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Indian-Inspired Thanksgiving Menu

By: Shri Repp • •

A Thanksgiving menu crafted with Indian recipes like samosa pot pie or crispy kale chaat that spice up the traditional holiday meal along with practical tips on making dishes in advance!

Indian Thanksgiving Menu photo with four dishes. Top left is samosa pot pie, top right is oven baked tandoori chicken, bottom left is crispy kale chaat, and bottom right is indian inspired stuffing.
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Thanksgiving in my Indian household is always a hodgepodge of dishes that my family loves to eat. We generally don't have the traditional turkey or the sides that accompany them but rather recreate American classics with a desi spin. Here is a curated menu of what your Indian-inspired Thanksgiving could look like this year, along with their difficulty and when you can start prepping them!

Appetizers

Appetizers are crucial for Thanksgiving day. They are what keep your guests' hunger at bay while the main course is being prepared. Here are Indian-inspired appetizers that can easily be made ahead of time that will keep you full until dinner is ready.

Sour cream and spring onion raita dip in a bowl with wavy potato chips plated along side it. Green onions in the background along with a bigger bowl of dip.
Sour Cream and Spring Onion Raita Dip
Recipe Difficulty: Easy. Great for when you need an appetizer fast!
Advanced Prep: Make the dip up to 3 days before Thanksgiving and refrigerate.
Check out this recipe
A hand holding a baked and crispy caramelized onion puff pastry pinwheel.
Indian Spiced Caramelized Onion Puff Pastry Pinwheels
Recipe Difficulty: Medium. Techniques are all simple but just requires a bit of time. It becomes a lot easier if you break up the work over a couple of days!
Advanced Prep: Make and roll the puff pastry into a log up to 2 months ahead of time and place in the freezer. Thaw it so it is still firm but you can cut clean spirals on the day you want to bake! It can be baked hours before dinner or served throughout the day as an appetizer.
Check out this recipe
Lots of mini sweet potato samosas on a parchment lined plate. One samosa is torn open with the sweet potato filling showing.
Mini Sweet Potato Samosas with Spring Roll Sheets
Recipe Difficulty: Hard. Folding and frying the samosas is what makes this recipe hard. You can alternatively do an easier fold OR airfry to simplify the recipe.
Advanced Prep: The samosas can be folded, packed, and frozen for up to 2 months ahead of Thanksgiving. Simply fry before you are ready to serve! They can be fried up to an hour before dinner!
Check out this recipe
A brown hand holding a cross section of nylon khaman dhokla. The cross section shows big air bubbles and a spongy dhokla. The background shows the rest of the dhokla on a serving plate along with cilantro-mint green chutney and chai that are served with the dhokla.
Instant Nylon Khaman Dhokla
Recipe Difficulty: Medium
Advanced Prep: Khaman Dhokla can be made a day before and placed in the fridge however I think it is best made on the day you plan on serving. The tadka syrup can be made one or two days in advance.
Check out this recipe
A white plate with skewers of tandoori malai chicken kebabs. The kebabs are served with lemon slices and cilantro.
Malai Chicken Tikka Kebabs
Recipe Difficulty: Medium.
Advanced Prep: Marinate 1-2 days before Thanksgiving. Place chicken on skewers and sheet tray the day before dinner and place in the oven right before you are ready to eat!
Check out this recipe
Charred chicken tikka kebabs on wooden skewers. The kebabs are on a white plate accompanied with naan, green chutney, and raw red onions. The skewers have red onions, chicken, and then green bell peppers on them.
Oven Baked Chicken Tikka Kebabs
Recipe Difficulty: Medium.
Advanced Prep: Marinate 1-2 days before Thanksgiving. Place chicken on skewers and sheet tray the day before dinner and place in the oven right before you are ready to eat!
Check out this recipe
Tandoori paneer tikka skewers on a plate with lemon and cilantro as garnish. The skewers are wooden skewers with red onion, marinated paneer, green bell pepper alternating on the kebab. The veggies and paneer have a slight char on them.
Tandoori Paneer Tikka Kebabs
Recipe Difficulty: Medium.
Advanced Prep: Marinate 1-2 days before Thanksgiving. Place paneer on skewers and sheet tray the day before dinner and place in the oven right before you are ready to eat!
Check out this recipe
Indian style bruschetta slices on a white charcuterie board with toasted baguette on on the top of the board
Indian-Style Bruschetta with Ricotta
Recipe Difficulty: Easy.
Advanced Prep: Make chutney 2-3 days before Thanksgiving. Assemble before you are ready to eat. This appetizer does well sitting out before dinner!
Check out this recipe

Mains

Mains are the star of the show! These Indian inspired Thanksgiving mains require a little bit of planning but I've laid out how you can take short cuts to make these recipes easier.

