Thanksgiving might just be the greatest holiday ever (hello, pumpkin pie 4 life), and I’m so excited to share all of the best Thanksgiving recipes with you. I included a delicious mix of appetizers, salads, mains, sides, and desserts for you to pick and choose from for the big day, PLUS a printable menu for you to write in your recipes!
Whether you’re hosting for the first time or heading to a family member’s house, these unique, healthy twists on traditional Thanksgiving recipes are guaranteed to impress.
Take a scroll, pick out your favorites, and be sure to leave a comment to tell me what you think! I’d love to see your Thanksgiving creations, so share any photos in our Facebook group and be sure to tag #AmbitiousThanksgiving on Instagram.
FREE Ultimate Thanksgiving Guide (+ printable checklist!)
Whether you’re hosting or just attending, this Ultimate Thanksgiving Guide email series is for everyone. Enter your email below to get all of my best recipes, tips, and a FREE printable checklist for all of your Thanksgiving needs.
GF = Gluten Free
V = Vegan
VT = Vegetarian
** = Monique’s favorites
Thankful for all of you each and every day. Enjoy, xoxo!
Handhelds
- Parmesan Crusted Crostini with Pear, Walnuts & Hot Honey VT
- Apple Cheddar Galette with Crispy Herb Cheddar Crust VT
- Crispy Cacio e Pepe Potato Stacks VT, GF **
- Scallion Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Mushrooms VT **
- Pear, Walnut & Cheddar Puff Pastry Tart VT
- Slow Cooker Sweet & Spicy BBQ Cranberry Turkey Meatballs
- Crispy Parmesan Roasted Potatoes with Garlic, Lemon & Herbs VT, GF
- Ricotta and Pear Crostini with Salty Pumpkin Seed Pistachio Crunch
- Bacon Wrapped Dark Chocolate + Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates GF **
- Apple & Brie Crostini with Hot Honey
- White Cheddar Brussels Sprouts & Pistachio Crostini with Hot Honey VT
- The Best Garlic Bread You’ll Ever Eat
- Crispy Smashed Potatoes VT, GF **
- Sweet & Spicy Bacon-Wrapped Plantains GF
- Tortilla Chip-Crusted Baked Jalapeño Poppers VT, GF
- Roasted Grape & Brie Crostini with Honey + Sea Salt
- Buffalo Chicken Meatballs with Bleu Cheese Yogurt Dip GF
Dips
- Roasted Garlic Whipped Feta Dip VT, GF
- Creamy Jalapeño Spinach Artichoke Dip VT, GF
- Vegan Jalapeño Butternut Squash Queso V, GF
- Vegetarian Three Cheese White Bean Buffalo Dip VT, GF
- Bubbly Hot Chicken Enchilada Bean Dip GF
- Hot Honey & Basil Pepperoni Pizza Dip GF
- How to Make Super Creamy Hummus (+5 different flavor variations!) V, GF
- Roasted Garlic Tahini Carrot Dip
- Garlic Olive Oil Dip V, GF
- Whipped Feta Yogurt Dip with Hot Honey, Basil & Toasted Almonds VT, GF
Drinks & Cocktails
- Rebecca’s Pomegranate Margarita
- Apple Cider Hot Toddy
- Monique’s Naughty & Nice Holiday Punch
- Spicy Blood Orange Margarita
- Rebecca’s Mulled Wine
- Grapefruit Margarita
Salads
- Manchego Apple Kale Farro Salad VT
- Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad GF **
- Asiago Arugula Pear Salad VT, GF **
- Warm Roasted Vegetable Harvest Couscous Salad VT
- Brussels Sprouts Kale Honeycrisp Apple Salad with Maple Cider Dressing V, GF
- Vegan Caesar Salad V, GF
- Roasted Carrot Cauliflower Quinoa Salad with Sunshine Dressing V, GF
- Autumn Butternut Squash Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad GF
- Winter Roasted Butternut Squash Black Lentil Salad V, GF **
- California Roasted Sweet Potato Kale Salad V, GF
- Roasted Sweet Potato, Pear & Pomegranate Spinach Salad VT, GF **
- Italian Chopped Brussels Sprouts Salad GF
- Chickpea Apple Broccoli Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing VT, GF **
- Shredded Brussels & Kale Salad with Apple, Gorgonzola & Candied Pecans VT, GF
- Butternut Squash and Kale Salad with Pomegranate, Toasted Almonds + Goat Cheese VT, GF
Meat-Forward Mains
- Herb Butter Maple Roasted Turkey GF **
- Spinach Bacon Pumpkin Mac and Cheese GF ** (easily vegetarian without the bacon!)
