The holiday season is here, and in just one week—at least here in America—we’ll be enjoying the long Thanksgiving weekend. Whether you celebrate the traditional holiday or a modern version like Friendsgiving, you might be searching for last-minute recipes to wow your guests and family at your upcoming dinner.
To help make your Thanksgiving as stress-free as possible, we’ve asked our favorite fashion foodies, from Peter Som to Rachel Antonoff, to share their signature recipes, from cocktails to dessert. Some, like those from Christopher John Rogers and Conner Ives, are family traditions passed down through generations, so this year you could be enjoying the same dishes as your favorite designer’s family.
Other recipes draw inspiration from the world around them. Jamie Okuma uses sage, an herb deeply rooted in Indigenous culture, which she says is “the best complement to dressing and stuffing.” Henry Zankov, meanwhile, found inspiration for his butternut squash and mint pesto salad at Gjelina, one of his favorite spots in Venice Beach.
Here, nine designers share their favorite Thanksgiving recipes, straight from Vogue to your table.
Adam Lippes’s Maple Bourbon Sour
Ingredients:
– 2 oz good-quality bourbon
– ¾ oz fresh lemon juice
– ½ oz pure maple syrup
– Dash of Angostura bitters
– Egg white (optional, for a velvety froth)
– Garnish: orange peel or rosemary sprig
Instructions:
Shake all ingredients vigorously with ice (if using egg white, shake without ice first, then with ice). Strain into a coupe or rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with an orange peel twist or rosemary.
Jamie Okuma’s Sage and Apple Dressing
Ingredients:
– 1 ½ dried loaves multigrain/seeded bread
– 1 tbsp kosher salt
– 1 tsp Himalayan salt
– 2 tsp freshly ground pepper
– 2 (24 oz) containers chicken bone broth
– 2 sets of turkey innards and 2–4 turkey necks (for broth; reserve innards after simmering)
– 1 stick unsalted butter
– 2 yellow onions
– 1 whole celery stalk plus 5 stems
– 1 carrot
– 1–2 Lucy Glo apples (or any apple to taste)
– 2 tbsp fresh minced sage, plus 10 whole leaves for crispy sage
For Turkey Innards Broth:
Prepare 2–3 hours before making the dressing. (This step can be skipped by using jarred bone broth and water, though you won’t have innards for the dressing.) Roughly chop one onion, the celery stalk, and carrot. Add to a medium stockpot with turkey innards, necks, 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tsp pepper, and chicken bone broth. Add enough water to cover ingredients if needed. Simmer on low for 2–3 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove innards and necks to cool. Strain vegetables from broth and reserve broth.
For Sage and Apple Dressing:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cube bread to desired size. Shred turkey neck meat and finely dice gizzards; set aside. Dice remaining onion, celery, and cored apples. In a large frying pan, melt 6 tbsp butter and fry 10 sage leaves until crispy; set aside. Add onions, celery, and apples to the pan and cook until translucent. Stir in fresh sage and cook for 2 more minutes. Add meat, then bread cubes, stirring for 1–2 minutes. Pour in about 3 cups of reserved broth to moisten the bread, adding more if desired. Transfer to a buttered 10”x12” baking dish. Top with remaining butter pads and bake until golden.Dot the dressing with butter and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven, top with the reserved crispy sage leaves, and serve.
Henry Zankov’s Roasted Butternut Squash with Mint-Pomegranate Pesto
Inspired by a lunch at Gjelina in Venice Beach, California.
Collage by Vogue. Images: Getty Images / Courtesy of Henry Zankov
Ingredients:
– 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and sliced
– 2 pinches cumin powder
– 1 cup chopped fresh mint
– ⅕ cup fresh pomegranate seeds
– 1½ tablespoons minced shallot
– 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
– 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
– 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
– 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
– ½ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
Instructions:
1. For the squash: Toss sliced squash with olive oil and sea salt. Roast at 375°F until tender.
2. For the pesto: Blend cumin, mint, shallot, olive oil, cheese, lime zest, and lime juice. Stir in pomegranate seeds and season with salt.
