Life
15 People Reveal Their Favorite Unusual Thanksgiving Side Dish Idea
For many of us, Thanksgiving is when we gorge ourselves on turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole (*breathing heavily*), and gravy — which I personally drink through a straw. However, not all of us are so traditional, and that's stupendous. If you're looking for more uncommon Thanksgiving dishes to celebrate the holiday with a delicious twist, I've rounded up 16 food items that are sure to throw your dinner guests for a major loop this year. Better yet, they all came from Reddit, so you know things are about to get strange.
Turkey and all the typical fixings are great and all, but tradition is about what's special and meaningful to you. The only "rule" is that you should spend the day with people you love, laughing and hopefully eating really good food that you can post about on social media, because pics or it didn't happen.
For some people, that means roasting a giant bird and trying not to set the house on fire. For me and my family this year, that means koosa, grape leaves, za'atar bread, and ma'amoul and baklava for dessert (and trying not to set the house on fire). And for others, it might be one of these 16 dishes.
Whether you cook it from scratch or defrost it 30 minutes before mealtime, whether it's homemade or delivery, eat whatever makes your heart do cartwheels. Happy Turkey Day!
1Frozen Pizza
Would it be a real Thanksgiving if you didn't have frozen pizza? No cooking is required! I think this person is on to something.
2Matzah Ball Soup
Is there any better comfort food? What could be more delicious than sinking your teeth into a squishy matzah ball on a chilly Thanksgiving evening?
3Sushi
Thanksgiving wouldn't be complete without a little raw fish. Have a side of spicy yellowtail roll with your mashed potatoes and gravy. Don't listen to what people say — they really do taste good together.
4Lumpia
You haven't lived until you've had lumpia, a type of spring roll more commonly served in Indonesia and the Philippines. It's so delicious that you won't care it's not a traditional Thanksgiving dish. That's because lumpia is good 365 days a year, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and maybe a midnight snack.
5Rib Roast
There was never a more beautiful piece of meat than rib roast — not even the turkey. Yeah, I said it. Fight me.
6Deep-Fried Parsnips
You don't even need to know what parsnips are to know your taste buds will love this. Everything is amazing when it's deep-friend. This is science. Just like gravity.
7Clam Dip
Ah, yes. The dip of the clam. Don't knock it 'til you've tried it. And if you're not convinced yet, know that you can add bacon to it, so it can't be all that bad.
8"Green Salad"
It's not your typical grilled chicken salad with croutons and balsamic vinaigrette, but... it's close, I guess?
9Sweet Potato Fries
Hell. To the. Yes. We eat sweet potato casserole on Thanksgiving. Why not sweet potato fries?
10Sweet Potato Macaroons
These aren't your everyday macaroons, but if there's ever a time for experimenting, a day devoted to eating is it.
11Steak
Beef. It's what's for dinner. Not too shabby of a Thanksgiving alternative, if you're not all that into turkey.
12Tamales
Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to highlight your family's own traditions, instead of just sticking to the cliché Thanksgiving staples.
13Lasagna And Ricotta Pie
Why have lasagna or pie when you can have them both at the same time?
14Jello
Seven-layer jello? Sure, why not? It's colorful and squishy and... even if it doesn't taste good, it'll at least photograph well for the Instagrams.
15Sauerkraut
Mmmm, fermented cabbage. It's the unique Thanksgiving dish you never knew you needed.