- White Chicken Chili Pie with Pumpkin Cornbread Crust
- Groovy Skillet Chicken with Thyme Parmesan Mushroom Gravy
- Blow Ya Mind Cheddar Broccoli Chicken Pot Pie
- One Pot Cheesy Mushroom Spinach Beef Pasta GF
- How to Make an Easy Roasted Chicken GF
- Oh So Good Chicken Meatballs in Pumpkin Coconut Curry Sauce GF
- Lightened Up Chicken Pot Pie
- Cheddar-Stuffed Sweet Potato BBQ Meatloaf GF **
- Pesto Mushroom Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups
- How to Spatchcock a Chicken GF
- Butternut Squash, Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole GF
- The Best Healthy Turkey Lasagna You’ll Ever Eat GF
- Saucy Baked Pumpkin Pasta GF **
Vegetarian Mains
- Cozy Roasted Vegetable Butternut Squash Lasagna GF
- A Simple, But Fabulous Stove-Top Mac and Cheese (with optional herby golden bread crumbs!) VT **
- Spicy Brown Butter Goat Cheese Pasta with Sweet Corn & Honey Roasted Butternut Squash
- Mom’s Ultimate Vegetarian Lentil Loaf V, GF
- Brown Butter Acorn Squash Pasta with Toasted Hazelnuts + Sage
- Vegetarian Spinach Pumpkin Lasagna GF
- Cilantro Pesto Pasta with Roasted Pumpkin & Honey GF
- Cranberry Pecan Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash with Goat Cheese Crema GF
- Easy Vegan Mac and Cheese V, GF
- Brown Butter, Ricotta & Butternut Squash Baked Bucatini
Hearty Sides
- Parmesan Bacon Sourdough Mushroom Stuffing
- Roasted Garlic and Herb Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes (so creamy!) VT, GF **
- Dad’s Creamy & Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes VT, GF
- Perfect Homemade Turkey Gravy GF
- Gluten Free Cornbread Muffins VT, GF
- The Best Cornbread Stuffing Ever VT, GF **
- Lightened Up Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Oat Streusel VT, GF **
- The Best Creamy Garlic Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes VT, GF **
- Garlic Fingerling Potatoes (V, GF)
- The Best Fluffy Moist Cornbread Recipe Ever VT
- Homemade Slow Cooker Baked Beans GF
- Lightened Up Brown Butter Mashed Sweet potato (with a slow cooker option!) VT, GF **
- Honey Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins VT **
- Chipotle Gouda Scalloped Sweet Potatoes VT
- 15-Minute Homemade Orange Cranberry Sauce V, GF **
- Brown Butter Cranberry Pumpkin Cornbread Skillet VT
Vegetable Sides
- Mushroom & Brussels Sprouts Au Gratin with Crispy Parmesan Walnut Panko ‘Fried’ Onion VT
- The Best Homemade Healthy Green Bean Casserole VT, GF **
- Spicy Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan & Chili Crisp VT, GF **
- Sesame Roasted Vegetables and Chickpeas with Garlic Tahini Yogurt Sauce VT, GF
- Twice Baked Butternut Squash GF
- Sesame Roasted Vegetables and Chickpeas with Garlic Tahini Yogurt Sauce VT, GF
- Roasted Garlic Cheddar Cauliflower Soup VT, GF
- Sesame Garlic Roasted Asparagus V, GF
- Balsamic Herb Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables V, GF
- Maple Glazed Roasted Carrots with Pistachios & Goat Cheese VT , GF **
- Caramelized Garlic Carrots with Spicy Cilantro Yogurt Sauce VT, GF
- Cheddar Broccoli Cauliflower Gratin VT
- Vegan White Bean & Roasted Butternut Squash Soup V, GF
Pies, Cakes & Crumbles
Making a pie? Start with my BEST all butter pie crust recipe, and top it with my homemade whipped cream!
- Best Ever Healthy Pumpkin Pie**
- Marbled Pumpkin Snacking Cake GF
- Salted Maple Bourbon Sweet Potato Pie**
- Dark Chocolate Cheesecake with Salted Nutella Ganache
- Apple Snacking Cake with Salted Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- The Best Tart Cherry Pie You’ll Ever Eat**
- Tony’s Very Favorite Dutch Apple Pie**
- World’s Best Banana Cream Pie (with peanut butter cookie crust!)
