20 High Altitude Thanksgiving Recipes

Thanksgiving is mere days away – it’s almost game time, folks. Freaking out yet? If you’re looking for last-minute guidance or suggestions, allow me to help out with these 20 High Altitude Thanksgiving Recipes. We’ve got everything but the turkey. From the classics (herbed stuffing and pumpkin pie) to exciting twists on old favorites (hello, Pumpkin Au Gratin Potatoes with Crispy Sage Breadcrumbs), each one of these recipes have been tested at high altitude, so you can be confident that the flavors and textures will be top-notch at your mountain gathering.

Below I’ve rounded up some of my most popular appetizers, sides and desserts to help make your holiday table festive, no matter where (or what size) it is this year. All these dishes can easily be halved for smaller groups – or make full batches and enjoy leftovers for the rest of Thanksgiving weekend!

APPETIZERS

Caramelized Onion Dip
We call this “crack dip” in my house. Set a big batch of onions to slowly caramelize on the stove while you’re whizzing around the kitchen, and serve up this tasty treat with salty potato chips.

Avocado Tzatziki Dip
Fresh and zingy, with a little jalapeño kick, this is a great light option for an app to serve before a big, heavy dinner (or to have for dinner the night before?). I serve it with crudités and pita wedges.

Sourdough Crackers
If you maintain sourdough starter for bread-baking, this recipe is hands-down the best use for your discard. These crisp, salty crackers can be customized with flavors of your choice and are always snarfed up immediately.

SIDE DISHES

Pumpkin Au Gratin Potatoes with Crispy Sage Breadcrumbs
Luxuriously rich, this dish is creamy, cheesy, and full of fall flavor. Anyone who turns their nose up at the combination of potato and pumpkin will be a convert after one bite.

Herbed Sourdough Stuffing
A savory, herby classic with a tangy sourdough twist. If you don’t make your own bread, buy a good loaf at your local bakery.

Shaved Brussels Salad with Bacon, Avocado, and Pecans
Roasted Brussels sprouts are a Thanksgiving staple – this is a fresher take.

Winter Farro Salad with Roasted Root Vegetables
A colorful melange of root veggies and herbs, this hearty salad is delicious, festively pretty, and can even serve as a main course for any vegetarians at your table.

Buttery Mile-High Biscuits
Flaky, buttery biscuits are a delicious side, and make the best sandwiches for leftovers the next day.

Sourdough Pull-Apart Rolls
These take a little time, but these soft and pillowy rolls are the absolute best for sopping up gravy.

High Altitude Cornbread
Delightful as a moist, buttery side, or as a base for your favorite cornbread stuffing.

Pumpkin Risotto
If you’re serving a smaller crowd this year, consider this silky, luxurious dish as a hearty accompaniment to your main dish. Or serve it with some seared scallops and make it an alternative pescatarian main dish.

DESSERTS

World’s Best Pie Crust
For me, Thanksgiving is all about the pie. Any pie on your menu will be enhanced by this all-butter, flaky, and easy-to-roll-out pastry.

Extra-Spicy Pumpkin Pie
Everyone’s favorite pumpkin pie, amped up with lavish amounts of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Your house will smell amazing. And it makes the best day-after-Thanksgiving breakfast.

Honeycrisp Apple Pie
An easy classic, with fresh sweet-tart flavor and a crunchy sugar-dusted crust.

Pecan Pie
Notoriously finicky at altitude, this holiday dessert staple is a treat many high country residents won’t even try to make from scratch (because who wants to risk exploding pie filling destroying your oven in the middle of a cooking marathon?). My recipe has been developed and tested to come out perfectly every time.

Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars
Cheesecake or pie? No need to choose with these rich, sweet-tangy, nutty bars. Bonus: you can easily make them a day or two in advance.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Apple Cider Caramel Sauce
If fast and easy – yet scrumptiously delicious – is your goal, this is your dessert. Crusty bread is mixed with a quick swirl of milk, eggs, and delicious spices to create a moist and delicious dessert. Apple Cider Caramel Sauce and whipped cream optional (but not really).

Sticky Toffee Apple Upside Down Cake
Another easy-peasy one that looks super-impressive. Light, pillowy yellow cake makes a fluffy foundation for a gooey brown sugar-apple topping.

Autumn Plum Torte
Adapted for high altitude from a decades-famous New York Times recipe, this rich torte is a melding of custard and cake, dotted with juicy wine-colored plums.

Plum & Fig Galette
A rustic fruit pie, featuring seasonal plums and figs brushed with sweet apricot jam and sprinkled (if you’re brave) with crispy bits of salty prosciutto.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!