Alternatives to Turkey for Thanksgiving: 15 Delicious Dinner Ideas
on Sep 08, 2024
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Do you really love the side dishes of Thanksgiving but feel indifferent towards the turkey? Although it’s tradition, there is no reason to make a turkey if you don’t really enjoy it. If you’re looking for alternatives to turkey for Thanksgiving this year, you’re not alone!
Here are 15 delicious recipes to choose from if turkey did not earn a place on your Thanksgiving menu.
Table of Contents
- 15 Delicious Alternatives to Turkey for Thanksgiving Dinner
- Indian Thanksgiving Dinner Menu
- Chinese Feast for Thanksgiving
- Italian Buffet Makes a Great Alternative to Turkey for Thanksgiving
- Tacos Instead of Turkey: Mexican-Inspired Thanksgiving Ideas
- Other Popular Alternatives to Turkey for Thanksgiving
15 Delicious Alternatives to Turkey for Thanksgiving Dinner
The traditional Thanksgiving meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, and all the trimmings is not for everyone. Plenty of people are searching for non traditional Thanksgiving dinner ideas, as turkey has fallen out of favor for many people, some grocery stores are experiencing a turkey shortage and more people decide they’d just rather have something else!
There are all sorts of delicious alternatives for your Thanksgiving dinner! If you’re looking for a new idea for Thanksgiving this year, consider a culturally inspired meal or any of the more traditional, aka fancy recipes, linked below!
Indian Thanksgiving Dinner Menu
My family loves Indian cuisine.. It’s easy to take the traditional United States Thanksgiving menu and create an Indian-inspired menu from it. Simply adding Indian spices to the dishes results in a delicious Thanksgiving feast. Indian food also incorporates a lot of vegetarian dishes. This makes it easier to accommodate different diets of your guests. Indian Thanksgiving recipes might include:
- Whole tandoori chicken
- Butternut squash
- Cranberry chutney
- Palak Paneer
- Vegan Shami Kebabs
- Green beans poriyal
- Naan
- Rice Pilaf
Chinese Feast for Thanksgiving
Who doesn’t love Chinese food? Our favorite Chinese dishes are relatively simple and easy to make. It’s the perfect alterantive to turkey when you don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen. My family would definitely enjoy creating homemade Chinese food for a non-traditional thanksgiving dinner. A Chinese Thanksgiving menu might incorporate:
- fried rice
- homemade egg rolls
- homemade cashew chicken
- beef with broccoli
- egg drop soup
I’m hungry just thinking about it.
Italian Buffet Makes a Great Alternative to Turkey for Thanksgiving
If you’re thinking of what else to make besides turkey, try an Italian buffet or homestyle meal. Use homemade tomato sauce and dried herbs from your garden for a more authentic flavor. Traditional Italian recipes are always a hit. Stick to your family’s favorites. My Italian Thanksgiving menu would look like this:
- build your own homemade pizza
- classic spaghetti and meatballs
- lasagna
- Italian inspired salad,
- homemade garlic bread
- tiramisu for dessert
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Tacos Instead of Turkey: Mexican-Inspired Thanksgiving Ideas
We eat tacos all the time at our house because it’s one menu everyone loves. For a national holiday, I spice it up a bit and make my standard taco bar a bit fancier. I also add in other side dishes such as corn bread or corn casserole. You can add Mexican desserts or stick to the traditional pumpkin and pecan pies of Thanksgiving. A Mexican themed Thanksgiving menu would include:
- taco meat
- guacamole
- cowboy caviar
All delicious items to serve on a Mexican themed table.
Delicious Alternatives to Turkey for Thanksgiving
Here are 15 main dish alternatives to turkey your family will ask for year after year!
Another recipe I consider a fancy meal - roast rack of lamb! I've never actually cooked a rack of lamb before, but these directions make it seem pretty easy!
If your family is a steak and potatoes kind of family, they'll this easy New York Strip Steak recipe from Little Family Adventure!
Get helpful tricks and tips in this marinated beef tenderloin recipe to make a delicious tenderloin for your holiday meal! Recipe includes an easy homemade marinade and horseradish dipping sauce too.
I've never made a roast duck, but I have eaten in in Paris and it's always a delicious hit! If you've been considering duck, here's a recipe to try!
Learn how to make delicious homemade egg rolls with this easy recipe and tutorial! We really love homemade egg rolls! They are a bit time consuming to make, but well worth the effort.
If you're looking for a vegetarian main dish to serve this year as an alternative to turkey for Thanksgiving, I think you'll like this cornbread, mushroom, and kale stuffed pumpkin! How pretty is this dish?
Homemade lasagna is always a crowd pleaser - especially when you use Chef Dennis' recipe. I've made his bolognese and I can attest to its deliciousness! Take the fancy up a notch by making it in single serve dishes like they do in restaurants!
Another creamy seafood pasta I would adore being served on Thanksgiving - creamy lobster pasta!
Raclette is a fun, interactive meal adventurous family members will enjoy if they love cheese! Cooking is at a minimum with this fun idea because your family and guests will cook their meals tableside!
A classic British dish, Beef Wellington is seared filet mignon encased in herbed mushrooms & prosciutto then wrapped into individual pockets of flaky, golden-brown puff pastry. I love that this recipe also has make-ahead and freezing instructions provided.
My kids revolt if turkey is the only protein on the menu. They much prefer a ham instead of turkey. This Bourbon Glazed Ham sounds absolutely amazing!
I've had several creamy garlic seafood pastas at restaurants recently and they always leave me wanting more! Why not serve a fancy pasta instead of turkey this Thanksgiving?
A taco bar is a great treat! My family requests these salmon tacos often. You could serve them up with your favorite beef taco meat as well. Add homemade guacamole, fresh crema, beans, and rice and your family will have a feast they'll always remember!
Learn how to make a prime rib for your family this Thanksgiving! What a fancy treat your family will thoroughly enjoy.
This easy pork roast is prepared in your instant pot and takes considerably less time to prepare than a turkey. If your family loves pork, this might be a recipe to try!
Other Popular Alternatives to Turkey for Thanksgiving
Once I let go of the holiday season expectations, I found that I love making Thanksgiving dishes with a twist. I start with the traditional Thanksgiving menu:
- Cranberry Sauce
- Turkey
- Sweet Potatoes
- Corn
- Pumpkin Pie
- Mashed Potatoes
- Green Bean Casserole
- dinner rolls
and then I simply add a different spin to my Thanksgiving dinner dishes. Sometimes my holiday menu has small tweaks to the classic dishes. Other times, I take inspiration from other cuisines and create a whole new menu such as the Indian Thanksgiving menu above. if you love the standard side dishes of Thanksgiving and just want main dishes besides turkey, try these other cuts of meat:
- pot roast
- pork tenderloin
- duck breasts
- pork roast
- pork loin
- glazed ham
- individual pot pies
- roast chicken
If sweet potato casserole and green beans are not your thing, try mixing and matching other Thanksgiving side dishes. You could even group several vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes for side dishes together for a complete meal.
- Spaghetti squash
- Brussels sprouts
- Apples
- Pineapple
Whatever you choose to eat for Thanksgiving this year, make sure to grab my printable Thanksgiving Planner to you plan and execute an amazing holiday meal!
