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Fresh Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas

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Looking to add something new to your Thanksgiving dinner menu this year? Check out this collection of over 30 easy, slightly-modern takes on Thanksgiving recipes, including drinks, appetizers, breads and spreads, side dishes, desserts - even four innovative ways to use up the leftovers. Everything but the turkey!

Pictures of various Thanksgiving foods around text "30+ fresh Thanksgiving dinner ideas".

Thinking about livening up a tired Thanksgiving recipe that has lost its luster on your holiday table this year, but don't want to stray too far from the tried and true flavors everyone expects? This collection of Thanksgiving dinner ideas might bring you some inspiration.

Some leaning modern in flavor, some Italian, and some Southern, each recipe has been tested and guaranteed to bring all the warm, cozy flavors we love in a fresh way. Many are as low-fuss as possible with guidance on making them ahead of time for easier day-of Thanksgiving entertaining.

One essential not included? The turkey. I'll leave that one to you, but will share the 4-1-1 on preparing your turkey safely from FoodSafety.gov here. Because who wants trouble of this nature on Thanksgiving?

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Drinks

Break out the apple cider, cranberry juice, ginger beer, and/or cinnamon sticks and instantly transform your bar cart into a fall-festive drink station. Whether you're looking for tasty cocktails or a really good Thanksgiving mocktail, each of these recipes features instructions on making individual beverages or scaled pitcher quantities for ahead-of-time preparation.

Sparkling Apple Cider Mocktail
With no need to prepare flavored syrups or do any ahead-of-time prep, this sparkling apple cider mocktail is a perfect non-alcoholic drink that everyone can enjoy this fall. Cranberry, ginger, and warm cinnamon round out the flavor of this effervescent beverage.
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A sparkling apple cider mocktail on a serving board garnished with apples and a cinnamon stick.
Apple Cider Sangria
Apple cider sangria makes a perfect fall cocktail for your next get-together! With a base of white wine, apple cider, ginger beer, and brandy, this spiced beverage sets a seasonal mood and is made ahead of time for entertaining ease.
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A full glass of apple cider sangria.
Cranberry Apple Margarita
This easy cranberry apple margarita recipe is a crowd pleaser! Cranberry juice and apple cider join tequila and a splash of orange juice for a tart, extra fruity spin on a cocktail classic with a golden sugar rim.
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Cranberry apple margaritas on a serving board.
Apple Cider Mule
With a few extra ingredients, an apple cider mule is a simple twist on a classic cocktail just perfect for the fall. Apple cider and grated cinnamon pair nicely with the ginger and lime for a vodka cocktail sure to please a crowd.
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An apple cider mule garnished with apple slices and a cinnamon stick.

Salads and Dressings

Enjoy your leafy greens before digging into the main event. Either dressing would taste wonderfully on that fresh pear salad.

Pear and Gorgonzola Salad
This simple pear and gorgonzola salad tastes anything but! Crisp pears, toasted nuts, and crumbled Gorgonzola shine over lettuce drizzled with a homemade spiced vinaigrette.
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Pear slices, crumbled Gorgonzola, and toasted nuts on a mixed greens salad.
Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
With its bold and balanced flavor, this maple balsamic vinaigrette recipe will become a family favorite on repeat. Perfect on the most basic of side salads to harvest salads and your holiday table alike, this quick homemade dressing is truly a no-prep, five-minute recipe - no chopping herbs, mincing garlic, etc. Great with regular balsamic vinegar or white balsamic vinegar.
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Dark colored maple balsamic vinaigrette being poured onto a side salad.
Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Homemade pomegranate vinaigrette makes the BEST warm and cozy dressing, perfect for holiday salads and everyday alike. A simple trick ensures a bold fruit flavor in this balanced, sweet and tart vinaigrette.
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A jar of pomegranate vinaigrette with a spoon in it.

Appetizers

It may be difficult not to fill up on these prep-ahead Thanksgiving appetizers. I've served each of them and they've all been a roaring success (i.e. barely any leftover).

Baked Brie with Jam
This party-perfect baked brie with jam and nuts only uses four ingredients with no ahead-of-time prep. Excellent as a holiday appetizer, there are lots of ways to switch up the flavor depending upon what you like. It's hard to find an easier baked brie recipe than this!
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Baked brie topped with jam and walnuts served with apple slices, grapes, and crackers.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Roasted butternut squash soup is a warm and creamy dinner or side dish soup recipe that tastes harder to make than it is! Butternut squash, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic cloves are ALL roasted for a deeper flavor in this classic fall soup.
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A bowl of butternut squash soup on a plate next to a grilled cheese.
Italian Stuffed Mushrooms
This easy recipe for Italian stuffed mushrooms features perfectly tender mushrooms just brimming with seasoned breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic, and olive oil for the ultimate holiday appetizer. These are a great option for making ahead!
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A serving plate of Italian stuffed mushrooms.

Breads & Side Dishes

I would never ask you to switch up a beloved family-favorite for the drama that would likely ensue, but substituting in pumpkin spice butter for plain butter, adding sour cream to your mashed potatoes, or a little heat to homemade cranberry sauce? Compelling!

