Tired of the same old Thanksgiving classics? This list of Alternative Thanksgiving Meals is sure to give your Thanksgiving dinner a welcome update!
It’s that time of year; the grocery stores shelves are stacked with all kinds of things for the holiday season.
Of course you have the classic recipes like sweet potatoes, green beans and pumpkin pie. But why not start a new tradition?
The main course for your Thanksgiving table doesn’t need to have those classics. You can still serve delicious recipes on your Thanksgiving menu that change the game a little.
What's In This Article
Turkey Dinners
Maybe you still want that traditional Thanksgiving meal, but aren’t feeding enough people to justify making a whole turkey? These turkey breast recipes are the answer!
Still full of all of that delicious Thanksgiving turkey flavor, making a turkey breast is a great solution to hosting a smaller crowd.
Orange Sage Turkey Breast with Creamy Sherry Sauce
Orange Sage Turkey Breast with Creamy Sherry Sauce is a flavorful and easy meal made with sherry cooking wine, fresh oranges and a sweet cream sauce.
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Stuffed Turkey Breast
Oven roasted turkey breast doesn't get any better than this Stuffed Turkey Breast! Perfect for any weeknight, not just Thanksgiving!Oven roasted turkey breast doesn't get any better than this Stuffed Turkey Breast! Perfect for any weeknight, not just Thanksgiving!
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Herb Mayonnaise Roast Turkey Breast
Herb Mayonnaise Turkey Breast is a delicious roast turkey breast perfect for Thanksgiving dinner. Easy to make in a fraction of the time of a whole turkey.Herb Mayonnaise Turkey Breast is a delicious roast turkey breast perfect for Thanksgiving dinner. Easy to make in a fraction of the time of a whole turkey.
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Spicy Honey Grilled Turkey
Spicy Honey Grilled Turkey is perfect for throwing on the grill for a quick and easy meal time solution!
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Chicken Dinners
From cornish game hens to stuffed chicken breasts, these chicken dinners will be a welcome addition to your spread on Thanksgiving day.
Roasted Cornish Hens
Roasted Cornish Hens are basted with a fresh herbs olive oil, roasted for browned crispy skin and finished with a zesty butter garlic sauce.
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Baked Chicken Thighs
Flavorful and crispy baked chicken thighs basted with a garlic lemon butter sauce. An easy chicken dinner in the oven.
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Stuffed Chicken with Apple Gravy
Award winning Stuffed Chicken with Apple Gravy uses pine nuts, spinach, currants and garlic to flavor the chicken. A savory apple gravy finishes off this easy dinner recipe!
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Crock Pot Apple Balsamic Chicken recipe
Fork tender chicken breasts in a rich sweet sauce with less than 10 minutes of prep! Serve over noodles, rice or mashed potatoes.
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Braised Chicken Thighs
Chicken thighs braised in a white wine Dijon sauce and caramelized shallots, crispy bacon and tomatoes.
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Chicken Cutlets with Roast Tomato & Garlic
Breaded chicken cutlets with a roast tomato and garlic topping and balsamic sauce served over arugula.
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Chicken Caprese Recipe
This Caprese Chicken is sure to be one of your favorite grilled or baked chicken recipes. Juicy & delicious, it comes together with only 6 ingredients!
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Instant Pot Whole Chicken
Instant Pot Whole Chicken is so EASY! With a simple cooked chicken, you can make yourself a main dish or cooked chicken for multiple other recipes!
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Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken
Garlic Parmesan Chicken is an easy weeknight meal option that kids love! Just 6 ingredients and dinner is made!
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Chicken Marsala Recipe
This Chicken Marsala recipe is made in 1 pan in less than 30 minutes! Whip up this EASY dish with a rich creamy mushroom sauce on top of juicy chicken.
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Spatchcock Sheet Pan Chicken
Spatchcocking a chicken is an easy and ingenious way to break down a bird that guarantees gorgeous results every time.