Oven baked samosa pot pie with potatoes and peas
Oven Baked Samosa Pot Pie with Potato and Peas
Recipe Difficulty: Hard. You can make this easier by buying a puff pastry/pie crust and rolling or pressing in the ajwain seeds instead to the crust.
Advanced Prep: Assemble the pie without baking it up to 2 days before event and place in the fridge tightly wrapped. Bake on the day of Thanksgiving up to 4 hours before dinner!
Check out this recipe
A whole roasted tandoori chicken that is spatchcocked on a large white platter on top of a bed of lemon rice.
Whole Oven Roasted Tandoori Chicken
Recipe Difficulty: Hard. Make it easier by buying tandoori masala at the grocery store
Advanced Prep: Marinate chicken 1-2 days before event. Tandoori marinade can be made 4-5 days ahead.
Check out this recipe
Pav bhaji plated in a bowl. The pav or dinner roll bread is toasted and on the side. The bhaji or vegetable and potato curry has raw onions, cilantro, and lemon served on top as garnish.
Instant Pot Pav Bhaji
Recipe Difficulty: Medium. Hardest part of this recipe is cutting all the veggies. You can make this easier by buying pre-chopped veggies, buying pav (bread), and buying pav bhaji masala.
Advanced Prep: Make it easier on yourself by cutting veggies (besides potatoes) 2-3 days before Thanksgiving and making pav bhaji masala (spice blend) up to 2+ weeks ahead of time! The bhaji for pav bhaji can also be made 2-3 days ahead of Thanksgiving and reheated on the day of. In fact it tastes better on the 2nd or 3rd day!
Check out this recipe
Pumpkin sambar in a white bowl
Pumpkin Sambar with Moong Dal
Recipe Difficulty: Medium. Make it easier on yourself by buying buying pre-cut squash at the grocery store.
Advanced Prep: Make dal 1 day in advance. Make the whole dish 2-3 days in advance and reheat on the day of Thanksgiving.
Check out this recipe
Chow chow kootu or a chayote squash dal curry in a white bowl with spices on top.
Chow Chow Kootu (Chayote Squash Dal Curry)
Recipe Difficulty: Easy.
Advanced Prep: Make dal 2-3 days in advance and reheat on Thanksgiving. For presentation, make the tadka on the day of and add on top.
Check out this recipe
A rack of Indian style pork ribs with a tamarind date sauce. A bowl with the tamarind date sauce served alongside the ribs.
Indian Style Pork Ribs with Tamarind Date Sauce
Recipe Difficulty: Medium. Make it easier on yourself by buying pre-made tamarind-date chutney
Advanced Prep: Season 1-2 days before. Bake low and slow day of.
Check out this recipe

Sides

Thanksgiving sides might be my favorite part of Thanksgiving. Here are some Indian inspired Thanksgiving sides to have at your table!

A hand holding and showing a cross section of a fluffy pav roll. The background has a sheet pan full of the bread that has been freshly baked. There is a tub of butter next to the bread.
Pav (Fluffy Indian Bread Rolls)
Recipe Difficulty: Medium.
Advanced Prep: Make and shape dough into rolls, tightly wrap, and place in freezer up to 2 weeks in advance. Thaw and allow for second proof and bake when ready. This pav stays fresh for 3-4 days so the bread can baked in advance and left at room temperature.
Check out this recipe
Kothu Bread Scramble
Indian Stovetop Stuffing
Recipe Difficulty: Easy.
Advanced Prep: This dish really needs assembled day of. However, you can cut the veggies and sautee the veggies with spices up to 2 days before the event.
Check out this recipe
Indian roasted brussels sprouts with a tamarind date sauce in a while bowl
Indian Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Recipe Difficulty: Easy -Medium. Make it easier on yourself by buying store-bought tamarind date chutney if you don't have time to make it yourself.
Advanced Prep: Cut the sprouts 1-2 days before the event to save time on day of. This dish is best assembled right before eating!
Check out this recipe
Oven Baked Crispy Kale Chaat
Recipe Difficulty: Easy. Make it easier on yourself by buying tamarind date chutney at the store.
Advanced Prep: Pre-crisp Kale 1 day before event. Allow it completely cool and line a airtight container with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture. If the kale seems less crisp on day of give it a quick refresh in the oven to re-crisp. Cut the other veggies 2-3 days before Thanksgiving.
Check out this recipe
Green beans poriyal in a cast iron pan with a wooden spatula holding some of the beans.
Beans Poriyal (Indian Green Beans)
Recipe Difficulty: Medium.
Advanced Prep: Make dal 2-3 day in advance.
Check out this recipe
A sheet tray with parchment paper with grilled Indian style corn on the cobs with a spicy masala rub. The tray includes cut limes and a bowl of spicy masala rub. One peice of corn has a big tablespoon of softened butter spread on top.
Indian Spicy Masala Corn on the Cob
Recipe Difficulty: Easy. You can alternatively make this with corn kernels instead of corn on the cob as well!
Advanced Prep: Make dal 1-2 days ahead and reheat before ready to eat.
Check out this recipe
Cranberry achar on a blue and white plate. A sliver spoon is scooping up some achar.
Cranberry Achar (Indian Style Cranberry Pickle)
Recipe Difficulty: Medium.
Advanced Prep: Can make 2+ weeks ahead!
Check out this recipe

