Thanksgiving is originally an American holiday. But it does not stop us from celebrating the day and our love for food. The occasion can be anything, but our dinner table must stand out with quality and innovative dishes.
We like Italian dishes for being the playground of flavors and colors. Today we are here to celebrate the American holiday with Italian delicacies. Marvelous combination, without any doubt.
10 Italian Thanksgiving Dinner Menu Ideas
Dinner time is special. But it is a grand fest when the occasion is Thanksgiving. When the family is all together, the Italian menu is the best choice to please everyone. We have 10 Italian recipes, from appetizers to the main course, side dishes, desserts, and drinks. Pick your favorites, and make the unique dinner menu this Thanksgiving. So that no Karen can complain!
The dishes are easy to make. Thanks to Origini Italian Market, finding the ingredients is even easier. You can find the best Italian ingredients to have an Italian Thanksgiving with your families here.
1. Italian Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 lb. of ground turkey, Italian ground sausage
- 1 cup 0f Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs, chopped Italian parsley, chopped celery
- 1½ cups grated Parmesan cheese, Pecorino-Romano cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1 large chopped onion, 4 large minced cloves of garlic
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil, olive oil for sautéing meatballs
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh oregano
- 2 tsp. fresh-ground sea salt
- 1 tsp freshly-cracked black pepper
- 3 tsp Italian seasonings
- ½ tsp of dried red pepper flakes
Preparation
- In a non-stick skillet, add several tsp. of olive oil and heat it.
- Put garlic, onion, and celery to sauté until soft.
- Put turkey in a mixing bowl with sautéed onions, garlic and celery, turkey sausage, and other remaining ingredients.
- Mix all the ingredients together.
- Form meatballs weighing about half an ounce.
- Put some olive oil on the skillet and heat it gently.
- Then place the meatballs on the skillet one by one.
- Sauté the meatballs until all sides are brown.
- Place the meatballs in the oven at 375 degrees and let them cook for 15 minutes.
- Put the meatballs on the serving plate along with marinara sauce to dip in.
2. Pomegranate Arancini with Goat Cheese Fonduta
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- ½ small chopped onion
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 1 cup rice
- ½ cup dry white wine, parmesan cheese, cream
- 3 cups of hot low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds, save some more for garnishing
- ¾ cup bread crumbs
- 5 ounces goat cheese
- Canola oil for frying purposes
Preparation
- In a medium-sized sauté pan, melt the butter on medium heat.
- Add garlic and onion. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add rice, and mix it with garlic and onion. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Put salt and pepper to season.
- Add the wine to the mixture. Stir until the wine is completely absorbed.
- Add ½ cup of chicken stock in the mixture and keep stirring until it is absorbed. Add a little bit of salt and pepper to season.
- Keep repeating this step until the stock is gone.
- When the mixture is creamy and the rice is tender, you are done making your risotto.
- Spread it on a baking sheet evenly. Let it cool down for some time.
- Put the mixture in a mixing bowl. Add cheese, parsley, egg, pomegranate seeds, and ¼ cup breadcrumbs in the bowl. Now mix all the ingredients together.
- Make small balls weighing about half an ounce.
- Take the remaining breadcrumbs in a bowl. Season it with salt and pepper.
- Now coat the balls with the seasoned bread crumbs.
- Take a heavy pot and pour about 2 inches of oil in it. Place it over medium heat.
- Fry the arancini in batches. Use paper towels to soak extra oil.
- Take a small saucepan. Heat goat cheese and cream over medium-low heat.
- Stir until the cheese is melted. You can add salt and pepper for seasoning.
- Place the arancini on a serving plate with goat cheese fonduta. Garnish with pomegranate seeds.
3. Italian Turkey Stuffing
Ingredients
- 20 oz. loaf of sliced, toasted, buttered bread. Cut them into 1/2-inch cubes.
- 1 tbsp crumbled dried thyme
- 1 tsp crumbled dried sage, rosemary, garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 chopped onions
- 1 ½ cups of chopped celery and leaves
- 1 stick, and 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 turkey liver, gizzard, and heart - chopped
- 1 lb. of pork sausage
- 8 oz. of whole milk mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4" cubes
- 2 oz. of pepperoni, cut into 1/8" tiny bits
Preparation
- Place the bread cubes in a large bowl. Add thyme, sage, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Mix them well.
- In the skillet, melt 9 tbsp. of butter over medium heat. Cook celery and onion in butter.
- Cook the giblets in 2 tbsp. of butter over medium heat in a skillet. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir for 4 minutes until the color turns brown.
- Cook the sausages thoroughly in the skillet. Add 1 tsp of garlic and salt.
