29 Non-Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas If You Don't Like Turkey
Turkey alternatives you'll really be thankful for.
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If I’m being honest, roast turkey is my least favorite part of T-Day. What I really want is a non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner and I’ve often wondered, "What can I serve on Thanksgiving instead of turkey?" This bird is notoriously dry and bland yet has us in a culinary chokehold tighter than my pants after the big meal. Why though? If you think it's because the Pilgrims had this poultry at their first Thanksgiving, then buckle up your breeches: There's no record of turkey on the menu at Plymouth Rock! In fact, the Wampanoag people brought venison. The three-day feast also likely included lobster, clams and mussels — we're talking about coastal Massachusetts, after all.
The holiday is meant to celebrate the bounty of the harvest so we can think beyond the tired Thanksgiving dinner menu with sides like green beans (which, by the way, aren’t even considered a fall vegetable). This list of recipes has loads of comforting, soul-satisfying dishes that feel abundant. Most of them feed a crowd but if you’re planning just an intimate gathering this year, you’ll be able to swing a non-traditional Thanksgiving menu for two to four people.
The goal is to create a tablescape of many unique Thanksgiving dishes. In keeping with the spirit of the OG event in 1621, the menu can draw from the different cultures that make up these great United States. It's also a golden opportunity to serve an inclusive meal that reflects how modern folks like to eat today, whether it be vegetarian recipes, vegan Thanksgiving ideas, dairy-free or gluten-free Thanksgiving recipes. Even without the big ole turkey, these recipes are so delicious, there's guaranteed to be plenty of gobbling.
Vegan Pumpkin Risotto with Crispy Sage
Pumpkin and sage come together beautifully in a luscious risotto that doesn't require constant stirring. For vegans, it's a fantastic main course that feels festive.
Cherry Bourbon-Glazed Ham
There's no reason to reserve ham for just Christmas and Easter. It's lower maintenance than roast turkey and, dare we say, more juicy, flavorful and beloved?
Get the Cherry Bourbon-Glazed Ham recipe.
Beef Wellington
Win Thanksgiving with this absolute showstopper of a main course. Serve it with buttery mashed potatoes and simple roasted carrots and you've got a stunning holiday meal that'll have guests asking, "Turkey who?"
Get the Beef Wellington recipe.
Everything Bagel Crusted Salmon
For an impressive seafood main, roast a whole side of salmon. It cooks much more quickly than turkey and feels elegant and special.
Vegetable Torte
Talk about celebrating the harvest! This beautiful vegetarian pie is layered with butternut squash, kale and potatoes and gets amazing flavor from two kinds of cheese. It looks like a laborious project but only takes 15 minutes to prep.
Get the Vegetable Torte recipe.
Lasagna with Meat Sauce
There are so many things to love about this cozy crowd-pleaser: homemade pork ragu, three types of cheese and easy no-boil noodles. Let's add one more thing to the list — it only gets better as it sits so it's the ideal dish to make ahead!
Get the Lasagna with Meat Sauce recipe.
RELATED: 50 Best Casserole Recipes for the Ultimate Comfort Food
Peppercorn Beef Tenderloin with Horseradish Cream Sauce
Eyes will light up when they see this platter land on the dinner table. With a rosemary-peppercorn coating and punchy horseradish sauce, this beef tenderloin is truly wow-worthy.
Get the Peppercorn Beef Tenderloin with Horseradish Cream Sauce recipe.
Creamy Chicken Potpies
Pies are traditional for Thanksgiving but who says they have to be sweet? Potpies are welcome at any gathering. Why? Because they bring nostalgia-filled joy and serious comfort.
This recipe is one of actress Tiffani Thiessen's many delicious creations from her best-selling cookbook, Pull Up a Chair: Recipes from My Family to Yours.
Get the Creamy Chicken Potpies recipe.
Short Ribs with Creamy Polenta
Lack of oven space is a major dilemma on Thanksgiving but you won't have that problem with these Instant Pot short ribs. Get impossibly tender meat in a deeply flavored sauce without hours of braising.
Get the Short Ribs With Creamy Polenta recipe.
RELATED: 50 Easy Instant Pot Recipes to Make the Most Out of Your Appliance
Best Ever Fried Chicken
The great thing about fried chicken is you can still serve those time-honored Thanksgiving sides, like mashed potatoes, gravy and cornbread.
Get the Best Ever Fried Chicken recipe.
Pozole Rojo
This hearty Mexican stew of pork shoulder is fit for a feast. Guests can garnish their bowls with all the fixin's: avocado, crema, white onion, sliced radishes, corn tortilla chips and lime wedges, just to name a few.
Get the Pozole Rojo recipe.
Quinoa-Stuffed Acorn Squash with Cranberries and Feta
Stuffed with Swiss chard and thyme-infused quinoa, this vegetarian main feels so festive for fall. The salty-sweet combo of feta with dried cranberries really takes it over the top.
Get the Quinoa-Stuffed Acorn Squash with Cranberries and Feta recipe.
Coq au Vin Rosé
Thanksgiving is a grand occasion to enjoy wine — take advantage of that by making this creamy, French-inspired stew with an entire bottle of rosé.
Get the Coq au Vin Rosé recipe.
Hasselback Potatoes
Switch up your T-Day spuds with these crispy hasselback potatoes topped with scallion butter. The presentation looks fancy but it's actually easy to achieve!
Get the Hasselback Potatoes recipe.
Butter Chicken Meatballs
Enjoy gravy for Thanksgiving, by way of India, in this cozy curry that you can scoop up with rice or naan — or both!
Get the Butter Chicken Meatballs recipe.
RELATED: 50 Homemade Meatball Recipes That Make the Perfect Family Dinner
Spinach and Artichoke Mac 'n' Cheese
If you think combining mac and cheese with everyone's favorite party dip is outrageous, just wait 'til you try the crushed Ritz cracker topping!
Easy Seafood Paella
There's just something about paella that says "party" with a capital P. This one's crammed full of clams, shrimp and squid, which add fantastic flavor to the rice.
Get the Easy Seafood Paella recipe.
Hasselback Butternut Squash with Maple Brown Butter
Really, butternut squash has no right to look this beautiful but we are thrilled for its glow-up. Hasselbacking lets the maple syrup brown butter seep into every nook and cranny.
Get the Hasselback Butternut Squash With Maple Brown Butter recipe.
RELATED: 32 Easy Butternut Squash Recipes Perfect for Cozy Fall Dinners
Chimichurri Cauliflower Steaks
Cauliflower never gets accused of being too exciting, but in this plant-based main, the cruciferous veg shows plenty of pizazz.
Steak Au Poivre
People often think of steak au poivre as a restaurant-only dish but this intimate dinner for two is pretty easy to make a home. You'll also save at least a C-note when you DIY.
Get the Steak Au Poivre recipe.
RELATED: 83 Steak Recipes That Make Dinner at Home Feel Extra Fancy
Susan (she/her) is the Senior Food Editor at Good Housekeeping, where she leads wine, spirits, and drinks coverage and helps shape food content across platforms. In the Kitchen & Cooking Lab, she develops and rigorously tests recipes, drawing on experience that spans Food & Wine, Food Network, three meal kit companies, a Brooklyn wine shop, and Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California. A graduate of Brown University, she has also collaborated on over a dozen cookbooks and cocktail books.
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