Celebrate Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving this year with a flavor-filled feast of Indian-Inspired twists to classic Thanksgiving recipes! We're talking about a lovely fragrant upgrade to plain cranberry sauce, roasted tandoori chicken or turkey or cauliflower for vegetarians, and sweet samosas filled with pumpkin pie.
Your guests are going to be raving about how you stand out this year.
I've rounded up 25 options of appetizers, side dishes, main dishes, drinks, and desserts that are tried, tested, and true! So many of these recipes have made it to my own Thanksgiving spread or comes highly recommended from personal friends.
At the end, I've also provided my tips and tricks to hosting a successful Thanksgiving feast at your home. It also includes an editable sample menu to help plan out the dishes for each course.
Jump to:
- Appetizers
- Side Dishes
- Main Dishes
- Drinks
- Desserts
- Thanksgiving Leftovers
- How to Prepare for Hosting Thanksgiving Ahead
- Sample Thanksgiving Dinner Menu
- More Thanksgiving Content
Appetizers
For appetizers, you'll want a few quick options that are low effort to put together but keep your guests happy and busy. This gives you a chance to finish off any side or main dishes while they mingle and munch on the appetizers.
Usually, I go with a classic crowd-pleasing cheese appetizer and another option that's vegetable forward for balance. They are so easy to make, a little helper in the kitchen can definitely prepare them in the morning or afternoon before guests arrive.
Cranberry Pistachio Goat Cheese Log
5 from 4 votes
Decorate a holiday-themed Cranberry Pistachio Goat Cheese Log for the festive season! With just 5 simple ingredients and 5 minutes of your time, this honeyed cheese log with orange zest is perfect for a charcuterie board or as a cheese appetizer for your dinner party.
Cranberry Pistachio Goat Cheese Log Recipe
Achaari Deviled Eggs
5 from 3 votes
These Indian-Style Achaari Deviled Eggs are an easy 30 minute crowd-pleasing appetizer for games days or holidays! The filling is mixed with sweet and tangy garlic achaar, or whichever bold Indian chutney or achaar your heart desires.
Check out this recipe ‣
Mango Chutney Puff Pastry Brie Bites
5 from 6 votes
Serve up a desi twist to your guests with these Baked Mango Chutney Brie Bites. The creaminess of brie cheese with the sweet and tangy notes of mango chutney are encased in a golden, flaky pastry shell and topped with crunchy almonds. These appetizers are perfect for passing around at a party.
Check out this recipe ‣
Kachumber Salad
Here’s a traditional Kachumber Salad recipe by Tea for Turmeric that you can make in 5 minutes! This recipe shares fun variations, add-ins, and pairing ideas.
Mushroom Matar Galette
Buttery scratch made pastry filled with a north Indian spiced mushroom & peas make this galette a fun Indian fusion recipe by Sinfully Spicy. Serve it with green chutney and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese for a savory addition to your dinner table.
To keep the Galette simple, skip the pastry dough made from scratch and purchase a pie crust from the grocery store. Alternatively, you can make the pastry dough a few days beforehand and freeze it.
Side Dishes
Undoubtedly the best part about Thanksgiving: the Side Dishes. We're talking breads, winter veggies, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and always some type of pasta.
Indian spices and chutneys make all of these side dishes vibrant and ridiculously flavorful.
Chutney Cheese Brioche Rolls
5 from 4 votes
Soft and buttery brioche dinner rolls filled with cilantro-mint chutney and cheese make these Chutney Cheese Brioche Rolls a hit at the table!
Chutney Cheese Brioche Rolls Recipe
Garam Masala Oven Roasted Carrots
5 from 6 votes
Garam Masala Oven-Roasted Carrots are an easy-to make side dish that takes just a few minutes to prep! Carrots are simply tossed in oil, ginger garlic paste, and garam masala. They're topped in toasted, crunchy almonds and tart dried cranberries.
Garam Masala Oven Roasted Carrots Recipe
Spiced Ginger Cranberry Sauce
5 from 6 votes
Easy homemade Spiced Ginger Cranberry Sauce is an Indian twist to a classic. The cranberry sauce is paired with orange juice, ginger, and fragrant hints of cardamom, star anise, and cinnamon.
Spiced Ginger Cranberry Sauce Recipe
If you want something a bit more complex than a Cranberry Sauce, give Cranberry Chutney a try! It's sweet, tangy, and has green chili for just a bit of spice.
