18 Friendsgiving Food Ideas For 2024

Updated on Nov 7, 2024 at 6:15 PM

In recent years, rounding up your besties to celebrate Friendsgiving has become one of the season’s best and most loved traditions. And for many people, the opportunity to gather with family and friends is the best part of the unofficial holiday. Just being around your loved ones is special, and Friendsgiving can be especially fun since it allows you to celebrate in your own creative style without the added stress of awkward small talk at the table. That said, one thing about Friendsgiving remains unchanged from its Thanksgiving origins: the importance of food.

Friendsgiving food ideas are plentiful, and one of the great things is there’s no need to stick with traditional Thanksgiving dishes like mashed potatoes or green beans if you don’t want to. Though it’s good Friendsgiving etiquette to coordinate who is bringing what Friendsgiving dishes ahead of time, you likely won’t run into any duplicate issues if you decide to try out a unique side dish or new dessert.

If you’re in need of inspiration of what to bring to Friendsgiving, keep reading for plenty of Friendsgiving food ideas and recipes that will make the holiday an unforgettable one. (You don’t want to miss the pumpkin sangria!)

Butternut Squash Hummus

Appetizers are a must at any Friendsgiving gathering. Instead of opening up a premade hummus container and calling it a day, spice it up with some fresh produce and herbs by following this recipe for butternut squash hummus. Pair it with some homemade pita chips and watch the compliments come pouring in!

Cheesy Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed mushrooms are a perfect one-bite app that’s portable and satisfying. They can be prepped ahead and are easy to reheat — two features that make this recipe for cheesy sausage-stuffed mushrooms a perfect starter to your meal.

Pumpkin Goat Cheese Crostini

This savory fall appetizer looks fancy but is actually super easy to make. These pumpkin goat cheese crostini include some classic Thanksgiving ingredients like pumpkin seeds and cranberries and introduce some unexpected additions like creamy goat cheese. The flavor combo is unreal.

Pumpkin Thanksgiving Sangria

Skip the plain white wine this year and bring your host or hostess a festive and yummy sangria! The combo of fruit, wine, pumpkin butter, spices, and brandy in this pumpkin Thanksgiving sangria will be sure to please any party guest.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Chickpea Kale Apple Salad with Bacon

A plain green salad just won’t do for a Friendsgiving dinner. This roasted sweet potato and chickpea kale apple salad is both hearty and cozy, thanks to fall favorites like sweet potato and apple. The bacon on top ensures that even salad-haters will love this Friendsgiving food idea.

Cranberry Brussels Sprout Stuffed Acorn Squash

Bringing this gorgeous veggie side to your Friendsgiving will check so many boxes. Pretty? Check! Paleo? Check! Whole 30-approved? Check! Healthy? Check! Thanksgiving-y (is that a word?)? Check! This recipe for cranberry Brussels sprout-stuffed acorn squash can also be prepared for the vegan crowd by omitting the pancetta from the dish.

Sausage Stuffing

For the traditional crowd, a classic sausage stuffing is a must. Loaded with yummy herbs and flavors, this side is an easy addition to bring to any home over the holidays, including your Friendsgiving feast.

Glazed Sweet Potatoes With Honey Whisky Pecans

This recipe for glazed sweet potatoes with honey whisky pecans marries sweet, savory, and spicy perfectly for an incredibly unique twist on a traditional side. Mixing tart apples with sweet potatoes is a yummy combo, but the crown jewel of this recipe is the honey whisky pecan topping.

Honey Balsamic Roasted Carrots

If you’re looking for a healthy, colorful, and simple side dish, this honey balsamic roasted carrots recipe is for you. Roasting carrots brings out their natural sweetness, and adding honey, garlic, and vinegar will take the flavor to the next level. It’s a simple Friendsgiving food idea, but sure to wow.

Thanksgiving Rice Pilaf With Cranberries and Pears

Celebrating Friendsgiving means breaking some traditional rules. Instead of bringing mashed potatoes or stuffing, why not enhance your dinner with a cozy rice dish? This Thanksgiving rice pilaf with cranberries and pears is chock-full of fall flavors like pear, cranberry, thyme, and rosemary. Mushrooms add substance and umami flavor to this dish, while the added walnuts add a surprising crunch!

Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts have gotten a glow-up in recent years, and this honey sriracha Brussels sprouts recipe shows them off at their peak. Spicy, sweet, crispy, and chewy, this Friendsgiving side dish is sure to go fast.

Spicy Braised Green Beans With Feta

There’s nothing wrong with serving plain green beans at Friendsgiving, but they won’t exactly be memorable. Why not (literally) spice it up? Offer up these spicy braised green beans with feta, and your friends will be asking for seconds. Braising the green beans allows them to cook slowly and not end up as a chewy or stringy mess. The end result is a deliciously tender veggie with some amazing flavor.

Slow-Cooker Mashed Potatoes With Garlic Butter

No Friendsgiving meal is complete without some sort of potatoes, and finding a recipe that allows you to use your slow cooker to do the work for you is icing on the cake. Just toss in some potatoes, garlic, and butter, and you’ll have these slow-cooker mashed potatoes with garlic butter in no time.

Instant Pot Pumpkin Cheesecake

The beauty of using your Instant Pot to make a cheesecake? You don’t have to check for issues like cracks or breakage! Assemble the pie, wrap in foil, and cook it up. This Instant Pot pumpkin cheesecake is the perfect dessert to bring to Friendsgiving if you don’t want to bake or spend all day cooking.

Pumpkin Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

These pumpkin butter chocolate chip cookies are delicious and a great switch-up from the classic pies. Homemade pumpkin butter is the secret to the autumnal flavor, and it’s combined with crowd-pleasing, classic chocolate chips.

Old-Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie

Sometimes you shouldn’t mess with a classic. This old-fashioned sweet potato pie is just as you would imagine it would be: silky, sweet, perfectly spiced, and topped with homemade marshmallow whipped cream. Friendsgiving, won.

Apple Hand Pies

Nostalgia is in full force this year, and Friendsgiving is the perfect time to lean in. These apple hand pies make for a fun throwback Friendsgiving dessert since they look just like toaster pastries and have all the classic flavors of apple pie.

Lauren Manaker (she/her) is an award-winning registered dietitian and freelance writer who is passionate about providing evidence-based nutrition information in a fun and interesting way. Lauren is a PS Council member.