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Conner Ives’s Old Fashioned Bread Stuffing
Serves 8–10
Collage by Vogue. Images: Getty Images / Courtesy of Conner Ives
Ingredients:
– 1 cup finely chopped celery
– ½ cup chopped onion
– ½ cup unsalted butter
– 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning or sage
– ½ teaspoon salt
– ⅛ teaspoon pepper
– ½ loaf day-old white bread
– ½ loaf day-old whole wheat bread
– ¾–1 cup chicken broth or water
Instructions:
1. Tear or process bread into large cubes (about 8–10 cups).
2. In a saucepan, cook celery and onion in butter until tender (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in seasoning, salt, and pepper.
3. Combine bread cubes and onion mixture in a bowl. Moisten with broth, tossing lightly.
4. Bake covered at 350°F for 25–30 minutes.
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Christopher John Rogers’s Seafood and Sausage Gumbo
Collage by Vogue. Images: Getty Images / Courtesy of Christopher John Rogers
Ingredients:
Vegetables & Aromatics:
– 4 celery stalks, chopped
– 3 large yellow onions, chopped
– 1 bunch green onions, chopped
– 1 green bell pepper, chopped
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– ½ cup chopped parsley
– 2 pounds okra
– 2 bay leaves
Herbs & Spices:
– ¼ teaspoon thyme
– ¼ teaspoon rosemary
– Salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder to taste
Meat & Seafood:
– 1 pound smoked sausage
– 1 (16 oz) can claw crab meat
– 4 cleaned live gumbo crabs
– 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
Other:
– 1 cup all-purpose flour
– ½ cup butter
– ⅓ cup olive oil
– 2 quarts chicken stock
– Water as needed
– Cooked rice, for serving
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Roast sausage in a 9×13-inch pan until browned, turning once.
3. Roast okra in a separate pan until no longer slimy. Set aside.
4. For the roux: Toast flour in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until milk chocolate-colored. Set aside.
5. In a large pan, heat butter and olive oil. Sauté onions, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and parsley until softened. Set aside.
6. In a gumbo pot, combine chicken stock, water (if needed), roux, and sautéed vegetables. Bring to a boil. Add thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, salt, cayenne, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.Simmer in stages: Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Then, add roasted sausage and okra, and simmer for another 30 minutes. Next, stir in shrimp, claw crab meat, and live gumbo crabs, and simmer for a final 30 minutes.
Final seasoning: Taste the dish and adjust salt and spices as desired.
Serve hot over cooked rice.
Collage by Vogue. Images: Getty Images / Courtesy of Peter Som
Peter Som’s Charred Carrots with Gochujang Honey Butter
Serves 4
Ingredients:
– 1 ½ pounds carrots (about 15 carrots), trimmed
– 1 tablespoon olive oil
– 1 teaspoon kosher salt
– ½ teaspoon black pepper
– 2 tablespoons honey
– 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
– 2 tablespoons gochujang
– ½ cup roughly chopped toasted hazelnuts
– 1 teaspoon orange zest
– Flaky sea salt, for finishing
– Flat leaf parsley, for garnish
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F and place the rack in the top third of the oven.
2. Cut larger carrots in half lengthwise and arrange all carrots in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then toss with your hands to coat evenly.
3. Roast for 20–25 minutes, tossing the carrots and rotating the pan halfway through, until tender and slightly charred.
4. While the carrots roast, combine honey, butter, and gochujang in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute or until the butter melts, then whisk to blend.
5. Remove the carrots from the oven and immediately pour the gochujang mixture over them. Use tongs to toss until well coated.
6. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with hazelnuts, orange zest, flaky sea salt, and garnish with parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature.
“Cutting vegetables—whether into intricate designs or fine slices—is meditative for me. I also love squash and how it can be salty, sweet, or anything in between.”
