🦃 The CSA Thanksgiving Table: 10 farm-fresh recipes for a beautiful, vegetable-forward holiday feast

Thanksgiving may just be the perfect holiday for a CSA share.

Winter squash, crisp apples, earthy roots and sturdy late-season greens already contain nearly everything we love about the Thanksgiving table: sweetness, warmth, color, crunch and plenty of comfort.

And while turkey may get top billing, some of the best dishes on the table have always come from the garden.

This menu lets the late-fall harvest lead the way. There are cozy sides, a beautiful vegetarian centerpiece, plenty of make-ahead options and, because we're still dealing with an impressive number of apples, two desserts.

Most of these recipes are vegetarian or can easily be adapted, and you certainly don't need to make all ten. Pick a few that work with what's in your share and let Thanksgiving dinner take shape from there.

1. Thanksgiving Stuffed Acorn Squash

These roasted acorn squash halves are filled with wild rice, apples, celery, spinach, cranberries and toasted pecans. They're beautiful enough to serve as a vegetarian Thanksgiving centerpiece but work just as well alongside turkey.

Serves: 4 as a main or 8 as a side Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 45–55 minutes Oven: 400°F

Ingredients

For the squash

• 2 medium acorn squash

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

For the filling

• 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 2 celery stalks, diced

• 1 firm apple, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

• 2 cups cooked wild rice blend or farro

• 2 cups chopped spinach

• ½ cup dried cranberries

• ½ cup toasted pecans, chopped

• ⅓ cup vegetable broth

• ½ cup crumbled goat cheese or grated Parmesan, optional

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Cut each squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.

3. Brush the cut sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

4. Place cut-side-down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

5. Roast for 30–35 minutes, until just tender.

6. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

7. Add onion and celery and cook for 5 minutes.

8. Add apple and cook another 3–4 minutes.

9. Stir in garlic, sage and thyme and cook 1 minute.

10. Add cooked grains, spinach, cranberries, pecans and broth. Cook until the spinach wilts.

11. Season to taste and stir in cheese, if using.

12. Turn the roasted squash cut-side-up and mound filling into each half.

13. Return to the oven for 12–15 minutes.

🌱 Vegetarian

Perfect as written.

Make It Meaty

Brown ½ pound Italian or turkey sausage before cooking the vegetables and fold it into the filling.

Make Ahead

Roast the squash and prepare the filling up to one day ahead. Refrigerate separately, then stuff and bake before dinner.

2. Maple-Sage Roasted Root Vegetables

This is the Thanksgiving side for the CSA member who has a few carrots, three turnips, two beets, a sweet potato and absolutely no intention of making five separate dishes.

The maple-Dijon glaze helps everything caramelize while sage and cider vinegar keep the sweetness in check.

Serves: 6–8Prep time: 20 minutesCook time: 35–45 minutesOven: 425°F

Ingredients

• 3 carrots

• 3 Hakurei turnips

• 2 medium beets

• 1 large sweet potato

• 2 Yukon Gold potatoes

• 1 red onion

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1½ tablespoons pure maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• Black pepper

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• ½ cup toasted pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. Cut all vegetables into roughly 1-inch pieces.

3. Whisk olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon, sage, salt and pepper.

4. Toss the carrots, turnips, sweet potato, potatoes and onion with most of the glaze.

5. Toss the beets separately with the remaining glaze. This prevents your entire Thanksgiving side from becoming pink.

6. Spread the vegetables on two large sheet pans without overcrowding.

7. Roast for 35–45 minutes, turning once, until caramelized and tender.

8. Combine everything on a serving platter.

9. Sprinkle with cider vinegar and toasted pecans.

🌿 Vegetarian & Vegan

Already done.

Make Ahead

Cut the vegetables a day ahead. Roast shortly before dinner for the best caramelized edges.

3. Roasted Butternut, Apple & Spinach Harvest Salad

Thanksgiving needs something fresh.

This salad brings crisp apples, peppery greens and cider vinaigrette to a table otherwise doing its level best to bury us beneath carbohydrates and gravy.