Honey Cornbread
Enjoy homemade cornbread sweetened only with honey with this easy recipe! Made with buttermilk, this honey cornbread is fairly moist and not too sweet or crumbly, making it a perfect pairing for chili or for enjoying by itself.
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Pieces of honey cornbread stacked on a plate with a wooden honey dipper.
Pumpkin Spice Butter
Pumpkin spice butter is a perfect fall treat! Made in minutes from simple ingredients, this pumpkin compound butter recipe includes honey, pumpkin puree, and warm spices for a delicious spread.
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A glass jar of whipped pumpkin spice butter topped with flaky salt.
Chestnut Stuffing
This chestnut stuffing recipe with sausage is an extra flavorful version of classic Thanksgiving stuffing that will feed a large (and hungry!) holiday crowd. With make-ahead prep tips, ingredient shortcuts, and lots of detail, this post will help you prepare a holiday menu staple with low fuss.
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A large baking dish of baked chestnut stuffing.
Green Beans with Bacon and Onion
Green beans with bacon and onion are PACKED with flavor, with perfect crisp-tender green beans every time. This family-favorite side dish comes together with simple ingredients and fits any menu, whether a weeknight dinner or a holiday meal.
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A serving bowl of green beans, bacon, and onions.
Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
Sour cream mashed potatoes are fluffy and creamy, with tangy sour cream giving a classic side dish a delicious 'pop'. You won't want to make them any other way!
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A bowl of mashed potatoes garnished with melted butter and chives.
Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
Easy prep and a warm, robust seasoning blend make these honey roasted carrots and parsnips a holiday side dish winner. There's no parboiling required.
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Honey roasted carrots and parsnips in a dish garnished with rosemary sprigs.
Southern Instant Pot Collard Greens
Instant Pot collard greens are a Southern-inspired side dish made much quicker in an electric pressure cooker. These Southern greens have a ton of flavor from bacon and ham, and you'll want to drizzle the cooking liquid on everything!
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A serving bowl of collard greens.
Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Golden and creamy, this pumpkin mac and cheese recipe is seasonal comfort food at its finest. A blend of three cheeses and a variety of herbs and spices make this main dish or side a crowd-pleaser.
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Pumpkin mac and cheese in a pan with a wooden spoon.
Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts
Maple roasted brussels sprouts are cooked with smoky thick-cut bacon for a one-pan side dish brimming with bold flavor. Everything caramelizes beautifully to elevate a simple recipe, making this a great choice for everyday dinner or holidays like Thanksgiving.
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Brussels sprouts and fried bacon in a skillet roasted in a maple syrup and vinegar mixture.
Roasted Garlic Creamed Corn
This roasted garlic creamed corn recipe is lightened up and creamy as ever making it a smart holiday (or anytime) side dish option. The addition of roasted garlic is a simple step that adds so much to the flavor!
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A ceramic serving bowl filled with creamed corn next to a dish towel and a head of roasted garlic
Slightly Spicy Cranberry Sauce
This slightly spicy cranberry sauce is just the side dish for Thanksgiving or dinner any time of year. Savory with a little zip from a chipotle pepper, this homemade cranberry sauce recipe is really easy to make.
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A serving spoon in a bowl of cranberry sauce.

Desserts

If you don't feel up to tussling with homemade pie crust this year (or any year, if you're me!) but still want to enjoy classically delicious Thanksgiving dessert flavors, you may find a sweet treat below to fit your fancy. From gooey pecan cake to apple crumble, even extra-festive cookies and brownies.

Pecan Upside Down Cake
The gooeyness of pecan pie combines with fluffy vanilla cake in one delicious mashup: pecan upside down cake. This easy pecan cake recipe makes a great less-stress Thanksgiving dessert, but you'll want to enjoy these flavors year-round!
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A slice of pecan upside down cake on a small dessert plate.
Pear Crumble
Warmly spiced pear crumble features a buttery crisp topping, maple syrup, ginger, and more in one easy seasonal dessert. Simple enough for casual gatherings and holiday meals alike, this recipe has multiple make-ahead steps to make your life easier.
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A serving dish of pear crumble with a big scoop removed.
Maple Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
Maple cinnamon sugar cookies are tender and warmly spiced, all with just the right amount of maple flavor in the dough and icing. The dough for these cut-out cinnamon cookies handles well and these cookies are perfect for a fall dessert or as part of a holiday cookie assortment.
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Round and maple leaf shaped cookies on a wire rack.
Fudgy Pumpkin Brownies
Fudgy pumpkin brownies combine the best of both worlds into one dessert. Easy brownie batter is swirled with a perfectly spiced pumpkin mixture in this dessert bar recipe perfect for fall!
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Two pumpkin brownies stacked on top of one another with a bite taken out of the top one.
Apple Crumble
Warmly-spiced apple crumble makes the best fall treat! Granny Smith apples pair with simple ingredients for a balanced sweet-and-tart dessert, with a generous helping of crumb topping.
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A bowl of apple crumble served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Recipes to Use Leftovers

Each of the leftover Thanksgiving dinner recipes below serve up extra portions in a TOTALLY new way.

Leftover Thanksgiving Sandwich
Faced with a mountain of leftover Thanksgiving food? Make a leftover Thanksgiving sandwich! This loaded turkey sandwich features gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and even mashed potatoes for a hefty, hearty way to repurpose this traditional holiday fare.
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A loaded homemade Gobbler sandwich on a plate showing all of the layers.
Leftover Mashed Potato Cakes
Have leftover mashed potatoes? It's so easy to turn them into mashed potato cakes! Crisp on the outside and warm and creamy in the center, these feature a secret trick for never-dry consistency and extra flavor.
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A platter of mashed potato cakes around a bowl of sour cream.
Baked Cornbread French Toast
Repurpose leftover cornbread into breakfast for a crowd with this EASY baked cornbread french toast. No need for individual flipping! This simple recipe is sweetened with maple syrup and doesn't require a long soak time.
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A side view of a pan of baked cornbread french toast with a wedge removed.
Cornbread Croutons
Homemade cornbread croutons are quick and easy to make with leftover cornbread! They make a great addition to salads, soups, chilis, and more.
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Baked cornbread croutons on a sheet pan.

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