Why make a Mediterranean Thanksgiving dinner?
Thanksgiving has historically celebrated autumn’s bounty. It’s a holiday feast that typically features the same traditional foods every year. But if you’ve been following a Mediterranean diet, which has been rated the top diet overall by U.S. News & World Report’s panel of experts for many years, you can easily adjust your Thanksgiving recipes to include new Mediterranean-style favorites.
“Thanksgiving is a perfect time to think about the Mediterranean lifestyle,” says registered dietitian Serena Ball, co-author of “The Sustainable Mediterranean Diet Cookbook.” This “conviviality” of enjoying meals with family and friends combined with a plant-forward diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains is part of the reason why the Mediterranean lifestyle is linked to a lower risk of heart disease, cancer and overall mortality, she says.
It’s also the Mediterranean way to eat seasonally, she says. In the same spirit, our Thanksgiving menus often include in-season ingredients like squashes, root vegetables, cranberries, greens and hardy herbs like rosemary, sage and thyme.
The Mediterranean diet Thanksgiving menu
Many Thanksgiving favorites like Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes are already staples of the Mediterranean diet. So keep those side dishes on the menu. But these Mediterranean recipes can infuse more foods and flavors into your holiday feast.
Mediterranean Thanksgiving appetizer:
— Mediterranean mezze platter
Mediterranean Thanksgiving main courses:
— Herb-roasted turkey
Mediterranean Thanksgiving sides and sauce:
— Smashed potatoes with romesco sauce (a tomato-based sauce with Spanish origins)
— Tahini-roasted carrots and parsnips
— Green beans with garlic-marinated red onions and pomegranate
— Mediterranean sweet and spicy sweet potato bake
— Pomegranate sauce
Mediterranean Thanksgiving dessert:
— Phyllo apple galette
1. Mediterranean mezze platter
Lisa Jones, a Philadelphia-based registered dietitian, recommends a Mediterranean mezze platter for pre-meal appetizers. A mezze platter can be similar to a charcuterie board, but generally includes dips, vegetables and nuts rather than cured meats and cheeses.
Using ready-made, store-bought items can make it easy to keep hungry family and guests entertained while the turkey and other dishes are in the oven. Simply fill a large platter with dips like hummus or baba ganoush, along with fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, cheeses and other Mediterranean favorites. But if you’re feeling ambitious, you can also make your own hummus and baba ganoush.
Some foods to include on your mezze platter include:
— Fresh figs or grapes
— Pitted kalamata olives
— Marinated artichoke hearts
— Cubes of feta cheese
— Roasted red pepper hummus
— Baba ganoush
— Greek tzatziki
— Warm pita bread or pita chips
— Persian cucumber spears
— Red pepper strips
— Marcona almonds or pistachios
2. Herb-roasted turkey
Historically, Mediterranean diets favored legumes and seafood for everyday protein sources. However, poultry and meats were enjoyed at celebration meals, says registered dietitian Kelly LeBlanc, vice president of nutrition programming for Oldways.
“Sharing a Thanksgiving feast among family and loved ones and serving a turkey for Thanksgiving — alongside an abundance of vegetables and whole grains — is a great way to honor the Mediterranean approach to eating,” she says.
To prepare a turkey with the Mediterranean diet in mind, LeBlanc recommends seasoning the bird with olive oil, herbs and lemon before slowly roasting it at a low temperature, instead of turning to butter or deep frying for flavor. Additional flavor options for a Mediterranean-inspired turkey include za’atar, ras el hanout and harissa, with garnishes of olives, dried fruits and fresh pomegranate arils.
Recipe:
— 10 to 12-pound turkey, thawed
— ½ cup fresh herbs: rosemary, sage and oregano
— 2 tablespoons olive oil
— 1 teaspoon each of salt and freshly ground pepper
— 3 cups of water (or stock), more if necessary
— 1 ½ cups of sliced onion, apple, lemon or orange, cut into two-inch pieces
Mix minced herbs, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the herb mixture all over the turkey, under the skin and onto the breast meat. Place onions, apples, lemon or orange and half the herb into the cavity.
Add 3 cups of water and any remaining herbs in the pan, and roast the turkey as directed. At a temperature of 325 degrees F, you can estimate that it’ll take around 13 to 15 minutes per pound of turkey to cook fully.
3. Smashed potatoes with romesco sauce
Mashed potatoes are a mainstay at Thanksgiving, and they can get a Mediterranean-style upgrade. Try this Mediterranean-inspired potato dish from the “The Sustainable Mediterranean Diet Cookbook” by registered dietitians Serena Ball and Deanna Segrave-Daly, owners of Teaspoon Communications.
