Most years I prepare a traditional Thanksgiving spread that includes turkey with all the sides (sweet potatoes, green beans, macaroni and cheese, rolls, etc.). However, there have been a couple of years when I didn’t do this. These were years when we moved right before the holiday and it was just our immediate family celebrating.
Though we will have a family member visiting this year, I’m still contemplating making something other than a traditional spread. My household is full of picky eaters who don’t love most traditional dishes. They will each eat one or two items, but no one will eat all of it. Given this, why go to the work of preparing it all? Why not make something everyone wants so that the entire meal is appreciated, and leftovers are seen as a boon instead of a burden?
I haven’t decided what to make yet because there are so many excellent options! If you are looking for an alternative meal to serve on Thanksgiving (or for any other holiday), perhaps this list of ideas will help you find the perfect option.
Alternative Thanksgiving dinners
A traditional meal prepared by a store or restaurant
Before I delve into alternatives, it is worth considering the option of ordering a traditional meal prepared by a grocery store or restaurant. This is particularly relevant if the time and effort required to prepare dinner is a concern. Many grocery stores and restaurants allow you to order premade Thanksgiving dinners. You simply choose the items to include, pick them up a day or two before Thanksgiving, and reheat when ready on Thanksgiving Day.
Meat entrée with sides
Because turkey is the traditional centerpiece of the Thanksgiving meal, alternative meat entrees are a popular alternative. After selecting an entrée, you can choose a couple of sides that go well with it.
- Prime rib or ribeye
- Brisket
- Beef Wellington
- Pot roast
- Braised short ribs
- Pork roast
- Glazed ham
- Roast chicken or duck
- Salmon or trout
- Lobster
- Meatloaf
- Fried chicken
- Cornish game hens
Buffet of sides
Instead of focusing on a meat entrée, you could shine the spotlight on side dishes and have a meal comprised entirely of these. This is perfect for those who love traditional Thanksgiving side dishes, but don’t want to mess with roasting a turkey. Though any side dishes could be included, traditional favorites include mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes, dressing/stuffing, cranberry sauce, and cornbread.
Pasta
Pasta dishes, especially baked varieties, are a popular option. These are hearty, easy to prepare, and easy to customize. While simple classics like spaghetti and meatballs or chicken Alfredo would suffice, there are numerous pasta dishes that can elevate Thanksgiving dinner from fine to fantastic.
- Lasagna
- Baked ziti
- Stuffed shells
- Pasta carbonara
- Pasta e fagiole
- Pasta ai quattro formaggi
You can put an autumnal spin on these and other pasta dishes by using seasonal flavors. For example, you could make pumpkin and ricotta stuffed shells or roasted butternut squash lasagna. You could also use squash in place of pasta, like in this recipe for Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Spaghetti Squash Casserole.
Build-your-own entrée
One thing we love to do when we have company is to have a build-your-own spread of some sort. We do this frequently with sliders, and on occasion with things like French bread pizzas and omelets. There are so many fun, tasty options that allow everyone to customize his or her meal.
- Tacos
- Nachos
- Baked potatoes
- Sub sandwiches or paninis
- Bowls (burrito bowls, poke bowls, grain bowls, Korean rice bowls, etc.)
- Salads
- Tin foil packets (have a variety of starches, veggies, and meats available for everyone to build a customized “hobo dinner”)
Soup, stew, or chili
As far as I’m concerned, you can’t go wrong by having a big pot of soup, stew, or chili as the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving dinner. Pair one of these with a suitable bread (such as biscuits, honey wheat butterhorns, dinner rolls, or sourdough bread) and you’ll have a delicious, filling dinner.
- Soups
- Chicken (chicken noodle, superior chicken noodle, chicken and rice, chicken tortilla, etc.)
- Beef (beef barley, meatball, taco, cheeseburger, etc.)
- Pork (cheesy ham chowder, pozole, Italian wedding, sweet potato sausage, etc.)
- Seafood (clam chowder, lobster bisque, Cajun gumbo, etc.)
