42 Best Recipes For A Soul Food Thanksgiving Menu
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Get ready for recipes with a whole lotta heart, heritage, and flavor because in Black culture cooking, Thanksgiving isn’t just a meal… It’s a memory in the making! And when it comes to a soul food Thanksgiving, every dish tells a story. From the creamy mac and cheese baked with love to the collard greens simmered slow in a savory pot likker broth, these recipes are traditions served on a platter.
At The Soul Food Pot®, we celebrate Thanksgiving the Southern soul food way, with recipes passed down through generations, full of flavor, family, and soul. Whether you’re hosting your first holiday dinner or carrying on Grandma’s legacy, this collection brings together the best comfort food classics. From my family’s signature Black folks’ sweet potato pie™ to Southern cornbread dressing, all with modern, time-saving twists like Instant Pot magic and oven-baked perfection.
So grab your apron, cue up the holiday playlist, and let’s make this Thanksgiving one to remember. Soulfully, deliciously, and joyfully!
🥄 Shaunda says:
What is a soul food Thanksgiving menu?
A soul food Thanksgiving menu celebrates Southern comfort and Black heritage, featuring a dinner table filled with traditional soul food entrées and recipes passed down through generations by Black families.
As older Black folks like to say, “from the rooter to the tooter!” Meaning that nothing goes to waste and every dish is made with love, flavor, and seasoned with soul.
How to make a Thanksgiving soul food menu
It’s easy to create your own soul food Thanksgiving menu… Just follow the tried-and-true Southern recipes in this holiday roundup! Start by choosing the dishes your family loves most, then build from there.
This post brings together my best soul food recipes and traditional Southern sides. The kind that make lasting family memories and nostalgic moments (the delicious kind you eat!).
What to serve
Whether your family is hosting a big traditional feast or a cozy potluck, you’ll find all the soul food flavors everyone expects right here. From creamy mac and cheese to savory greens and sweet potato pie, this guide walks you through each recipe to help you serve up a Thanksgiving feast that’s flavorful, soulful, and unforgettable!
Best African American Thanksgiving recipes
Thanksgiving, but make it soul food. Forget dry turkey, bland gravy, and boring stuffing. This is the kind of meal that’ll have your family singing before dessert even hits the table (cue Mariah Carey, please!)
Use this Thanksgiving guide and step into the kitchen with confidence, because you’ve got this holiday handled… Soulfully!
🎙 Listen to the recipes on The Soul Food Pod episode: Soul Food Thanksgiving
My Southern Turkey Recipe
My Black folks’ Southern turkey recipe is a juicy, flavor-packed holiday classic! Easy to make, soulful to taste, and always the star of the table. It's a soul food twist on Southern turkey, brined in homemade apple cider for bold, juicy flavor you won’t find in the usual Thanksgiving turkey roast.
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Cornbread Dressing
My Black folks’ cornbread dressing is rich, flavorful, and never dry, made with homemade cornbread seasoned to perfection. My version stands out on the Thanksgiving table with cubed cornbread for enhanced taste, texture, and a beautiful, non-mushy presentation that’s as visually appealing as it is delicious!
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Chicken And Dressing
At the heart of Thanksgiving is my featured Black folks' chicken and dressing recipe, which is cornbread dressing elevated with tender, shredded baked chicken. The ingredients are simple yet soulful: cooked poultry, flavorful Southern seasonings, cornbread, celery, onion, parsley, chicken stock, and egg. It's a favorite at Thanksgiving, not to be missed!
Check out this recipe!
Cornbread Dressing With Gizzards
Southern cornbread dressing with gizzards is a savory Southern Thanksgiving classic made with golden cornbread, tender gizzards, onion, celery, and soulful herbs, carrying on a soul food tradition where no part of the bird goes to waste.
Check out this recipe!
Liver Cornbread Dressing
Southern soul food liver dressing blends tender, seasoned beef liver with golden cornbread and classic herbs for a hearty, earthy flavor. A humble dish turned pure Thanksgiving comfort!
