Thanksgiving
2220 recipes found
Cranberry-Pear Crumble Bars
Sweet pears and tart cranberries pair perfectly in these treats, which are part bar cookie, and part fruit crisp. Here, both crust and crumble topping are made from the same almond flour-rolled oat mixture mixture, giving it a nutty flavor. Precooking the filling allows the fruit to soften and release some juices ahead of time so the bottom crust stays nice and crisp. The result is a chewy, fruity cookie that just as easily a perfect afternoon snack as it is a paired with some ice cream for dessert. Choose pears that are on the firm side of ripe: Comice and Anjou both work great.
Mississippi Mud Pie
Mississippi mud pies come in all shapes and sizes: No two are exactly alike. They can have one layer, or five, and include ice cream or meringue, a flourless cake, nuts, fudge sauce and even brownie. This version, inspired by the towering beauty made by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito of Baked in Brooklyn and written about in their book, "Baked Explorations," features a graham cracker base, a dense brownie, chocolate custard and whipped cream. Needless to say, a little goes a long way. Share it with 16 to 32 of your closest friends. And a tip for serving: To ensure a clean release, give the underside and sides of the cake pan a 10-second blast with a hairdryer.
Easy Chocolate Fudge
“All candy-making is about preventing crystallization,” said Michael Chu, an engineer based in Austin, Tex., who writes about his kitchen experiments online at Cooking for Engineers. Mr. Chu’s chocolate fudge recipe, of which this is an adaptation, has the pleasantly cakey, almost sandy texture desirable in fudge, which can be tricky to achieve using milk and butter. He uses condensed milk to reduce the ingredients in the fudge to a mere three (salt is optional), and to eliminate the dreaded step of cooking the sugar syrup to the soft-ball stage. “The manufacturing process has already done that work for you,” he said.
Apple Pie
In 2013, one of the great pie makers in New York City was Kierin Baldwin, the pastry chef at The Dutch in the SoHo neighborhood. This recipe is adapted from hers, for a plain apple pie. It benefits from heeding her advice to pre-cook the filling before baking. “Apple pies that have crunchy, raw apples in them are a pet peeve of mine,” Ms. Baldwin said. Peel and core the fruit, cut it into slices, then macerate them in a plume of sugar. Cook these soft with a splash of acid (like lemon juice or cider vinegar) and a hint of cinnamon and allspice, then add some starch to thicken the whole. Allow the mixture to cool completely before using it in the pie. (For everything you need to know to make the perfect pie crust, visit our pie guide.)
Everything-Spice Phyllo Crackers
Here’s a cracker that bakes up flaky and buttery, no matter how much of a baker you may or may not be. There's no need for a whisk, mixing bowl or even flour: Just layer phyllo sheets with butter, top with everything-bagel seasoning (or other spices, or grated cheese), and slice them into squares or triangles of any size. Each cracker promises a joyful, shattering mess; a companion to wine, beer or something stronger; and the pleasure of knowing it was so easy to make. Each batch yields a bounty of crackers, but this recipe is also easy to scale.
Vegan Onion Dip
For the creamiest, dreamiest vegan onion dip, use a high-speed blender, if you have one. There is some down time in this recipe — soaking the cashews and letting the dip rest — but don’t be tempted to skip those steps. The cashews need to soak so they blend as smoothly as possible, and the finished dip benefits greatly from some time to let the flavors come together. Prepare it a day in advance and refrigerate overnight for best results.
Aloo Samosas (Potato Samosas)
Filled with a Punjabi-spiced potato and pea mixture, these samosas prioritize convenience without compromising flavors or textures. Use store-bought spring roll wrappers to make a big batch when you have time, then freeze the samosas to fry and serve as near-instant snacks for iftar, at parties or intimate gatherings with chai, or as low-fuss everyday cooking. With a crispy exterior and a filling citrusy with coriander and sweet from peas, these vegan samosas are perfect any time.
Broccoli Aligot
Traditional pommes aligot, from Aubrac, France, add enough cheese to mashed potatoes until they stretch like fondue. If you aggressively stir mozzarella cheese into a luxuriously creamy broccoli purée, you can get the same effect. This decadent side is a great accompaniment to a fancy steak dinner or your next holiday spread, and makes an indulgent filling to a baked potato. For best results, be sure to use only the deep-green tops of the broccoli florets. Using too much of the watery, light-green stem yields a purée that’s loose and lacks lusciousness. The rest of the broccoli can be used in an entire other dish: seared into steaks, shaved into a salad, chopped and tossed into stir fries, or employed in almost any recipe that calls for a head of broccoli.
