55+ Thanksgiving Dishes: Traditions and Cuisines From Around the Table

One of the most iconic parts of celebrating Thanksgiving is gathering around the table and digging into a bountiful feast full of traditional dishes. While certain foods like turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie are the quintessential Thanksgiving menu items in America, families also bring a variety of other dishes inspired by cultural traditions, regional specialties and personal preferences. From appetizers and sides to main courses and desserts, here's a look at some of the most popular Thanksgiving dishes that make their way onto tables during Thanksgiving celebrations across the United States.

Foodzilla Coupon Code — Get 70% Off (Sitewide) - Foodzilla offers a diverse range of gourmet foods and specialty ingredients. Enjoy unbeatable discounts of up to 70% off with their sitewide coupon code.

Thanksgiving Appetizers and Sides

Green Bean Casserole

This beloved side dish is one of the most commonly found appetizers on Thanksgiving tables. It features green beans mixed with creamy mushroom soup and topped with fried onion strings.

The casserole is easy to prepare ahead of time and keeps well, making it ideal for large holiday gatherings. Its crunch, creaminess and nostalgic vibe have kept it a staple for decades.

Cranberry Sauce

No Thanksgiving dinner would be complete without a dish of cranberry sauce to accompany the turkey. It's a fixture on most tables on the fourth Thursday in November.

Cranberry sauce can take many forms, from the traditional gelled whole berry sauce to fancier recipes with other fruits, nuts or liqueurs folded in. Its tangy tartness provides balance to rich main dishes.

Ingredients, Discount Code — 30% Off (Sitewide): Elevate your culinary and wellness experience with Ingredients. This renowned brand offers a diverse selection of high-quality ingredients, from premium spices to specialty food items. Elevate your cooking and baking with their exceptional 30% off sitewide discount, and savor the exceptional flavors and nutritional benefits of their products.

Bruschetta

For families with Italian heritage, bruschetta may be a go-to appetizer on Thanksgiving.

Diced tomatoes seasoned with olive oil, garlic, basil and balsamic vinegar are served atop toasted bread for an easy but flavorful starter. Variations like roasted tomato bruschetta amp up the vegetables.

It adds Mediterranean flair to the traditional American Thanksgiving dish.

The Blue Ingredient Co Coupon Code — 90% Off (Sitewide) in September 2024: Unlock unbeatable savings at The Blue Ingredient Co with their incredible 90% off sitewide coupon code. Whether you're looking to stock up on essential ingredients for your kitchen or explore their range of wellness-focused products, this is the perfect opportunity to elevate your lifestyle without sacrificing your budget. Don't miss out on this limited-time offer!

Smoked Salmon Canapés

Seafood appetizers like smoked salmon canapés offer an elegant first course, especially for celebrations with a smaller gathering.

Thin slices of smoked salmon are served on toasted bread points or crackers with lemon wedges, cream cheese or herbed goat cheese. They provide a lighter, more refined option compared to heavier starter dishes.

Corn Bread

From sweet cornbread to savory skillet-baked varieties, this baked good has become a staple side on Thanksgiving tables nationwide.

Whether enjoyed as a dinner roll alongside the meal or broken into pieces to soak up gravy, cornbread adds carbohydrates, texture and warmth to the spread. Its versatility as both a dinner accompaniment and standalone snack makes it a crowd-pleaser.

Mashed Potatoes

Lush mashed potatoes are indispensable as a Thanksgiving side. Creamy spuds seasoned with butter, milk or cream alongside additions like garlic or rosemary are endlessly comforting.

Families customize the dish with mix-ins like sour cream, chives, bacon or cheese. Mashed potatoes provide a starchy base to soak up gravy and satisfy everyone at the table.

Sweet Potato Casserole

A sweet spin on traditional mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole has remained popular since its emergence in the 1950s.

Many versions feature sliced or cubed sweet potatoes mixed into a creamy sauce with brown sugar and spices before being topped with a crispy streusel, marshmallows or nuts. It adds both sweetness and texture contrast alongside other sides.

Stuffing/Dressing

Stuffing or dressing, with its mix of toasted bread cubes, aromatics and herbs, has become nearly as iconic as the turkey itself. Recipes vary widely from cornbread stuffing to varieties studded with fruit, nuts or pork.

Whether baked inside the bird or on its own, the moist, flavorful bread casserole provides an excellent vehicle for catching drips of pan gravy. Its heartiness balances lighter components of the meal.

Corn Casserole

For families in the South and Southwest, cornbread is often the star of a corn casserole.

Creamed corn, cheese, onions, chilies or other ingredients enhance the texture and richness of the sweet cornbread base. Like the omnipresent green bean casserole, corn casserole acts as a comforting addition to Thanksgiving tables.

Thanksgiving Salads

Potato Salad

A creamy, mayo-based or vinaigrette style potato salad allows New Englanders and German Americans to transport national traditions to Thanksgiving.

