes, and is a super impressive dip for dinner guests!
My Baked Brie with Fig Jam, Rosemary, and Walnuts: Brie is topped with a delicious spread of sweet fig jam, rosemary, and chopped walnuts, then baked until the cheese is melted and ooey gooey.
Soups:
Emeril Lagasse’s Smoked Sausage, Butternut Squash, and Wild Rice Soup: We’ve made this soup year after year, and even though we omit the sausage, it’s still incredibly tasty (Food Network).
Supporting Characters:
Samin Nosrat’s Ligurian-Style Focaccia: Samin Nosrat's focaccia recipe is crispy on the outside with a pillowy inside and pockets of salted olive oil. This is a great beginner recipe that takes less than a day!
My Crispy and Fluffy Focaccia: My no-knead focaccia dough recipe has a crispy, bubbly outer crust, a fluffy inner crumb, and a delicious flavor from an overnight rise in the fridge. This is my *favorite* focaccia; it takes at least one day, but it’s worth it!
My Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Rolls: These soft, buttery pull-apart rolls are nothing short of divine (Simply Recipes).
Rick Martinez’s Cranberry Salsa Macha: Salsa Macha is a rich, savory, and spicy Mexican condiment that’s perfect for topping everything from creamy dips to roasted meat. I’ve shared this recipe a few times, and for good reason. This version features cranberries and pecans, and it’s truly heavenly. (Food52)
For even more ideas, check out my full list of Thanksgiving recipes, and stay tuned for my upcoming newsletter where I’ll share my favorite sides!
Have a wonderful rest of the week!
-Karishma