From gochujang Brussels sprouts to harissa honey-glazed carrots, food trend experts and chefs are expecting your traditional Thanksgiving meal to be spicier.
We have Gen Z to thank.
With younger generations hosting Friendsgiving and sharing their favorite dishes, people aren't necessarily giving up traditional dishes, but they're changing them. People are starting to mix recipes and add flavors like gochujang, chili crisp, miso and harissa into Thanksgiving must-haves like turkey and green bean casserole.
What's new on the Thanksgiving table?
Gen Z is keeping the classics like turkey and pumpkin pie, but they're getting creative, according to Miriam Aniel Oved, a senior consumer trends analyst at food and beverage consumer intelligence site Tastewise. About 1 in 10 Gen Z Thanksgiving
foods include something mashed, spicy, barbecued, mini, gluten-free or deviled, according to Tastewise data. Instead of bringing the traditional green bean casserole, it might be spicy or in a single serving for your relative with dietary restrictions.
Gen Z loves to take dishes and make them more exciting with spice, texture and different cultural flavors. Jessica Woo, a Las Vegas cook and author of the cookbook “Let’s Make Some Lunch" (DK Publishing, 2024), said things like chili crisps, hot honey and spicy seasonings are changing traditional dishes.
Different cultures are adding to the changes in these dishes, according to Rowena Scherer, a chef, author of the cookbook "A Taste of The World: Celebrating Global Flavors" (The Collective Book Studio, 2024) and founder and CEO of global cooking-kit brand eat2explore. You might see gochujang, chili crisp, miso and harissa show up in glazes, butters and dressings, while dumplings, empanadas and spring rolls might be part of an appetizer.
"The turkey isn't going anywhere, but it's getting a makeover with a spice rub, a citrus-chili marinade or a chimichurri on the side. The pumpkin pie stays, maybe next to a tres leches or a mochi dessert," said Scherer.
Try eat2explore today
Why is Thanksgiving changing?
Some of these new flavors come from "Friendsgiving," where friends celebrate Thanksgiving together with their own dishes, according to Scherer.
"Friendsgiving is where it really takes off. When everyone brings a dish from their own family, the table becomes a potluck of traditions: Filipino lumpia beside Southern mac and cheese, Mexican tamales beside cranberry sauce. There's no 'correct' menu anymore, just the traditions people actually carry with them," said Scherer.
"People still love the nostalgic classics, but Thanksgiving feels a lot less strict now. More families are mixing in foods from their culture, trying viral recipes, or just making what everyone actually likes," said Woo.
This isn't a new trend or viral recipes taking over the table, according to Own Han, a culinary content producer and author of "Stacked: The Art of the Perfect Sandwich" (HarperCollins Publishers, 2024).
It's people bringing things they actually like.
"People seem less attached to doing things a certain way just because that’s how they’ve always been done. The idea of getting everyone together and having a big meal is still there, but the food can be a lot more personal and reflect the cultures and values of the more diverse or mixed families that are hosting," said Han.
At Han's Thanksgiving, he still makes mashed potatoes, gravy and roasted vegetables, but he brings dishes that feel more like him, like mac and cheese, and a dish leaning into his Italian roots, like pasta with vodka sauce or a lighter tomato sauce. Instead of the main turkey dish, Han prefers a roast chicken and steak.
For Woo, her table isn't traditional either.
She still loves Thanksgiving, so she'll always have the classic turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing combo, but she adds a twist. She grew up eating rice with everything, so even with a full Thanksgiving meal, there's going to be white steamed rice on the table. Woo adds Korean sweet potatoes to her sweet potato casserole. This keeps the classic meal, but adds in something she grew up eating and makes it feel a little more like her family.
"I think that’s what Thanksgiving looks like for a lot of families now. You keep the traditions you love, but you also add the foods that feel like home," said Woo.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Turkey, traditions and TikTok. How Gen Z is rewriting Thanksgiving
Our editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.
