With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to start prepping your holiday menu. Need some inspiration for your Thanksgiving dishes? We’ve got you covered.
Whether you’re hosting for the day or bringing a side to share, here’s your list of some of the most show-stopping Thanksgiving dishes to add to your table—and all can be made with local ingredients from right here around the Triangle!
Mashed & Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
If you’re looking for a recipe that uses minimal ingredients but still produces maximum flavor, this is your best bet. All it takes is a few sweet potatoes, honey, goat cheese, and a couple sprinkles of seasoning, and voila—you’ve got one of the best Thanksgiving dishes on the table.
Plus, you can knock out almost all of the ingredients you need with one trip to the State Farmer’s Market, where you can find local sweet potatoes, honey, and cheeses!
Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet potatoes are a staple of Thanksgiving flavor, and what better way to spice them up than with a bit of a boozy twist? This recipe also uses minimal ingredients, but the cook time can take awhile. Luckily, it keeps well, so you can make it ahead of time and enjoy a relaxing morning!
You can pick up sweet potatoes from the State Farmer’s Market, and make a day out of trying out some local bourbon—there are a surprising amount of small distilleries scattered throughout the state!
Dijon Maple Green Beans
Want to take your green beans to the next level? This recipe uses a fusion of dijon mustard and maple syrup to provide an explosive, tangy-sweet flavor combo that perfectly compliments the crunch of the green beans.
For the ingredients on this one, we recommend taking a quick trip to the Holly Springs Farmer’s Market! Community Built Enterprises can hook you up with some local maple syrup, Natural Choice has a mustard and nut selection, and South Chestnut Farm can get you the bacon topping.
Three-Cheese Baked Mac & Cheese
As long as you don’t have any aversions to dairy, this three-cheese mac & cheese is a luxuriously flavorful addition to your Thanksgiving dishes. In order to make it, you’ll need a lot of cheese (of course), but you can freestyle a little with your preferences. Pepper jack, cheddar, Gruyere, brie, parmesan, mozzarella—the choice is yours!
As far as gathering ingredients goes, you’ll be able to find most of what you need from local vendors! Fork + Spoon Fresh Pasta at the Cary Farmer’s Market can get you handmade, flavor-infused noodles, the Country Store at the State Farmer’s Market has tons of artisan cheeses to choose from, and you can find local milk at Whole Foods or Harris Teeter.
Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing
Okay, this one might be a little more challenging to shop local on, but it’s incredibly simple to make and produces an amazing final dish. You’ll need chorizo, of course, as well as an onion, carrot, celery, garlic, cilantro, and cornbread.
The farmer’s market can supply you with your veggie needs, and if you really want your cornbread to stand out, you can always pick some up to go from Big Ed’s or The Pit!
Live Like a Local in the Triangle
Here in the Triangle, we have a unique focus on the community—that’s why so many local shops and farmers are thriving! If you’re interested in learning more about the one-of-a-kind lifestyle that the Raleigh area has to offer, we can help.
Take some time to explore our in-depth guides, browse our buying resources, and let us know when you’re ready to learn more about finding a new home here!