Ready to spruce up your Thanksgiving menu this year? I know tradition is a big part of Thanksgiving, but even a little twist on the classics can bring your Holiday meal from boring to exciting in a flash!
Here’s the quintessential list for keeping it fresh: 40+ Exciting Thanksgiving Recipes 2023. A list of every side dish, cocktail, and dessert you need to make a plentiful plate, as well as some of my favorite vegetarian main courses for the non-turkey eaters out there.
Whether it’s just you, or a table full of family members, there’s power in having nostalgic, homecooked, memory-inducing foods that simultaneously fill your heart and your tummy, with or without the Thanksgiving turkey.
While Thanksgiving means a lot of different things to different people, these exciting Thanksgiving side dish recipes are all dishes that make me feel at home—wherever my plate might be.
40+ Exciting Thanksgiving Recipes 2023
Sides
- Creamy Brie and Gouda Mac and Cheese (No-Bake!)
- Roasted Maple Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
- Everything Bagel Stuffing
- Vegan Truffle Mac and Cheese
- Quick Garlic and Lemon Asparagus
- Sweet and Salty Brussels Sprouts
- Green Bean Casserole with Secret Ingredient
- Roasted Teriyaki Brussels Sprouts
- Cheesy Baked Asparagus Casserole
- Crispy Parmesan Crusted Brussels Sprouts
Appetizers
1. One-Pot Carrot Pumpkin Soup
2. Easy Sheet Pan Caprese Asparagus
3. 10-Minute Whipped Ricotta Crostini
4. Creamy Sweet Potato Hummus
5. Guilt-Free Creamy Vegan Spinach Dip
6. Creamy Roasted Sweet Potato Soup
7. Four-Ingredient Cream Cheese Pumpkin
Vegetarian Main Courses
8. One-Pot Pasta with Pumpkin Sauce
9. Creamy Pumpkin and Mushroom Risotto
10. One-Dish Baked Goat Cheese Pasta
11. Creamy Mushroom Risotto with Truffle Oil
12. Easy Baked Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Potato Dishes
13. Creamy Boursin Mashed Potatoes
14. Five-Ingredient Maple Sweet Potato Casserole
15. Roasted Garlic and Feta Mashed Potatoes
16. 35-Minute Roasted Honey Gold Potatoes
17. Sweet Potato Zucchini Fritters
18. 30-Minute Truffle Mashed Potatoes
Sides
19. Creamy Brie and Gouda Mac and Cheese (No-Bake!)
20. Roasted Maple Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
21. Everything Bagel Stuffing
22. Vegan Truffle Mac and Cheese
23. Quick Garlic and Lemon Asparagus
24. Sweet and Salty Brussels Sprouts
25. Green Bean Casserole with Secret Ingredient
26. Roasted Teriyaki Brussels Sprouts
27. Cheesy Baked Asparagus Casserole
28. Crispy Parmesan Crusted Brussels Sprouts
Gravies and Sauces
29. Easy Brandy Cranberry Sauce
30. Shallot Cream Sauce
Desserts
31. Sweet Potato Pie with Condensed Milk
32. Cinnamon Rolls with Apple Pie Filling
33. Mouth-Watering Drunken Apple Pie With Bourbon Drizzle
34. Pumpkin Muffins with Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting
35. Vegan Apple Cake with Streusel Topping
36. Chocolate Mint Pie with Oreo Crust
37. Rich Vegan Chocolate Oreo Pie
Drinks
38. Sparkling Mulled Cranberry Cocktail
39. New Old-Fashioned Cocktail with Bourbon
40. Leftover Cranberry Sauce Cosmo
41. Simple Pumpkin Spice Old Fashioned
42. Creamy Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate for Two
Thank you for checking out my list of 40+ exciting recipes to try this Thanksgiving. Whether your gathering is large or small, there is something here that will knock the socks off those at the dinner table. Happy Thanksgiving!
If you’re still unsure where to start, here’s one of my annual family favorites, this Easy Brandy Cranberry Sauce.
40+ Exciting Thanksgiving Recipes 2023, including Easy Brandy Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- ¾ cup Brandy
- ¼ cup water
- ½ to ¾ cup granulated sugar (see note below)
- 2 tablespoons orange juice (2 tbsp usually = juice of ½ an orange)
- 1 ½ tablespoons orange zest (1 ½ tbsp usually = zest of ½ an orange)
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Rinse your cranberries and set them aside to dry.
- In a large pot, bring Brandy, water, orange juice, and sugar to a boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar is completely dissolved (about 5 minutes).
- Add 3 and ½ cups cranberries, cinnamon, and orange zest, and continue to cook on medium-high heat uncovered until cranberries burst (about 10 minutes). Conserve the remaining ½ cup of cranberries to add later.
- Once your cranberries burst, turn off the heat but keep the pot on the hot burner. Use a potato masher or wooden spoon to crush cranberries and stir until you have a thick sauce.
- Add remaining cranberries and cover, leaving your pot on the burner (with heat off) for another 5 minutes until whole cranberries soften.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and allow to cool before serving.
Pro Tips
- If you like your cranberry sauce on the tangier side, use ½ cup of sugar. If you like it on the sweeter side, use ¾ cup sugar. I always make it with ½ cup because I find it to be sweet enough with the subtle sweetness of the Brandy or orange juice, but I’ve tested it thoroughly both ways and enjoyed both!
- Conserve ½ cup of cranberries to add last to add texture to your cranberry sauce.
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