Instead of mashed, these potatoes are smashed and they’re topped with the classic Spanish romesco sauce. Made with roasted red peppers and fire-roasted tomatoes, this easy romesco sauce adds a burst of Mediterranean flavor to the potatoes. Romesco sauce originates in Catalonia, Spain, and is traditionally served with fresh fish. Outside of Thanksgiving, try romesco sauce as a dip, spread or sauce for pasta.
Recipe:
— 1½ pounds yellow baby or small red potatoes
— ¾ teaspoon kosher or sea salt, divided
— 1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained
— 1 (14.5-ounce) can regular or fire-roasted diced tomatoes
— 2 garlic cloves, peeled
— 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
— 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
— ¼ teaspoon black pepper
— 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
— ½ cup torn, stale bread or toast
— 3 tablespoons shaved Manchego or Parmesan cheese
— 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving
Put potatoes in a large pot and fill with water. Add ¼ teaspoon salt, cover, and bring to a boil. Uncover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until fork-tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Drain potatoes in a colander, then return to the pot.
While the potatoes cook, make the romesco sauce. In a blender or food processor, combine the drained red peppers, tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper. Puree and then slowly drizzle in 2 tablespoons oil while the blender runs. Add the bread, then process until smooth. Use half of the sauce for the potatoes and save the remaining sauce for another recipe (such as a pasta sauce).
Using a fork or tongs, transfer hot potatoes to a baking sheet with cooking spray. Using the bottom of a small glass, press down and smash each potato so they’re the same thickness. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and sprinkle with shaved cheese and fresh thyme. Broil for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with remaining salt and fresh thyme.
Spoon romesco sauce over each potato and serve warm.
4. Tahini-roasted carrots and parsnips
Tahini is probably best known as a core ingredient in hummus, but this sesame seed paste is incredibly versatile as a salad dressing or sauce for vegetables, like these roasted carrots and parsnips from the “The Sustainable Mediterranean Diet Cookbook.”
Parsnips are root vegetables that are closely related to orange-hued carrots. Both originate in the Mediterranean region and are an ideal side dish for your Mediterranean-inspired meal.
The easy lemon tahini sauce adds a burst of flavor to the vegetables. Add minced garlic if desired. In place of sesame seeds, try toasted pine nuts for more Middle Eastern flavor.
Recipe:
— Juice of 1 lemon, divided
— 2 tablespoons tahini
— 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
— ½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
— ¼ teaspoon black pepper, divided
— 1 pound carrots, rinsed and scrubbed
— 1 pound parsnips, rinsed and scrubbed
— 2 teaspoons sesame seeds (optional)
Preheat oven to 450° F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using a microplane or citrus zester, grate the zest from the lemon into a large bowl. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze 2 tablespoons of juice into the bowl, reserving the remaining juice for serving. Whisk in the tahini, oil, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Slice the carrots and parsnips in half lengthwise, and cut each half into 3-inch pieces so that all the chunks are roughly the same thickness. Toss the vegetables in a bowl with the tahini mixture until they’re well-coated.
Spread the coated vegetables evenly on prepared baking sheet and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until fork-tender.
Toast sesame seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, shaking occasionally, until seeds turn golden and smell fragrant, two to minutes. Transfer vegetables to a serving dish and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Squeeze juice from remaining lemon over the vegetables and serve.
5. Green beans with onions and pomegranate
Instead of the typical green bean casserole, try these Mediterranean-inspired green beans with garlic-marinated red onions and pomegranate molasses created by Maureen Abood, a Lebanese cookbook author and blogger.
Recipe:
— 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
— Juice of 1/2 lemon
— 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
— 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the beans
— 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
— A few grinds black pepper
— 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
— 1 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
In a small bowl, whisk the pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic until well combined. Add the sliced onion and stir to coat entirely with the vinaigrette. Cover and marinate for 1 hour.
In a medium saucepan, bring plenty of water with a tablespoon or so of salt to a boil. Add the beans and remove the pan from the heat. Allow the beans to cook in the hot water until they are bright and crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain.
In a serving dish, toss the beans with the onions and vinaigrette. Taste, and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve immediately.
6. Mediterranean sweet and spicy sweet potato bake
Made with Mediterranean ingredients including tangy Greek yogurt and honey, this sweet potato bake has a bit of a kick from the smoked paprika and a hearty crunch from the walnut and whole grain oats in the sweet topping. The recipe was created by Serena Ball, co-author of The Smart Mediterranean Diet Cookbook and blogger at TeaspoonOfSpice.com.
