28 Non-Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas to Break Out of Your Thanksgiving Rut
Do you want to prepare your Thanksgiving but don’t want to repeat the same or traditional recipes? Also, you are busy with your household stuff and desire the meal to be unique. The best solution is to go with a non-traditional way and start to make some creative things instead of following the tradition. Give some different but unique Thanksgiving that can be memorable. So, try these non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner ideas for your help!
However, creative cooking takes some time that will disturb your household. Show your best that you can handle the dinner and the household things with unique recipes. These non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner ideas will help you in managing your stuff by providing special dishes. So, get ready to dive into these recipes;
Bacon-Wrapped Turkey Breast
If your Thanksgiving table is set for a smaller crowd this year, you might not want to roast a whole bird. That’s where bacon-wrapped turkey breast comes in.
Stuffing it with a creamy wild rice blend and wrapping it with bacon has all the makings of a new twist on Thanksgiving done so deliciously.
Cornbread Stuffing Muffins
Create the perfect portion for everyone with stuffing made of cornbread formed into muffins. The secret is adding apples and pancetta for a divine taste everyone will clamor for.
Sweet Corn Spoonbread
Creamy and buttery, this non-traditional twist to your Thanksgiving dinner is going to be gobbled up in seconds flat. It takes everything you love about the traditional food servings of sweet corn and cornbread and melds them together in one skillet.
Creamy Cheesy Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
No one will ever complain about eating brussels sprouts ever again with this sublime side. Perfect for Thanksgiving, it takes an often ignored veggie and puts it front and center with a creamy cheese sauce and crispy bacon.
Mashed Potato Casserole
Yes, mashed potatoes and gravy are a classic Thanksgiving dish, but you might want to make room for a mashed potato casserole instead. Melty cheese, crispy bacon, and chives come together for an easy make-ahead dish that your family will love.
Thanksgiving Cauliflower
Trying to cut down on carbs but don’t want to miss out on the gravy? Thanksgiving cauliflower, to the rescue! This delectable dish features a rosemary-sage-mushroom gravy that will have you smitten from the first bite.
Oyster Sausage Stuffing
Tired of the same old stuffing recipe? When you make it with fresh oysters and sausage, it’s a special treat that takes on the traditional and gives it a seaside spin.
The distinctive flavors of land and sea really come together in a way that complements your meal elegantly.
Pumpkin and Potato Gratin
Pumpkin and potato gratin is a great new Thanksgiving side dish to try. Cheesy potato casserole with a touch of pumpkin too. You’ve got to try this!
Have you tried pumpkin and potato gratin before? It’s still ooey gooey and cheesy like your typical potatoes au gratin recipe but with a hint of pumpkin, perfect for the Fall season.
Whether you’re making this for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or just during the week it is a great twist on the traditional au gratin potatoes.
Cranberry Pomegranate Baked Brie
Cranberry pomegranate baked brie is an easy and simple party, festival, or holy meal. It has an excellent presentation that is easy to prepare. This Thanksgiving recipe is simple, easy, perfect, and entertaining.
It has a heavenly taste and is the showstopper due to its presentation. The delicious taste of cranberries sauce with the pomegranate and tart make the dish delicious and mind-blowing.
The recipe is so easy to prepare as it takes approximately 15 minutes. You can make this recipe for Thanksgiving, and your guests will love it.
Mini Carrot Dogs In A Blanket
Mini carrot dogs are super easy, and carrots will give an incredible taste when cooked in the pot roast. However, this taste is because of the seasonings in it.
While carrots are marinated with the right ingredients, they will taste rich and savory. You can serve them as your holiday or a Thanksgiving dish as an appetizer.
These carrot dogs are better than traditional pig carrots. This is an easy recipe with delicious carrots in the blanket.
Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
Besides the sweet potatoes loaded with brown sugar or marshmallows, you can try this twice-baked sweet potato. These have a perfect balance of sweet and it is perfect for you if you don’t like sweet potatoes loaded with marshmallows. It is the natural sweetness of the potatoes that make them delicious with great flavor.
