Thanksgiving Tips, Videos, and Recipes

Your Feast Starts Here! Prep, Cook, and Serve with Confidence This Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a holiday that has been time-honored for celebrating community, gratefulness, time off, and of course, enjoying our favorite thing, food! At CIA, food is what we do. And we do it best. It’s our passion, just like it’s yours.

We’re thankful for you and we hope that you and your family enjoy our how-to tips, recipes, and stories to help make your Thanksgiving holiday one to remember this year. So, satisfy those sweater-weather cravings with these cozy meal ideas.

Food Culinary Institute of America Baked Acorn Squash with Compote

Baked Acorn Squash with Cranberry-Orange Compote

There are so many varieties of winter squash that it’s hard to pick a favorite. And though the chefs at the Culinary Institute of America haven’t come to a consensus about which one is their favorite, this recipe for acorn squash with cranberry-orange compote might just end up being yours.

Get the Recipe

Level Up Your Leftovers!

Who knew Thanksgiving leftovers could be this exciting? Watch as turkey, cranberry sauce, and a drizzle of rich gravy get layered with saffron rice, creating the ultimate comfort dish with a Persian twist.

Friendsgiving Vibes

“Friendsgiving”—like Thanksgiving, but with friends that turned into family. Check out what these CIA students cooked for their own dinner party!

Thanksgiving How-To Videos

Additional resources to spruce up your next festivity:

A person wearing white gloves is carving a roasted turkey with a knife on a wooden cutting board. The golden-brown roasted turkey is being sliced, revealing the white meat inside. There is a partial view of a glass bowl in the background.
How to Carve a Turkey
A red and white pot filled with stuffing made from bread, chopped vegetables, and herbs sits on a stove. The stuffing includes pieces of bread, celery, and is mixed together, ready for cooking or serving. A metal cooking utensil is partially visible on the right.
Homemade Stuffing
A freshly baked pie with a golden-brown lattice crust, filled with mixed dark and red berries, is placed on a red and white checkered cloth. The pie appears to be sitting on a wooden board. The bottom right corner features a small logo with the letters "CIA" and a laurel wreath.
How to Make Lattice Pie Crust
YouTube Video Thumbnail

Make Your Own Pumpkin Pie

Get a taste of what a student learns here at CIA—and understand the “whys” in every recipe! Chef Payton Spear ’20 demonstrates making a traditional pumpkin pie. Watch to learn how to make the perfect pie crust, homemade pie filling, pastry rosettes, and even decorate a finished pie with whipped cream.

From Turkey to Treats: Must-Try Thanksgiving Recipes

Small pumpkins filled with creamy soup, each topped with a dollop of sour cream, are arranged on a white serving platter. The pumpkins have their tops cut off and placed beside them, creating a festive and appetizing presentation.
Four Amazing Pumpkin Recipes
A close-up of a sliced, roasted turkey breast on a wooden cutting board. A knife is in the midst of slicing through the meat, held steady with a fork. A plate on the left side shows more slices of the turkey breast neatly arranged.
Roast Turkey with Chestnut Dressing and Pan Gravy
Apple Sage Dressing
Apple Sage Dressing
A plate with slices of roasted turkey, glazed carrots, and a serving of mashed sweet potatoes topped with nuts. A fork is placed next to the food on the plate.
White Wine-Braised Turkey Thighs
A white, oval baking dish filled with a mixed vegetable casserole. The dish prominently features diced sweet potatoes, wild rice, diced onions, and other mixed vegetables. The top is slightly browned and crisp from baking.
Wild Rice with Apples and Butternut Squash
Pumpkin-shaped cookies cooling on a wire rack, with some placed on a wooden surface next to the rack. A checked cloth napkin and part of a yellow-lipped bowl are visible in the top right corner. The scene has a cozy, autumnal feel.
Iced and Spiced Brown Sugar Cookies

Turkey Day Resources

A close-up of a plate of Thanksgiving food, featuring slices of turkey, stuffing, carrots, broccoli, potatoes, and cranberry sauce. Gravy is being poured over the turkey and stuffing.
Three Unexpected Ways to Use Your Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey
A refreshing cranberry cocktail garnished with lime wedges and mint leaves is served in a clear glass. Surrounding the glass are scattered cranberries and sprigs of pine, with colorful bokeh lights in the background, creating a festive atmosphere.
Three Best Holiday Mocktail Drink Recipes From CIA
Sliced roasted turkey breast arranged in close layers, showing golden brown, crispy skin on each slice. The meat appears moist and tender, showcasing a well-cooked and appetizing dish.
Eight Super Tips for Thanksgiving

If you want to learn the right technique, come to CIA. Our faculty wrote the textbooks that many other schools use—literally! Our YouTube channel offers hundreds of cooking and food-related videos, but we’ve curated a list of the top videos that will help expand your culinary and baking skills.

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