- Add all of this into the bread cube bowl, along with mozzarella, pepperoni. Mix well and let it cool down.
- Bake it inside a turkey in the oven at 350 degrees until the top turns golden brown.
- Cover it with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator.
- Take out when it is time to serve and reheat the stuffed turkey.
4. Eggplant Involtini
Ingredients
- 2 eggplants
- 5, and 1 tbsp of olive oil
- 1 cup of ricotta cheese
- 3/4 cup of Pecorino Romano cheese Or Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup of bread crumbs
- ½, and 1/4 cup of fresh and chopped basil
- 1 tbsp of lemon juice
- Kosher Salt and Pepper
- 28 ounces can of diced tomatoes
- 3 cloves of minced garlic
- 1/4 tbsp of oregano
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
Preparation
- Peel and cut the eggplants into 6 slices, each about ½ inch thick.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Cover the eggplant slices with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Place them on baking trays and let them bake for 30-35 minutes.
- Do not turn off the oven when the eggplants are baked. Turn on the broiler.
- Combine ricotta cheese, bread crumbs, Pecorino Romano cheese, basil, Kemon juice, ½ tsp. salt. This will be our filling.
- For making tomato sauce, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet. Add garlic, ½ tsp. salt, oregano, pepper flakes, and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add tomatoes and cook in medium-low heat until thickened.
- Add chopped basil and give it a nice stir.
- Coat the eggplant slices with the ricotta mixture evenly.
- Roll the slices and place them in the tomato saucepan.
- Cook for 5 minutes on simmering heat.
- Now place it in the oven and broil for 5 minutes.
- Serve with grated Pecorino Romano and parsley.
5. Italian Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
· 2 lbs. potatoes (baked and skins removed)
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup milk, shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tbsp garlic salt
- 1 tbsp dried basil, dried oregano
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mash the cooked potato and cream cheese together. Keep adding milk.
- Add herbs and spices. Stir well.
- Place it in an oven-proof tray, cover, and bake for 20 minutes.
6. Sautéed Italian Green Beans
Ingredients
- 5 cups fresh green beans
- 3 tbsp butter
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
Preparations
- Heat 2 tbsp of butter in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sauté garlic and green beans for about 8 minutes.
- Add Italian seasoning.
- Coat it with more butter.
- Optionally, you can add salt and pepper.
7. Italian Pumpkin Cheesecake
Ingredients
For Crust
- 3 cups of Cinnamon Chex
- 3 tbs butter
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbs honey
For Filling
- 2 cups of mascarpone cheese
- 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup honey
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Get the ingredients for the crust together and form a mixture.
- Put it in a pie tray. Spray oil beforehand.
- Place it inside the oven for 5 minutes, or until the color is slightly golden.
- Whip mascarpone cheese until fluffy.
- Add honey, pumpkin, eggs, and spices.
- Pour the mixture into the crust.
- Now place an oven-safe casserole dish inside the oven. Half of the dish should be filled with water.
- Place the water-filled dish on the bottom rack. Place the pie tray on the top shelf.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes.
- Turn off the oven and let the pie cool down for 2 hours inside. Take it out and let it cool down on the counter for another 2 hours.
- You are ready to serve the dish now.
8. Cannoli Pie
Ingredients
For Crust
- 1/2 cups waffle ice cream cone crumbs
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted
For Filling
- 1/2 cups drained ricotta cheese
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp fresh orange zest
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Get the Ingredients for the crust together in a mixing bowl. Keep adding butter as necessary.
- Spray oil on a pie tray. Place the mixture evenly.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the color is golden.
- Beat mascarpone, ricotta, and powdered sugar on medium speed.
- Then beat orange zest, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt with the mixture.
- Spread the filling evenly on the cooled crust.
- Refrigerate overnight before serving.
9. Bourbon Campari Amaro Cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Bourbon
- 4 tsp Campari
- 2 tsp Amaro Liqueur
- 1 tsp Lemon juice
- ½ tsp Maple syrup
- Fresh lemon peel
Preparation
- Put all the ingredients (except lemon peel) in a cocktail shaker. Add ice cubes.
- Combine the ingredients for 20 seconds with a long spoon.
- Pour in a glass, and garnish with lemon peel.
10. Cranberry Limoncello Spritzer Cocktail
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Limoncello lemon liqueur
- 2 tbsp white cranberry juice
- 3-4 tbsp sparkling water
- 5-6 frozen cranberries
Preparation
Starting from ingredient 1, pour everything one by one in a glass over ice cubes.
Conclusion
Thanksgivings are for families to come together and enjoy the special occasion of togetherness. There is nothing better than food to celebrate life. Let your life be filled with flavors this year with these recipes.
Buon Appetito!