Instead of marshmallows, they are loaded with broccoli salad and cream that makes the flavor super delicious. Moreover, baked sweet potatoes are best for Thanksgiving as they are healthy, delicious, and fresh to eat.
Butternut Squash Casserole
Butternut squash casserole is a vegan Thanksgiving recipe that your guests will love to eat. The cubes of squash are creamy, which gives a delicious taste to this recipe.
The recipe color is due to onions and dried cranberries that also give extra flavor to it. The bread used in this recipe will soak the flavors and will not feel awkward in this recipe.
However, garlic used in it will sharpen the taste of the squash casserole. Moreover, the vegetable broth will add moisture to the recipe. It will take some time to cook and be ready to eat.
Homemade Cornbread Stuffing
Cornbread stuffing is spiced up by peppers and filled with delicious stuffing. Veggies in this recipe make the flavor of it and work as a base. Oregano used in it eradicates the heat of the spice.
However, corn makes the dish a little bit crunchy making it fabulous for your guests on Thanksgiving. The creamy texture is due to the butter adding more taste. Moreover, it will take time to cook.
Creamed Spinach
Creamed spinach recipe is easy to cook, and it is best for your Thanksgiving dinner. It is a healthy recipe with a fresh and delicious taste that will comfort you and your guests.
As it is an easy recipe, it will take approximately 15 minutes to cook. It is made up of spinach, butter, and creamer cheese that will make your dish buttery and mouth-watering. However, frozen spinach can also be used, but a fresh one is more recommended.
Fresh spinach will make the texture shiny and delicious. You can use coconut milk instead of cream in the recipe to add extra flavor to your recipe.
Easy Artichoke Gratin
Artichoke gratin is a quick, easy, and perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving dinner. The recipe is loaded with cheese to give it a delicious taste. Your guests will love this recipe on the table.
It is the tastiest six ingredients recipe that will make your day. Sometimes you want a quick recipe with cheesy, delicious taste due to a shortage of time. You can make this recipe for your Thanksgiving dinner.
However, you have to avoid the canned artichoke but prefer the jarred artichoke.
Creamy Roasted Pumpkin Soup
Creamy roasted pumpkin soup is so creamy and healthy with its buttery texture. It has a light spice, but its taste flavors the most.
You can use it as a welcome recipe for your Thanksgiving dinner. It is easy to cook and delicious enough to make your guests happy.
This soup requires some basic ingredients that make it delicious. It is a fresh and satisfying recipe that will give the buttery texture and taste.
Rosemary Bacon Mushroom Stuffing
The bacon in this recipe is cooked and gives a beautiful, crispy texture. It will add flavor to the recipe and make it delicious due to its crispiness.
Mushrooms will give an additional flavor to your recipe. Its taste resembles meat to enjoy the taste of your meal. These are juicy, chewy, and also provide sweetness.
However, it is not an easy recipe. It will take much time for its preparation and cooking.
Apple Pie Shot
The apple pie shot is a perfect fall drink that you can serve to your guest on Thanksgiving dinner. The taste of this cocktail is just like apple pie. Fall drinks are perfect because it warms you up and gives comfort with fabulous taste.
However, this is easy to make, and you can please your guests in no time. If you are having Thanksgiving dinner in winter, you must try it.
Bacon Wrapped Pork Medallions
Bacon-wrapped pork medallions are an easy recipe that you can make on your Thanksgiving dinner. If you serve it at your party, it will be the fanciest thing.
It is an inexpensive and attractive dish for your party. It only depends on the quality of ingredients. A few but quality ingredients are enough to make the recipe delicious and fresh.
However, it consists of only four ingredients that make it a tasty and fantastic dinner recipe for your Thanksgiving. It is an easy recipe with fewer expenses.
Mushroom Cream Gravy Sauce
Mushroom cream gravy sauce is rich, creamy, and has a fabulous taste that will melt in your mouth. It is loaded with mushrooms, thus enhancing the quality and taste. The cream and the mushrooms combo make it delicious enough to melt it in your mouth.
It is easy to cook as it takes approximately 20 minutes to cook. You can eat it with chicken, pork, or pasta.
