Choose Your Fresh Thanksgiving Feast

5-star modern, splendid vegetarian, or traditional Thanksgiving 2.0

Sunset food staff

1 /6 Photography by Leigh Beisch; food styling by Dan Becker

Thanksgiving menus: Five-star modern feast

Menu: Five-star modern Thanksgiving

Time-saving techniques turn this sophisticated Thanksgiving menu into an easy to prepare feast for the modern family.

Butterfly and grill the turkey this year and it will be ready for the table in no time.

2 /6 Photography by Leigh Beisch; styling by Dan Becker

Traditional 2.0

Menu: Traditional Thanksgiving 2.0

The traditional Thanksgiving menu gets an upgrade via flavorful ingredients that boost the holiday classics. Mascarpone Chive Mashed Potatoes and Cranberry Cointreau Sauce are sure to be perennial favorites.

3 /6 Photography by Leigh Beisch; styling by Dan Becker

Splendid vegetarian

Menu: Splendid vegetarian

Thanksgiving is about much more than just turkey. This year, give thanks for the season's rich bounty with this menu, featuring a recipe for Sweet-Potato Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Spinach.

4 /6 Photography by James Carrier

Potluck power

Each of these dishes travels well (the host does the turkey).

Menu:

Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce or Cranberry Cointreau Sauce
Pearl Onion and Celery Stuffing with Juniper and Garlic
Little Balsamic-glazed Onions (reheat)
Green Beans with Crisp Meyer Lemon Bread Crumbs (reheat, then add crumbs)
Asian Pear Salad with Pecans; Grape, Toasted Almond, and Sweet-Onion Salad; Arugula, Fennel, and Preserved Lemon Salad (bring dressing on the side)
Chive and Thyme Pull-apart Rolls
10-Minute Pumpkin Pies with Bourbon Whipped Cream

5 /6 Photography by James Carrier

Open-air feast

The weather is beautiful, so why not fire up the grill to cook the turkey and some sides?

Menu:

Grilled Butterflied Turkey with Rosemary Garlic Gravy
Pearl Onion and Celery Stuffing with Juniper and Garlic
Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce
Grape, Toasted Almond, and Sweet-Onion Salad
Grilled Fingerlings with Dill or Flaky Feta Tart
Chile-roasted Acorn Squash (grill instead at 350° to 375°, covered)
Apple and Dried-Fruit Spice Pie

6 /6 Photography by Thomas J. Story

Very vegan

We’ve adjusted some dishes to accommodate the full range of vegetarian diners.

Menu:

A trio of salads: Asian Pear Salad with Pecans (omit cheese); Grape, Toasted Almond, and Sweet-Onion Salad; Arugula, Fennel, and Preserved Lemon Salad
Grilled Fingerlings with Dill (use olive oil instead of butter)
Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce
Sautéed Spinach with Crispy Shallots
Little Balsamic-glazed Onions (use olive oil instead of butter)
Chile-roasted Acorn Squash
Apple and Dried-Fruit Spice Pie Crisp (omit crust; bake filling, covered, until tender, then sprinkle with pecans and bake uncovered until nuts brown)

Choose Your Fresh Thanksgiving Feast

Thanksgiving menus: Five-star modern feast

Traditional 2.0

Splendid vegetarian

Potluck power

Open-air feast

Very vegan

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