Cranberry Chutney
5 from 4 votes
Vibrant sweet, savory, and tart Cranberry Chutney is bursting with flavor to accompany your holiday meals. This fruity chutney is full of warming spices for a festive addition to glaze hams, top cheese and crackers, or pair with a roasted turkey.
Cranberry Chutney Recipe
Honey-Roasted Delicata Squash with Pomegranates and Walnuts
5 from 4 votes
Learn how to honey roast delicata squash to make this delicious side dish! Topped with pomegranates and walnuts, this is dish is going to stand out on your dinner table.
Check out this recipe ‣
Tadka Mashed Potatoes
5 from 2 votes
Spice up your favorite side dish with a delicious pour of tempered spices in ghee over classic buttery and fluffy mashed potatoes! These Tadka Mashed Potatoes are topped with an Indian twist of tempered aromatics and spices to add a punch of flavor. Serve 'em up as a side dish for a weeknight dinner or add them to your Thanksgiving Day spread!
Tadka Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Masala Macaroni
This Indian Masala Macaroniby Sinfully Spicy is made with macaroni, vegetables and spices. It is buttery and spicy with no cheese.
Spicy Bombay Potatoes
These Spicy Bombay Potatoes or Masala Aloo by Piping Pot Curry are a great appetizer or side dish to any meal. Make them as a one-pot dish in just 20 minutes!
Main Dishes
A perfect roast turkey is the centerpiece to your Thanksgiving table. It's what everyone will talk about during and after the meal! I love these various options for using a tandoori marinade to roast a turkey, chicken, or even cauliflower if you've got vegetarians! It's gorgeous, vibrant, unique, and so flavorful.
Whole Oven-Roasted Tandoori Chicken
5 from 7 votes
Marinated in a vibrant blend of yogurt, aromatic spices, and herbs, this spatchco*cked Whole Roasted Tandoori Chicken is a bold and flavorful main dish to impress your guests. It's roasted and broiled to crispy, charred perfection in an oven that mimics using a tandoor.
Whole Tandoori Chicken Recipe
Tandoori Turkey
This Indian inspired tandoori turkey by Nish Kitchen featuring succulent and flavorful roast turkey marinated with homemade tandoori paste is a game changer.
Whole Roasted Tandoori Cauliflower
Whole roasted spicy-tandoori cauliflower by Ministry of Curry is garnished with pickled onions, pistachios, and pomegranates served alongside cooling cucumber raita.
If you're looking for a second vegetarian-friendly main dish, then a veggie pot pie and vegan Wellington are impressive, hearty options.
Air Fryer Vegetable Pot Pie
Layers of puff pastry on a ramekin with vegetables in a Vegan sauce, this Air Fryer vegetable pot pie by Herbivore Cucina is great for the Holidays!
Vegan Wellington
Impress your guests with this gorgeous Vegan Wellington by Vegan Huggs! The filling is meaty, satisfying and ever-so-tasty! It’s surprisingly easy to make too!
Drinks
Try an apple-flavored slushie for kids or co*cktail for the adults!
Spiced Apple Cider Slushie
5 from 3 votes
Best part about fall? Visiting local farms for apple picking, fresh apple cider, and apple cider donuts! Take home the cozy memories with this Spiced Apple Cider Slushie that you can make in your own kitchen with only a blender!
Spiced Apple Cider Slushie Recipe
Caramel Apple Sangria
Super easy to make with great fall flavors, this delicious caramel apple sangria by Sweet Tea and Thyme will be a huge hit at your next holiday gathering!
Your guests are going to be ready to take a nap on your couch.. and then they'll never leave after you cooked them a wonderful feast. Don't forget the chai!
Masala Chai (Tea)
5 from 89 votes
There's nothing as good as the perfect cup of Masala Chai whether it's in the middle of summer or for cozying up in the winter. Black tea is simmered with warming and fragrant spices and is best served with Parle-G biscuits or cake rusk for dipping.
Masala Chai Recipe
Desserts
Trust me, you're going to want to try a pumpkin pie in samosa form. They're a must-have and highly requested at Garg Thanksgivings!
Garam Masala Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
5 from 4 votes
A classic Sweet Potato Casserole spiced with garam masala and sweetened with jaggery is a delicious addition to a Thanksgiving spread. It's topped with pecans and toasted marshmallows and can be served as a side dish or a dessert!