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Chicken Cacciatore
Easy Chicken Cacciatore uses tender chicken in a tomato sauce with mushrooms, bell peppers, olives and herbs. Only takes 30 minutes from stove to plate!
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Easy Chicken Kiev
Thin chicken breasts stuffed with compound butter and covered in a light Panko breading, this Chicken Kiev is an easy dinner the whole family will enjoy!
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Creamy Asiago Chicken
Creamy Asiago Chicken is a tasty and easy chicken recipe that is perfect for a weeknight meal. Mushrooms, shallots and thyme flavor this delicious dish.
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How to Roast Chicken
Easy steps on how to roast chicken plus the mostly frequently asked questions about baking a whole chicken answered! Moist and flavorful chicken and vegetables in under 2 hours.
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Chai Tea Oven Roasted Chicken
Chai Tea Oven Roasted Chicken is a baked whole chicken rubbed with spiced herb butter, root vegetables and the earthy fall flavors of Chai tea.
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Fireman Chicken
Fireman Chicken, also known as Cornell Chicken BBQ, is a classic BBQ chicken marinade that originated in upstate New York, but is making its way through the states!
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Crispy Duck a l’Orange Recipe
Classic crispy duck a l’orange makes for a perfect holiday or special event dinner. Super juicy and flavorful meat with a crispy, seasoned skin.
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French Baked Chicken
Orange Marmalade with orange, tarragon and olives make this delicious, sticky crust for French Baked Chicken. Use on chicken halves or chicken breasts for a delicious French dinner recipe.
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Honey Lemon Garlic Chicken Recipe
Honey Lemon Garlic Chicken is an easy dinner recipe made with garlic and honey to make this sauce bright and tasty! Serve lemon chicken over pasta, rice or toasted couscous.
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Walnut Crusted Chicken Recipe
Walnut Crusted Chicken is a crunchy, oven-baked chicken with a zesty yogurt dipping sauce. Perfect for those craving crispy chicken cutlets, but without the fat.
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Chicken Piccata Recipe
Classic Chicken Piccata is an easy Italian recipe that comes together in less than 30 minutes and explodes with flavors of lemon, caper and shallot.
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Lemon Chicken Recipe
Lemon Chicken with Zucchini is a meal with classic, all-American flavors perfect for even the pickiest of eaters. Serve with long grain wild rice for a full meal.
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Beer Can Chicken Recipe
This Beer Can Chicken Recipe is made with a special blend of spices and a touch of sugar to make a zesty bark. Serve with Cola BBQ Sauce.
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Pesto Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe
Pesto Spinach Stuffed Chicken are chicken breasts stuffed with gooey mozzarella cheese, sun dried tomatoes and spinach. Marinated in a yogurt and basil pesto sauce, they are moist and flavorful.
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Pork Dinners
With recipes like a crown roast of pork on your dinner table, I promise no one will even be missing the turkey! Alternative Thanksgiving meals don’t get much better than this!
Hawaiian Pork Loin Recipe (Slow Cooker Recipe)
Bring the island flavors to the table with this simple, slow cooker Hawaiian Pork loin made with pantry staples and finished with an easy to make sauce.
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Herb Garlic Pork Tenderloin
One Pan Garlic Herb Pork is an easy weeknight meal that roasts juicy pork with vegetables all on one pan and in just 30 minutes!
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French Onion Pork Loin
This French Onion Pork Loin with potatoes, carrots, parsnip and onion is the perfect one-dish weeknight meal!
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Crock Pot Pork Loin Roast
Use your slow cooker to make a tender pork loin roast. Serve with onion gravy and mashed potatoes for a hearty comfort meal.
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Pineapple Balsamic Pork Chop Recipe
Pineapple Balsamic Pork Chops are a quick and easy meal that combine sweet balsamic vinegar and pineapple with garlic and onions for a well-balanced and easy meal!
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Apple Spiced Pork Tenderloin and Stuffing
Apple Spiced Pork Tenderloin is a pork tenderloin recipe that will blow you away with aromatic spices and an apple jelly glaze, surrounding with fresh apple and ham stuffing, all cooked on the same baking sheet.
