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Cassie Best's showstopping Thanksgiving menu
- Cassie Best
Published: November 2, 2026 at 9:03 AM
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Celebrate Thanksgiving with seven fresh twists on the classic feast, including savoury miso roast turkey, cacio e pepe mac 'n' cheese and salted maple pumpkin pie
Good Food invites you to celebrate Thanksgiving this November with fresh twists on the classics. Our head of food, Cassie Best, shares seven recipes for the American holiday, available exclusively for Good Food app subscribers.
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Kick off with a make-ahead cranberry sangria as a stress-free way to welcome guests. The menu includes juicy roast turkey boosted with miso, soy and Worcestershire sauce; a mac and cheese, carbonara and cacio e pepe mash-up; crunchy Persian-style pilaf with sprouts done two ways; and cornbread stuffing jazzed up with smoky bacon and a little chilli. To finish, try banana skillet pudding with a British sticky toffee twist and pumpkin pie lifted with maple and salt. Cook the whole spread for Thanksgiving, or borrow a few dishes for an early run at Christmas dinner.
Meet Cassie Cassie is Good Food's head of food. She joined the brand in 2011 and has since written well over a thousand recipes for Good Food, so you know you can trust them. Read on for her showstopping Thanksgiving menu and check out more of Cassie's recipes.
"Thanksgiving is all about bringing people together, and while there’s plenty to love about the traditional feast, I think there’s always room for a few new ideas on the table. I’ve put a fresh spin on the classics, tried something different with the sides and finished with two showstopping desserts. At Good Food, we’ve been developing recipes for decades, and every one of these has been tested in the Good Food kitchen, so you can cook with confidence, especially when you’re feeding a crowd. After all, hosting should be just as enjoyable as the feast itself."
Cook with confidence this Thanksgiving with the Good Food app:
✅ Handy US measurements when you need them, so no need for any kitchen maths
✅ Built-in timers to keep the turkey, sides and pudding on schedule, so no need to toggle between apps
✅ A screen that stays awake while you cook, so no sticky-fingered tapping
✅ A menu featuring Cassie's top tips, including advice for making recipes ahead of the big day
✅ One organised in-app shopping list in your My Good Food tab
A Good Food Thanksgiving
Flavour-bomb roast turkey & gravy
"The turkey is the star of the Thanksgiving table, so you want to make sure it's a good one! This recipe uses a few unexpected ingredients, including miso, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce, to give the meat and gravy an incredible depth of flavour. It's a brilliant way to give the traditional roast a little twist."
💡 Tip: My top tip for a succulent turkey is to salt it a day or two before roasting. This dry-brining technique helps season the meat all the way through and keeps it beautifully juicy. And don't forget to give your turkey a good rest before carving – it's the perfect opportunity to finish off your sides and make the gravy.
Cornbread stuffing
"Stuffing is one of my favourite parts of a roast dinner, and this American-inspired cornbread version is a lovely change from the traditional British sage and onion. The cornbread brings a gentle sweetness, which works brilliantly with the smoky bacon, sage and a little chilli. It's golden and crisp on top, with a lovely soft middle."
💡 Tip: For the best texture, make the cornbread ahead of time and let it dry out a little before using it in the stuffing. This helps it soak up all those lovely savoury flavours without becoming too soggy. You can also leave out the bacon for a vegetarian version.
Carbonara cacio e pepe mac & cheese
"Mac & cheese is already one of the ultimate comfort foods, but this version takes inspiration from two favourite Italian pasta dishes, cacio e pepe and carbonara. It’s rich, cheesy and full of flavour, with plenty of black pepper to cut through the creaminess. It makes a brilliant Thanksgiving side dish, but I’d happily eat a big bowl of it for dinner any day of the week.”
💡 Tip: “Don't be shy with the black pepper! It's what gives cacio e pepe its distinctive flavour and helps balance all that lovely richness. Freshly ground pepper makes a real difference here.
Cranberry, sprout & pecan pilaf
"I love finding new ways to serve Brussels sprouts, and this colourful, Persian-inspired rice dish is one of my favourites. It's packed with warming spices, sweet and sharp cranberries, crunchy pecans and golden roasted sprouts. It makes a gorgeous addition to a Thanksgiving spread, especially if you're looking for something a little different from the usual sides."
💡 Tip: The secret to this pilaf is using the sprouts in two ways – some are finely sliced and cooked into the spiced rice, while the rest are roasted until golden and scattered over the top. And don't forget to scrape up the crispy rice from the bottom of the pan – those crunchy bits are delicious!
Salted maple pumpkin pie
"Pumpkin pie is a Thanksgiving classic, but I wanted to give it a little something extra. Maple syrup brings a lovely depth of flavour to the creamy, spiced filling, while a touch of salt balances the sweetness and makes all those warming flavours sing. It’s a small twist on a much-loved favourite, and one I think you’ll want to make year after year."
💡 Tip: Pumpkin pie is all about getting that lovely, silky filling. My top tip is to avoid over-baking it – you want the centre to have just a slight wobble when it comes out of the oven, as it will continue to set as it cools.
Sticky banana, date & pecan skillet pudding
"This pudding takes inspiration from a proper British sticky toffee pudding, but with the addition of sweet bananas and crunchy pecans. It’s the sort of cosy, comforting dessert that’s made for sharing, and I love that you can bring the whole skillet to the table and let everyone dig in. Serve it warm with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ultimate autumn pudding."
💡 Tip: This is my kind of dessert for entertaining – something you can bring to the table without any fiddly decorating or plating up. And better yet, it can be baked ahead. Simply warm it up with extra toffee sauce just before serving
Cranberry sangria
"Sangria might make you think of sunny summer holidays, but this cranberry version is perfect for autumn entertaining. With rosé wine, tart cranberry juice, warming cinnamon and a splash of brandy, it's fresh, fruity and festive without being too heavy. Just the thing to welcome guests with while you finish preparing the feast."
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💡 Tip: This is a great drink to get ahead with when you're hosting. Mix the wine, cranberry juice, brandy and cinnamon together and leave it to chill, then add the lemonade, ice and garnishes just before serving so it stays lovely and fresh. Frozen cranberries make a pretty garnish and help keep drinks cool, too.
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