Thanksgiving is the ultimate celebration of food, family, and gratitude. And while the turkey often takes center stage, the main dish sets the tone for the meal. In this collection, I’ve gathered standout main course ideas—whether you’re hosting a cosy gathering or a full-scale family reunion—that bring comfort, creativity, and flavour without stress. We’re talking turkey with a twist, vegetarian mains that shine, and dishes built around seasonal produce and smart technique.
Why These Thanksgiving Main Dishes Matter
A great main dish is more than just a protein on a plate. It anchors the table, creates a visual and flavour focal point, and gives guests something memorable to talk about. When you opt for mains that have bold seasoning, beautiful presentation, and room for sides to shine, you’ve set yourself up for success.
Key Elements to Look For in Thanksgiving Main Dishes:
- Texture & contrast – crisp skin, tender meat, or vibrant vegetable centre.
- Seasonal produce – root vegetables, winter squash, citrus, nuts.
- Make-ahead ease – techniques that ease day-of stress (brine, roast ahead, warm hold).
- Inclusive options – vegetarian or vegan mains that are as compelling as their meat counterparts.
Featured Favorites From the Collection
Here are a few highlights from the roundup of Thanksgiving Main Dishes:
- Golden Garlic Roast Turkey with Golden Turkey Gravy – A classic turkey elevated by a garlic-turmeric kefir brine that gives flavour, fragrance, and exceptional golden skin.
- Veg-Table/Chana Masala Pumpkin Pots – Roasted sugar-pie pumpkins filled with chana masala and served over warm forbidden rice—vegetarian mains can be show-stoppers, too.
- The Flavor Equation: Baked Sweet Potatoes with Maple Crème Fraîche – If you love sweet potatoes in any form, this is one that stands out in technique and taste.
Each of these mains captures one of the key pillars: flavour, visual appeal, and ease.
How to Build Your Main Course Strategy
- Choose one hero dish for the table—this is your main that steals the show.
- Plan sides around it—because a strong main dish gives your other recipes space to shine.
- Prep smart—brine your meat, roast ahead, and hold warm if needed.
- Balance colours & textures on the plate—think crisp turkey skin, vibrant squash, glossy vegetables.
- Don’t dismiss the vegetarian option—a powerful veg-forward main means less stress and more inclusivity.
Final Thought
Your Thanksgiving main dish doesn’t have to feel intimidating, yet it deserves to feel elevated. Whether you stick with tradition or try something bold and new, pick a dish that honours the season, delights your table, and lets you enjoy the moment—not just cook it. Your side dishes already bring the magic, so let your main dish be the anchor that ties it all together.
🍂 Ready to explore every main dish in the collection?
- For vibrant sides that pair beautifully: Thanksgiving Side Dishes
- For gorgeous dessert inspiration for hosts: Thanksgiving Desserts
Golden Garlic Roast Turkey with Golden Turkey Gravy
This is my easy version of a roast turkey that’s highly unfussy. The turkey is brined in a mixture of kefir that contains lots of garlic and turmeric, which gives it a wonderful fragrance and color. The brined turkey is then brushed with olive oil, coriander, and pepper before being roasted slowly at a very low temperature in the oven. The result is a juicy, tender, and flavorful bird.
Veg-Table/Chana Masala Pumpkin Pots
Orange and black! Visually, everything about this dish screams Halloween to me and I even considered carving these little pumpkin pots into jack-o’-lanterns. In this recipe, roasted sugar pie pumpkins are filled with chana masala and then served over a bed of warm forbidden rice. For Thanksgiving or any fall dinner, this makes a delicious and seasonally spectacular entrée.
The full recipe for this dish is available in my cookbook, Veg-Table
The Flavor Equation: Baked Sweet Potatoes with Maple Crème Fraîche
I love sweet potatoes put it in a savory or sweet situation, I’m game to eat it. This was one of the most popular recipes as scored by my recipe testers and also featured by Eater , and I think you will love it!
Diana Henry’s Baked Sweet Potatoes with Marinated Feta And Black Olives
I’m up for any excuse to eat sweet potatoes, especially the orange-yellow fleshed variety. This simple yet powerful combination of savory, briny, and sweet puts this recipe by legendary cookbook author Diana Henry from her classic Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons (Aster, 2024) in the comfort food category.
Roasted Romanesco With Garlic Yogurt
The combination of pistachios and poppy seeds adds texture to the Romanesco, while the final drizzle of melted ghee gives it that extra edge of nutty flavor. You can make this dish with a whole cauliflower, too; remember to cook it till the outside is crispy while the inside is thoroughly cooked and soft.
This recipe first appeared in my column at The San Francisco Chronicle (November 2018)
Veg-Table/Royal Cauliflower Roast with Almond Cream
This is an elegant entrée based on the creamy shahi (which means “royal”) dishes of the Moghul empire. It commands attention on a swanky dinner table. Bring it out after all the guests are seated, and use your best serving platter to present it as dramatically as possible.
The full recipe for this dish is available in my cookbook, Veg-Table