Check out this recipe!
Oyster Cornbread Dressing
Oyster dressing is a Thanksgiving classic featuring golden cornbread baked with fresh herbs, tender veggies, and briny oysters. It's crispy at the edges, soft and savory inside, with a seasoned richness and that soulful, ocean-kissed flavor in every bite.
Check out this recipe!
Air Fryer Turkey Legs
Thanksgiving is all about family, friends, and delicious, home-cooked food. But there's no reason to let that holiday dinner become a week-long project!The solution is simple and tastes just like your favorite state-fair meat: a Southern air fryer turkey legs recipe!
Check out this recipe!
Air Fryer Turkey Wings
These succulent turkey wings are smothered in an apple cider brine, flavor-infused, air-fried to crisp perfection, and served with a seasoned soul food side. Your taste buds will gobble-gobble with joy!
Check out this recipe!
Roasted Turkey Breast
Juicy, tender, and full of Southern soul, this roasted turkey breast brings all the holiday flavor without the fuss of a whole bird!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Soul Food Cornish Hens
Perfectly seasoned, juicy, and golden brown, these soul food Cornish hens are an elegant twist on Southern comfort. Packed with deep roasted flavor and seasoned with a soulful blend of spices, this easy recipe delivers Sunday dinner perfection in every bite!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Fried Chicken Recipe
Originating from the kitchens of skilled soul food cooks, an authentic Southern fried chicken recipe is characterized by seasoning both the chicken and the flour, incorporating more than just salt and pepper to achieve a rich flavor. This is what gives Black folks' fried chicken an exceptionally bold taste with every bite, making it a dish often enjoyed on Thanksgiving!
Check out this recipe!
What are the top Thanksgiving side dishes?
Every Thanksgiving star needs a supporting cast, and these top soul food sides steal the show! Think creamy mac, buttery cornbread, tender greens, and all the soulful fixin’s that make the meal sing.
Soul Food Candied Yams
You probably recognize the turkey as the star of the Thanksgiving dinner. However, I'm bringing attention to the Thanksgiving yams, a buttery-rich brown sugar mix of sweet potatoes with soul food spices. Is it even an authentic Thanksgiving meal without candied yams on the table?
Check out this recipe!
Black Folks Collard Greens
Black folks’ collard greens are a soulful Southern classic seasoned to perfection and simmered with love, honoring African American roots and timeless flavor traditions.
Check out this recipe!
Soul Food Baked Macaroni And Cheese
A Black folks’ mac and cheese recipe isn't any ol’ mac and cheese recipe. It's baked, never boxed, and always loaded with soulful seasonings. This is that creamy, cheesy, soul-hugging masterpiece that gets baked until it’s bubbling around the edges and golden on top!
Check out this recipe!
Old Fashioned Thanksgiving Dressing
Get ready for an unforgettable Thanksgiving Day with this soul food inspired Southern old-fashioned Thanksgiving dressing recipe. A delicious casserole dish everyone around the dinner table loves!
Check out this recipe!
Fresh Cranberry Sauce
A soul food Thanksgiving is not complete without cranberry sauce, made the Black folks' way, always spice things up!
Check out this recipe!
Creamed Corn Pudding
This savory, Thanksgiving corn pudding has a sweet corn flavor with onion and garlic for a rich, savory, soul food taste. Add sour cream for a creamy melt-in-your-mouth pudding and parmesan cheese for the cornbread crust.
Check out this recipe!
Southern Soul Food Cornbread
Soul food cornbread balances crispy edges, a moist interior, and flavorful sweetness. This Southern Thanksgiving, made from-scratch recipe creates the ultimate harmony of savory and sweet!
Check out this recipe!
Cranberry Sauce Cornbread
It's both a sweet, soulful cornbread and a delicious Thanksgiving fresh cranberry sauce treat!
Check out this recipe!
