Thanksgiving 2025 Recipe and Wine Menu

If you've been plagued with the question, "What should I make for Thanksgiving this year?", fret not. We have curated a full Thanksgiving menu that is both elegant and easy. Here's a breakdown of what our menu consists of for this year's theme: Cozy Harvest Table.

• Starters
  • Baked Brie with Jam
  • Blue Cheese and Fig Bruschetta with Honeyed Walnuts
  • Cranberry and Jarlsberg Tartlets
  • Roasted Eggplant Dip with Cheesy Herb Crackers
• Sides
  • Best Old Fashioned Bread Stuffing
  • Creamy Ricotta Mashed Potatoes
  • Zucchini and Spaghetti Lasagna
  • Classic Sweet Potato Pie
• Salads
  • Cherry Cranberry Sauce
  • Butternut Squash Autumn Salad
• Main
  • Maple Glazed Turkey Breast
  • Orange Marmalade Glazed Chicken
  • Boneless Fresh Ham Roast
  • Herb Crusted Turkey
• Dessert
  • Classic Pumpkin Pie
  • Brandy Caramel Apple Pie
  • Chocolate Pecan Pie
  • Pecan Tartlets
• Cocktails and Wine Menu
  • Cameron Hughes Lot 888
  • San Felice In Avane Chardonnay
  • Mulled Red Wine
  • Fresh and Easy Cranberry Margarita

🍂 A Season of Gratitude and Gathering

At Living the Gourmet, we've curated a collection of our favorite recipes from over the years and wine pairings to inspire your 2025 holiday table. Our table reflects the very essence of home, featuring classic harvest flavors with a light Mediterranean flair and sophistication. This roundup is thoughtfully crafted to help you celebrate with ease and style. So, grab your aprons, we have a holiday to prepare for!

Starters

• Baked Brie with Jam - This baked brie features the creaminess of French Brie mixed with a medley of sweet and spicy notes, courtesy of strawberry preserves, fresh fruit, and chili crisp. This is an elegant appetizer for any occasion needing a touch of delicious refinement.
• Blue Cheese and Fig Bruschetta with Honeyed Walnuts - This is perfect for when you need a quick yet sophisticated appetizer that doesn't skimp on flavor. With just a handful of simple ingredients like fresh figs, Italian bread, and walnuts, you can have yourself a restaurant-worthy starter that's perfect for casual get-togethers, an elegant dinner party, or a cozy night in.
• Cranberry and Jarlsberg Tartlets - These bite-sized treats simplify Thanksgiving down to its core flavors. Think tart fresh cranberry sauce, candied nuts, melted mild Jarlsberg, and phyllo dough crisped to golden perfection. These are a great addition to any appetizer spread or as a side to the main course.

• Roasted Eggplant Dip with Cheesy Herb Crackers - I love the comfort of this eggplant dip, and I guarantee your guests will too. If you're feeling a little boujee for the holiday season, it pairs perfectly with a batch of warm homemade crackers, such as our Cheesy Herb ones or our Spiced Wine and Cheese Crackers.

Side Dishes

• Best Old Fashioned Bread Stuffing - Our stuffing begins with hearty Italian bread, cubed and then toasted to golden perfection. It hints at both sweet and savory with its herbed foundation tossed with sweet raisins and pecans. With a light and airy texture, this classic stuffing recipe is both timeless and delicious, as well as incredibly easy to prepare, making it a must-have for any holiday feast.
• Creamy Ricotta Mashed Potatoes - Our potatoes are decadently creamy, rich, and flavorful, and pair great with many different things, from seared steaks to your holiday turkey.
• Zucchini and Spaghetti Lasagna - Coming from an Italian family, pasta is required at any gathering. I wanted to create something easy yet unexpected for my guests one year and this spaghetti lasagna quickly became a staple at our holiday table. I hope it becomes yours now, too.
• Classic Sweet Potato Pie - In place of candied yams, I like to make sweet potato pie. It's lightly sweet as not to overwhelm the palate but offers a nice heartiness to the Thanksgiving plate.