Corn Casserole
Here is a from-scratch version of the classic corn casserole, a popular holiday side dish in the southeastern United States that is traditionally made using store-bought Jiffy cornbread mix. If you’ve never had corn casserole before, you’re really missing out: It’s like an incredibly moist cornbread studded with fresh corn kernels. (Frozen corn can be used in the cold weather months.) Two pounds of corn kernels are bound together with a simple batter of flour, baking powder, cornmeal, Cheddar, eggs, melted butter and sour cream, then poured into a baking pan, topped with more cheese, and baked until bubbly. Fresh rosemary and scallions, untraditional and optional additions, add savory notes that balance out the sweetness of the corn.
Cloverleaf Rolls
A basket of cloverleaf rolls might look humble sitting next to a burnished bird or a crown roast, but don’t underestimate its importance at a meal. Buttery and salt-kissed, the little pillows are essential from beginning to end. Start dinner with a warm roll, maybe two, split and swiped with butter. End it with another one or two used to mop up the delicious dregs of gravy. Throw in a few more in the middle because they are just too good not to. Let's hope it is a big basket. Thank goodness the recipe doubles easily. They're at their very best served warm.
Green Salad With Apple Cider Vinaigrette
With its delicate, crisp bite, this salad can be a simple addition to your holiday spread. Dressed with an acidic, lightly sweetened cider vinaigrette, it carries a lot of the bright notes of the season and uses ingredients you most likely have on hand. Green is the theme but not the rule, so any sour-sweet red apple will also work just great. The nuts are optional but add a hearty crunch.
Ombré Gratin
This stunning vegetarian Thanksgiving main dish belongs at the center of any table. Beneath a crispy, wispy golden crust of store-bought phyllo lies a gratin with layers of creamy autumnal vegetables in a colorful ombré pattern. Slice the vegetables very thinly using a mandoline for safety and ease (see Tip), and they’ll bake up tender and creamy. Because each vegetable has varying densities and sugar levels, they benefit from individual attention: Salt each layer zealously, as the vegetables need a significant amount to offset their natural sweetness, and they really soak up the sauce. The sweet potatoes and squash may be sliced before you start cooking, but the potatoes should be done later, to prevent them from oxidizing, and the beets, to prevent them from falling apart. This creamy root vegetable gratin is exacting, and requires some effort, but its wow factor justifies the labor.
Adobo Roasted Potatoes
Using a classic Puerto Rican adobo seasoning — an island staple blend of garlic powder, oregano and black pepper — this recipe yields simple, savory roasted potatoes. They pair well with grilled meat and seafood, or make for a flavorful addition to any vegetable plate. The seasoning mix can be doubled or tripled (or more), with the rest stored in the pantry as an all-purpose seasoning, as it’s often used in Puerto Rican cooking to add instant flavor to stewed meats, beans and more. Roasted potatoes will keep for at least a week in the fridge, so make a big batch to snack on, add them to salads and soups, or smash and fry them for breakfast home fries.
Citrus-Glazed Sweet Potatoes
These candied sweet potatoes work as a side dish for any dinner or holiday celebration by balancing citrusy sweet and savory flavors — and they also produce top-notch leftovers. Right out of the oven or the fridge, they are sure to add a pleasantly tart note to any meal. The braising liquid thickens as the tubers cook, resulting in a tangy glaze that coats every bite. Its acidity also helps the sweet potatoes stay intact with a slight bite even as they soften. The thinly sliced orange zest becomes tender and develops a marmalade-like taste. The shiny strips make for a beautiful garnish, along with the syrupy pan sauce.
Vegan Twice-Baked Potatoes
The best of both worlds, twice-baked potatoes give you the creaminess of mashed potatoes and the crispy skin of baked potatoes. Vegan butter and milk give this dairy-free version a silky texture, nutritional yeast and jammy-soft onions make it rich in flavor, while vinegar and chives lift and brighten. You could add grated vegan cheese to the filling, but these potatoes are chock-full of exciting bites as they are. Eat alongside a big green salad, BBQ tofu, tomato soup, vegan sausages or mushroom bourguignon.
Sweet Potato Fries
These addictive seasoned "fries" from Mark Bittman are actually baked, but we promise you won't miss the grease. The spice mix – garlic powder, paprika, salt and black pepper – can be used on regular potatoes as well (you'll just need to increase the baking time a bit).