Garam Masala Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
Pumpkin Pie Samosas
4.80 from 5 votes
Looking to impress this fall season? Substitute your Thanksgiving pumpkin pie with these pumpkin pie samosas! The rich, flaky, crispy fried dough coated in cinnamon sugar with a delicious and simple pumpkin pie filling is next level!
Pumpkin Pie Samosas Recipe
Pumpkin Halwa
5 from 5 votes
This creamy Pumpkin Halwa, or kaddu ka halwa, is the perfect fall dessert for celebrating Indian festivals. Fresh pumpkin is simmered down into a pudding-like consistency and topped with toasted cashews and golden raisins. It's incredibly rich in flavor and suitable to enjoy for breakfast or a light evening dessert.
Pumpkin Halwa Recipe
Chocolate Cardamom Pudding
This15 minute,egg-freechocolate pudding issilky smooth with a sophisticated cardamom flavour by End of the Fork.
Thanksgiving Leftovers
Transform your cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie leftovers into muffins for breakfast or sweet milkshakes!
Leftover Cranberry Sauce Coffee Cake Muffins
5 from 14 votes
Stuck with a ton of leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving Day dinner? Make these scrumptious bakery-style Coffee Cake Muffins with layers of cranberry sauce! They're topped with a sweet buttery crumble for a perfect breakfast treat served with coffee.
Leftover Cranberry Sauce Coffee Cake Muffins Recipe
Leftover Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie Milkshake
5 from 4 votes
Found yourself with leftover pumpkin pie from Thanksgiving? Use up those leftovers and toss a slice into a blender for a delicious quick and easy Pumpkin Pie Milkshake.
Leftover Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie Milkshake Recipe
How to Prepare for Hosting Thanksgiving Ahead
If you're hosting Thanksgiving, it can be extremely overwhelming!
Here are some of my favorite tips for prepping your kitchen as well as your menu ahead of time.
Prepping your Kitchen and Home
- Clear out as much space in your refrigerator and freezer as possible the week prior.
- Choose your dishes and make a grocery list 2 weeks beforehand. Continue to refine it up to a week before Thanksgiving.
- Go grocery shopping 3-4 days before Thanksgiving.
- Try storing everything for one recipe in one part of your refrigerator or store it in large ziploc bags! Put a sticky note with the name of the recipe and list of ingredients in the bag so you know exactly what you need to grab.
- Prep all the kitchen equipment you need and take note of the appliances you will be using at what time for which recipe. This is especially important if you will be multitasking in the kitchen.
- Focus on cleaning only the areas that guests will occupy - like your kitchen, dining room, living room, and bathrooms. I promise you don't need to do all of your laundry and power wash your backyard before guests come.
- Grab some extra tupperware containers so you can pack up leftovers for your guests.
- Consider printing out a menu to send beforehand or place somewhere near the food so people know exactly what they're eating.
- Delegate what you can to other family members and friends so you can enjoy the day, too! Don't be shy.
Prepping your Menu Ahead of Time
- Be serious about what you think you are able to accomplish in the week leading up to Thanksgiving. Making cranberry sauce or a casserole is easy, yes. You can definitely knock that out. But it's easy enough that a family member or friend can follow your preferred recipe so you can spend 30 minutes doing something else.
- Cranberry sauce can be made up to a week ahead and it'll taste amazing! Just keep it in an airtight container. When ready to serve, just transfer it to a small serving dish.
- A lot of dishes can be frozen ahead of time and defrosted in time for dinner. Curries freeze really well.
- Make casserole the day before because they reheat really well and the flavors only get better the next day.
- Prep all the vegetables as soon as you receive them. Mince them, portion them, and get everything chopped up as needed. Store them in ziplocs with labels on them so you know which dish you need them fore.
Cheers to stress-free entertaining and Happy Thanksgiving!
Sample Thanksgiving Dinner Menu
Don't get overwhelmed by the options! Here's a sample Indian-Inspired Thanksgiving dinner menu with all of my favorite recipes.
Feel free to edit this template I made for you on Canva.
More Thanksgiving Content
- Achaari Deviled Eggs
- Masala Chai Tres Leches Cake
- Whole Roasted Tandoori Chicken
- Cranberry Chutney
See more Thanksgiving →
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