When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. The pairing of sweet sides and savory mains piled high across the dining room table is much to give thanks for. But just because the classic flavors are here to stay doesn’t mean we can’t introduce some new dishes into the mix! To get the juices flowing, TV host and cookbook author Laura Vitale stopped by TODAY to share her crowd-pleasing recipes that may just become your new family favorites.
Cooking the big bird can be intimidating, so Vitale found a more approachable (yet still delicious) way to get turkey on everyone’s plate. Her cozy pot pie calls for shredded meat, tender leeks and flaky puff pastry — plus there’s no carving required. Looking for some festive fixings? Step up your sweet potato casserole with Vitale’s streusel-topped version. She’s been making it for over a decade, and seeing as there are toasted marshmallows involved, it’s easy to guess why.
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To round out your holiday menu, two more sides to complete the meal: sourdough and challah stuffing and roasted broccoli and Brussels sprouts salad. Both serve at least six, but of course can be doubled for a bigger batch. And finally, the course we’ve all been saving room for, dessert. If you can’t decide on pie or cake, the cherpumple is for you — it combines both into one and is covered in a layer of cream cheese frosting.
Laura Vitale's Thanksgiving crowd-pleasers
It's a classic cozy favorite that feels special enough to serve during the holiday season. Cook your filling in a large cast iron skillet so you can top it with the pastry and bake it. Less mess and fewer dishes to wash!
I’ve been making this casserole for over a decade and honestly couldn’t imagine my Thanksgiving table without it. It’s a family favorite! Bake the sweet potatoes a few days in advance and store them in the fridge until needed, one less thing to do on the big day.
More recipes to make this week
Round out the week with these recipes from Jake Cohen, Romel Bruno and Casey Barber.
Stuffing always seems to be the first side to disappear from the table, so it deserves better than plain old white bread this year. Take your casserole up a notch by using sourdough and challah for texture and flavor your tastebuds will love.
Warm salads make cool weather more bearable, and this roasted veggie recipe is no exception. Packed with broccoli, Brussels sprouts and some salty, smoky pancetta, this dish will actually make you look forward to getting your greens in.
Move over, turducken! The cherpumple is a combination of pie (cherry, pumpkin and apple) and cake (yellow, chocolate and spice), stacked on top of each other and covered in cream cheese frosting. Feel free to swap out any layer with a dessert you love even more.
