TODAY’S Throwback Thanksgiving: Get the Retro Recipes

Hey, it’s time for Jell-O.

This Thanksgiving, we’re throwing it back to a more groovy time. A time when everything on the table was either glazed, golden or jelly-like – or all three.

With that in mind, we asked 22 of our favorite chefs for their most nostalgic recipes—from those that instantly transport them to their first Thanksgiving table to those that have been passed down to them by a loved one, these recipes have stood the test of time a reason.

There’s something magical about these Thanksgiving recipes—a secret ingredient whispered between aunts, a crazy technique an uncle swears by, a special stew a grandparent insists on using or it just won’t taste the same.

Our hope is that these old-school recipes, filled with stories of Thanksgiving past, will help you make new memories at your table.

But first a toast:

Cheers to the start of the holidays with the most festive sip around: Laura Vitale’s Cranberry Moscow Mule.

“I don’t typically worry about specific serving dishes or glasses,” says Vitale, “but in this case I think serving it in the iconic copper cup has a real charm to it and keeps the drink nice and cold for a while.”

Turkey, gravy and other entrees

In JJ Johnson’s family, turkey duty always alternated between fathers, uncles and aunts. Everyone was always waiting for his dad’s turn because he used a special rub, complete with both butter and mayo and a whole host of spices and herbs. JJ adds his own twist by roasting the turkey vertically on a tallboy beer can, ensuring the meat stays moist and the exterior is evenly crispy.

“My mom and her sister, my Aunt Erika, would conspire every Thanksgiving in the kitchen over the gravy,” says Gesine Bullock-Prado. “First of all, let me just say that this sauce is something magical, but they didn’t whisper because they tried to hide the recipe from any of us … because there wasn’t really a recipe. But there was sour cream involved. And my uncle despised creme fraiche – or so he thought. He loved the sisters’ sauce, but he had no idea it contained a generous amount of creme fraiche.”

To this day, Gesine and her sister Sandra have continued the tradition of whisking sauce, because it, together with sour cream, is part of the magic of the recipe.

This one goes out to all the anti-turkey people out there. We see you and present you with this rack of whole-roasted rib-eye, an “umami bomb” that Jordan Andino’s father used to make for the holidays when he was growing up.

“While it was resting, I would always go and tear off the crust, which was nice and charred,” admits Jordan. “I can still taste it as I type this!”

“Osso buco” literally means “hole in the bone” and the dish is famously made with veal shank and often a side of risotto Milanese. Stefano Secchi adapted the recipe using turkey legs for Thanksgiving because no one ever wants the white meat and the legs seem to go fast.

“A bed of polenta, in the middle of the table, done!” he says.

Accessories

Martha Stewart made this recipe for Thanksgiving with her daughter and grandchildren. A large pumpkin is filled with a flavorful and fragrant filling made with brioche, celery, onion, orchard and herbs.

“The sides of any Thanksgiving can be anything,” she says. “This recipe is the ‘everything’ side that your guests will ooh and ahh over.”

Don’t get us wrong – we love a good pot of green beans – but can you really taste the green beans in there?

French green beans are one of Daniel Boulud’s favorite ingredients, and he finds that this simple preparation of them – with bacon, almonds and cayenne pepper – really brings out their beauty.

Plus, serving them in these bundles makes it feel like you’re placing little Thanksgiving gifts on everyone’s plate.

This recipe delivers everything you want from mashed potatoes: warm, creamy comfort. The garlic – used in two forms – adds earthiness and a slight sweetness, while the rosemary provides an herbal note. A few creme fraiche folded in at the end gives the dish a bit of acidity and elevates it above your traditional mashed potatoes.

“This is pure Southern cornbread,” says Jocelyn Delk Adams. “The recipe comes from my grandmother, Big Mama, from Winona, Mississippi. She always made this recipe in a huge cast iron pot so the outside would have a crispy crumb while the inside remained absolutely tender.”

This dish has become a Thanksgiving tradition in Marcus Samuelsson’s family for two reasons: One, because it’s an easy and flavorful way to use up leftover turkey, and two, because mac and cheese is his son Zion’s absolute favorite food. This mac is made with sweet potato, which makes it extra creamy and velvety.

When you need a break from all the rich and filling foods on your Thanksgiving table, turn to this “vibrant, bold raw broccoli salad” from Eric Kim. “The sweetness of red apple works seamlessly to balance the bite of the raw green vegetable,” he says. With so many mushy dishes on the table, it will be a welcome bit of crunch.

“For Christmas, my other mother, Martha, would use gelatin and lime-flavored cottage cheese instead of cranberry sauce,” Elizabeth Heiskell recalls. “The color would match her Christmas china perfectly.”

