50 Non-traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas

The last few years have definitely brought challenge and change to our world. Here is a list of 50 Non-traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas to help us all embrace change and celebrate all that we have to be grateful for.

Thanksgiving is a fantastic way to kick off the season of Thanks and Gathering. I love this season and everything it is about. Every year, I dive right into tradition and look forward to all things I've grown to expect. 

Last year we made a lot of adjustments. This year looks more normal for us, but some of the changes brought about are staying with us. Like always, our family is going to choose gratitude. Things may never be everything we were used to, but we have so much to be grateful for. 

Thanksgiving Recipes for Smaller Gatherings

If you are having a small group or just your immediate family for Thanksgiving dinner, you may want to skip roasting a whole turkey. Check out these options for traditional flavor without the huge bird.

Air Fryer Turkey Breast

Air Fryer Turkey Breast - Garlic and fresh herb-seasoned turkey in the air fryer - moist and juicy on the inside with a crispy, golden brown skin on the outside.

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast - This Healthy Table

This is the easiest way to cook a turkey breast.

Roast Turkey Breast Recipe - The Kitchen Girl

Bone in turkey breast half that's juicy inside with lightly crispy skin. Baked turkey breast is ready in an hour and perfect for two!

Garlic Mayo Glazed Turkey Breast - Sweetpea Lifestyle

Garlic Mayo Glazed Turkey

Buttery Roasted Turkey Thighs

Replace your whole turkey with these Roasted Turkey Thighs. Seasoned with honey and spicy harissa paste, these will be a hit for a holiday dinner!

Simple Recipes to Save Time

Simplified recipes can still deliver traditional flavor without the hours of cooking. Try these streamlined recipes and recipe mash-ups to condense the Thanksgiving flavor into fewer dishes.

Bacon Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

Crispy bits of bacon, sweet onions, and balsamic are the perfect punch of flavor for perfectly caramelized Bacon Balsamic Brussels Sprouts.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potato Hash - Delicious by Design

Roasted Brussel Sprout and Sweet Potato Hash is the perfect sheet pan side dish. Bright and colorful vegetables roasted with a sweet and spicy glaze make a sumptuous combination.

Apple Herb Stuffed Turkey Breast Recipe - Dish 'n' the Kitchen

This Apple Herb Stuffed Turkey Breast Recipe is perfect for when you're craving turkey but don't want to deal with brining and baking a whole turkey. Perfect for 2 or 4 with no leftovers!

Instant Pot Chicken & Stuffing with Gravy | Mom's Dinner

All made in the Instant Pot! Stuffing rolled into tender chicken breasts & finished w/ gravy. Thanksgiving style dinner you can have any time of the year!

Lazy Sweet Potato Mash (with variations) - GypsyPlate

These lazy mashed sweet potatoes may be the easiest side dish you ever made! Oh, they're also delicious and nutritious!

Instant Pot Green Bean Casserole - Flavor Mosaic

Save time and oven space by making a Green Bean Casserole in the Instant Pot. It is easy, delicious, and doesn't heat up the kitchen.

Slow Cooker Chicken Stuffing Green Bean Casserole

Slow Cooker Chicken Stuffing Green Bean Casserole is an easy weeknight meal the whole family will love! Tastes like Thanksgiving dinner!

Turkey & Stuffing Roll-Ups with Cranberries | One Hot Oven

Easy Turkey and Stuffing Roll-Ups with Cranberries has all the classic flavors of a big turkey dinner made in a casserole with all the sides.

Cranberry Orange Chicken Thighs - Real Food with Sarah

Homemade cranberry sauce and chicken thighs come together for the perfect combination. This Cranberry Orange Chicken will impress everyone!

Fall Vegetable Pot Pies - a rustic holiday dish - Seven Roses

These delicious home-style Fall Vegetable Pot Pies are stuffed with a rainbow of creamy fall veggies, including root vegetables, carrots and romanesco broccoli, and covered by a puff-pastry crust. What a satisfying, comforting meal!

Non Traditional Side dishes

Switch things up completely with new, fresh side dishes this year.

Butternut Squash and Mushroom Risotto

Thus butternut squash and mushroom risotto is easy to make and impressive enough for company. Learn how to make risotto at home with the easy vegetarian butternut squash recipe.