Recipe:
— 4 to 5 large sweet potatoes (about 2 ½ pounds)
— ¾ cup whole-milk plain Greek yogurt
— ½ cup honey
— 2 eggs, beaten
— 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (1/2 teaspoon for less heat)
— 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon, divided
— ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
— ½ cup old-fashioned (or quick) rolled oats
— ½ cup chopped walnuts or pistachios
— 3 tablespoons extra-virgin oil
— 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Preheat oven to 425°F. Prick the sweet potatoes in three or four spots with a fork. Place on a baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 45 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, remove potato peels and place warm flesh into a large bowl
Lower oven temperature to 350°F. Coat a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
To the sweet potatoes, add the yogurt and honey. Using a fork or potato masher, mash the potatoes together with the yogurt and honey, until mostly smooth. Add the eggs, smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; mix to combine and pour into the prepared baking dish.
To make the topping, in a medium bowl, combine the rolled oats, walnuts, oil, sugar, remaining ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Using your fingers, sprinkle the topping over the sweet potatoes. Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, until topping is golden.
7. Pomegranate sauce, a cranberry sauce alternative
Instead of cranberry sauce, try this pomegranate sauce for your Mediterranean Thanksgiving table that was created by registered dietitian Michelle Dudash, author of “The Low-Carb Mediterranean Cookbook” and founder of Spicekick® seasonings.
“I created this pomegranate sauce for Thanksgiving season because I love the sweet and tart taste of pomegranates, which nicely balance rich holiday favorites,” says Dudash. “Due to the natural sweetness of pomegranates and pomegranate juice, you don’t need to add any table sugar to the recipe. The tiny seeds inside the juicy arils add a pleasant crunch, too.”
Recipe:
— 1 3/4 cup pomegranate arils (1 large pomegranate)
— 3/4 cup 100% pomegranate juice
— 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
— 1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
Stir all the ingredients together in a small saucepan. Place on medium heat. Gently simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
Makes 1 1/4 cups
8. Phyllo apple galette
This galette is a Mediterranean alternative to traditional apple pie. The recipe, courtesy of Oldways and the North American Olive Oil Association, can be adapted by adding pears in place of some of the apples, dried cherries or blueberries in place of the cranberries, or using walnut or hazelnuts instead of almonds.
Look for phyllo dough in the freezer aisle. This flaky pastry is used to make Greek and Middle Eastern sweets like baklava. When working with phyllo dough, thaw if frozen, and allow unopened package to stand at room temperature at least 2 hours before using. Keep unused sheets covered with plastic wrap and a dish towel to prevent them from drying out while brushing stacked sheets with olive oil.
Recipe:
— 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
— 4 Braeburn or Gala apples, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
— ? cup dried cranberries
— 2 tablespoons brown sugar
— ½ teaspoon cinnamon
— ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
— ? cup slivered almonds
— 8 (17×12-inch) sheets phyllo dough
— 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add apples, cranberries, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg; mix well. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in almonds and set aside.
Place 1 phyllo sheet in the center of a baking sheet; brush with olive oil. Top with another sheet of phyllo and brush with oil. Repeat with remaining oil and phyllo sheets.
Pile apple mixture in center of phyllo, leaving a 2 to 3-inch border. Fold sides up to form an edge around the apples. Lightly brush edges with oil. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until phyllo is light golden brown. Cool to room temperature; dust with powdered sugar.
Enjoying a Mediterranean-style Thanksgiving menu
Thanksgiving is all about traditions. Some family members will always want to see their favorites make an appearance on the table. Yet these Mediterranean-inspired side dishes will likely become new family favorites.
No matter what is on your menu this year or who you are celebrating with, we wish you a Thanksgiving celebration filled with health and happiness.
Here are seven Mediterranean-friendly dishes:
— Mediterranean mezze platter
— Herb-roasted turkey
— Smashed potatoes with romesco sauce
— Tahini roasted carrots and parsnips
— Green beans with onions and pomegranate
— Mediterranean sweet and spicy sweet potato bake
— Pomegranate sauce, a cranberry sauce alternative
— Phyllo apple galette
More from U.S. News
Proven Health Benefits of Blueberries
Your Plant-Based Diet Needs These Foods for Optimal Health
8 Mediterranean Diet Recipes for Thanksgiving originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 11/14/24: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