Collage by Vogue. Images: Getty Images / Courtesy of Laura Kim
Laura Kim’s Butternut Squash Crostini
Ingredients:
– 1 medium butternut squash, peeled
– 1 shallot, sliced into thick rounds
– 1 whole garlic bulb, halved horizontally
– Olive oil
– Salt and pepper
– Fresh rosemary sprigs
– Sage
– Honey, to finish
– 4 slices candied bacon (see quick method below)
– 1 baguette, sliced into crostini
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Prepare the squash: Peel it, coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and bake for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, mix butter, maple syrup, and chopped sage.
4. Remove the squash from the oven. Thinly slice it crosswise, cutting as deep as possible without going all the way through.
5. Place the sliced squash, shallots, garlic, and rosemary in a cast-iron skillet. Drizzle with the butter, maple syrup, and sage marinade. Roast at 425°F for 35–45 minutes until caramelized.
Candied bacon:
Bake bacon with brown sugar at 375°F for 15–18 minutes, then chop.
Crostini:
Toast baguette slices with olive oil for 6–8 minutes. Top with squash and shallot, drizzle with honey for a sweet and savory flavor, and garnish with candied bacon pieces and flaky salt.
“When hosting a Thanksgiving gathering, we love that these mini pears are individually served. Everyone gets their own little treasure, and they’re easy to take home if you’re too full for dessert.”
Collage by Vogue. Images: Getty Images / Courtesy of Tanner Fletcher
Tanner Fletcher’s Thanksgiving Poached Pear Tart
Serves: 6
Ingredients for the pears:
– 3–4 pears of choice
– 5 cups water
– 2 cups sugar
– 1/2 cup brown sugar
– 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
– 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
– 2 cinnamon sticks
– 2 whole star anise
– 1 teaspoon whole cloves
– 1/2 lemon
Ingredients for the tart filling:
– 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
– 2 tablespoons wildflower honey
– 1 tablespoon sugar
– 1 tablespoon milk of choice
– 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
– 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
– 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ingredients for the crust and finishing touches:
– 1 sheet of puff pastry
– Egg wash: 1 egg and 2 tablespoons water
– 6 fresh bay leaves, for garnish
– 6 whole cloves, for garnish
– Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Instructions:
Poaching the Pears:
In a medium saucepan, combine water, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla bean paste, vanilla extract, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and whole cloves. Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon and add the peel. Bring to a simmer, then add the pears and poach until tender.Begin by combining anise, whole cloves, and lemon in a saucepan. Heat over medium until it reaches a gentle boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Tip: Use a saucepan large enough to hold all the pears submerged without extra water.
Wash, peel, and halve the pears. Remove the seeds with a melon baller or spoon, then use a knife to cut out the core completely, leaving a clean hollow. Each half should have a bowl-like indentation and a small channel where the stem was.
Tip: Prepare four pears but use only the three best halves, as some may have blemishes or cutting errors.
Add the pears to the saucepan and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes until tender.
Tip: Cover the pears with a parchment paper round with a hole in the center to keep them submerged and cook evenly.
When the pears are easily pierced with a knife, transfer them to a plate to cool.
Continue cooking the liquid until it reduces by half or more and thickens. Set aside for glazing later.
Tip: If the syrup is too thin, add more sugar gradually until it reaches a light, syrupy consistency.
For the tart filling, combine all ingredients in a mortar and grind with a pestle into a coarse paste, about 5 minutes, until the mint tints the mixture.
Tip: A food processor can be used instead if preferred.
To prepare the pastry, whisk the egg and water in a small bowl for the egg wash and set aside.
On a floured surface, roll out the puff pastry and cut into six rectangles slightly larger than the pear halves.
Line a baking sheet with parchment and arrange the pastry rectangles evenly.
Place a pear half, cut side down, on each rectangle. Score the pastry around the pear with a knife.
Insert a whole clove at the top of each pear to mimic a stem.
Brush the pastry (not the pears) with egg wash, then apply the reduced poaching liquid to the pears only.
Freeze the pastries for 20 minutes—this step is crucial for the pastry to rise properly and become flaky when baked.
Preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the top third.
Remove the pastries from the freezer, brush the pears (not the pastry) with more poaching liquid, and bake for about 25 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden.
Tip: Apply the liquid generously for a shiny glaze on the pears.
