Hi friends,
With Thanksgiving approaching, I'm excited to unveil a collection of my all-time favorite recipes! For those who know me personally, it's no secret that I've been immersed in Thanksgiving cooking for the past eighteen years.
Every year, the Wednesday and Thursday leading up to Thanksgiving turn into a culinary marathon, with my family joining as my trusty sous chefs. While there have certainly been some stressful moments (and maybe a tear or two shed), those days have yielded some of my most cherished food memories.
Over the years, I’ve tested dozens and dozens of different recipes for Thanksgiving, and I have a few delicious favorites to share with you all!
The List
The list features a mix of my own personal recipes, tried-and-tested dishes from fellow bloggers and chefs, and a few options I’m looking forward to trying!
Note: Anything I have tried has an asterisk next to it.
Appetizers
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.
* 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.
* Emeril Lagasse’s Smoked Sausage, Butternut Squash, and Wild Rice Soup (Food Network): We’ve made this soup year after year, and even though we omitted the sausage, it’s still incredibly tasty.
Mains
Alison Roman’s Slow-Roasted Turkey with Garlic and Herbs: While I haven't tested this recipe myself, I'm intrigued by the concept of slow-roasting turkey parts in fragrant olive oil until the meat becomes irresistibly tender and juicy.
Rick Martinez’s Turkey (Pavo) al Pastor (Food 52): Again, I haven’t tried this *but* I’ve never gone wrong with a Rick Martinez recipe, and this one sounds so flavorful.
* Samin Nosrat’s Buttermilk-Brined Roast Chicken (NYTCooking): Brining chicken in buttermilk results in a sumptuously tender, juicy chicken with beautifully browned skin.
* Leith Devine’s Pucker Up Sumac Roasted Chicken (Food52): When you want something a little bit different.
Alexa Weibel’s Mushroom Wellington (NYTCooking): For those seeking a vegetarian main dish, I'm trying out this mushroom Wellington recipe at an early Thanksgiving celebration, and I can't wait to share the results!
Vegetable Sides
* Via Carota’s Insalata Verde (Food52): Quite honestly, this is the best green salad I’ve ever had, and, thankfully, the restaurant has graciously shared its recipe. We’ve made this at holidays and parties, and it’s always a hit.
* Smitten Kitchen’s Brussels Sprouts & Pomegranate Salad: Another favorite from last year, this easy recipe was adapted from Zahav restaurant in Philadelphia.
* Charred Kale Salad with Citrus (Bon Appetit): Charring kale in a skillet not only adds flavor but also tenderizes and softens the leaves. The addition of a creamy, herb-infused tahini dressing and plenty of citrus elements transforms this salad into a truly unforgettable dish.
* Glazed Carrots with Burnt Honey and Gochugaru (Serious Eats)
Carbs
* Eric Kim’s Thanksgiving Stuffing (NYT Cooking): Here's a fantastic vegetarian stuffing designed to capture the savory essence of sausage without using any meat.
* My Crispy and Fluffy Focaccia: My no-knead focaccia dough recipe produces a focaccia with a crispy, bubbly outer crust, a soft and airy inner crumb, and a delightful flavor, thanks to an overnight rise in the fridge.
Fun Extras
* Rick Martinez’s Cranberry Salsa Macha (Food52): Salsa Macha is a rich, savory, and spicy Mexican condiment that’s perfect for topping everything from creamy dips to roasted meat. And this version features cranberries and pecans — and my gosh it’s good!
* Chris & Amy’s Cider Sage Gravy (Food52): I love the sweet, tangy complexity that apple cider adds to a traditional Thanksgiving gravy.
Desserts
* Martha Stewart’s Pumpkin Flan: I made this flan for the first time, many years ago, and my cousins still ask about it to this day. I know some other reviewers have had trouble caramelizing the sugar in the oven, so if you’re nervous, you can just do it on the stovetop instead!
* My Basque-Style Pumpkin Cheesecake (Simply Recipes): Basque cheesecake meets fall flavors in this seasonal variation.
* Sohla El-Waylly’s Cardamom and Pistachio Carrot Cake (Bon Appetit): This moist spiced cake is adorned with a caramel-carrot glaze that my friends couldn't get enough of.
For even more ideas, check out my full list of Thanksgiving recipes. Do you have any favorite recipes? Share them in the comments!
Have a wonderful rest of the week, and do let me know if you try any of these!
-Karishma
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