8 Best Black Family Thanksgiving Food List Plus Recipes

Black Family Thanksgiving Food List– The 2021 Thanksgiving holiday is around the corner and most black families are getting ready for that sought-after dinner, or should we call it a feast?

Great food is characteristic of thanksgiving, so we’re bringing you a black family thanksgiving food list.

These are dishes that are typical of the African-American holiday food traditions.

So, if this is the first time you’re hosting a Thanksgiving dinner, consider some of these recipes.

Black Family Thanksgiving Food List Plus Recipes

1. Baked Mac and Cheese

What makes this dish special is that it is presented differently.

You won’t be eating out of a plate, rather it comes in the size of a muffin.

This does not only make it a good entry for a black family thanksgiving food list, but it can also serve as a soul food thanksgiving appetizer.

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 2 ½ cups of shredded and divided sharp cheddar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• Water
• 2 teaspoons mustard
• Sea salt to taste
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups uncooked macaroni shells
• 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• White pepper to taste

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners and set it aside.
• In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the macaroni shells for 6 to 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in flour to form a roux and cook for one more minute.
• Slowly whisk in milk until it has been incorporated. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer until it’s thickened, while stirring occasionally. Remove from heat when it’s done.
• Stir in mustard and season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Stir in the parmesan cheese along with 2 cups of cheddar cheese until the sauce is smooth, then fold in the cooked shells.
• Fill the prepared muffin tin with mac & cheese mixture and sprinkle half of the remaining cheese over the top of each muffin. Bake for 20 minutes or until the tops are golden and bubbly.
• Let the muffins sit in the pan for another 10-15 minutes in order to cool slightly before handling. Otherwise, they will fall apart.
• Repeat the baking process with the remaining mac & cheese mixture. The quantity of the ingredients should make 24 muffins in total.

2. Candied Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a must on any black family thanksgiving food list.

The caramelized syrup you top it with brings out the special in this dish. Your family will love it.

Ingredients:

• 5 medium sweet potatoes
• 3 tbsps. of butter, plus more for pan
• 2 tbsps. bourbon, optional
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ½ c. dark brown sugar
• ½ c. Orange juice
• a pinch of nutmeg
• a pinch of kosher salt

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 400° and butter a medium baking dish.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix the sugar, orange juice, butter, cinnamon stick, bourbon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir to combine and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until it has thickened slightly. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick when they have been reduced.
• Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and slice them into ½” rounds, then layer in the prepared baking dish. Pour thickened syrup over the potatoes and cover the dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake for 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour more, basting with sauce every 15 minutes.
• Let cool slightly before serving.

3. Peach Cobbler

Even though this is not even originally American, it has found its way as a mainstay black thanksgiving food list.

You’ll find this delicious dish on almost every black soul food thanksgiving menu.

Some families have passed their custom recipes down many generations.

Ingredients:

For the peach cobbler filling

• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 beaten egg
• 3 lbs. of peaches, peeled and sliced
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• ½ Teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ Cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ice-cold water
• ¼ Cup butter
• Juice of 1 lemon

For the all-butter cobbler crust

• 1 ¼ cup flour
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup cold butter cut into cubes

Preparation:

For the crust

• Whisk the 1 ¼ cup of flour with sea salt in a bowl. Add cold butter and work together with hands until coarse, and looks sandy. Add cold water and continue working until the dough melds together. Don’t overwork the dough so you won’t add too much heat to it.
• Shape dough into a square, wrap in plastic and place it in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.

Filling

• While the dough chills, mix the peaches, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and three tablespoons of flour in a bowl until the peaches are coated. Also, mix in the lemon juice.
• Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat and add the filling mixture to the pan. Cook until bubbly and thickened, stirring as needed.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour the filling into an 8 x 8-inch baking pan and set aside.
• Roll out the chilled dough and cut into 8 one-inch strips. Lay the strips over the top of the peach filling in a lattice or criss-cross pattern.
• Brush the dough with beaten eggs and sprinkle with white sugar.
• Bake the cobbler for about 45 minutes or until the crust is golden. Allow it to cool and set for at least another 45 minutes, then serve.