The best part about it? It can be made in advance and uncast just before the guests arrive. “Anything done before the holiday stress is a godsend,” she says.

This page has main course energy. Mac and cheese comes together in one pot and uses very few ingredients. Plus, the combination of pasta and potatoes (Tater Tots), not to mention the cheese, feels so decadent for the holidays.

“This dish represents our journey to America and having fun with the food and traditions of our new home,” says Hetty McKinnon. “When you travel to a new place, you don’t have context or traditions for local holidays. So you have to create your own traditions that combine the flavors of where we came from and where we live now.”

Growing up in Mexico, Ana Castro had never celebrated Thanksgiving until she moved to New York in 2012. That’s when she came up with this twist on a Thanksgiving classic.

“This Cheesy Poblano and Potato Bake is one that I love to make for the holidays that really showcases Mexican flavors,” she says. “The most everyday dish for Mexicans is papas con rajas, something anyone can make quickly and is super simple and delicious.”

Another reprieve from the more decadent dishes on your table, this cornucopia of vegetables—parsnips, greens and spinach, stuffed into an acorn squash—will leave you feeling nourished.

“It speaks to home and being in the kitchen with those you love,” says Shaw-naé Dixon.

This creamy dish is now a staple at Laura Vitale’s Thanksgiving—but it was originally a mistake.

“It was created after I couldn’t make a really deep ‘corny’ cornbread, but one bite in and we were hooked!” she says. “Now it’s one of the most requested sides on our Thanksgiving table.”

“My mom made this for Thanksgiving one year, and when we tasted it, we knew we had to have it every year for the rest of our lives,” says Bricia Lopez. “My family and I absolutely love Thanksgiving. I think it was because it was the only day of the year (apart from Christmas Eve) that my parents were forced to close the restaurant early.

“We embraced this tradition and made every Thanksgiving meal traditional with dishes like stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. This green spaghetti (and our black bean puree) was how we made Thanksgiving our own, starting a new tradition for our family that mixed both cultures. I really hope it becomes one of yours too.”

This dish is Edy Massih’s Middle Eastern version of an American Thanksgiving classic.

“Growing up in Lebanon, we didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving, so this idea came about when I moved to the United States and started cooking for my family,” he says. His take on the filling “features two prominent Lebanese ingredients—fig marmalade for a sweet and spicy twist and chopped pistachios for a nutty crunch.”

The best part? It’s baked in a muffin tin, so it’s already perfectly portioned for guests, and each bite has crispy edges.

Desserts

This hearty pumpkin bread is a sophisticated twist on the traditional version, featuring bourbon (teetotalers can substitute apple cider), browned butter, and cardamom.

“My mother-in-law used to make pumpkin bread for the Thanksgiving table when my husband was growing up,” says Melissa Clark. “During our first Thanksgiving together, after we met, he asked me to make some as a tribute to her. We’ve made it every year since.”

The name tembleque comes from the Spanish word “temblar,” which means to “tremble,” a reference to the wobbly, wobbly texture of this molded coconut pudding from Puerto Rico.

“Although tembleque is enjoyed year-round, I associate it most with holidays like Thanksgiving, Noche Buena and the many special occasions where the decadent coconut dessert was always the sweetest star at the table,” says Alejandra Ramos. “These days I appreciate tembleque both for its nostalgic comforting flavor as well as its stark simplicity.”

“My dad’s pecan pie was especially gooey, buttery and SWEEEEEET! Just one slice was enough to raise your blood sugar, baby,” says Lazarus Lynch. “He would start with a pre-bought pie crust, whole pecans (I say PEE cans, not pooh-KAHNS), and his secret ingredient was corn syrup (if you have any questions, you can contact my late father). Then he’d put it in a bowl of butter, eggs, and sugar, and those pies were the way we ended our Thanksgiving night with a big scoop of butter pecan ice cream.”

Lazarus’ take on the recipe calls for topping the pie with fleur de sel, plus browning the butter for extra nutty flavor.

Maya-Camille Broussard says her aunt Ruby was an excellent cook, but of all the dishes she made, none was more beloved than her pound cake.

“We spent every holiday dinner at her house and always left with two slices of pound cake wrapped in aluminum foil,” she says.

The magic in her pound cake could be found in a packet of Dream Whip, a whipped topping mix that is whipped together with the cake flour to give a fluffy texture to a traditionally dense cake.

Rick Martinez cranks up a Thanksgiving item.

“The honey adds a floral note to the pie instead of the pure sweetness of sugar, and the red chili flakes provide an unexpected counterpoint to the sweetness,” he says.

His recipe will help you end your Thanksgiving on a sweet note, yes, but also a spicy one.