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Butter Sage Cast Iron Pork Chop Recipe
Butter Sage Pork Chops are pan seared pork chops in a simple butter, garlic and sage sauce. Sear in cast iron and then finish in the oven for the best pork chop recipe ever!
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Honey Ginger Short Rib Recipe
Honey Ginger Short Ribs are a zesty and sweet, fall off the bone short rib recipe, braised to perfection and served with the best fried rice ever!
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Pork Chops in Crock Pot
These Crock Pot Pork Chops are the perfect family dinner. Super tender, cooked in BBQ sauce and a special spice rub, then smothered with bacon and cheese!
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Crispy Baked Pork Chops
If you've never made pork chops in the oven, this shake and bake Crispy Baked Pork Chop recipe is the best! It's even better than shake and bake!
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Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Sauce
Spiced Pork Tenderloin is tender pork rubbed with spices and roasted to perfection. The amazing aroma coming from the oven is just a holiday bonus!
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Grilled Stuffed Pork Chops
Grilled Stuffed Pork Chops are an easy grilled pork recipe. Herb marinated pork is stuffed with bread crumbs, herbs and Parmesan cheese and grilled to flavorful perfection in just 15 minutes!
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Crown Pork Roast
Crown Pork Roast is the perfect special occasion or holiday meal to serve for a crowd. Tasty and impressive presentation make this a winning pork recipe!
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Creamy Apple Pork Chops
Creamy Apple Pork Chops are a wholesome meal your whole family will enjoy. Mushrooms, apples, juicy pork chops in a savory cream sauce.
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Beef Dinners
As a turkey alternative, these beef recipes will take center stage. Perfect for special occasion of any kind, they’re a delicious alternative to making a whole bird.
Best Prime Rib Recipe (Standing Rib Roast Recipe)
The best prime rib recipes using a flavorful herb crust, Dijon mustard and zesty creamy horseradish sauce. Easy instructions and images!
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Garlic Butter Sirloin Steaks
This Garlic Butter Sirloin Steak recipe is melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Juicy sirloin with homemade garlic herb butter for ultimate flavor!
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Easy Beef Wellington
Beef Wellington a classic dish for a special occasion. Tender beef tenderloin is smothered in Dijon mustard, mushroom, shallot and proscuitto before being baked in a delicate puff pastry.
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Mini Beef Wellington
Mini Beef Wellington is one of the best party appetizers out there! Mini pieces of beef tenderloin seasoned with mushrooms, thyme, Dijon and prosciutto, all tucked into puff pastry.
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Steak Frites
A juicy seasoned steak over crispy French fried potatoes, topped with tangy maitre d’hotel butter and served with sauteed garlic mushrooms and onions.
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Baked Eye of Round Roast
This Baked Eye of Round Roast is the easiest way to make delicious roast beef in your oven! Slice your roast beef and serve with a flavorful gravy made from the drippings.
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Braised Brisket
A slow, red-wine Braised Brisket is the perfect EASY dinner with minimal effort. A prime cut of beef, slowly roasted and fall apart tender!
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Pan Fried Steak
How to make a Pan Fried Steak at home is easier than you think with my step-by-step instructions and easy steak seasoning!
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Reverse Sear Beef Tenderloin with Blueberry Sauce
Stunning Reverse Sear Beef Tenderloin recipe with a savory Blueberry Sauce and toasted Hazelnuts is the perfect celebratory roast for your holiday table!
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Sous Vide Steak
Sous Vide Steak Au Poivre is a sous-vide steak recipe worthy of an easy weeknight meal or a special occasion. New York strip is cooked to the perfect temperature and smothered in a creamy Au Poivre Peppercorn Sauce.
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Oscar Style Steak (Crab oscar)
Fork tender beef tenderloin filets topped with crab oscar and buttery sauce! Ready in under 30 minutes and the perfect romantic dinner idea.
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Coffee Crusted Beef Tenderloin Recipe
Coffee Crusted Beef Tenderloin will add a whole new flavor dimension to your roast! Serve with delicious whipped horseradish sauce.