4. Black Folk’s Southern Turkey

The name says it all. This is a soul food thanksgiving turkey in the African-American way. Of course, turkey is always number one on the black family thanksgiving food list. This recipe will have your guests eager to dig in from just the aroma. This recipe is courtesy of The Soul Food Pot.

Ingredients:

For the brine:

• 8 cups of water
• 5 apples, quartered–and another two to garnish
• 2 tablespoons of fresh minced ginger
• 1 ½ tablespoon of whole cloves
• 1 orange, with the peel on, quartered, and another orange or two to garnish
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 1 pomegranate, quartered
• ½ a cup of brown sugar

For the rub:

• 10 to 15 lbs. of turkey
• 2 tablespoons of Famous Dave’s Country Roast Chicken Seasoning (or similar–This seasoning contains soulful flavors such as salt, pepper, paprika, mustard seed, garlic powder, onion powder, bell pepper, and lemon zest all in one!)
• 2 tablespoons of Weber Roasted Garlic & Herb Seasoning (or similar)
• ½ a cup of fresh finely chopped parsley, to garnish
• Fresh herbs.

Preparation:

• Remove the Instant Pot lid and turn on the sauté setting for 30 minutes. (30 minutes is the most you can sauté, so you can add more time when this time is up)
• Add the water, apples, and brown sugar to the stainless-steel inner pot with the lid off.
• Place the cloves, ginger, cinnamon sticks, pomegranate, and orange into the strainer bag, tighten the bag’s strings, and place the strainer in the inner pot.
• Allow the cider to simmer.
• When the 30 minutes is spent, adjust the sauté setting for additional 10 minutes.
• When the cooking time is up, remove the straining bag and scoop out the apples with a slotted spoon.
• Mix the Famous Dave’s seasoning and the roasted garlic & herb spice in a small bowl to create a Southern spice rub for the turkey.
• Place the turkey in a deep-dish roasting pan.
• Spoon onto the turkey a bit of the apple cider brine so that it’s not dry, then rub on and coat the whole chicken with the Southern spice rub mixture. Lift the turkey to rub the seasoning on the bottom as well.
• Pour it into the deep-dish pan with the turkey in it for roasting. You may want to add a little more of the seasoning rub in the places where it may have rinsed off from the pour. Afterward, place the turkey uncovered on the lower rack in the oven.
• Roast the turkey at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 30 minutes in the apple cider brine. Baste the turkey with the brine every 20-30 minutes. When the cooking time is up, remove the turkey from the oven. Baste it again with the juices.
• Let the turkey sit for 30 minutes before carving.
• Garnish this soul food thanksgiving turkey with fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, and apple or orange slices (both if you like.
• Serve this black Friendsgiving food idea with giblet gravy or turkey broth on top.

Also Read – 12 Easy Thanksgiving Appetizers Recipes Ideas; Make Ahead

5. Stir-Fried Green Beans with Shrimp and Garlic

Some people are bigger on seafood than turkey, which is regular.

This southern seafood thanksgiving menu will offer something for the seafood lovers this thanksgiving dinner.

Don’t worry if you’re new to this, it’s easy to make.

Ingredients:

• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
• ½ Pound large shrimp-shelled, deveined and cut into 1-inch pieces
• ½ Pound green beans, thinly sliced ¼-inch thick on an extreme diagonal
• ¼ Cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper

Also Read – Top 10 Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes Make ahead of Time

Preparation:

• Heat a wok till it’s very hot. Add the vegetable oil and heat until shimmering, then add the garlic and stir-fry for 10 seconds.
• Add the shrimp and a pinch of salt and keep stir-frying until the shrimps turn pink.
• Then, add the green beans and 2 tablespoons of the stock and stir-fry until the beans soften slightly, which will take about 3 minutes.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of stock along with the fish sauce and a generous pinch of pepper and continue to stir-fry until the shrimps have cooked through and the beans are crisp-tender. Serve right away.

6. Spoonbread

This is a typical southern thanksgiving side dish. Don’t get so hung up by the name. It’s a cross between a souffle and cornbread.

You scoop it with a spoon to serve, hence the name.

