Thanksgiving is the official kickoff to the holiday season. But before all that football-and-family-filled fun, another gathering ushers in the time to eat, drink, and be merry: Friendsgiving. If you’re wondering, what is Friendsgiving?, let me elaborate. Everything you love about Thanksgiving—comfort foods, festive drinks, fall decor—is welcome, minus the usual guest list. Instead of showing gratitude for your relatives, you get to celebrate the other important relationships in your life: your friends.
Imagine all of your best friends gathered around one table, taking turns dishing about what they’re thankful for this year. There’s lots of laughter, cheers-ing, and memories being made. But just as important as the people is the food, of course. Whether you’re hosting Friendsgiving or wondering what to bring to Friendsgiving this year, this list has you covered. Between appetizers, cocktails, mains, sides, and desserts, these 30 Friendsgiving food ideas are bound to be crowd-pleasers.
Friendsgiving food ideas: appetizers
Appetizers are guests’ first taste of the event—and they’re fun to pair with pre-dinner cocktails. They’re also the easiest dish to assign out, so take appetizers off your hosting plate by sending these five recipes to your friends.
1. 3-Ingredient Bacon-Wrapped Dates
The name of the game when it comes to appetizers is simplicity. With just three ingredients, these bacon-wrapped dates couldn’t be easier to throw together—and the savory-sweet flavors are incredibly addicting. Feel free to swap the blue cheese for your choice of cheese (I opt for honey goat!)
2. Friendsgiving Charcuterie Board
No holiday gathering is complete without a charcuterie board. When building your Friendsgiving board, add in seasonal ingredients like pecans, apples, cranberries, and figs alongside your meats and cheeses to give it a festive feel.
3. Spinach Artichoke Dip
Spinach artichoke dip is a classic for a reason, and whenever it’s at a party, I find myself parked in front of it all night. It’s simple to make but feels much more elevated than most easy dips, making it perfect for a Friendsgiving where you want minimal effort and a dish that feels dinner-party appropriate.
4. Pumpkin-Shaped Baked Brie
This pumpkin-shaped baked brie is perfect as a standalone app, or you can incorporate it into your Friendsgiving charcuterie board. This is a classic baked brie recipe with an extra step to make it look like a pumpkin. Serve it with apples or crackers, and don’t forget a dollop of apple butter or pumpkin butter for an extra sweet bite!
5. Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms
Spinach dip is always a crowd-pleaser, and these spinach-stuffed mushrooms elevate the classic appetizer. These little snacks look like they take a lot of effort, but in reality, they only take about 15 minutes to prep and 25 minutes in the oven.
6. Baked Tomato and Goat Cheese Dip
This dip is made with hot roasted tomatoes, garlic, goat cheese, and a little bit of spice from red pepper flakes. The recipe calls for a toasted crostini, but if you don’t want to make your own, you can serve this dip with bagel chips or crackers.
Friendsgiving food ideas: mains
When we think of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, a big ol’ turkey usually sits at the center of the table. For Friendsgiving, dial it back with one of these hassle-free turkey recipes—or switch things up with a non-traditional main.
7. Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
You don’t need to roast a whole turkey in the oven to enjoy a Friendsgiving turkey! This recipe is pretty hands-off as far as cooking a turkey goes. You’ll need to prepare the turkey and the seasonings, but then you just pop it in your slow cooker and focus on other courses or spending time with your friends until dinner.
8. Red Wine Cranberry Braised Short Ribs
Calling all red meat lovers: This braised short rib recipe is an alternative to the traditional turkey—and it’s bursting with fall flavors. Think: rosemary, thyme, brown sugar, and cranberry. Made in a slow cooker, this Friendsgiving recipe is easy, cozy, and looks impressive.
9. Roasted Vegetable Butternut Squash Lasagna
If you’re looking for a vegetarian option that still feels festive enough for your Friendsgiving table, this veggie lasagna delivers. It’s packed with peppers, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, and, of course, butternut squash. A blend of seasonal spices gives this dish a mildly sweet flavor to complement the savory veggies.
10. Pork Tenderloin with Dijon Cream Sauce
Pork tenderloin is a great choice when hosting any dinner party, but especially Friendsgiving because it feels fancy but isn’t too difficult to cook. This recipe is packed with flavor—from the spice rub to the savory glaze to the Dijon cream sauce. The final product looks and tastes gourmet, but it only takes about an hour to make from start to finish.
11. Pumpkin Pasta Alla Vodka
Who says you have to stick to traditional Thanksgiving food at Friendsgiving? This pumpkin pasta recipe is perfect if turkey isn’t really your thing or if you’re looking for an alternative dish that’s quick, easy, seasonal, and impressive enough to be the main event at Friendsgiving.
12. Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Cooking in an air fryer cuts your prep time significantly while turning out turkey that tastes just as good, if not better, than an oven-roasted one. The best part about this recipe is that the seasonings are kitchen staples, so you likely already have them on hand—just add the turkey!
Friendsgiving food ideas: sides
The main dish is an important base, but side dishes are usually the stars of the plate. Try one of these Friendsgiving food ideas for a modern twist on classic holiday sides. Think unexpected pairings like peas, pears, and pancetta or pomegranate and pecan Brussels sprouts.
13. Peas with Pears and Pancetta
Peas are an underrated vegetable, IMO. Mixed with sweet pears, crispy pancetta, and shallots, this 30-minute recipe is bound to surprise and delight your friends. It’s easily customizable, too. Swap pancetta for bacon, pears for apples, and shallots for onion if you don’t have the ingredients on hand.
14. Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
Remember when we all used to hate Brussels sprouts? That’s because they weren’t prepared like this. This recipe calls for roasting them with balsamic vinegar, honey, pecans, and parsley, creating a perfect combination of sweet, crispy, and caramelized.
15. Crockpot Sweet Potato Casserole
This slow cooker sweet potato casserole has a flavorful topping made with butter, sugar, cinnamon, and pecans, which adds an extra wow factor to the dish. Plus, cooking in your Crockpot saves your oven space for apps, main courses, and desserts.
16. Honey Glazed Carrots
With all the moving parts of planning a Friendsgiving, I’m always after side dishes that pack tons of flavor without hours of prep. These glazed carrots do exactly that. The recipe takes just 45 minutes to make, with 25 of those minutes spent in the oven. The honey and thyme make these carrots genuinely mouthwatering, and you’ll never want to eat them another way.
17. Fall Harvest Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Made with apples, kale, quinoa, roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries, and pecans, this salad is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. It’s all finished with an apple cider vinaigrette that adds a perfectly tangy bite.
18. Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread
Cornbread is a staple in my family’s Thanksgiving spread and might be my favorite part of the meal. This recipe comes together in just 35 minutes and promises moist, slightly sweet cornbread with a little kick from jalapeño—a side that might just steal the spotlight.
Friendsgiving food ideas: desserts
Don’t forget to save room for dessert! Pie is a staple at every Friendsgiving, but if you’re looking for something simpler, we’ve got some other sweet Friendsgiving food ideas, like maple chai cookies, apple cobbler, and beautiful caramel apples.
19. Easy Pumpkin Pie
The most classic dessert of all is pumpkin pie! This traditional recipe is classic in flavor and easy to throw together. Made with store-bought pie crust and just five additional ingredients, it’s basically fool-proof.
20. Maple Chai Latte Cookies with Brown Butter Icing
Pies are the traditional Friendsgiving dessert, but these maple chai latte cookies are ready to become a new go-to. They’re easy to make, deliciously spiced, and full of fall flavor. These cookies also score bonus points if your friends are Swifties—they’ll appreciate the nod to Taylor’s favorite chai cookie recipe.
21. Easy Apple Cobbler
The inside of a cobbler is similar to an apple crisp, but the topping is sweet and fluffy instead of crunchy. This warm apple cinnamon dessert pairs perfectly with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
22. Pecan Pie
Pumpkin gets all the glory this time of year, but pecan pie is a seriously delicious fall dessert, too. Use a premade pie crust for ease, and store for up to three days before Friendsgiving for a no-stress dessert option.
23. Pumpkin Cake
If you’re a pumpkin pie fan looking to switch things up, this super moist pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting is a game-changer. It serves straight from the baking pan, so there’s no need to stress about cake decorating. Just bake, slice, and serve.
24. Homemade Caramel Apples
Caramel apples are not only a great dessert but also a fun Friendsgiving activity. Create a DIY caramel apple dessert bar with apples, warm caramel for dipping, and different toppings like candies, chocolate, and nuts.
Friendsgiving cocktail recipes
Of course, no Friendsgiving is complete without a seasonally appropriate drink to sip on while you chat with your besties. From batch cocktails to handcrafted mocktails, these cocktail recipes will make your Friendsgiving even more festive.
25. Chai Espresso Martini
In my personal opinion, you can’t celebrate without an espresso martini. So it only makes sense that I would scope out the best espresso martini for Friendsgiving. Made with a homemade chai honey syrup and non-dairy milk, this chai espresso martini is a perfect after-dinner cocktail.
26. Honeycrisp Apple Cider Sangria
This apple cider sangria is extremely easy to make and full of seasonal ingredients. It’s made with apple cider, white wine, apple brandy, Honeycrisp apples, and a spiced honey simple syrup for a delicious blend of autumn flavors.
27. Thanksgiving Punch Mocktail
If you want to make a batched drink sans alcohol, this Thanksgiving punch is perfect. Made with apple cider, orange juice, fresh fruit, and seasonal spices—all topped off with ginger ale—this mocktail feels extra festive even without the booze. If you want to leave the option of turning it into a cocktail, have some spiced rum or bourbon nearby.
28. Spicy Bourbon Pumpkin Smash
If you’re not an apple lover, this pumpkin bourbon smash is just the thing to sip on at Friendsgiving. Made with spiced pumpkin syrup, bourbon, orange, bitters, and ginger beer, it’s a warm, spicy drink that tastes like Thanksgiving in a glass.
29. Apple Cranberry Moscow Mule
Apple and cranberry are a match made in heaven. This apple cranberry Moscow mule is made with cranberry juice, apple juice or ginger beer, and vodka, then garnished with apples, cranberries, or rosemary for a sophisticated finishing touch.
30. Brown Sugar Sage Ginger Paloma
Palomas are typically a summer drink, but when made with flavors like sage and ginger, the tequila cocktail is fall-ready. Half Baked Harvest also includes a mocktail version of this Friendsgiving drink, so you can adjust for the non-drinkers in your friend group.
Emily Dumas, Contributing Writer
Emily is a Virginia-based content creator with over five years of experience creating content strategies for SaaS companies. Although she spends her days in the tech world, she has spent many years as a lifestyle writer for her personal site, as well as for several publications across the web.
Claire West, Editor
As an Editor for the Home & Living category of The Everygirl, Claire writes and edits stories spanning topics like food, travel, hobbies, and decorating. During her eight years in the media industry, Claire has touched everything from fashion to relationships to celebrity interviews at magazines like People and InStyle.
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