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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Megan Hedgpeth, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich

Thanksgiving Every Way

If the past few years have taught us anything, it's that life—and holidays—can be unpredictable. Are we getting together? Are we not? Are we meeting at Sam and Sherry's new and very remote lake house? Do we have our luggage? Who's bringing the pecan pie?

This Thanksgiving may be a comforting return to tradition for you—or it could be that the last few years taught you that you didn't need those exact traditions to have a festive time. Thanksgiving 2022 could be the year you confit your turkey instead of roasting it. Maybe this is the year you go for chicken instead of turkey, or the year you forgo a bird altogether—who needs it? Full vegan holiday menu? Sure, we've got that, too. In 2022, you can do the meal however you want.

A First-Timer's Thanksgiving

If you're cooking Thanksgiving for the very first time this year, guess what? It doesn't have to be a stressful proposition. This easy menu, which includesour simplest roast turkey recipeand a fewfoolproof sides, will take you fromcocktailstodessertwith your wits intact.

A Thanksgiving for 4

Maybe you're passing on the big Thanksgiving gathering again this year—maybe you never did the big Thanksgiving in the first place. Whether you're keeping it small as always or you're used to cooking for a dozen out-of-town relatives and wondering how to adapt, consider this menu your roadmap. It forgoes a whole turkey in favor ofluscious turkey legs; calls for askillet of stuffingrather than a big pan; and keeps dessert modest with asingle (but dual-flavored) pie. And while it's meant to feed four to six people comfortably, take heart—this menu still leaves a little room for leftovers.

A Plant-Based Menu With a Main That Wows

The star of this menu is a Moroccan-inspired stuffed squash filled with dried fruits and barley—a hearty but vegan centerpiece that still calls for a carving knife. But before we get there, we'll traipse past a refreshingly light cocktail and a dip that makes the most ofplant-based dairy, as well as side dishes that ensure your guests get their fill, evenwithout any meator meat substitutes on the menu. We end with not one but two desserts that stay true to sprit of the holiday without compromising on the vegan promise.

A Chef's Thanksgiving

When we asked chef Erick Williams ofVirtue Restaurantin Chicago to curate a Thanksgiving menu for Epicurious, he revealed a couple of surprising facts about himself. First, the chef offered some controversial opinions about mac and cheese; second, he told us about his annual tradition of celebrating the holiday with…a bowl of cereal. (More on both of those revelations here.) Beyond those outlier positions, Williams's take on Thanksgiving is classic and exacting. Here, he's curated a menu that's based on memories of his family's Thanksgiving celebrations, but informed by decades of cooking French, Italian, and American Southern food in restaurants. At the heart of the menu?A brand-new recipe for a mac and cheesethat even a chef like Williams can love.

A Cheap & Thrilling Thanksgiving

If finances are tight this year, Thanksgiving might make you nervous. But there's no reason to shell out for an expensive whole turkey. Instead, this luxurious (but affordable!) menu featuresturkey drumsticks, which are, by far, the least-expensive-per-pound turkey option available in most supermarkets. Roasted and basted in ghee (make your ownfor minimal budget impact), this turkey dinner is likely to outshine any previous birds you've cooked. On the side, offerwinter squash confitwith garlic and herbs, acrisp wedge saladwith a sprightly sour cream dressing, and asimple cranberry saucethat comes with plenty of leftovers. No need to skimp on appetizers or dessert, either: A dip ofsweet roasted carrotsblended with smoky hot paprika and afennel-dusted apple tartbookend this holiday dinner, which comes together for less than $10 per person.

A Chicken Thanksgiving

Apathetic turkey-eaters, rejoice! This Thanksgiving, you need not settle for the bigger (but lesser) bird. Amiso-butter roast chicken and gravyact as the centerpiece here, with a few flavorful sides (green beans,salad) playing backup. We also call for two desserts, one of which is achocolate cookie. No, cookies are not customary for Thanksgiving—but if chicken's on the table, you've already broken one tradition. What's the harm in breaking another?

This Vegetarian Thanksgiving Menu Celebrates a Few Favorite Cookbooks

This vegetarian menu packs in tons of flavor. While you’re sipping a cocktail, nibble on spicy chili lime cashews and a rich French onion blue cheese tart. The hearty mains that follow put the spotlight on butternut squash and collard greens, served with a bouncy focaccia scented with perilla leaves. The meal concludes with a classic bourbon pecan pie—anda pistachio cherry cake, because two desserts are always better than just one! Consider this menu an edible cookbook preview of a few of our favorite recently-published titles, includingThe Pepper Thai Cookbook,Nadiya Bakes , Black Food,The Korean Vegan Cookbook,Life Is What You Bake It, andThe New Way to Cake.

A Gluten-Free Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is usually filled with the starchy, filling vegetables that gluten-free eaters tend to flock to anyway. But if you want to ensure the holiday is entirely gluten-free, there are a few dishes to watch out for. First, find agravy recipethat uses cornstarch instead of flour (or lean into cranberry sauce and skip the gravy altogether). Then, look for a cornbread that uses only corn flour (such asthis cheesy spoon bread), and adressing that uses wild rice. The trickiest place to avoid gluten will be dessert, but here you'll find some great options: acrust made with easy-to-find GF gingersnaps, and anall-purpose GF doughthat can be used in pie crusts, tarts, and cookies. There's also the option of servingbrûléed applesor achocolate-chestnut mousse. Pie who?

A Mainless (and Meatless) Thanksgiving

This year, we’re granting ourselves full permission to skip the turkey and focus on the things that really matter. Things likeluxurious potatoes,cheesy casseroles, and all the other dishes we've waited all year to devour. This menu is packed with those favorites—and they're all vegetarian.

Thanksgiving for One

Going solo this year? Want to eat a blow-out Thanksgiving meal anyway? Respect.This recipeputs roast turkey, green beans, and your own personal sweet potato casserole on your plate in under two hours. For dessert, youcouldgo with thisindividual apple crisp. But it's a holiday—why not make thewhole damn pie?