Modern Takes on Thanksgiving Menus

Be thankful on Thursday for some new serving ideas. Contemporary ingredients turn up in Greens with Roasted Corn and Pepper Salad, Blue Corn Bread Dressing, and sautéed duck, yet this whole menu is grounded in tradition, moving smoothly from Mushroom Turnovers to Mincemeat Charlottes. It's familiar enough to feel friendly, but adventurous enough to impress even the most jaded palate.

Menu: A Turkeyless Thanksgiving

Add some Hawaiian flair to your Thanksgiving table with these island-inspired Turkey Day recipes.

Ditch your usual cooking method this year and try a two-temperature method that guarantees a crispy outside and super moist inside for your main dish. Pair with delicious sweet potato cups and Grand Mimosas for a festive midday holiday meal.

Menu: Delta Roasted Thanksgiving 

This easy—yet impressive—menu features traditional ingredients in innovative ways. The star is turkey tenderloins stuffed with a savory mushroom filling and sides include a Roasted-Corn Bread Stuffing and frozen Apple and Ice Cream Pie.

Menu: Just-Us Thanksgiving Menu

Food photographer Shelly Strazis shares recipes and planning tips for an incredible Mexican-inspired Thanksgiving meal. (Serves 18)

Thanksgiving in Korea, called Chusok, celebrates the new rice harvest, and dessert is always made from the new crop. Fuse American and Korean traditions by serving Maple Roasted Turkey as the main course and Pumpkin Rice Pudding for dessert.

Menu: Thanksgiving with a Korean Twist

Keep tradition—no turkey required. Pork loin stars in this classic Thanksgiving meal complete with cornbread dressing and roasted vegetables.

Menu: Hold the Turkey

For a change of pace, give this Italian-inspired menu a try. It features beef tenderloin rather than traditional turkey and polenta instead of mashed potatoes.

Menu: New Flavors for the Holiday

Serve an economical, efficient and sure-to-please menu flavored with great Cajun spice. This casual menu of Cajun Turkey with Dirty Rice Stuffing, Roasted Turnips, Sweet Potatoes, Apples, and Dried Cranberries, and Pumpkin-Streusel Cheesecake will make guests serve up seconds.

Menu: Cajun-style Turkey Feast

Denver chef Sean Yontz's Thanksgiving feast balances traditional Thanksgiving flavors with fresh Latin twists. Chiles heat up sweet potatoes in Chile-Spiced Sweet Potato Tamales and give mashed potatoes an extra kick in Chipotle-Corn Mashed Potatoes. Mexican cheese gives new life to cauliflower and green beans while a Guajillo-Tamarind glaze transforms the classic turkey.

Menu: A Southwest Thanksgiving

Here's a quicker, spicy alternative to Thanksgiving–Jerk Turkey Cutlets with Cranberry-Habanero Salsa. This main dish is particularly great for small gatherings; the cutlets cook quickly and serve four people. We guarantee no one will say, "Turkey again?" after this meal.

Menu: Spice Up Thanksgiving

Change the pace of Thanksgiving dinner with updated Southern family classics like Grilled Bourbon-Cranberry Turkey Tenderloin. Old-school dressing is converted into fluffy Pecan-Buttermilk Dressing Cakes and traditional green bean casserole replaced with Sweet-and-Sour Green Beans.

Menu: Fresh Flavors for Thanksgiving

This traditional feast is big on style and flavor, but features time- and space-saving tricks. (Serves 10-12)

Don't pass up the chance to enjoy Thanksgiving supper outdoors if the weather is nice. Fill a big table with platters of Two-Alarm Deep-Fried Turkey, bowls with Cranberry Compote, Classic Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes, and your family's must-have sides, breads, and salads. Part of the fun to this get-together is standing in line, plate in hand, waiting your turn to serve yourself. Settle around the outdoor tables, enjoy dinner, and remember to save some room for Sweet Potato-Pecan Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting. Serves 8.

Turkey Day gest a SoCal twist: It's on the grill with lots of sunshine! (Serves 8 to 10)

Chef Maiya Keck of Marfa, Texas, shares her relaxed feast with family and friends. (Serves 10 to 12)

Put the spark back in Thanksgiving with seven fresh recipes we promise will mingle beautifully with your family's time-honored dishes. (Serves 8)

Join this family in their deliciously untraditional tradition. (Serves 4-6)

If you're the ring leader of a turkey day gathering, choose a fun flavor theme to help guests select a recipe to bring. Italian Thanksgiving, anyone?

Bring bright Asian flavors to your dinner table with a fun-filled holiday menu. (Serves 8)

This vegetarian menu can take center stage at any Thanksgiving table. You'll never miss the meat. (Serves 6)