12 Complete Thanksgiving Menus

November 6, 2014

More than any other holiday, Thanksgiving is a day built on culinary ritual. Turkey, cranberry sauce, potatoes, and pies may be nonnegotiable—but a little variation never hurts. We've come up with a dozen different menus, from a classic Southern spread to a completely vegetarian feast to an impressively elegant menu that's a cinch to pull together. Cook all the recipes from one menu, or mix and match!

A Crowd-Pleasing Thanksgiving

Crowd Pleasing Thanksgiving Menu
We couldn't resist creating a menu of our staff's favorite Thanksgiving recipes—from Louisiana-style spinach madeleine and cheddar cheese biscuits to family heirloom recipes such as apple, sausage, and sage stuffing and Van Valkenburg hot slaw—updated with new classics including an autumn panzanella, sage-brined turkey, and brown butter walnut pie with sour whipped cream. This crowd-pleasing spread definitely has something for everyone. Get the full menu »Vanessa Rees

Thomas Keller's Thanksgiving Feast

Thomas Keller's Thanksgiving Feast Menu
Every year, Thomas Keller serves a Thanksgiving meal at his Napa Valley restaurant Bouchon Bistro for the veterans in the community. Keller gives thanks to the veterans and their families with a meal of elegantly prepared, classic American fare. From a green bean casserole enriched with heavy cream and earthy mushrooms to a sweet-savory apple-cranberry relish, this is a meal of deep gratitude. Get the full menu »Eilon Paz

A Heartland Harvest Thanksgiving

A Heartland Harvest Thanksgiving menu
Mary Sue Milliken, chef at Border Grill in Los Angeles, travels each Thanksgiving to her mother-in-law's Kansas home, where an army of family members helps her cook the fabled yearly feast. Recreate her favorite dishes with this menu, including a crisp-skinned roast turkey with celery-root stuffing, creamy mashed potatoes enriched with crème fraîche and butter, quick-pickled shallots sautéed with green beans, a warm and decadent chestnut compote, sweet pear and ginger pie with a hint of spice, and more. Get the full menu »Saveur

An Effortlessly Elegant Thanksgiving

Effortlessly Elegant Thanksgiving Menu
An elegant, impressive-looking Thanksgiving table doesn't have to be an impossible undertaking. These dishes are all deceptive in their simplicity: Elaborate-looking pommes duchesses are surprisingly easy to pull off, and decadent sides like creamed onion gratin can be mostly prepped in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving day, cook the turkey, put the final touches on everything, and spend time with your guests while you nibble on appetizers and enjoy a glass of cool, citrusy punch. Get the full menu »Saveur

A Gluten-Free Thanksgiving

A Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Menu
Dietary restrictions don't have to mean giving up Thanksgiving favorites—our gluten-free menu still hits all the right notes: pumpkin pie, savory stuffing, spicy cornbread, and plenty of naturally gluten-free sides and desserts to round out the spread. Get the full menu »Michel Kraus; Todd Coleman; Vanessa Rees (2); Maxime Iattoni; Ingalls Photography

A Southern Classic Thanksgiving

A Southern Thanksgiving Menu
This Thanksgiving, treat your family to a traditional Southern-style Thanksgiving with all the fixings. Prime their appetites with a tart pickle platter and deviled eggs, then show off your low country hospitality with all the classic sides: spicy collards, buttery mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, and more, all perfect for surrounding a cornbread-dressed turkey. Finish the meal on an extra sweet note with a bourbon-laced pecan pie, and don't forget to keep the sweet tea and whiskey cocktails flowing. Get the full menu »Helen Rosner/Todd Coleman/James Roper/Laura Sant

A Traditional New England Thanksgiving

A Traditional New-England Thanksgiving Menu
All along the grey and November-cold East Coast, Thanksgiving is the meal we most look forward to setting the family table for each year. A perfectly roasted turkey surrounded by a bevy of simple and comforting American sides is a matter of tradition: the kids will warm up with steaming mugs of hot cider while the grown-ups enjoy bourbon cocktails with a fire crackling in the background. Gather 'round the bountiful table with all you love, and be thankful for that second slice of pumpkin pie. Get the full menu »Todd Coleman

A Mexican-Inspired Thanksgiving

A Mexican-Inspired Thanksgiving Menu
The flavors of Mexico are now as much a part of our national palate as traditional roast turkey and apple pie. This year, add some spice to your thanksgiving table with turkey cooked in mole-like in chile sauce, brussels sprouts with chorizo, Oaxacan stuffing, and sauteed potatoes and chiles. These festive, warming dishes carry enough variety of flavor, from sweet to spicy to savory, to have something for everyone. Get the full menu »Saveur

A Quick and Easy Thanksgiving

A Quick and Easy Thanksgiving Menu
You can still have a festive homemade feast without slaving away for hours (or days) preparing the spread; this menu--featuring a simple broken-down turkey roasted over root vegetables, a crunchy raw brussels sprouts and kale salad, and more recipes with easy-to-find ingredients, little prep work, and quick cooking times--lets you focus on enjoying yourself and the company of your loved ones. Get the full menu »Saveur

A Farmhouse Thanksgiving

A Farmhouse Thanksgiving Menu
What better way to celebrate the season than a Thanksgiving menu featuring the best of autumn's bounty? Tender roasted radishes, a crisp winter salad, creamy gratin, and a tart cranberry butter are the perfect way to highlight the main event: an herb-brined roast turkey paired with a stuffing brimming with wild rice, hazelnuts, and oysters. As the dinner hour approaches, sip warming cocktails made with bourbon, port, and maple syrup, and finish the meal with a twist on everyone's favorite pie—pumpkin laced with maple and brûléed for dramatic crunch. Get the full menu »Todd Coleman/André Baranowski/James Roper/Anna Stockwell

Thanksgiving for Two

Thanksgiving Menu for Two
Thanksgiving doesn't always have to be a huge, elaborate event. It can be the perfect excuse to relax and spend quality time with your special someone. The simplicity of this menu, which includes no-fuss comforting fare like spiced pecans, stuffed turkey breast, sauteed green beans, and baked sweet potatoes, ensures an anxiety-free holiday. Keep it simple; the most important part of a Thanksgiving menu for two is the person you get to share it with. Get the full menu »Saveur

A Vegetarian Thanksgiving

A Vegetarian Thanksgiving Menu
In the story True Harvest in Issue #142, vegetarian chef Linda Monastra explores the tradition of the meat-free Thanksgiving, and hosts her first completely meatless meal. Though planning a menu that embodied Thanksgiving's ideals of sharing and gratitude without the holiday bird that symbolises it all was a challenge, the resulting menu was a resounding success: "...We sat down at the table laden with dish upon meat-free dish. The buzz of conversation lapsed into satisfied murmurs as our guests tucked into their food. I watched my crowd dig happily into the vegetable patties and the cranberry chutney, the tempeh and the pilaf and the gratin, and felt the warmth of the occasion. Even without the bird, the meal was complete." Get the full menu »Todd Coleman

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