Serves: 6–8Prep time: 20 minutesRoast time: 25 minutesOven: 425°F

Salad

• 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• Salt and pepper

• 5 ounces baby spinach

• 2 cups arugula

• 2 crisp apples, thinly sliced

• ½ cup dried cranberries

• ½ cup toasted pecans

• 4 ounces goat cheese or feta, crumbled

Maple-Cider Vinaigrette

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. Toss squash with olive oil, salt and pepper.

3. Roast for 20–25 minutes, turning once, until caramelized. Let cool slightly.

4. Whisk together all vinaigrette ingredients.

5. Arrange spinach and arugula on a large platter.

6. Add roasted squash, apples, cranberries, pecans and cheese.

7. Drizzle lightly with vinaigrette just before serving.

🌿 Vegan

Omit the cheese or substitute a plant-based feta.

Make Ahead

Roast the squash and make the vinaigrette 1–2 days ahead. Assemble shortly before dinner.

4. Kabocha Squash & Caramelized Onion Gratin

Potatoes don't get to have all the gratin fun.

Kabocha squash has a dense, almost chestnut-like sweetness that's fantastic with caramelized onions, thyme and nutty Gruyère.

Serves: 6–8Prep time: 25 minutesBake time: 45–55 minutesOven: 375°F

Ingredients

• About 2 pounds kabocha squash

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme

• 1 cup heavy cream

• ½ cup whole milk

• 1 cup shredded Gruyère

• ½ cup grated Parmesan

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• Black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Carefully halve and seed the squash. Peel and slice into approximately ⅛-inch slices.

3. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat.

4. Add onion and cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring frequently, until deeply golden.

5. Add garlic and thyme and cook 1 minute.

6. Combine cream and milk.

7. Layer half the squash in a buttered 2-quart baking dish.

8. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

9. Add half the onions and one-third of each cheese.

10. Repeat the layers.

11. Pour cream mixture evenly over the dish.

12. Top with remaining cheese.

13. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes.

14. Remove foil and bake another 15–25 minutes, until the squash is tender and the top is bubbling and golden.

15. Rest 10 minutes before serving.

🌱 Vegetarian

Use cheeses made without animal rennet if needed.

Make Ahead

Assemble earlier in the day, refrigerate and bake before dinner.

5. Brown-Butter Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Hakurei Turnips

Yes, you can mess with the Thanksgiving mashed potatoes.

You just have to do it carefully.

Sweet, mild Hakurei turnips lighten the potatoes while brown butter and roasted garlic ensure nobody feels deprived.

Serves: 6–8Prep time: 15 minutesCook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes

• 1 pound Hakurei turnips

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• ¾–1 cup warm whole milk

• ½ cup grated Parmesan, optional

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the cooking water

• Black pepper

• Chopped chives or thyme

Directions

1. Peel potatoes if desired and cut into chunks.

2. Trim the turnips and halve or quarter depending on size.

3. Place potatoes and turnips in a large pot and cover with cold salted water.

4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15–20 minutes, until very tender.

5. Meanwhile, melt butter over medium heat. Continue cooking until it smells nutty and the milk solids turn golden.

6. Reduce heat, add garlic and cook about 30 seconds.

7. Drain vegetables thoroughly and return them to the hot pot for 1 minute to evaporate excess moisture.

8. Mash.

9. Add brown butter and enough warm milk to reach your favorite consistency.

10. Fold in Parmesan if using.

11. Season with salt and pepper and finish with fresh herbs.

🌱 Vegetarian

As written.

🌿 Vegan

Use good olive oil or vegan butter, warmed unsweetened oat milk and omit Parmesan.

6. Roasted Broccoli & Cauliflower with Crispy Parmesan-Sage Breadcrumbs

This is what happens when broccoli and cauliflower put on Thanksgiving clothes.

Deep roasting brings out their sweetness, while lemony Parmesan-sage breadcrumbs provide the crunch.

Serves: 6–8Prep time: 15 minutesCook time: 25–30 minutesOven: 425°F

Ingredients

• 1 large head broccoli, cut into florets

• 1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• Salt and pepper

Crispy Breadcrumbs

• 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil

• ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

• ⅓ cup grated Parmesan

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. Toss broccoli and cauliflower with olive oil, salt and pepper.

