Tasty Thanksgiving Recipes from The FruitGuys Team

I can almost smell it: the turkey cooling on the counter, stuffing crisping up in the oven, and pecan pie topping everything off with the sweet perfume of caramel. Thanksgiving is almost here, and I’ve found that people have very strong opinions about which foods are required to make the meal a success.

One year, there was almost a riot at my parents’ house when my mom declared she was going to make either mashed potatoes or rice for the meal, not both. My siblings and I stubbornly took over the cooking so we wouldn’t have to choose.

My mom has hosted Thanksgiving for as long as I can remember. We stuck to a standard menu for years, but over the last two decades, she’s started adding new dishes to the meal. One year, it was a butternut squash soup with rum cream (this soup recipe is the closest I can find), another it was a mushroom pie, which has now become a staple item.

To help me find this year’s “new” item, I asked our team at The FruitGuys for their favorite Thanksgiving recipes. I hope they inspire you as much as they did me!

Brussels Sprouts Salad with Cranberries and Apple

“I love salad, so it’s my job to bring one to every family dinner, including Thanksgiving! Thinly sliced Brussels sprouts make an amazing salad base, so for holidays I like making this easy salad recipe that pairs them with fresh apples and dried cranberries. You can swap the almonds for pecans to make it more autumnal.” –Lex, Marketing

Cranberry Brie Bites

“These bites are quick and easy to make and always a hit at my family gatherings. The ingredients are simple, but the outcome looks very festive, especially with a sprig of rosemary as garnish. You can also be versatile with the recipe by changing the kind of cheese, spread/jam, or nuts. My personal favorite is using walnuts instead of pecans and topping it off with a dollop of honey.” –Krizzia, Farm-to-School

Mom’s Broccoli Cheese Casserole

“It’s a classic Southern comfort dish made with broccoli, rice, and a creamy cheese and mushroom soup base. It’s warm, cozy, and has been part of our holiday table for as long as I can remember—one bite and it feels like home.” –Julie, Marketing

Cheesy Beanies

“Cheesy Beanies started as a classic green bean casserole that’s been in my partner’s family for years. After my first Thanksgiving with them, I made it my annual challenge to keep the dish on the table but make it a little more homemade each time. The first year, I swapped in fresh green beans (hand-French cut!) and made my own cream of mushroom soup. Since then, we’ve tried homemade onion rings, sliced almonds, and even a creamy goat cheese version.” –Jessica, IT

Homemade Bread Stuffing

“Usually, my daughters help with the stuffing prep the night before Thanksgiving. It’s so nice to have all three of us in the kitchen together, a gift in itself. I love our stuffing because it has everything wonderful in it: sourdough bread, cornbread, butter, pecans, celery, carrots, onions, mandarin oranges, apples, raisins, Italian sausage, and spices. It’s so yummy that we can’t wait for the next day—we all have to taste it when it comes out of the oven, and it just tastes like home! I don’t follow a recipe, just chop and add as I go.” –Carol, Farm-to-School

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

“I love making these bars the entire month of November! They’re easy to make and have all the fall flavors that you want in a Thanksgiving dessert.” –Krista, Farm-to-School

Pumpkin Cheesecake

“My great-grandmother passed our family’s pumpkin cheesecake recipe to my grandmother, who passed it down to my aunt, and then she taught me. It’s a basic cheesecake recipe, but we add pumpkin puree and a special seasoning mix. The exact recipe is a secret, but I can give you a few hints: You MUST use a springform pan and put a pan of water on the bottom rack of the oven while you cook it. The steam helps it heat evenly and keeps it from cracking.” –Danielle, Operations

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday—not for the food, but for the people and the traditions. Of course, my Aunt Carol’s warm pecan pie with vanilla ice cream doesn’t hurt!

Even if you have your Thanksgiving menu set, I hope there’s still time for one of these dishes to sneak in.