Traditional Thanksgiving Foods for Your Holiday Table

The core of Thanksgiving is gathering with your loved ones, family, or friends and sharing a big, comforting meal stuffed with traditional dishes. It is a spread to look forward to throughout the whole year! Classic recipes truly bring a sense of nostalgia and warmth to the holiday, so I always try to incorporate at least a few to the table. Here is an ultimate list of all traditional Thanksgiving food to inspire you!

Turkey Roast

Turkey roast is an all-time classic, so naturally, I’m starting this list with it! This is a base recipe; with simple seasoning, you can upgrade in any way you want. I love the aroma of lemon, rosemary, and sage on a Thanksgiving table.

Bone-In Turkey Breast

If you want a full Thanksgiving experience but don’t want to prepare the whole bird – bone-in turkey breast is the way to go! I would always recommend this piece of meat over the boneless option as it is SO much juicer! P.S. This seasoning mix is to die for!

Roasted Turkey Breast Tenderloin

This is a boneless and skinless piece of turkey. It is amazingly delicious but a tad tricky to prepare. It is very prone to drying out, so you need to roast it carefully. I kept the seasoning simple: salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary only – perfect to pair with a hearty gravy and cranberry sauce.

Whole Roasted Chicken with Stuffing

I must admit, I’m not the biggest fan of whole turkey roast and will always choose chicken over it! I stuffed it with bacon, celery, and onion, and it turned out to be heavenly, juicy, and flavorful. It’s a 10/10 from me!

Sweet Cornbread with Fruit

If I must choose between sweet and savory cornbread, this is my choice! Because of loads of forest fruit in it, the cake turns out super moist with a melt-in-the-mouth texture. Plus, it will leave your house smelling like a winter wonderland.

Improved Jellied Cranberry Sauce

I know many people actually prefer store-bought jellied cranberry sauce, so this is a short, simple recipe to skyrocket its taste. The base is, of course, canned sauce; it just needs a quick simmer with citruses, ginger, and maple syrup.

Sticky Cranberry Gingerbread

This is hands down the best gingerbread you will ever taste! The aroma is immaculate, and all the ingredients marry perfectly – cranberry, ginger, cinnamon, and cocoa. I never stopped making it since!

Gooey Pumpkin Bars

What is Thanksgiving without pumpkin dessert? This one has the classic, traditional flavor of pumpkin pie, but the texture resembles the fudge the most. Warm spices and pumpkin are a match made in heaven!

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin bread is amazing to serve on a Thanksgiving feast. It pairs amazingly with salads, honey butter, sausage, and even with leftover turkey the day after. They are cloudy-soft and packed with protein!

Creamy Pumpkin Soup

This is one more pumpkin classic for Thanksgiving. I usually make it with roasted pumpkin and vegetable broth, but this one is with a twist – coconut milk. It has a rather specific taste, but it is definitely worth trying.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Shortbread Crust

Cheesecake is always a part of my Thanksgiving spread. In this one, I added pumpkin filling, too. Also, instead of classic graham crackers, use shortbread cookies to connect all the flavors of fall.

Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are a supreme side dish to pair with any kind of meat. The secret to good mash is the right kind of potatoes, plus some dairy to achieve the right creamy consistency. I love to add some parmesan, too!

Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet potatoes, marshmallows, and pecans – it doesn’t get better than this! I love these warm flavors, but especially the peculiar texture: creamy, stretchy, and crunchy. YUM!

Creamy Coleslaw

Coleslaw is a star salad for every get-together, but it is definitely inevitable on the holiday table. It always tastes much better when someone else prepares it, though, as you don’t have to slice loads of cabbage and carrots. 

Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry sauce from scratch is my favorite; I could eat it straight from the pot. If you prefer a tad runnier consistency, definitely skip those canned varieties and make this easily-altered recipe.

Soft Butter Rolls

I’ve learned to appreciate a well-made bread a long time ago, as I know how tricky it is to achieve that cloud-like consistency. This recipe is superb, easy to follow, and definitely a must-have on your Thanksgiving table!

Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits

You can never have too many bread options, right?! The texture of these biscuits is divine – flaky and buttery at the same time. Definitely don’t skip them if you’re serving whipped butter and jam.