Cheesy Brioche and Chorizo Stuffing - KendellKreations

Mushroom Rice Pilaf

This Mushroom Rice Pilaf recipe is made with hearty cremini mushrooms sauteed with sage, garlic, and white wine. These earthy ingredients perfectly flavor long grain rice and create a tasty side dish in 40 minutes that might upstage your main course.

Instant Pot Wild Rice Pilaf Stuffing

This delicious wild rice stuffing will be a hit at your holiday dinner. Flavorful and tender wild rice served along with apples, oranges and pomegranate and walnuts. This vibrant vegan and gluten free vegetarian rice is full of amazing flavors and textures.

Loaded Cheesy Cauliflower Bake - Kathryn's Kitchen

This low-carb and keto-friendly Loaded Cheesy Cauliflower Bake is made with the same fixings as a loaded baked potato! Easy, cheesy and delicious!

roasted fuyu persimmon, pear, brussels sprouts, and radish

A super colorful and delicious fall dish with roasted persimmon, Asian pear, brussels sprouts and purple daikon. healthyfeels.com #vegan #thanksgiving

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup - Delicious by Design

Sweet, spice, and a touch of cream make this Roasted Butternut Squash Soup a great way to celebrate the change of seasons this fall.

Cheesy Zucchini, Squash and Corn Bake - Kathryn's Kitchen

This Cheesy Zucchini, Squash and Corn Bake is loaded with sliced zucchini, squash, corn and cheese! Perfect for all holidays and potlucks!

Carrot And Parsnip Mash - A Vegan & Low Calorie Tasty Root Vegetable Mash

Make this delicious and healthy carrot and parsnip mash. It is completely vegan and very low on calories. Read more about different variations of this mash.

Go Wild with Fall Inspired Salads

No Thanksgiving dinner is complete without a beautiful salad. Try these fun fall salads for a colorful addition to your table.

Kale and Quinoa Salad - Delicious by Design

Update your lunches or add a sophisticated side to the menu by making this Kale and Quinoa Salad with Garlic Balsamic Dressing.

Hasselback Potato Salad | The Devil Wears Salad

This Hasselback Potato Salad is no ordinary potato salad. Enjoy those crunchy edges while still fluffy on the inside. Perfect side salad!

Roasted Pumpkin and Beetroot Salad | Maple + Mango

This hearty Roasted Pumpkin and Beetroot Salad recipe is the perfect fall/winter salad or holiday side dish. Delicious, beautiful and easy to make!

Persimmon Salad with Candied Hazelnuts and Coconut | The Devil Wears Salad

We love it when persimmons are in season! We always take advantage of this sweet and crunchy fruit to make a Persimmon Salad to remember!

Roasted Delicata Beet & Feta Salad

Tender roasted delicata squash and beets sit atop crisp arugula coated in a light orange vinaigrette for a delicious fall salad punched up with crumbled feta and crispy pumpkin seeds.

Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad

The BEST Brussel sprout salad with kale, cranberries, pomegranate, and sunflower seeds in apple cider vinaigrette. Also known as Brussel sprout slaw.

Thanksgiving Menu Ideas for Special Diets

Show the people with special diets how grateful you are for them this Thanksgiving with some super special dishes made just for them.

Paleo Roasted Cauliflower Recipe with Lemon-Tahini Sauce

This Roasted Cauliflower Salad is quick, easy, and off-the-charts delicious. Try it for tonight - as a side, or as the main. Everyone will love in the family!

Mini Vegetarian Pot Pies

These mini vegetarian pot pies have a creamy frozen veggie filling and puff pastry topping. They're great for Thanksgiving or cold evenings.

The Best Keto Mashed Cauliflower Recipe | Wholesome Yum

Learn how to make mashed cauliflower super smooth & creamy! Only 4 ingredients for the BEST keto mashed cauliflower recipe (aka low carb cauliflower mash).

Vegan Loaded Mashed Potato Bowls - Jar Of Lemons

Vegan loaded mashed potato bowls! So delicious and perfect for holiday leftovers. Vegetarian and gluten free, also. Grab the recipe on Jar Of Lemons!

