8 Recipe Upgrades for a Tastier Thanksgiving

Not only did we design a three-piece roasting set that's raring to go for Thanksgiving, we also built you maybe the only recipes you're gonna need. 

Fighting words, we know, but when HC Food Director Laura Rege created this year’s Thanksgiving menu, she wanted to honor the classics but upgrade them. Translation: easy riffs, make-ahead options and ingredient swaps that make a huge difference.

How do you make a holiday dinner that feels nostalgic but improves on tradition at the same time? Sometimes it’s browning the butter for your pie crust. Sometimes it’s a matter of using the very best roaster and breaking out your Hybrid skillet for homemade cornbread. 

Here are eight delicious recipes so you can make this the best Thanksgiving ever. 

1. Orange and Herb Dry-Brined Turkey 

We can’t help with your family dynamics, but we can let you in on one secret of a stress-free Thanksgiving.

“Keep the turkey simple, so you can focus on everything else,” Rege says.  “A great turkey doesn’t need to be complicated. All you need is good technique and a great roasting pan.”

This glorious bird, developed by Anna Stockwell, delivers: Orange zest and thyme in the dry rub plus whole oranges, sage and white wine in the roasting pan produce a deliciously fragrant main event. Don’t forget to use the flavorful pan drippings to make the gravy. 

2. Apple-Sausage Cornbread Stuffing

“Pork and apple is such a classic combo,” says Rege. For this rich, savory-sweet stuffing, Rege uses Italian sausage–instead of breakfast sausage–as an easy way to bump up the flavor and spice. 

“The sweetness of the apples really makes the savory pop,” Rege said. 

Yes, this stuffing does require a little make-ahead work (in the form of the cornbread, made right in your Hybrid skillet). But, you assemble it day-of, and (bonus) the skillet ensures plenty of crispy browned edges. 

3. Creamiest Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Classic mashed potatoes call for little more than potatoes, butter, milk, salt and pepper. Does it get any better than that? Actually, it does, and the key ingredient is cream cheese. 

“It makes the potatoes super, super-creamy, and also adds that tiny bit of acidity that you don’t get from a traditional mash,” says Rege. 

Make these potatoes in your 5QT Dutch Oven, and you’ll notice that the cream cheese makes for a dense, rich mash (unlike sour cream, which can get watery) that lets the potato flavor shine. 

“This is a spin your guests will love,” says Rege. 

4. Homemade Green Bean Casserole

This recipe proves it’s worth it to make your own mushroom-enriched béchamel and fried onions for an astonishingly delicious green bean casserole. Those sizzled onions? They’re coated in buttermilk and cayenne; you might want to make extra for snacking. 

“They’re a huge hit,” says Rege. “Proof that it’s worth making them from scratch.” 

And there’s more good news: You can make all the components of the casserole in advance, so all you have to do on Thanksgiving is assemble and bake in your Hybrid 9”x13” pan.

5. Roasted Root Vegetables with Warm Bacon-Herb Vinaigrette

Root vegetables, the unsung heroes of autumn, star in a side dish that brings out their best qualities. First, roast a tumble of carrots, parsnips and beets to caramelize their natural sugars. (You can also substitute squash, pumpkin or even Brussels sprouts.) Then toss them with pickled shallots and a quick skillet vinaigrette of crisp bacon and mustard, garlic and parsley. 

“It’s a real upgrade,” says Rege. “And you can’t not have bacon on the Thanksgiving table.” 

You can roast the vegetables hours in advance and let them sit at room temperature. Simply rewarm them briefly in the oven before tossing everything together. 

6. Mulled Cider 

For peak Thanksgiving coziness, keep a big pot of cider and spices bubbling on low. This easy-but-sophisticated mulled cider is spiced with star anise, cinnamon and ginger for a warm, peppery flavor. If you’d like to spike the pot or individual glasses, Rege says any brown spirit, like brandy, bourbon or whiskey, would do. Or look for an apple brandy to bring even more fall flavor to the party. 

7. The Easiest Cranberry Sauce 

If you’ve never made cranberry sauce from scratch, know this: It really is that easy. This one is scented with orange and cinnamon, and it can be made several days in advance. In fact, Rege thinks its flavor only gets better with time. The secret here is using both cooked and raw cranberries: The cooked berries burst and thicken with the sugar, while the raw berries added at the end of cooking lend pops of crunch and tartness.  

8. Brown Butter Apple Pie 

Deep-dish skillet apple pie with browned butter is a power move. This one has a double dose of the toasted butter, in both the crust and the filling, so that a caramelized, nutty flavor suffuses the entire dessert. (You can make the brown butter up to a month in advance and store it in the freezer so it’s cold and ready to go.) The filling is made with both tart Granny Smith apples and a sweeter red variety, for complex flavor. Add vanilla ice cream and make sure there’s at least one slice leftover for breakfast.

Speaking of leftovers, with recipes like these, we know they won’t last long.