Recipes

Twelve Thanksgiving Starters

Warm up for the main event with these crowd-pleasing bites

Photo: Peter Frank Edwards


With an arsenal of apps as addictive as these, it’s bound to be a great Thanksgiving. Browse a dozen satisfying starters perfect for the holiday.

Southern Benne Cookies

Crisp, nutty, buttery sweets tie back to centuries of Southern and African history. Get the recipe.


photo: JOHN BURGOYNE

Curried Sweet Potato Soup 

As the temperatures drop, cozy up with this recipe starring the bright orange root veggie. Get the recipe.


 

photo: T. Edward Nickens

Barbecue Doves 

A simple, highly adaptable recipe for adding some wild game flavor to your holiday table. Get the recipe.


photo: Sarah Cramer-Shields

Spicy Butternut Curry Soup 

Chef Matt Adams of Lexington, Virginia’s Red Hen balances toasted spices with sweet squash in this comforting dish. Get the recipe.


photo: Rex Miller

Vivian Howard’s Party Magnet

How to prepare the most infamous of party apps — the cheese ball. Get the recipe.


photo: Margaret Houston Dominick

Freight House Beer Cheese

Just two ingredients, plus a few flavorings, are all you need for classic Kentucky beer cheese dip. Get the recipe.


photo: Peter Frank Edwards

Simple Slice-And-Bake Cheese Wafers

The cheese straw’s good-time cousin. Get the recipe.


photo: MICHAEL WITTE

Julia Reed’s Hot Cheese Olives

A savory party bite from the Mississippi Delta. Get the recipe.


photo: Johnny Autry

Pimento Cheese Straws 

For a Georgia chef, the only thing better than a cheese straw is one stuffed with pimento cheese. Get the recipe


photo: Johnny Autry

Arkansas Trail Mix  

Local ingredients plus savory cheese straws equal one addictive nosh. Get the recipe.


photo: Chris Granger

Martha Hall Foose’s Bacon Crackers

A snack from the Mississippi Delta. Get the recipe.


photo: Peter Frank Edwards

Oysters Bienville

Chef Justin Devillier shares his favorite recipe for baked oysters. Get the recipe.


Find more Thanksgiving recipes:

Eleven Recipes for Your Main Thanksgiving Dish

Twelve Vegetable-Packed Sides for Thanksgiving

Fourteen Comforting Side Dishes You Need at Thanksgiving

Fourteen Thanksgiving Drinks

Seven Sauces for Thanksgiving

Twenty-Two Thanksgiving Desserts


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