15 Thanksgiving Day Menus That Are Far From Traditional

Feasts big and small celebrate the flavors of the West, from a traditional ranch feast to island fare and vegetarian delights.

15 Thanksgiving Day Menus That Are Far From Traditional
Photo by Annabelle Breakey
Written by Sunset Staff Updated On November 9, 2022

We all like a traditional Thanksgiving, but why not incorporate someone else’s traditions into your own feast this year? Below, we have menus that bring flavors of Hawaii, the Northwest, Southwest, and Mexico to traditional dishes. We’ve even got a vegetarian menu, if you want or need to go further outside the canon this year. Will your guest list be too small for a whole turkey? We’ve got a menu built around Cornish game hen that makes a manageable amount of food for two. Whatever the circumstances of your gathering this year, these and other ideas will help you balance the traditional and novel to make it work.

1 of 15Annabelle Breakey

Diner-Style Thanksgiving

Menu: Diner-style Thanksgiving

This menu evokes classic American style with a modern Western twist: turkey sliders, fried green beans and shallot rings, pumpkin bourbon shakes, and mini pecan pies.

2 of 15Yunhee Kim

Farm-to-Feast Menu

Menu: Farm-to-feast Thanksgiving

This locavore menu celebrates heritage turkey, wild mushrooms, Ozette potatoes, and cranberries all grown in the West.

3 of 15Shelly Strazis

Mexican Feast on the Beach

Menu: Thanksgiving on the beach

If the weather’s warm, take your holiday outdoors. The turkey cooks on the grill, and traditional side dishes get a Mexican Thanksgiving twist.

4 of 15Leigh Beisch

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.

5 of 15Leigh Beisch

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.

6 of 15Photography 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.

7 of 15James Carrier

Big Family, Big Meal

Menu:

Divvy up the work with this mostly portable Thanksgiving meal. The Gorgonzola Broccoli Casserole is always a hit.

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8 of 15Lisa Romerein

A Southwest Thanksgiving

Menu:

All the traditional favorites with a spicy, Southwest flair. You’ll love the Cornbread-Chorizo Dressing and Chipotle-Corn Mashed Potatoes.

9 of 15James Carrier

Vegetarian Feast

Menu:

This colorful and festive vegetarian meal showcases the season’s harvest.

10 of 15James Carrier

Potluck Thanksgiving

Menu:

This menu was inspired by a group of friends who loved to cook together. Each contributed a favorite dish to the fresh, abundant feast.

11 of 15James Carrier

Elegant Harvest Dinner

Menu:

Fall fruits and nuts abound in this fresh, inventive twist on the classic Thanksgiving meal.

12 of 15Lisa Romerein

Aloha Thanksgiving

Menu:

Coconut, papaya, and other island staples give the recipes in this Hawaiian Thanksgiving menu an exotic touch.

13 of 15Jim Henkens

Northwest Thanksgiving

Menu:

This version of the classic feast is brimming with the Northwest’s bounty of hazelnuts, mushrooms, and fresh herbs.

14 of 15Sunset

Ranch-Style Thanksgiving

Menu:

Rich colors and deep autumnal flavors shine in this rustic Thanksgiving meal.

15 of 15James Carrier

Intimate Thanksgiving for Two

Menu:

Traditional turkey gets replaced with cornish game hens for a pared-down Thanksgiving dinner that’s perfectly suited for two.

Essential Thanksgiving Tools

We only recommend things we love. If you buy something through our site, we might earn a commission.

1 of 7Courtesy of Made In Cookware

Made In Cookware’s Blue Carbon Steel Roasting Pan

Cheaper than the competition and induction-burner-compatible. 

Made In Cookware's Blue Carbon Steel Roasting Pan, $139
2 of 7Courtesy of Willams Sonoma

Shun Classic Blonde 8-Inch Chef’s Knife

Don’t bother with the single-purpose carving knife. Buy this chic, blonde, Pakawood-handled, Japanese-made chef’s knife that’s got all the ceremonial swagger but year-round usefulness.

Shun Classic Blonde 8-Inch Chef's Knife, $170
3 of 7Courtesy of Sur la Table

John Boos Cutting Board

You’re going need that little juice groove. Made of antimicrobial maple, it’s handsome enough to use as a rustic serving platter. 

John Boos Cutting Board, $109
4 of 7Courtesy of Filson

Filson Tin Cloth Apron

Sturdy and large enough to protect you from errant cranberry juice, spattering turkey fat, and spilled Pinot Noir.

Filson Tin Cloth Apron, $185
5 of 7Courtesy of OXO

OXO 9-Inch Pie Plate with Lid

Slightly deeper than competition, this updated version of the classic glass pie plate also comes with a handy domed lid that’ll protect even the loftiest cream pies.

OXO 9-Inch Pie Plate with Lid, $15
6 of 7Courtesy of Amazon

OXO Good Grips 4-Cup Fat Separator

Gotta love a fat separator for easily discarding the lipids while tidily reserving the drippings (which have about 10 times the flavor of the turkey itself). Plus it doubles as a measuring pitcher you can use the rest of the year.

OXO Good Grips 4-Cup Fat Separator, $35
7 of 7Courtesy of Anthropologie

How to Style Your Thanksgiving Table

The finishing touch your Thanksgiving feast needs might not be another pie—it might be one of these stylish and functional accessories.

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