Ingredients:

• 6 tbsps. of butter, plus more for dish
• 3 1/4 c. of milk
• 1 ¼ c. cornmeal
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tbsps. of granulated sugar
• 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. of baking powder

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 375° and grease a baking dish with butter. In a medium pot, boil the milk and sugar, while stirring often. Whisk in cornmeal, until it’s smooth, and the mixture thickens. Then remove from heat.
• Add the butter, salt, and baking powder to the cornmeal mixture and stir until the butter has completely melted.
• Beat egg whites to stiff peaks in a bowl using a hand mixer.
• Add the yolks to the cornmeal mixture and stir until they combine. Add about ⅓ of the whipped egg whites and gently fold in until it’s mostly incorporated, then add the remaining egg whites and continue to fold until just combined.
• Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish and smoothen the top. Bake until it’s puffed and lightly golden. That should take about 30 minutes.

7. Baked Corn Casserole

African-American thanksgiving traditions will not be complete without a corn casserole.

It’s a staple on the black family thanksgiving food list. It wouldn’t have earned its status if it’s not that delicious, you know?

Ingredients:

• 2 c. of defrosted and drained frozen corn
• 2 tbsps. of chives, for garnish
• ⅔ c. whole milk
• ½ c. finely ground cornmeal
• ½ tsp. smoked or Spanish paprika
• ¼ c. granulated sugar
• ¼ c. heavy cream
• 2 (8-oz.) cans creamed corn
• kosher salt
• 2 large eggs
• freshly ground black pepper
• ½ c. butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for pan

Preparation:

• Preheat your oven to 375° and butter a baking dish.
• Mix cornmeal and butter until smooth, in a bowl. Whisk in sugar, eggs, milk and heavy cream until incorporated. Fold in the corn and creamed corn and season with salt, pepper and paprika.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake uncovered for an hour, or until the center is set and the top is golden. Garnish with chives and let it cool for 10 minutes before serving.

8. Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet potato is a popular entry on any black family thanksgiving food list.

How you prepare it, however, is limited to your creativity. This recipe turns the delicious yam into a pie, courtesy of skinnytaste.

Ingredients:

FOR THE CRUST

• 4 tbsps. of ice water (or more, if needed)
• 1 ½ c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp. of granulated sugar
• ½ c. unsalted butter, cut into ½” pieces
• ½ tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• ¼ tsp. kosher salt
• mini marshmallows, for topping.

FOR THE FILLING

• 1 15-oz. can sweet potato pie puree
• ½ tsp. ground ginger
• 1 14-oz. can be sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp. fine sea salt

Preparation:

• For making the crust: Place the flour and butter into the freezer for 30 minutes before starting the crust process.
• Pulse the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until it’s combined. Add butter and further pulse until clumps form. With the machine still running, add vinegar and ice water into the feed tube, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together and is moist but not wet and sticky.
• Lightly flour a surface and turn the dough onto it, form it into a ball, and flatten into a disk without cracks.
• Cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough is really cold, which should be at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×1.5” pie dish with cooking spray.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12” circle. Drape over the pie dish and gently press to fit, be sure not to stretch. Prick the bottom with a fork and trim the edge to 1”. Tuck the overhang under itself, and make a scallop print around the edge with the tip of a spoon. Put in the fridge for 30 minutes or a freezer for 10 minutes.
• Line the crust with parchment paper and fill it with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove parchment and weights. Afterward, reduce the heat to 325 degrees F.
• For making the filling.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the sweet potato puree, condensed milk, eggs, vanilla, spices, and salt until smooth.
• Pour sweet potato mixture into the pre-baked crust. Bake until the filling is slightly jiggly in the middle and the crust is golden, 60-65 minutes should do. Turn off the oven and leave the door propped open for 1 hour to cool it, then cool completely on a wire rack.
• Top with mini marshmallows. Broil or torch until golden.

Conclusion

Thanksgiving is an American tradition and a black family thanksgiving food list personalizes the holiday for the African-American people. Whether you’re a new or seasoned thanksgiving dinner host, these soul food thanksgiving recipes will help you make something your guests and family will love.

So, start preparing, if you haven’t already, and don’t forget to make this Thanksgiving the best yet.