From simple renditions to fancier recipes with bacon, hard-boiled eggs or Dijon mustard, potato salad adds substance and cool contrast to the fall feast.

Pasta Salad

For Italian families, a pasta salad fits right into the Thanksgiving lineup.

Rotini, bow ties, corkscrew pasta or veggies like peppers and tomatoes blend together in an aromatic Italian dressing or vinaigrette. It brings convenience and robust flavors to the holiday spread.

Kale Salad

Families with a focus on whole foods and seasonal ingredients may include a colorful kale salad come November.

Massaged kale, thinly sliced cabbage, toasted nuts or seeds, grated apples, dried cranberries and various vinaigrettes highlight the fall produce harvest. Kale salad adds nutrients and texture compared to heavier fare.

Ambrosia Salad

This no-bake salad of tropical fruits like pineapple, coconut and mandarin oranges suspended in Cool Whip or creamy dressing has become a beloved Thanksgiving side in many parts of the South and Midwest. Its sweet, refreshing essence provides balance among savory dishes.

Thanksgiving Main Courses

Roasted or Fried Turkey

Of course, the star of any Thanksgiving feast is the turkey, whether slow-roasted until juicy or deep-fried for a crunchier exterior.

Family recipes for brines, rubs and basting mixtures ensure each bird hits the table perfectly seasoned. Turkey forms the centerpiece that everyone gathers around.

Ham

For families that prefer pork to poultry, a honey-baked or cider-glazed ham takes the starring role.

Whether carved to order or pre-sliced, ham satisfies carnivores as the highlight of the holiday spread. Its sweet, savory flavor pairs perfectly with sides.

Prime Rib Roast

Some celebrations favor beef over other meats. A standing rib or prime rib roast, fragrant with rosemary and seasoned crust, turns Thanksgiving dinner into a decadent affair. Slow-roasting results in fall-off-the-bone tenderness worth savoring.

Salmon en Papillote

For hosts desiring an alternative to heavier proteins, salmon baked in parchment delivers an elegant yet simple centerpiece.

Fresh salmon, aromatics and white wine steam together for a moist, flaky main. It upgrades the meal with lighter fare.

Lasagna

Hearty baked lasagna laden with cheeses, meats and tomato sauce becomes the main event for Italian families on Thanksgiving. Layered noodles, béchamel and hearty ragù take the traditional pie and casserole sides up a notch.

Tamales

Southwestern homes incorporate Mexican-inspired dishes like tamales for the protein course.

Masas stuffed with shredded chicken, pork or cheeses then steamed or slow-cooked add soulful dishes that honor diversity around American dinner tables.

Jambalaya

Cajun Creole families showcase their regional specialties with spicy, rice-based dishes. Thanksgiving jambalaya, loaded with andouille sausage, shrimp and smoked chicken, provides a tasty main unlike any other. Such cultural influences showcase America's vast multicultural community.

Thanksgiving Desserts

Pumpkin Pie

The ultimate Thanksgiving dessert, pumpkin pie in its many variations like custard-style or with streusel topping remains ubiquitous.

Spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, its pure flavors represent the harvest season. Pumpkin pie allows diners to end the meal on a note of warmth and gratitude.

Pecan Pie

Just as significant on Thanksgiving tables in the South, pecan pie highlights fall's bounty with its nutty, sweet filling embedded in a crisp crust.

Rum, bourbon or maple often enhance the classic pie, which has become a symbol unto itself of Southern cooking traditions.

 

Apple Pie

Whether baked with a streusel or crumble topping or in a lattice crust, apple pie provides familiar comfort come November.

Apples have long characterized the fall harvest, making this all-American classic feel like absolute necessity at Thanksgiving.

Sweet Potato Pie

Much as sweet potato casserole personifies this vegetable's sweet Thanksgiving role, pies starring the tuber satisfy a craving for something rich and welcoming.

Smooth as pumpkin but with warming spices, sweet potato pie hits all the fall flavor notes.

Sweet Rolls

Cinnamon rolls, sticky buns, dinner rolls or other sweet yeast breads can serve double duty as carb-rich sides or decadent finale. Their cozy aroma and flavor make them fit for gathering around just as much as Thanksgiving's heartier fare.

Pecan Tassies

These tiny tart shells crammed with a candied pecan-rich filling provide just the right small portion of indulgence.

A bite or two of their buttery crust and nutty center satisfies without overloading. Plates piled with the petite treats let guests graze all afternoon.

That covers just a sampling of the beloved dishes families incorporate into their unique Thanksgiving feasts. From roasted turkeys and hams to pies, casseroles and seasonal flavors of all kinds, the annual holiday meal celebrates cultural diversity, regional specialties and inherited recipes passed through generations. While some signature dishes have endured for centuries and spread nationwide, no two Thanksgiving dishes alike—and that's perfectly what makes the celebration so joyful.