Drinks

Whether it is a warm drink to have with dessert or a mocktail or cocktail to drink during dinner, here are drinks that will wow during Thanksgiving.

A mug of haldi doodh with a brown hand holding the mug.
Microwave Haldi Doodh (Turmeric Milk)
Recipe Difficulty: Easy.
Advanced Prep: Make this 1-2 days before and leave in the fridge. Reheat and place in thermos for guests to enjoy!
Check out this recipe
Hot, frothy, masala chai in an Indian clay cup.
Masala Chai | Spiced Indian Tea
Recipe Difficulty: Easy.
Advanced Prep: Make this 1-2 days before and leave in the fridge. Reheat and place in thermos for guests to enjoy!
Check out this recipe
Gulab jamun cocktail or a saffron gin cocktail in a coupe class with a strand of saffron on the top.
Gulab Jamun Cocktail (Saffron Gin Cocktail)
Recipe Difficulty: Easy.
Advanced Prep: Prepare a large batch in advance by combining all ingredients except the ice in a big mason jar. Add 1 tablespoon of water for each serving of the cocktail (for example, 4 tablespoons for 4 cocktails) and freeze.
Check out this recipe
A brown hand holding lychee rose mocktail in a glass with pink hued glasses in the background.
Lychee Rose Mocktail
Recipe Difficulty: Easy.
Advanced Prep: Prepare a large batch of lychee syrup in advance. Mix the ginger ale and syrup together right before guests arrive or leave it as an activity for guests to do.
Check out this recipe

Desserts

Delicious Indian inspired desserts to end Thanksgiving with!

Two bowls with indian tapioca pudding with a nut and raisin topping. A wooden spoon on the bottom right.
Javvarisi Payasam | Eggless Tapioca Pudding with Raisins
Recipe Difficulty: Easy.
Advanced Prep: Prepare 2-3 days before Thanksgiving and simply reheat on the day of before serving.
Check out this recipe
A white serving tray with bread malpua on top. The bread malpua has a creamy khoya topping and crushed pistachios on top. Besides the bread malpua is extra khoya in a wooden bowl with a spoon in the bowl.
Easy Bread Malpua with Instant Khoya
Recipe Difficulty: Easy.
Advanced Prep: Make instant khoya made with ricotta the 2-3 days ahead. Microwave when ready to use to make it more spreadable. Make the syrup 2-3 days ahead. Toast bread and assemble day of.
Check out this recipe
Kaju katlis with etched pattern on it
Kaju Katli (Indian Cashew Fudge)
Recipe Difficulty: Hard. Mostly due to technique
Advanced Prep: Prepare up to a week before hand!
Check out this recipe
Gulab jamun made with milk powder
Gulab Jamun with Milk Powder
Recipe Difficulty: Hard.
Advanced Prep: Prepare 2-3 days before Thanksgiving.
Check out this recipe

Please let me know if you tried any of these recipes and let me know if you have any questions!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. donna lessard

    WOW I can't wait to try some of your dishes!

    Reply

    • Shri Repp

      yay! so excited for you to try <3

      Reply

  2. nimabi

    Thank you very much for sharing, I learned a lot from your article. Very cool. Thanks.nimabi

    Reply

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