- Blow Ya Mind Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting GF
- Cinnamon Walnut Pear Crisp GF
- Mini Paleo Pumpkin Pies with Gingerbread Cookie Crust GF
- Best Healthy Apple Crisp Ever V **
- Deep Dish French Silk Pie **
- Brown Butter Apple Coffee Cake
- The Best Paleo Chocolate Cake with Paleo Chocolate Frosting GF **
Cookies & Bars
- Salted Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Cream Pies with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Filling
- Brown Butter Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- Truly Exceptional Salted Banana Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- The Best Bakery-Style Soft Peanut Butter Cookies
- Healthy Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Salted Maple Frosting GF **
- Chocolate Chunk Toasted Marshmallow Ginger Cookies
- Grain Free Snickerdoodles GF
- Vanilla Brown Sugar Oatmeal Latte Cookies with Espresso Icing
- Old Fashioned Iced Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies **
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cream Pies with Fluffy Peanut Butter Filling
- Taylor Swift’s Soft Chai Sugar Cookies with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
- The Best Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies You’ll Ever Eat **
- Peanut Butter Cup S’mores Chocolate Cookies
- Not Your Mama’s Magic Cookies
- Grain Free Tahini Brownies (the best brownies I’ve ever eaten!) GF **
- Brown Butter Snickerdoodles Cookies **
- Blow Ya Mind Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies V, GF **
- Pistachio, Coffee & Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- Vegan & Paleo Pecan Pie Bars V, GF
- Flourless Monster Cookies GF
- Apple Pie Bars with Salted Peanut Butter Caramel GF
- White Chocolate Macadamia Snickerdoodles
- Paleo Pumpkin Pie Bars with Almond Flour Sugar Cookie Crust GF
- Ooey-Gooey Salted Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Bars GF
- Paleo Ginger Molasses Cookies GF **
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD OUR PRINTABLE MENU
And don’t forget to grab our FREE printable checklist for hosting!
I hope you love these delicious Thanksgiving recipes! If you make anything from AK, be sure to tag #ambitiouskitchen on Instagram. I love seeing your creations and featuring followers!
Hey Monique, I just want to say thank you! You are SO talented and I’m so glad you chose to make Ambitious Kitchen, it has helped me so much! I have been married for 10 years and it has been many years of trial and error for me when it comes to cooking. No one ever taught me to cook but I have wanted to learn so badly to cook well for my family. I have gotten better but it’s been frustrating at times for sure. I’ve tried lots of cookbooks and Pinterest recipes but none have helped as much as you! I randomly saw you on TV cooking pancakes (I always struggle getting pancakes right!) so I was intrigued and that’s how I discovered you. I got your cookbook and I love picking recipes off your website. Anything I make my husband thinks could be served in a restaurant. Your recipes are so flavorful, nutritious, made with “normal” pantry staple ingredients, simple to make, and everything is so delicious! There isn’t one recipe I have tried that I have not liked. I spent the week making almost all of your fall salads, they are all so great! My husband loves how nutritious everything is. And for my kids I can modify a little and it’s a great dinner for them too. You are so talented. You are an expert on flavor. I love making dinner and trying your recipes. It’s helping me grow confidence in cooking for my family and for others too, which I have always desired to do. Just wanted to let you know some of the impact your making. Im so grateful, thank you!!
Hi Kristen! Wow, I’m SO happy to hear that you’ve been finding delicious, nourishing recipes here for years. Your comment is why I do what I do, and it means so much that these recipes are fitting into your life in a positive way. Thank YOU for being here! I so appreciate it!
Such a great list! Thank you. Also thank you for so many GF dessert options for Thanksgiving. Your list shows brown butter pumpkins snickerdoodles as GF but when I click the link there is no reference I saw about gf flour or substitute. Is there a different recipe like this that is gf? I tried a quick search but didn’t see anything. Thanks!!
Oops, you’re right! Sorry about that. These grain free snickerdoodles are gluten free!
Thank you for this round up! I’m looking at the Garlic Chili-Maple Roasted Butternut Squash & Brussels and definitely the new lightened up green bean casserole. About to head to the farmers market now 🙂 THANK YOU Monique and Abra! (And Tony for taste tasting through the years? 😉
Amazing! Hope you love them 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving from all of us!
Thank you for this round up! I’m looking at the Garlic Chili-Maple Roasted Butternut Squash & Brussels and definitely the new lightened up green bean casserole. About to head to the farmers market now 🙂 THANK YOU Monique and Abra! (And Tony for taste tasting through the years? 😉
Amazing! Hope you love them 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving from all of us!
Vegan charcuterie? Garlic bread? Mac n’ cheese? Lentil loaves? Sweet potato casserole? AND…VEGAN APPLE CRISPS AND PUMPKIN PIE?! Where is my invitation to this Thanksgiving party??? But in all seriousness, I absolutely adore this collection of recipes! Such a splendid way to show off your culinary creativity!
All of the goods here for Thanksgiving! Thanks, Cassie 🙂
Vegan charcuterie? Garlic bread? Mac n’ cheese? Lentil loaves? Sweet potato casserole? AND…VEGAN APPLE CRISPS AND PUMPKIN PIE?! Where is my invitation to this Thanksgiving party??? But in all seriousness, I absolutely adore this collection of recipes! Such a splendid way to show off your culinary creativity!
All of the goods here for Thanksgiving! Thanks, Cassie 🙂