- Meatless (split pea, baked potato, cheese broccoli, creamy veggie tortellini, cream of mushroom, French onion, minestrone, tomato, butternut squash, etc.)
- Stews (beef, Irish beef, chicken, Brunswick, turkey, shrimp, cabbage, vegetable, etc.)
- Chilis (beef, Texas red, white chicken or turkey, King Ranch chicken, Cincinnati, Hoosier, chili verde, sweet potato and black bean, southwest, vegetarian, etc.)
If you want your Thanksgiving dinner to have an autumnal theme, then you can easily integrate seasonal flavors (such as pumpkin in pumpkin chili and butternut squash in butternut squash soup) into soups, stews, and chilis.
Casserole
Few meals conjure up feelings of warmth and home like a traditional casserole. Having one of these for Thanksgiving makes dinner preparation easy and means everyone will walk away with a full belly.
- Turkey (turkey and dressing casserole, creamy turkey mushroom spaghetti, turkey tetrazzini, turkey pot pie, etc.)
- Chicken (chicken pot pie, chicken and wild rice casserole, King Ranch chicken, chicken amandine, chicken broccoli rice casserole, etc.)
- Beef or pork (tater tot casserole, shepherd’s pie, ham and noodle casserole, sausage and potato country casserole, etc.)
- Seafood (tuna noodle casserole, crab imperial casserole, shrimp and grits bake, etc.)
Mexican
Mexican (or Tex Mex) dishes are very popular for holidays. It’s no surprise because many of these well-liked dishes are both hearty and flavorful.
- Tamales
- Chicken or steak fajitas
- Empanadas
- Chimichangas
- Enchiladas
- Tacos or burritos
You can pair one of these main dishes with an easy side such as cornbread chorizo stuffing, esquites, or chips and salsa.
Seafood
There are a couple of seafood items mentioned here already, but there are many more possibilities to consider.
- Lobster or crab (steamed lobster or crab, crab cakes, lobster macaroni and cheese, etc.)
- Shrimp (shrimp scampi, honey garlic shrimp, shrimp kabobs, etc.)
- Fish (poached salmon, stuffed sea bass or trout, beer-battered cod, etc.)
- Scallops, clams, oysters, crawfish, etc.
If you want, you could pair one of these with a land-based meat (for example, steak or chicken) for a traditional “surf and turf.” Add whatever sides you want for an awesome Thanksgiving dinner. Another fun option would be a traditional seafood boil.
Meatless dish
I’m not going to list a whole bunch of dishes here because almost every category in this post contains meatless options. Moreover, many options listed here can be modified to exclude meat. For example, if you want lasagna, prepare a vegetable lasagna. If you want soup, prepare vegetable soup. If you want Mexican, prepare spinach enchiladas. These all sound tasty and filling!
Breakfast for dinner
We have breakfast for dinner about once a month and enjoy doing so for several reasons. There’s no reason why you couldn’t have a buffet of breakfast favorites for Thanksgiving dinner. A hearty breakfast casserole (such as Biscuits and Gravy Bake) would be great for this, as would a pancake, waffle, or French toast bar. Other possibilities include yogurt parfaits, muffins, quiches or omelets, various breakfast meats, and fruit with dip. The possibilities are endless!
Appetizers and snacks
As with the buffet of sides noted above, this option skips the main entrée altogether. Instead, a wide range of appetizers and snacks provides a delicious and filling “meal.” There are scores of options.
- Chips and dips (French onion dip, queso, salsa, guacamole, spinach artichoke, etc.)
- Cocktail meatballs or sausages
- Vegetable or fruit trays
- Charcuterie boards
- Deviled eggs
- Cheese and crackers
- Shrimp cocktail
- Stuffed mushrooms
- Nuts
Final thoughts
I still haven’t decided what I want to prepare this Thanksgiving. Seeing all of the options spelled out has made me realize that there are even more great options than I initially considered!
I hope you are able to decide on something great for you and your loved ones. Are there any options you would add to this list? What alternatives have you made for previous Thanksgivings?
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