From a traditional family feast to an intimate dinner for two, a vegetarian harvest table, or a relaxed Friendsgiving, discover fresh recipes and farmers market inspiration for a Thanksgiving worth savoring.
Thanksgiving has always been one of our favorite holidays at the farmers markets.
There’s something deeply satisfying about this celebration of the harvest—the fragrance of fresh sage and rosemary, the comfort of familiar family recipes, the anticipation of a beautiful meal, and the pleasure of gathering around a table with people we love.
And, of course, there’s the food!
But Thanksgiving doesn’t have to look the same for everyone.
Some of us look forward to preparing a traditional feast, complete with roast turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. Others may be gathering with just a few close friends, hosting their first Friendsgiving, or celebrating with a table full of wonderful vegetarian dishes.
Perhaps this year you’re cooking for two instead of twelve. Or maybe you’re simply ready to try something a little different.
Whatever your plans, we believe Thanksgiving should be a celebration to enjoy—not an exhausting marathon of cooking.
This year, we’ve created four special Thanksgiving menus filled with delicious recipes from the Edible Paradise kitchen. Each menu has its own personality, with carefully chosen dishes, seasonal ingredients, make-ahead suggestions, and a little inspiration for making your gathering memorable.
Choose the celebration that feels right for you, or mix and match recipes from several menus to create your own holiday traditions.
The Classic Farmers Market Thanksgiving: Favorite Traditions, Fresh from the Harvest
For the traditional Thanksgiving feast | Serves 8–12
There’s nothing quite like the comforting familiarity of a classic Thanksgiving dinner.
A beautifully browned roast turkey, savory stuffing, creamy mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, homemade cranberry relish, and a favorite pie—these are the dishes that bring generations together around the holiday table.
Our Classic Farmers Market Thanksgiving celebrates those beloved traditions while introducing a few fresh touches inspired by the seasonal harvest.
Try Swiss-Style Green Bean Casserole made with locally produced cheese, Sweet Potato Casserole with Toasted Pecan and Coconut Streusel, or a wonderfully fragrant Quince and Cranberry Compote.
We’ve included recipe choices for several courses, so you can preserve the traditions your family loves while discovering a few new favorites.
Explore The Classic Farmers Market Thanksgiving: Favorite Traditions, Fresh from the Harvest.
A Little Thanksgiving: The Quiet Luxury of an Intimate Holiday Dinner
For a beautiful gathering of two, three, or four
A smaller Thanksgiving can be one of the loveliest ways to celebrate.
With fewer dishes to prepare, there’s time to bring out your best china, press a beautiful linen tablecloth, arrange fresh flowers, and enjoy the pleasure of setting a special table.
Choose a tender herb-roasted turkey breast with homemade gravy or a beautifully golden Tuscan Lemon and Rosemary Roasted Chicken. Add your favorite stuffing, a seasonal vegetable, creamy mashed potatoes, and one wonderful dessert.
It’s everything we love about Thanksgiving, thoughtfully scaled for a smaller table.
And perhaps the nicest part is having enough time to relax, enjoy the meal, and linger over conversation.
Explore A Little Thanksgiving: The Quiet Luxury of a Beautiful Holiday Dinner.
The Vegetarian Harvest Table: A Thanksgiving Feast Without the Turkey
For a seasonal, vegetable-forward celebration | Serves 4–6
Who says Thanksgiving needs a turkey to feel like a feast?
Some of the most wonderful flavors of Thanksgiving come from the side dishes—and in our Vegetarian Harvest Table, seasonal vegetables take center stage.
The star of this menu is our beautiful Wild Mushroom and Leek Wellington, filled with deeply savory mushrooms, tender leeks, fresh herbs, and toasted walnuts, all wrapped in golden puff pastry.
Serve it with Rich Mushroom and Thyme Gravy, Roasted Delicata Squash with Whipped Feta, Pomegranate and Pistachios, and a colorful fall salad.
Finish with French Apple Cake or Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan Praline Sauce.
It’s a Thanksgiving menu that’s generous, elegant, and satisfying, whether your guests are vegetarian or simply love wonderful seasonal food.
Explore The Vegetarian Harvest Table: A Thanksgiving Feast Without the Turkey.
Friendsgiving: A Celebration of Sides — The Perfect Holiday Potluck
For students, friends, and first-time hosts | Serves 6–8
Let’s face it. For many of us, the side dishes are the best part of Thanksgiving!
Our Friendsgiving menu celebrates that idea with a relaxed, delicious potluck where everyone contributes something wonderful to the table.
The host prepares a bubbling casserole of Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Gruyère, Cheddar and Crispy Shallots, while friends choose from roasted vegetables, fresh autumn salads, homemade cornbread, and simple desserts.
We’ve even organized the menu into categories so guests can choose what they’d like to prepare—without accidentally ending up with six desserts and no vegetables!
This is an especially welcoming way for students away from home, young adults, and friends with smaller kitchens to share a memorable holiday without the expense or work of preparing an entire feast.
And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with bringing a beautiful pumpkin pie from a favorite farmers market bakery!
Explore Friendsgiving: A Celebration of Sides — The Perfect Holiday Potluck.
Start at the Farmers Market
One of the nicest Thanksgiving traditions is shopping for the holiday meal at the farmers market.
November brings beautiful winter squash, sweet potatoes, crisp apples and pears, pomegranates, persimmons, root vegetables, beans, leafy greens, fresh herbs, nuts, artisan breads, beautiful pies and pastries, and locally produced cheeses.
The selection is an invitation to cook seasonally, support our regional farmers and food producers, and bring wonderfully fresh ingredients to the holiday table.
Take time to talk with your favorite growers. Ask about their preferred varieties for roasting and baking, discover an unfamiliar vegetable, or choose a special ingredient that might become part of a new family tradition.
Sometimes the most memorable recipes begin with something unexpected discovered at the market.
Thanksgiving, Your Way
However you celebrate this year, we hope you’ll find inspiration in these menus and recipes.
Prepare the traditional feast if that’s what makes Thanksgiving special. Gather a few close friends around a beautifully set table. Celebrate with vegetables, share the cooking with a potluck, or create a menu entirely from your favorite side dishes.
There is no single right way to celebrate Thanksgiving.
What matters is preparing food with care, appreciating the abundance of the season, and enjoying the pleasure of sharing a good meal.
From all of us at the Monterey Bay Certified Farmers Markets, we wish you a beautiful, delicious, and memorable Thanksgiving.