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Crab Stuffed Beef Tenderloin
Crab Stuffed Beef Tenderloin takes a tenderloin and fills the center with buttered crab and caramelized onions, then baked to perfection with a black pepper bark.
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Cranberry Glazed Tri-Tip Roast Recipe
Cranberry Glazed Tri-Tip is a tender piece of beef that pairs perfectly with a sweet cranberry-orange glaze for a perfect roast on the grill, smoker or even in the oven.
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Balsamic Whiskey Sirloin Recipe
5 minutes and 5 ingredients for flavorful and tender sirloin steaks. Make them on the grill or in the oven.
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Mushrooms and Cheese Stuffed Flank Steak
Mushroom Cheese Stuffed Flank Steak is a delicious and succulent main dish with cheese, mushrooms and garlic.
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Garlic Butter Steak- Grilled Filet Mignon with Brandy Garlic Butter
Garlic Butter Steak is perfect for any occasion! Grilled filet mignon is perfect for a special date night or just for a typical weeknight meal!
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Capital Grille Porcini Rubbed Steak
Copycat Capital Grille Porcini Rubbed Delmonico is the perfect home date night dinner. An easy recipe filled with robust steak flavors and sweet balsamic reduction sauce.
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Seafood Dinners
Lobster and crab are sure to get your family in the holiday spirit! It’s the perfect way to add a festive touch to your big day. They take the cake when talking about alternative Thanksgiving meals.
Classic Seafood Paella
If you’re a seafood lover, you’ll adore this paella. My Classic Seafood Paella recipe gives you an easy, step-by-step paella for the paella novice.
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Seafood Mac and Cheese
This Seafood Mac and Cheese is super creamy with two types of cheese, seasonings, your favorite seafood and crunchy topping.
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Whole Stuffed Lobster
If you're looking for an elegant yet easy dinner, this Whole Stuffed Lobster recipe is for you! Made with simple pantry ingredients, it's sure to impress!
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Italian Seafood Stew Recipe
Italian Seafood Stew is a quick seafood recipe using couscous, tomatoes, currants and caper berries. This Italian stew comes together in just 20 minutes from start to finish!
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Baked Cod with Lobster Topping
Tender Bake Cod topped with buttery lobster chunks in a creamy topping and finished with velvety beurre blanc sauce.
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Seafood Fra Diavolo Recipe
Sweet and spicy tomato-based sauce simmered with tender seafood like shrimp, scallops, calamari and more.
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Stuffed Lobster Tail
Crab Stuffed Lobster Tails is the ideal dinner for a special occasion. You won’t beleive how easy they are to make!
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Lobster Mac and Cheese
Sweet lobster, creamy cheese & a crunchy panko topping come together to make the BEST Lobster Mac and Cheese recipe! Perfect for any elegant or casual meal!
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Best Broiled Lobster Tail Recipe
Broiled Lobster Tails are seasoned and basted with lemon butter (and a secret ingredient!) Ready in just 10 minutes!
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Crab Imperial
Baked Crab Imperial is a creamy and buttery masterpiece made with lump crab meat, fresh lemon and topped with bread crumbs.
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Vegetarian Dinners
Have a vegetarian in your life or not big on juicy meat yourself? These vegetarian dinners are perfect for non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner ideas.
Ricotta Stuffed Shells Recipe
If you're craving hearty Italian food but also a quick and easy recipe, these classic stuffed shells are what you're looking for.
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Pesto Tortellini with Asiago
With only 5 ingredients, Pesto Tortellini with Asiago is perfect for busy nights. Ready in only 15 minutes, it still packs huge flavor!
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Vegetarian Zucchini Lasagna
Satisfy your craving for Italian with this amazing low-carb EASY Vegetarian Zucchini Lasagna. It's comfort food minus the carbs!
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Roast Garlic Mac and Cheese
Cheesy, creamy and amazingly delicious Roast Garlic Mac n Cheese will be your new go-to holiday side dish recipe.
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