Baked Apple Slices
This recipe captures the essence of a Thanksgiving holiday aroma, featuring beautiful notes of cinnamon, brown sugar, nutmeg, and vanilla, combined with fresh apples to create a soulful baked apple recipe.
Check out this recipe!
Soul Food Cooked Cabbage
The soul food cabbage difference is all in the legacy, the layers, and the love. Regular fried cabbage is just… cabbage. But Black folks’ cabbage? That’s comfort, culture, and collard greens’ close cousin all wrapped into one well-seasoned, soulful side dish!
Check out this recipe!
Instant Pot Green Beans
Black people don't typically make green bean casserole for Thanksgiving. Instead, we make tender, savory, and well-seasoned green beans! Steeped in Southern tradition, but ready in a fraction of the time with the Instant Pot!
Check out this recipe!
Red Beans And Rice
Experience the rich taste of soul food through a simple yet flavorful Thanksgiving side dish. Red beans and rice is a dish that will make your mouth water when you smell the aroma of savory seasonings and spices as the red kidney beans soak in the rich flavors of this dish!
Check out this recipe!
Instant Pot Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
Savor the sweetness and nutrition of glazed carrots for a standout holiday side dish. The ease and efficiency of using the Instant Pot shines from Easter to Thanksgiving, without compromising the distinctive, soulful, sweet, and savory flavors of this traditional Southern recipe.
Check out this recipe!
Instant Pot Creamed Corn
This isn’t your average Thanksgiving creamed corn from a can! I’m sharing my family’s Southern creamed corn recipe made faster in the Instant Pot, but still full of that slow-cooked, buttery flavor you remember from Grandma’s table. It’s sweet, savory, and silky-smooth with a touch of soul.
Check out this recipe!
Soul Food Creamy Mashed Potatoes
A Thanksgiving staple, this soul food recipe is rich, creamy, and seasoned far beyond just butter, salt, and pepper. It’s all about layering flavor with creamy texture.
Check out this recipe!
Southern Potato Salad
A Black folks' Southern potato salad is not just a side dish, but a whole vibe. The kind of dish that makes people smile before they even take a bite, because they already know what time it is. And yes, this dish is a must from Thanksgiving to cookouts and Christmas!
Check out this recipe!
Soul food Thanksgiving desserts
Sweet potato pie holds a special place as the official Thanksgiving holiday dessert in Black culture. It’s the grand finale of any soul food Thanksgiving table. And of course, no celebration’s complete without desserts like peach cobbler, banana pudding, or pecan pie. Sweet traditions baked with love and soul!
Black Folks Sweet Potato Pie Recipe™
The heart of the Thanksgiving dessert table, my Black folks’ sweet potato pie recipe is the creamy, cinnamon-kissed, vanilla-scented slice of heritage.
Check out this recipe!
Purple Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
New twist on a Thanksgiving classic: Introducing my Black folks' purple sweet potato pie recipe! Same but new. Still featuring incredible soul food flavors, now with a fitting warm and regal purple hue!
Check out this recipe!
Sweet Potato Pie With Cream Cheese
This recipe is specially dressed for Thanksgiving with a thin layer of homemade cream cheese frosting spread on top, to savor the sweet taste of the holidays!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Pecan Pie Recipe
A Thanksgiving dessert favorite and an old-fashioned African American soul food classic that yields an abundance of sweet flavor with each bite. Brown sugar is combined with a decadent, syrupy pecan filling, caramelized, and then baked.
Check out this recipe!
Southern Peach Cobbler Recipe
While a regular cobbler might taste one-note sweet, a Black folks’ peach cobbler sings in harmony: sweet, spiced, tangy, and buttery. The peaches are lush and syrupy, kissed with brown sugar and a soulful blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hint of ginger. Great all year, from New Year's back to Thanksgiving!
Check out this recipe!
Soul Food Apple Pie
Cinnamon, butter, and soul. This Southern-style apple pie brings comfort home for the holidays! One bite, and it’s giving “Thanksgiving at Grandma’s!”