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

This Vegan Green Bean Casserole is a must for your holiday table! The tender veggies are wrapped in a savory mushroom sauce, topped with crispy fried onions, then baked until hot and bubbly.

Succulent Roast Seitan Turkey Recipe for Thanksigiving or Christmas

Try this insanely succulent roast seitan turkey, perfect for special occasions, Sunday Roast, Thanksgiving or Christmas. Featuring a fully flavored outer layer, meaty textured centre encapsulating scrumptious cranberry stuffing. This vegan roast is incredibly moreish and will have you wanting to mak…

Easy Pecan Pie Recipe (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free) - Dish by Dish

This easy pecan pie recipe has a pecan filling held together by a light and flaky crust. No corn syrup used, gluten-free and dairy-free too.

Easy Cornbread Stuffing (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free) - Dish by Dish

This easy cornbread stuffing is made with cornbread, vegetables, and herbs for incredible flavor and taste. Gluten-free and dairy-free.

Yummy Pumpkin Pie Rice Pudding Trifle (Vegan +Gf) - Carve Your Craving

Pumpkin Pie Rice Pudding Trifle is a crowd friendly fusion dessert for holidays. This vegan & gluten free recipe is great for Christmas & thanksgiving.

The Best Vegan Mushroom Wellington with 8 Ingredients - Vegan Punks

This is the ultimate Vegan Mushroom Wellington! You need just 8 ingredients and 50 minutes. It's one of the best ways to level up a roast dinner!

Spiky Thyme Cranberry Quinoa - Delicious by Design

This Spiky Thyme Cranberry Quinoa is a striking balance of bright and earthy flavors that will compliment any meal. Easy to make, Gluten Free, and a true crowd please.

Unique Thanksgiving Desserts

Try fun, unique Thanksgiving Desserts this year. Think all-things-fall with these amazing takes on our traditional favorites.

Mini Pumpkin Trifle Recipe - Pumpkin Desserts - Cooking Journey Blog

Mini pumpkin trifle is an easy pumpkin pie in a glass, which is great for Thanksgiving or any other celebration, when your oven is busy. This is a great no bake fall dessert, decorated with homemade caramel candy.

Easy Baked Apples | Downshiftology

Baked apples are a simple, cozy dessert the whole family will love and filled with warm spices, oats, nuts, and raisins.

Easy No-Bake Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie with Maple Cookie Crust | Chenée Today

An easy, fluffy no-bake pumpkin cream cheese pie! This pumpkin mousse pie is one of the best no bake pumpkin desserts for Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Pecan Dump Cake

A small-batch pumpkin dump cake recipe with pecans and fall spices -- the this pumpkin pecan dump cake is the perfect mini dump cake for fall!

The Award for Most 2020 dessert definitely goes to Scotch & Scone for their Sourdough Pumpkin Cake. If this recipe doesn't speak to the year, then nothing does.

Sourdough Pumpkin Cake with Pumpkin Spice Glaze - Scotch & Scones

Sourdough Pumpkin Cake is bursting with pumpkin spice, rich chocolate, & is topped with a spiced glaze. Hide your sourdough discard here!

Classic Thanksgiving Dinner is still in fashion!

If you want to preserve tradition this year, then check out these classic thanksgiving recipes.

Sweet Potato Casserole with Butter Pecan Topping - Delicious by Design

Sweet Potato Casserole with Butter Pecan Topping is sweet, salty, and has just the right amount of spice. It is the perfect addition to the holiday table.

Roasted Glazed Carrots

Roasting carrots is a simple way to create a beautiful, healthful side dish for any occasion. These Roasted Glazed Carrots are no exception with the beautiful sweet and spicy glazed baked on to delicious, tender carrot halves.

Cinnamon Orange Cranberry Sauce - Delicious by Design

Homemade Cranberry sauce with orange and cinnamon punch up and modernize an old standard.

Whipped Potatoes - KendellKreations

My buttery Whipped Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes have become one that I am known for. My family REQUIRES them at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Whether you choose tradition or dive it change, I hope you have a fun, healthy, and happy Thanksgiving!

Never miss a new recipe from Delicious by Design! Sign-up below for weekly recipes directly in your inbox.