The sauce has the versatile feature that it can be served with a variety of things. You can choose for your dinner party. Your guests will love it due to its meaty and creamy texture.
Sweet Potato Rolls
Do you want some light, healthy food as your meal on Thanksgiving? You can cook this recipe for a light dinner. It is fluffy and soft in texture that attracts others towards it.
You can make this recipe for those who like to have a light dinner. It will show your concern for every guest. With other recipes, you can add them and have a good time.
A luxurious orange color is added to it for the texture color. The addition of sweet potatoes makes them naturally sweetened and have a creamy taste. The rolls will melt to your mouth, and you will love it.
Potato Gratin
Potato gratin is a simple side dish for your Thanksgiving dinner, and you can serve it with any meal. This perfect dish is delicious and fabulous.
The potatoes are baked with cream, milk, cheese, garlic, and thyme. The texture is so creamy that you cannot deny eating this delicious recipe. The top is golden brown that makes it a little bit crispy, adding flavor to the dish.
However, there are so many dishes to which you can serve it. It is a simple and easy recipe that you will love to cook.
Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting
These sweet potato cupcakes are moist, naturally sweet, and delicious with marshmallows frosting. This fluffy frosting is very delicious, making your cupcakes look perfect.
These are fantastic cupcakes for your Thanksgiving. You can enjoy them with your guests.
It is an easy recipe for sweet potatoes. Embedded sweet potatoes in the cupcakes make them more delicious and healthy. The fluffy texture is mouth-watering, and you can’t deny eating it.
Butter Pecan Cheesecake
Butter bean cheesecake made up of roasted pecans and brown butter. It is a simple and easy recipe with a delicious taste. You will love to cook it, and it will give you a delicious cheesecake.
Pecans and butter are the perfect combos that make this dessert most wanted. You can enjoy the taste of roasted pecan with creamy cheesecake. Fluffy and crunchy texture will inspire you to have it as your dinner menu.
Simple, easy, and most wanted cheesecake with the buttery nature of pecans makes it delicious. Your guests will love the recipe.
Upside Down Pumpkin Cake
Upside down pumpkin cake is simple, easy, and delicious that your guests will love. You can choose it as a menu item for your Thanksgiving dinner. It is so tasty that your guests will love the recipe and ask for its ingredients.
However, it is like a pumpkin pie from the bottom and top with a crunchy, buttery cake crust. The ingredients are common, and the recipe is super easy.
Cornbread Sausage Stuffing Muffins
These are moist, cornbread muffins that are filled with different ingredients. It’s like a combo of two different worlds.
You can taste the fluffy muffins with the taste of stuffing. The stuffing can be sausages, onion, or celery.
The fluffy outside texture with crunchy inside makes the muffins more delicious. Must try it for your Thanksgiving dinner.
Vegan Pumpkin Basil Pinwheels
Do you want some quick and easy snacks for your Thanksgiving dinner? You can follow this recipe because these are delicious, easy to make, and contain only four ingredients.
Vegan pumpkin basil Pinwheels are super delicious as they are crunchy from the outside and fluffy from the inside.
As it is an easy recipe, you can make it for your guests at a party or dinner. They will love this snake and find it comfortable.
Spinach-Mushroom Polenta Stuffing
It is the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving dinner as it can please both omnivores and vegans due to its texture and ingredients. It is a gluten-free and delicious dish. You should double the amount because it will disappear quickly from the table.
However, mushrooms taste like meat and are healthy. You should choose it at first to inspire your guests with this easy recipe.
Thanksgiving dinner parties are common, and the dishes make an impact on the guests. Do you want to inspire your guests with some non-traditional dishes? Then you have to choose your desired non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner ideas.
We are here for your help to make your dinner fabulous. Hence, you can easily approach the recipe that you would like.
However, you have read the descriptions of non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner ideas. You can easily choose the recipe that will suit you most. Enjoy your meal with your guests.
About the Author
Camellia Jones is an editor at Twigs Cafe. She rounds up all the delicious food from the web for specific diets. She likes to spend the rest of her time with her children.