Glazed Carrots

Carrots coated in the brown sugar-based glaze are simply perfect for serving with turkey. They are both sweet and salty at the same time, with caramel notes that make them a real delicacy.

Southern Collard Greens

The best holiday foods come from the South, so these amazing collard greens aren’t an exception. This recipe calls for turkey necks, but you can definitely make them with sausage or meatless. I love all three varieties!

Pecan Pie

I must admit something – I’ve never had a pecan pie before, and I’m changing that for this Thanksgiving. It looks spectacular, and I love a simple ingredient list, so the pecans stay the main focus!

Pumpkin Pie

I think I don’t need to say anything except – Thanksgiving pumpkin pie! This one is flawlessly creamy because of the condensed milk and pumpkin puree duo in the filling. And go all out with pumpkin spice!

Apple Pie

Last but not least, the queen of all pies – apple pie! Flaky and buttery crust, filled to the brim with juicy and slightly crisp apples, can’t be bad even if you tried. Also, I love to add some nutmeg and ginger along with cinnamon.

Baked Mac and Cheese

Mac and cheese is a plain dish, but it can easily become a 5-star restaurant dish with the right combination of ingredients. Layers of dairy are responsible for that creamy feel, from milk to different kinds of cheese. Baking is a must for the beautiful golden color on top.

Brown Gravy

A fine gravy really skyrockets a Thanksgiving dinner. I love to eat it over meat and mashed potatoes or simply dip the bread in. Allow yourself a few minutes of uninterrupted time to carefully prepare it, as it is prone to burning.

Creamed Pearl Onions

This is one more dish I’ve hadn’t yet, so I want to know if it is a staple in your household. It definitely pairs with meat impeccably, while parmesan and fresh parsley elevate the overall taste!

Green Bean Casserole

Traditional Thanksgiving tables are loaded with vegetables, but they are bathed in cream and stuffed with calories. If you want to skip that, sauté them alone in olive oil and ditch the sauce. I love this particular recipe because of the crispy fried onions on top!

Sage Sausage Stuffing

Stuffing is definitely a part of the Thanksgiving tradition, especially this sage sausage one. It has a specific flavor, but it fuses ideally with all the other dishes, especially roasted turkey and chicken.

Honey Butter

If you’ve made dinner rolls or biscuits, whipped butter with honey is a must! It is hard to describe how good it is, especially when you smear it over freshly baked, warm bread. I must admit, I always prefer it over any meat.

Herb and Citruses Roasted Turkey

One more roasted turkey recipe is simply needed for this list. It is super moist and juicy as it calls for everything: dry rub, stuffing, and baste. Even though it is loaded with herbs, spices, and juices, they are not overwhelming because of the perfect balance.

Creamed Peas

Creamed peas are a cozy, comforting addition to a Thanksgiving spread. The sauce is surely thick but not too heavy – just enough to coat each pea in that velvety goodness. A pop of green on the plate never looked this good!

Candied Yams

This dish will bring a bit of sweet magic straight to your table! As they bake, yams soak up all the sweetness of caramel-like sauce and become tender, glossy, and sugary. You can spice them up with some cinnamon or orange juice!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts carry significant sweetness in their content, and when you roast them the right way, they will be tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. That nice char from roasting really brings out the sweet moment.

Thanksgiving Salad

This is a marvelous salad that brings you fall on the plate.  It combines apples, pears, dried cranberries, pecans, and pomegranates with standard leafy greens. Also, don’t forget salty feta to enhance the sweet and tangy notes of fruit.

Succotash

Succotash makes a flawless side dish loaded with different veggies – corn, beans, okra, cherry tomatoes, and onion. This is optional, but crisped-up bacon slices really give that “X factor.”

Corn Pudding

Let’s finish this list in style! Corn pudding simply screams Thanksgiving. It is a staple in many households, so the only logical recipe to put here is grandma’s, isn’t it? Corn pudding is super filling, though, so keep the portion small so you can enjoy other foods, as well.

Dear chefs, designated holiday cooks, and grandmas thank you for these amazing recipes that bring a slice of tradition to our tables. I already picked a few for my Thanksgiving menu!