Gratitude In Making Do: Using Pantry Odds and Ends This Thanksgiving

Create a thanksgiving feast from what you already have right in your pantry.

Thanksgiving is a holiday of abundance, but this year, with stubborn inflation felt at the grocery stores, things feel different. In late October, Purdue College of Agriculture even reported that wholesale turkey prices have surged 75% since fall 2024,due in part to a bird flu earlier in the year. Many home cooks are embracing a different approach to the holiday: One that is less lavish and less stressed (mentally and financially); but, still festive, full of care and creativity. 

Where can you find the makings of a holiday like this? In your pantry.

From forgotten cans of pumpkin puree, half-finished bags of chips, and specialty jars of jams that you swore you would use “someday,” your pantry should be the first place you shop this Thanksgiving. 

With a bit of imagination, the odds and ends that you already have can be the stars of your holiday table.

Pumpkin Puree

Pumpkin isn’t just for pie. A can of pumpkin puree is full of possibility. 

– Pumpkin Soup: Whisk pumpkin puree with chicken or vegetable broth, a splash of coconut milk, and a little curry powder and you have made a velvety starter for your meal.

– Pumpkin Cornbread- For a little sweetness and moisture, stir a 1/2 a cup of pumpkin puree into your cornbread mix.

– Pumpkin Butter: Similar to apple butter, just simmer pumpkin puree with a bit of brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla to make a delicious spread for rolls.

Beans and Lentils

Hearty and high in fiber, beans of all kinds are a delicious alternative for your Thanksgiving favorites.

– Lentil Salad with Roasted Vegetables: Roast whatever vegetables you have—carrots, onions, squash—toss them with warm lentils, olive oil, and vinegar.

– Garlic Mashed Beans: For a speedy hack to mashed potatoes, simmer white beans in broth while you toast up some easy aromatics like minced garlic and thyme. Mash together and spritz some lemon for added brightness.

– Green Bean Casserole: Nothing new here, besides that canned green beans make a great nostalgic green bean casserole and save so much time.

Rice and Grains

Pantry grains can make dishes just as comforting as traditional menu items.

– Crisp with Oats: Combine oats, butter, and brown sugar over canned fruit (think peaches, apples, or pears) for an easy dessert.

– Rice Dressing: A Southern twist on stuffing: Rice mixed with sautéed onions, celery, and stock. Add ground pork, if you like. Truly. In Louisiana it is all about rice dressing at Thanksgiving.

– Fall Farro Pilaf: Toss cooked farro with dried cranberries or apricots, walnuts, fresh herbs like sage or thyme, and some warm spices. Sub barley and even just rice for the grain if it is what you have.

Tinned Fish

The trendy look that was all over bags and sweaters this summer isn’t just for accessorizing.

Seacuterie Board: Similar to charcuterie or a cheese board, this appetizer allows friends and family to try a bunch of flavors at once. Add on sauces like dijon, garlic aioli, and softened butter, some radishes, capers, and slices of lemon, and potato chips and crackers and you are all set for grazing.

Stuffed Mushrooms: Add some finely chopped crab or tuna to a stuffing for a savory, seafood alternative to traditional stuffed mushroom caps. Perfect for a side or appetizer.

Anchovy Breadcrumbs: For added umami on anything from casseroles to vegetables, salad or pasta, melt anchovies into butter, garlic, and panko breadcrumbs.

Crabbies: A New England classic from recipe writer Jenna Haskins. This appetizer is makes use of immitation crab and english muffins. Find the recipe here.

Pantry Sweeteners

Maple syrup, honey, molasses, and even jams from gift sets that you forgot about will transform sides from humble to decadent.

• Glaze roasted sweet potatoes with molasses for a deep, earthy note.
• Drizzle honey over roasted root veggies.
• Mix maple syrup into whipped butter for rolls.
• Melt some orange marmalade with butter and fresh ginger to create a glaze for carrots.
• Jams are also great to make a glaze for proteins. Orange and apricot go well with turkey, while berry jams are better with beef and lamb. To make a simple glaze, combine the jam with some olive oil, vinegar, finely minced garlic and herbs and brush onto the protein during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking for a caramelized finish.

An Open Bag of Chips

Even if they are going a little stale, chip bits, or the crushed bits of potato chips, at the bottom of a bag can be an exciting way to add salt and crunch to both sweet and savory dishes.

– Crunch on casserole: Sprinkle the crushed chip bits over baked casseroles, such as green bean casserole, macaroni and cheese, or hash brown casserole, during the last few minutes of baking for a crispy, golden-brown top. 

– Stuffing: Incorporate crushed chips into your stuffing or dressing for an added layer of texture and flavor. Plain chips work well, or make it funky and fun with a different flavor.

– Pie Crust: Add a unique and salty crunch to a sweet caramel, chocolate, or sweet potato based pie by pulsing chip bits into a crust with butter and a touch of flour to help it bind.

There is something incredibly fitting about Thanksgiving that leans on what is in the pantry. After all, gratitude isn’t about the things we have; but, rather what we make of it.