22 Thanksgiving dishes that put new spins on classic recipes

Should you use your apples to make a pie, a crumble, a cake, or a crisp? The answer may actually be “none of the above,” as we’re absolutely obsessed with apple fritters right now. But instead of individual pastries, make this ridiculously moist and flavorful Amish apple fritter bread from Kitchen Fun With My Three Sons.

If you’re like us and think everything is better wrapped in bacon, check out this bacon-wrapped turkey recipe from Little Sunny Kitchen. The lattice design looks complicated, but this show-stopping Thanksgiving centerpiece is actually surprisingly simple.

Plain Brussels sprouts are bitter and unappetizing. But how to choose from all the variations out there? Should you make balsamic Brussels sprouts? Maple? Brussels with bacon? We can’t choose…so how about all three? If you think it can’t be done, Healthful Blondie will make you think again with a balsamic maple Brussels sprouts recipe that’s roasted on a baking sheet.

We’ve had beer-brined turkey and we’ve had beer-basted turkey, but beer can turkey is by far the best. Unlike other recipes, this version from Food Network doesn’t require a smoker — just a grill — but you’ll want to use a turkey sitter (or a special beer can stand) to get the bird to stay upright. The recipe also tells you how to make a dry rub made from garlic powder, mustard powder, dried onion, granulated garlic, paprika, cumin, and salt and pepper.

The rules regarding exactly what goes into stuffing are already relatively lax, so this dish is a perfect opportunity to try something new. This stuffing from She Loves Biscotti features both chestnuts and Italian sausage, and you can make it ahead of time!

Very few foods wouldn’t benefit from the addition of chocolate, especially desserts. With that in mind, we encourage you to try adding a layer of chocolate atop your pumpkin pie. With this recipe from Kevin is Cooking, you can also give the pie a chocolate crust!

Remember what we said about everything being better with bacon? Cranberry sauce is no exception…sort of. Instead of the classic cranberry sauce, make this crazy-good cranberry bacon jam from The Forked Spoon. Eat it by itself, with turkey, on veggies, or — best yet — paired with brie cheese atop a tasty cracker or piece of fresh-baked bread. 

If you’re used to getting your biscuits from a tube, this one’s really going to blow your mind. This fancy biscuit recipe from Food & Wine swaps the buttermilk for crème fraîche, a common condiment used in French confections.

When we say the words “green beans,” “crispy,” and “baked” around Thanksgiving, green bean casserole is the first thing everyone thinks of. Swap this standard side dish with another that uses the same adjectives right in the name: crispy oven-baked green bean fries. Try this version from I Heart Vegetables, which uses panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and a few other simple ingredients.

Instead of traditional Thanksgiving stuffing, swap it out for traditional Czech Easter stuffing. That may sound odd, but hear us out, as this delicious dish is made with ham, white bread, eggs, milk, spinach, parsley, garlic, butter, and a few herbs and spices. Cook Like Czechs can tell you how to make it.

As an alternative to the same old cranberry sauce, try this Georgian plum sauce. It’s so common in the Eastern European country that it has been called their ketchup. And, as Happy Kitchen explains in their recipe, it’s perfect for everything from roasted vegetables and grilled food to salad dressings.

Casseroles can’t be limited to just the green bean and sweet potato varieties — so if you’re looking for a different dish but still want to include potatoes, try a hash brown casserole. Shredded potatoes, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, chopped onion, and melted butter combine in this Colby cheese-covered recipe from Spend With Pennies that’s a copycat of the casserole made famous by Cracker Barrel.

Cornbread is a classic, but it could use some extra flair this Thanksgiving. Answering the call is this moist, buttery cornbread from Butter Be Ready, which includes both jalapenos and cheddar cheese, and is served with a special scallion butter. 

Basic mashed potatoes can be so bland — and butter and green onions aren’t enough to spice them up. Instead, add some actual spice with this version from Allrecipes that imitates the flavor of a jalapeno popper. Like the popular pub appetizer, this dish also calls for jalapenos and cream cheese, as well as garlic, sour cream, and salt…and yes, green onions and butter, too.

Folks from the Midwest know what Johnny Marzetti is, but let’s educate the rest of the country — and suggest a swap for traditional mac & cheese, while we’re at it. Named after a Columbus, Ohio, Italian restaurant owner’s relative, Johnny Marzetti contains macaroni, cheese, beef and/or sausage, and tomato sauce. This recipe from NeighborFood features ground beef and also adds mushrooms and green peppers to the mix.

Macaroni pudding is a classic British recipe, but it doesn’t contain cheese, so we’d have a hard time sneaking it onto our Thanksgiving table in place of mac & cheese. Instead, we’re going to make this Southern-style macaroni pudding from Southern Living that contains three cups of cheese but is just as creamy as the British version thanks to plenty of milk, and even richer because of all the butter. 

With all the meat, starch, and dessert options, sometimes it’s hard to find room for vegetables on the table. Our solution: Try swapping the mashed potatoes out for mashed cauliflower. It may not sound exciting at first, but this recipe from Wholesome Yum also includes cool and creamy cream cheese, as well as olive oil, butter, garlic, and sea salt.

Pavochon is probably new to you, unless you’re familiar with Puerto Rican cuisine. Think of it as a turkey seasoned like a suckling pig and roasted, and usually packed with mofȯngo, which is made from mashed plantains, garlic, and crispy pork skin. Sense & Edibility can help you make sense of the whole thing.

One of the most unique biscuit recipes we’ve seen is this gem from Food & Wine for potato and celery root biscuits. The novelty lies in the inclusion of a potato-and-celery-root mash made from chopped Yukon Gold potatoes, chopped celery root, butter, heavy cream, sea salt, and a bit of thyme. It also requires a bit of time, as the mash needs to chill for about 4 hours.

No, that’s not a photo of mashed sweet potatoes — it’s mashed Yukon Gold potatoes mixed with pieces of pumpkin. (Who says only dessert dishes should include pumpkin?) As this recipe from Taste of Home will tell you, it’s as simple as boiling pumpkin and potatoes (separately), mashing them (separately), and mixing them together with milk, butter, salt, and pepper.

This article is all about bucking tradition, and what’s more traditional than an apple pie? This tweak is so obvious that you’ll wonder why you never thought of it before (we know we did): a salted caramel apple pie. This recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction doesn’t just show you how to assemble the pie, but it also includes recipes for the pie crust and the salted caramel topping.

We know it’s tempting to mash up your sweet potatoes and top them with marshmallows, but perhaps you could try this sweet potato gratin recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking instead. It’s both richer and creamier thanks to the addition of milk, heavy cream, parmesan, and — our favorite ingredient — gouda.