Mashed Sweet Potatoes With Roasted Garlic
There’s no reason we can’t treat sweet potatoes like regular potatoes, meaning mashing them with butter, cream and lots of salt. Roasting sweet potatoes in the oven — individually wrapped in foil to help them steam — is not just a hands-off way to cook them by avoiding large pots of boiling water, it also concentrates their flavor. Roasted garlic is an easy addition here; since the potatoes already need an hour’s worth of oven time, the garlic can cook alongside. The mellowed, caramelized garlic cloves are then smashed into the silky spuds, creating a minimalist yet rich and savory side dish. Make this the night before and reheat it in a buttered casserole dish in the oven — or even in the microwave — with a couple of extra pats of butter on top, right before eating.
Roasted Butternut Squash
This is the simplest roasted butternut squash recipe, and it shows off the vegetable’s greatest qualities: custardy, sweet and nutty, with caramelized and crisp outsides. Cube the squash into 1-inch pieces, then drizzle generously with oil and salt. (If you’d like to use pre-cut pieces from the store, trim until they’re uniform in size for even cooking.) So that the squash browns efficiently, roast it on the bottom rack of a hot oven mostly on one side, then stir and cook for a few more minutes until tender. Squash this good can stand alone as a side dish, or costar in salad, soup, pasta or other meals. The roasted squash will keep, refrigerated, for up to 5 days. If you want to add ground spices, like spicy hot paprika or warming cinnamon, do so after the initial roasting when stirring. (You could also try Ali's roasted butternut squash with brown butter vinaigrette.)
Creamy Double-Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Roasted garlic is the secret to these deeply flavored mashed potatoes with a lively crunch from garlic chips. This dish takes a little more planning and prep than your average mashed potatoes, but it is well worth the effort. You can roast and fry the garlic and peel the potatoes ahead of time, storing the prepared potatoes submerged in water in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours before cooking. Feel free to use either red or russet potatoes here: Red potatoes will make a thick and creamy mash, while russets will yield a lighter and fluffier result (see Tip). If you run short on time, trim the garlic chips from your to-do list. Canned fried onions from your local supermarket, or fried shallots or fried garlic flakes from most Asian markets provide the same jolt of texture on top.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Honey, Almonds and Chile
Tossing sprouts with a simple honeyed vinaigrette brings out their natural sweetness, while roasting them helps develop their deep savory notes. To avoid soggy steamed sprouts, heat your sheet pan in the oven. When you add the sprouts to the hot pan, you’ll know by the accompanying sizzle that they’re on track. For a sunny jolt, top the charred sprouts with a drizzle of honey, sliced chiles tempered with a splash of vinegar, smoky almonds and fresh orange zest and juice.
Harissa-Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Red Onion
This simple salad is powered by two naturally sweet vegetables – sweet potato and red onion – but harissa, the popular north African spice paste, balances everything out. Harissa adds more than just a subtle heat to a dish; it injects smokiness, tang, richness and overall intrigue. When shopping, look for harissa that has a deep, brick-red color, a thick consistency and dried red chiles listed as one of the first ingredients. Cutting the sweet potatoes into wedges creates sharp edges so that they get crispy and golden in the oven. This dish is easily adaptable, and simple to make into a complete meal by adding roasted chickpeas, cooked lentils or grilled radicchio.
Hashed Brussels Sprouts With Lemon
A shower of lemon zest and black mustard seeds on a fast sauté of hashed brussels sprouts makes a traditional side dish with unexpected, bright flavors. Slice the sprouts a day or so before (a food processor makes it easy) and refrigerate until it's time to prepare them.
Fluffy Mashed Potatoes
For the silkiest fluffy mashed potatoes, start with firm, cool Russet Burbank spuds, also known as baking potatoes. They’re the easiest to mash without becoming pasty and are even tastier steamed instead of boiled. Boiling potatoes can leave them waterlogged, diluting their earthy subtle sweetness, but steaming them preserves their inherent flavor. As the potatoes soften, they absorb just the right amount of moisture. Seasoning the dish only at the very end heightens their intrinsic subtle sweetness. If you have a ricer, use it for an exceptionally smooth texture: Press the steamed potatoes through the ricer back into the pot, then gently fold in the butter and milk with a wooden spoon or flexible spatula.
Cheesy Hasselback Potato Gratin
This golden and glorious mash-up of potato gratin and Hasselback potatoes, from the acclaimed food science writer J. Kenji López-Alt, has been engineered to give you both creamy potato and singed edge in each bite. The principal innovation here is placing the sliced potatoes in the casserole dish vertically, on their edges, rather than laying them flat as in a standard gratin, in order to get those crisp ridges on top. Allow extra time for the task of slicing the potatoes, for which it's helpful to have a mandoline or food processor (though not necessary, strictly speaking). And do buy extra potatoes, just in case; you want to pack the potatoes tightly and keep them standing up straight.