33 Unforgettable Italian-Inspired Thanksgiving Menu Ideas You’ll Want To Make Year After Year
33 Unforgettable Italian-Inspired Thanksgiving Menu Ideas You’ll Want To Make Year After Year
Are you looking for some new Thanksgiving menu ideas to hit REFRESH on your favorite holiday meal?
Everyone loves the traditional Thanksgiving eats—roasted turkey, the many stuffing recipes, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, dinner rolls and pumpkin pie (or pecan pie!). While most of us can appreciate the familiar and predictable, why not shake up your Thanksgiving dinner with an Italian-style take on the holiday meal? Just by introducing a few of your favorite Italian foods and ingredients to the mix, you can take your Thanksgiving meal from ordinary to extraordinary.
This year, celebrate Thanksgiving by creating some unique traditions of your own with your favorite DeLallo ingredients. Whether you’re a host or a guest looking for an impressive holiday dish to bring along, we’ve got some incredible Thanksgiving menu ideas to inspire your kitchen creativity. And it’s easier than you think! Often all it takes is a few new gourmet ingredients to dazzle your traditional Thanksgiving recipes: sun-dried tomatoes, tomato bruschetta, briny olives, basil pesto, balsamic glaze… the tasty Italian foods that you may already have in your pantry.
We are so excited to share some of our Italian Thanksgiving menu with you! From family favorites like Spicy Pumpkin Lasagna and Balsamic Roasted Carrots to unique Thanksgiving desserts like Pumpkin Tiramisu and Italian Cheesecake, you are sure to find a few new traditions for this year’s Thanksgiving Feast.
Explore by Recipe Category:
Appetizers
Set the stage for the holiday meal to come with an incredible Italian-style appetizer featuring some of your favorite Mediterranean flavors: earthy artichokes, tangy feta cheese, garlic, sweet citrus, briny olives and more. It’s super easy to make and a fun addition to your Thanksgiving menu.
This tasty baked goat cheese dip looks way harder to whip up than it is—a great app for your Thanksgiving get-together. While they wait for the Thanksgiving feast, offer up a savory starter to impress. Melty bubbling cheeses, bright and herbaceous Italian Tomato Bruschetta and a kiss of sweet Balsamic Glaze are the perfect opening act for your much awaited Thanksgiving meal.
We can’t think of a better way to entertain for the fall holiday than with charcuterie. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or just a few close family members, a colorful spread of cured meats, cheeses and Mediterranean-inspired antipasti is the perfect intro to Thanksgiving dinner. It’s adaptable to any number of guests and it’s super simple to put together. Save your prep energy for Thanksgiving dinner!
Add some color to your Thanksgiving table with this easy-to-make app. For a holiday-worthy party dip that is both eye-catching and delicious, try this veggie-loaded appetizer in lieu of an ordinary hummus or bean dip. Kick off your Thanksgiving feast with a lighter app so your guests can save room for the holiday meal to come!
What comes before the holiday meal? This incredible stuffed olive app! We take your favorite stuffed olives and turn them into an easy-to-make, easy-to-love Italian-style appetizer. Savory, satisfying bites like these are a great way to settle any hungry, restless guests and give you more time to ready Thanksgiving dinner.
Salads
Salads can be more than leafy greens and garden veggies. This warm lentil salad is brimming with the bold, bright flavors of your favorite Mediterranean ingredients: herby marinated feta cheese, sweet sun-dried tomatoes and tangy balsamic. Complete your Thanksgiving menu with something tasty and nutritious—a great protein-packed option for vegetarians at the holiday table.
Here’s a fresh take for your Thanksgiving feast: a kale and chickpea salad ready to add some bold colors and flavors to your holiday table. We love a great contrast in flavor and texture, so balance out your heavier sides with a few lighter options.
You’ve never had Brussels sprouts like these! More a Thanksgiving side than a salad, this tasty Brussels recipe takes it to the top with a balance of sweet and savory for an out-of-this-world flavor worthy of its own celebration.
As beautiful as it is delicious, this winter salad recipe is an incredible addition to your Thanksgiving dinner lineup: crunchy walnuts, chewy cranberries and crumbled goat cheese tossed with mixed greens and arugula. The sweet, tangy balsamic fig vinaigrette takes it to the next level.
Main Dishes
If you’re ready to trade-in your Thanksgiving turkey or add another entrée option to your holiday meal, try the big flavors and awesome presentation of this Mediterranean-inspired chicken. Brimming with the bold flavors of tangy balsamic, sweet citrus and thyme, this holiday-worthy chicken recipe is ready to add a new dimension to your Thanksgiving feast.
Upgrade your Italian Thanksgiving menu with a holiday-worthy entrée starring some of your favorite Italian flavors. These juicy chicken thighs take on the presence of sweet sun-dried tomatoes, bold and briny olives, kale, garlic and an unforgettable buttery cream sauce that brings the whole thing together.
Looking for a new Thanksgiving favorite? This must-try chicken is ready to brighten up your traditional holiday meal with the tangy-sweetness of our Golden Balsamic Vinegar and briny, buttery Castelvetrano Olives.