3. Spread onto one or two sheet pans. Give the vegetables room to brown.

4. Roast for 20–25 minutes, until dark around some of the edges.

5. Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet.

6. Add breadcrumbs and cook over medium heat until golden.

7. Add garlic and sage for the final minute.

8. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan and lemon zest.

9. Transfer roasted vegetables to a platter.

10. Sprinkle generously with breadcrumbs and finish with lemon juice.

🌿 Vegan

Use olive oil and replace Parmesan with nutritional yeast.

7. Sweet Potato, Apple & Sage Stuffing

If we're writing a CSA Thanksgiving blog, we need stuffing.

This one keeps enough classic celery-onion-sage character to satisfy the traditionalists, but roasted sweet potato and apple make it worthy of the late-fall share.

Serves: 8–10Prep time: 25 minutesBake time: 40–45 minutesOven: 375°F

Ingredients

• 10 cups day-old rustic bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 5 tablespoons butter, divided

• 1 large onion, diced

• 4 celery stalks, diced

• 2 apples, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme

• 2½–3 cups vegetable or chicken broth

• 2 eggs, beaten

• ½ cup chopped parsley

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• Black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Toss sweet potato with olive oil and roast for 20 minutes, until nearly tender.

3. Spread bread cubes on another sheet pan and toast for about 10 minutes if they aren't already dry.

4. Melt butter in a large skillet.

5. Add onion and celery and cook for 6–8 minutes.

6. Add apples and cook 3 minutes.

7. Stir in garlic, sage and thyme and cook another minute.

8. Combine bread, roasted sweet potatoes and cooked vegetables in a large bowl.

9. Add parsley, salt and plenty of black pepper.

10. Stir in beaten eggs.

11. Gradually add broth until the bread is thoroughly moistened but not soggy.

12. Transfer to a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

13. Cover and bake for 25 minutes.

14. Uncover and bake another 15–20 minutes, until crisp on top.

🌱 Vegetarian

Use vegetable broth.

Make It Meaty

Brown 1 pound sage or Italian sausage and add it to the vegetable mixture.

Make Ahead

Assemble the stuffing the day before, refrigerate and bake on Thanksgiving.

8. Apple, Celery & Romaine Thanksgiving Crunch Salad

Because somewhere between the gratin, mashed potatoes and stuffing, somebody needs to bring some crunch.

This salad is deliberately simple, cold, crisp and tart.

Serves: 6–8Prep time: 15 minutesNo cooking required

Ingredients

• 1 large head romaine, chopped

• 2 apples, thinly sliced

• 3 celery stalks, thinly sliced

• 5 radishes, thinly sliced

• ½ cup toasted walnuts

• ½ cup dried cranberries

• 3 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, shaved or crumbled

Cider-Dijon Dressing

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 2½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 2 teaspoons maple syrup

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• Black pepper

Directions

1. Whisk together all dressing ingredients.

2. Combine romaine, apples, celery and radish.

3. Just before serving, toss lightly with enough dressing to coat.

4. Add walnuts, cranberries and cheddar.

🌿 Vegan

Omit the cheddar.

9. Rustic Apple-Cranberry Crisp with Maple-Pecan Topping

We're going to need dessert.

And unlike pie, crisp is wonderfully forgiving. No rolling pins. No decorative crust anxiety. Just bubbling apples and cranberries under a crunchy maple-oat topping.

Serves: 8–10Prep time: 20 minutesBake time: 40–50 minutesOven: 375°F

Apple-Cranberry Filling

• 7 cups peeled, sliced apples

• 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

• ½ cup brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

• Pinch of salt

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Maple-Pecan Topping

• 1 cup old-fashioned oats

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour

• ¾ cup chopped pecans

• ½ cup packed brown sugar

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or similar 3-quart baking dish.

3. Toss filling ingredients together and spread evenly in the dish.

4. Combine oats, flour, pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.

5. Work the cold butter into the mixture using your fingers or a pastry cutter until crumbly.

6. Drizzle maple syrup over the topping and toss lightly.

7. Scatter topping over the fruit.

8. Bake 40–50 minutes, until bubbling around the edges and deeply golden on top.

9. Allow to rest at least 15 minutes before serving.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Make Ahead

Assemble earlier in the day and bake while everyone is recovering from dinner.