Take them out, brush both pears and pastry with the liquid, and bake for another 2–3 minutes to set the glaze.
Remove from the oven and give the pears a final coat of the poaching syrup.
Once cooled, garnish each pastry with a fresh bay leaf near the stem.
Serve on a vintage dessert plate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
“I’m heading to my aunt and uncle’s for Thanksgiving, a tradition since childhood and one of my favorite days. Key lime pie has been my top dessert ever since a family trip to Longboat Key as a kid, and it became an obsession after a Florida vacation with my friend Andy. Back home, I experimented with recipes—about 200 tries later, here’s the result!”
Collage by Vogue. Images: Getty Images / Courtesy of Rachel Anto.Rachel Antonoff’s Key Lime Pie
Ingredients:
Crust:
– 170g graham crackers
– 48g sugar
– 1/4 tsp cinnamon
– 1/2 cup unsalted butter
Filling:
– 1 can sweetened condensed milk
– 2/3 cup key lime juice
– 3 egg yolks
Whipped Cream:
– 120g heavy whipping cream
– 1 tbsp confectioner’s sugar
– 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
For the crust:
1. Crush the graham crackers using a food processor or by placing them in a sealed bag and rolling with a rolling pin.
2. Mix in the sugar and cinnamon until well combined.
3. Melt the butter and let it cool slightly, then add to the dry mixture and stir until everything is evenly moistened.
4. Press the mixture into a pie tin, using the bottom of a measuring cup to shape it firmly.
5. Freeze for about 15 minutes to help the crust hold its shape.
6. Bake at 350°F for 6 minutes, then let it cool completely.
For the filling:
1. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a stand mixer bowl (or use a whisk and bowl by hand).
2. Add the egg yolks (ensuring no egg whites are included) and mix well.
3. With the mixer on low, slowly add the key lime juice. The mixture will thicken as the juice reacts with the yolks.
4. Pour the filling into the cooled crust.
5. Bake at 350°F for 8 minutes and 30 seconds, then let it cool completely on the counter before refrigerating for at least 5 hours, or ideally overnight.
For the whipped cream:
1. In a stand mixer bowl, combine the heavy whipping cream, confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla.
2. Whip until soft peaks form, keeping a close watch as it can quickly turn from whipped cream to butter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of helpful and concise FAQs about Feast in Style 9 Designers Reveal Their GoTo Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving Dishes
General Beginner Questions
Q What is Feast in Style all about
A Its a guide where nine interior designers share their personal favorite dishes and tips for hosting stylish and delicious Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving meals
Q Why should I get tips from designers for a dinner party
A Designers are experts in creating a beautiful and cohesive experience Their tips go beyond just food to include table settings ambiance and presentation making your feast feel special
Q Is this guide more for a formal Thanksgiving or a casual Friendsgiving
A It covers both The designers share ideas perfect for a large family gathering as well as more relaxed trendy dishes for a party with friends
Q Do I need to be an expert cook to use these ideas
A Not at all The featured dishes range from simple nofuss recipes to more advanced creations so theres something for every skill level
Questions About the Dishes Recipes
Q What kind of dishes do the designers recommend
A Youll find a mix of traditional favorites with a unique twist modern and trendy sides showstopping main dishes and elegant desserts
Q Are there any unique or surprising dish ideas
A Yes Designers often share creative recipes that break from tradition like globallyinspired sides inventive vegetarian mains or decadent desserts that arent pumpkin pie
Q Do the designers include any shortcuts or timesaving tips
A Absolutely Many designers recommend makeahead dishes storebought items you can elevate or simple cooking techniques that maximize flavor with minimal effort
Q Are the recipes included or is it just a list of dish names
A The guide provides the goto dish names and key preparation or presentation tips For the full detailed recipe you would typically need to look it up separately but the guide gives you all the inspiration and starting points
Questions About Styling Presentation
Q How can I make my Thanksgiving table look as stylish as a designers
A The guide offers practical tips on color schemes centerpiece ideas mixing and matching dinnerware and using natural elements for a