Baked pasta is a great option for your Italian Thanksgiving menu. Not only can you feed a crew, but lasagna is an irresistibly cheesy comfort food that the whole family is going to love. Our Three-Cheese Lasagna recipe is a tasty and fulfilling option for the vegetarians at your Thanksgiving dinner table.
If you’re looking for a tasty fall-inspired entrée for your Italian Thanksgiving menu, this incredible lasagna will surely become part of your Thanksgiving tradition. Earthy sweet pumpkin partners up with spicy Calabrian Peppers in this festive baked pasta dish.
Skip the turkey recipes and go straight to the Chicken Parm! We give our classic Italian-style chicken a new fall makeover with earthy, sweet spaghetti squash in this holiday-ready recipe.
Side Dishes
It wouldn’t fall without the butternut squash. This autumnal orzo salad is a great way to add some spark to your Thanksgiving menu. Creamy goat cheese, roasted butternut squash, crisp pine nuts, chewy dried cranberries and Whole-Wheat Orzo come together in a tangy lemon vinaigrette for a colorful taste of fall.
If you’re on the hunt for gluten-free Thanksgiving menu ideas… check out this colorful side dish made with our Italian Gluten-Free Orzo. Loaded with cut vegetables, herbs, fresh fruit and almonds, it’s like the cornucopia of flavor you’ve been dreaming of.
We believe holiday recipes should be as beautiful as they are delicious. That’s why this strikingly colorful side dish has made our Thanksgiving menu ideas list. Chewy Italian rice joins forces with spicy-sweet glazed carrots in a citrusy balsamic.
We’re not saying we don’t love green bean casserole, but there are other veggie-centric Thanksgiving sides that deserve a spot at the table. What’s not to love about smoky-sweet roasted carrots dressed in creamy goat cheese, crisp pine nuts and tangy balsamic? This one is a must for your Italian Thanksgiving menu.
Olives make just about everything better… including your Thanksgiving side dishes. Their briny, bright and complex flavors are an easy way to add a burst of flavor to just about anything you can think up. Add a new dimension to your smoky-sweet roasted cauliflower with buttery green olives and crispy pine nuts.
Polenta is an icon of Italian cuisine. Warm, filling and ready to dress up, it is a remarkable addition to your Italian Thanksgiving menu. Smoky roasted fall veggies come together with a rich pumpkin cream sauce for an unbelievable dish that your guests won’t stop talking about.
There are mashed potatoes and then there are these. Shake up your traditional Thanksgiving with a bold new potato side dish boasting irresistibly briny, smoky, herbaceous flavors. If you love olives, this is a must for your Thanksgiving menu.
If you need a stuffing recipe to set off your Italian-style Thanksgiving meal, look no further. A twist on the traditional Thanksgiving stuffing, this dish is super simple and delicious, featuring pancetta, sun-dried tomatoes and kale. Serve it inside the bird or baked up in a casserole dish.
Desserts
We won’t stop you from busting out the pumpkin pie after the holiday meal, but you should consider adding this Italian-style Thanksgiving dessert to your sweets lineup. You are going to love this no-bake fall-inspired twist on the iconic Tiramisu dessert featuring amaretto-soaked ladyfingers, crumbed biscotti cookies and a rich and creamy pumpkin-mascarpone filling.
Finish off your Italian-style Thanksgiving dinner with the epic Italian dessert, Tiramisu. How better to end a holiday meal than with the robust flavor of chocolate and coffee combined with the creamy sweetness of mascarpone? This no-bake treat can be made ahead, so that you can focus on the rest of your Thanksgiving feast.
Crostata is an Italian-style pie with a homestyle crust. If you’re looking to switch up your Thanksgiving desserts, go for something other than apple or cherry. Making your own crust is easier than you think and this Plum Crostata is worth every minute.
The holidays are a great time to go over the top… especially when it comes to Thanksgiving dessert! Sit down, pumpkin pie, there’s a new treat in town. Just make sure your guests know to save room for this Italian-style cheesecake.
For a unique Thanksgiving treat that doesn’t fall in line with the predictable and ordinary, check out this dessert pizza. Nothing says fall like this dreamy treat starring creamy mascarpone cheese, fresh apple slices, homemade caramel sauce and crispy pecans.
One tenant of being a great holiday host is having options for all. This vegan, dairy-free take on the classic Italian Tiramisu makes it easy to do just that. We love this decadent, rich Tiramisu treat as a Thanksgiving dessert idea and we know your vegan guests will too!
Drinks
Keep it classy this Thanksgiving with a bubbly Italian-style cocktail. This is one of our favorite Thanksgiving drinks! It’s light and refreshing—the perfect sipper for a heavy holiday meal.
Thanksgiving dinner is the perfect opportunity to serve up something special in the drink arena. Elevate your holiday meal with a sweet and citrusy handcrafted cocktail. After all, Thanksgiving dinner is more than just stuffing recipes and green bean casserole.
The holidays are made for classy cocktails and that’s what makes this the perfect adult beverage for your before-the-meal sipping. Complete your Thanksgiving feast with a stuffed-olive martini masterpiece.
Your Italian Thanksgiving menu wouldn’t be complete without a couple of crafty cocktails. This classic Negroni is fruity, citrusy and sweet—a refreshing complement to the warm, hearty flavors of your Thanksgiving dinner.