Leftover Research Protocol

Cold apple crisp eaten directly from the refrigerator the next morning is scientifically recognized as breakfast.*

*By this blog, anyway.

10. Apple Cider Doughnut Cake with Brown-Butter Cider Glaze

One apple dessert seems insufficient given our current apple situation.

This cozy Bundt cake has the cinnamon-spice flavor of an apple cider doughnut without requiring anyone to fry dough on Thanksgiving.

Serves: 10–12Prep time: 20 minutesBake time: 45–55 minutesOven: 350°F

Ingredients

• 2 cups apple cider

• 2¾ cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon nutmeg

• ½ teaspoon ground ginger

• ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened

• ¾ cup brown sugar

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• 3 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• ½ cup sour cream

• 1 cup finely diced peeled apple

Brown-Butter Cider Glaze

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1½ cups confectioners' sugar

• 3 tablespoons reduced apple cider, plus more if needed

• Pinch of salt

Reduce the Cider

1. Pour cider into a saucepan.

2. Simmer over medium heat until reduced from 2 cups to approximately ¾ cup, about 20–30 minutes.

3. Set aside 3 tablespoons for the glaze.

Make the Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Thoroughly grease and flour a 10–12 cup Bundt pan.

3. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.

4. Beat softened butter and both sugars until light and fluffy.

5. Add eggs one at a time.

6. Add vanilla.

7. Mix in sour cream and ½ cup of the reduced cider.

8. Gently fold in dry ingredients.

9. Fold in the diced apple.

10. Transfer batter to the prepared pan.

11. Bake for 45–55 minutes, until a tester comes out clean.

12. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully invert onto a rack.

Brown-Butter Cider Glaze

1. Melt butter in a saucepan and continue cooking until golden brown and nutty-smelling.

2. Remove from heat.

3. Whisk confectioners' sugar, browned butter, reserved cider and salt until smooth.

4. Add a little more cider if needed to create a thick but pourable glaze.

5. Drizzle over the completely cooled cake.

This also happens to be extremely compatible with morning coffee the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Pure coincidence.

🦃 A Less-Stressful Thanksgiving Game Plan

Thanksgiving doesn't need to become an endurance sport.

2 days before

• Make the Apple Cider Doughnut Cake

• Make both salad dressings

• Toast nuts

• Cube and dry bread for stuffing

1 day before

• Assemble the Sweet Potato, Apple & Sage Stuffing

• Roast the acorn squash and make its filling

• Assemble the Kabocha Gratin

• Make the Apple-Cranberry Crisp, but don't bake it

• Chop sturdy root vegetables

• Roast beets for the harvest salad if using them elsewhere

Thanksgiving morning

• Stuff the acorn squash

• Prep broccoli and cauliflower

• Prep mashed potatoes and turnips

• Assemble salad ingredients separately

Before dinner

Bake the stuffing and gratin, roast vegetables, warm the stuffed squash and make the mash.

Dress salads at the very end so everything stays crisp.

Dessert

Put the crisp in the oven around dinner time.

Your house will smell like apples, maple and cinnamon by the time everyone claims they couldn't possibly eat another bite...

...and then inexplicably eats dessert.

🍎 And About All Those Apples...

Late-season apples are Thanksgiving workhorses.

Use the prettiest, crispest ones raw in salads. Use slightly softer apples in stuffing, roasted vegetables and cake. And save the apples that have officially failed the household's crunch audit for the crisp.

Once they're surrounded by brown sugar, cranberries, cinnamon and maple-pecan crumble, nobody is asking how crisp they were on Tuesday.

One Final Thought

The best Thanksgiving table doesn't have to be the one with the most dishes.

Let the harvest do some of the decorating for you. Golden squash, jewel-toned roots, ruby cranberries, bright greens and roasted apples already look like Thanksgiving.

Choose a centerpiece, add two or three vegetable sides, make the stuffing everybody expects and leave room for something fresh.

Then make dessert.

Actually...

Make both desserts.

There are apples to use.

Happy Thanksgiving from the CSA kitchen. 🦃🍎🍂