Salads

• Cherry Cranberry Sauce - I don't like to brag, but every Thanksgiving, I'm tasked with making the cranberry sauce. I like going over the top by adding pineapple, cherries, and warm spices. Cherry pie filling is my secret ingredient. I promise you'll be a hit with your crowd when you make this sauce.
• Butternut Squash Autumn Salad - Thanksgiving offers plenty of side dishes, but I still enjoy a classic green leaf salad. This one perfectly brings together sweet and savory, crunchy and tender, all while delivering the essence of autumn right to your plate.

• Maple Glazed Turkey Breast - Our turkey breast recipe cooks up moist and tender, with layers of maple goodness. The skin is crisped to golden perfection and prepared with a garlic and pepper dry rub before being basted with a sweet and spicy maple glaze. If you're hosting a small crowd and cannot be fussed with a whole bird, this recipe is for you.
• Orange Marmalade Glazed Chicken - Now, for those of you who may not enjoy turkey at all, or if you're having a more intimate holiday, our glazed chicken is a fabulous alternative and less pricey than Cornish hens. The orange marmalade and warm spices will blend seamlessly with the rest of your Autumn sides.
• Boneless Fresh Ham Roast - If you're torn between team turkey and team ham this Thanksgiving, try our fresh ham roast. With a simple six-ingredient rub, this one will win over both sides of the crowd.
• Herb Crusted Turkey - Rounding it out with the quintessential classic whole bird, our herb-crusted turkey will certainly elevate your Thanksgiving table. It's one of my favorite fall spice rubs that I make, and it adds so much flavor to the turkey.

Dessert

• Classic Pumpkin Pie - Prepared with homemade pumpkin spice, molasses, fresh orange zest, and vanilla, today's pumpkin pie encapsulates the flavors of the season. It's even better the day after.
• Brandy Caramel Apple Pie - This pie combines sweet and tart with a buttery crust and warm spices for the ultimate treat year-round. For added decadence, we finish it off with a homemade caramel sauce.
• Chocolate Pecan Pie - Rich, nutty, sweet, and warmly spiced, our pecan pie is a twist on the Southern classic with the richness of chocolate layered beneath a glossy, caramelized pecan filling. 
• Pecan Tartlets - For smaller gatherings, I recommend these tartlets. They're easy, elegant, and perfect for individual servings. The combination of buttery phyllo crusts filled with rich, nutty pecans and decadent caramel-like sweetness makes these tartlets simply irresistible.

Cocktails and Wine

• Cameron Hughes Lot 888 - I dug deep into the archives of the LTG cellar for this bottle. I have fond memories of exploring the Cameron Hughes collection. Lot 888 stands out for a plush Thanksgiving meal with its ripe cherry and blackberry notes. Its vibrant acidity contrasts nicely with butter, gravy, herbs, and richer sides. As a plus, it's also budget-friendly.
• San Felice In Avane Chardonnay - I'll always recommend San Felice in a wine list. Their collections never disappoint, and because they offer something at every price point, you can find a bottle for whatever you're looking for. For the white wine lovers, this Chardonnay is a good selection for heartier meals with its crisp acidity and lush notes to balance a heavier palate.
• Mulled Red Wine - Now this is a holiday staple. From Thanksgiving to Christmas, mulled wine is a cozy beverage to serve your guests and one that will warm them right up. It's fun putting up the pot and allowing company to help themselves to a ladle. Check out our full guide on the best wines for mulled wine (and yes, you can even use white wine)!
• Fresh and Easy Cranberry Margarita - We took one of our favorite warm-weather cocktails and gave it an Autumn makeover. The result is something refreshing, satisfying, and delicious.

And that concludes our 2025 Thanksgiving Menu. Remember, this holiday is about sharing our best meals with those we love. May your table be filled with laughter, warmth, and dishes that tell a story- one of tradition and gratitude.

From our kitchen to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!

With love, Catherine and the Crew of Living the Gourmet

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