Check out this recipe!
Southern Banana Pudding
A Thanksgiving celebration of soul food heritage. The simplicity of a few high-quality ingredients transforms into a layered dessert masterpiece!
Check out this recipe!
Southern Bread Pudding
Southern bread pudding is a warm autumn classic, a soul food favorite among African Americans, and an easy-to-make recipe made with simple pantry staples.
Check out this recipe!
Southern Red Velvet Cake
Southern red velvet cake is a slice of pure indulgence, not just reserved for Christmas; it's also expected at Thanksgiving. It's a standout cake that's velvety, smooth, and holiday-rich, making it unforgettable!
Check out this recipe!
Carrot Cake
Soul food carrot cake is a Southern dessert specialty cherished by many African American families, often enjoyed as a sweet holiday tradition from Thanksgiving to Easter.
Check out this recipe!
Southern Tea Cakes
Like sweet little biscuits, tea cakes are highly valued in the South and are a traditional African American holiday treat dating back to the 1600s.
Check out this recipe!
Soul food Thanksgiving drinks
Wash down all that soulful goodness with a little Southern sippin’! Sweet tea, holiday eggnog, moscato, or Hennessy. These soul food drinks keep the good vibes flowin’.
Southern Sweet Tea
No Thanksgiving table is complete without a soul food sip to match the meal! Like sweet tea, bringing Southern comfort and cheer to every glass!
Check out this recipe!
Homemade Eggnog
Creamy and sweet, soulful, homemade eggnog boasts a flavor profile reminiscent of cinnamon, coconut, and rum, making it a standout among Thanksgiving's finest!
Check out this recipe!
Hennessy Eggnog
A creamy, exotic, and delectable drink awaits you on Thanksgiving! Step up your cocktail game with this beverage, featuring a creamy texture and a rich flavor profile that adds a soulful swag to your holiday feast!
Check out this recipe!
Moscato Sangria
We remixed sangria for Thanksgiving with a touch of Black flair, transforming that bottle of wine into Black folks' Moscato sangria. So good you can taste the vibe!
Check out this recipe!
Love this menu plan?
Keep the holiday cheer going! Plan your Christmas dinner with my expert recipes, and don’t miss my Instant Pot and air fryer holiday guide. It’s your holiday shortcut to cutting cook time without losing any flavor!
🧭 Your dream Thanksgiving — ready in 4 hours or less! Grab the playbook!
Servings: 8
Calories: 307kcal
Equipment
- 8″ cast-iron skillet
- electric mixer handheld or stand optional – for making the cornbread
- medium-sized saucepan
- Medium-sized mixing bowl
- 8″ baking dish
Ingredients
Ingredients for the cornbread
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal medium grind
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar optional
- ⅔ cup cream cheese preferably whipped cream cheese
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Ingredients for the cornbread dressing
- ¼ cup butter unsalted
- 1 tablespoon butter unsalted
- 1 cup yellow onion diced
- 1 cup celery diced
- 1 tablespoon thyme dried
- 1 tablespoon rosemary dried
- 1 teaspoon sage ground
- ¼ cup parsley resh and finely chopped
- ½ cup chicken stock or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large egg
- 8 oz chicken boneless, skinless, cooked chicken thighs, or other poultry dark meat, shredded
Instructions
Instructions for the cornbread recipe
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place the 4 tablespoons of butter in the cast-iron skillet. Melt the butter in the oven for approximately 5 minutes.
- While the butter melts, combine the dry ingredients (cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar) with the cream cheese and heavy whipping cream in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Pour the melted butter from the skillet into the mixing bowl, then mix all the ingredients together.
- Pour the cornbread mixture into the skillet and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Once the baking time is complete, let the cornbread cool for about 10 minutes.
- Slice the bread lengthwise, then cut it across into 1-inch cubes, and set them aside.
Instructions for the chicken and dressing
- Grease a baking dish and transfer the reserved cornbread cubes to the greased dish. Set the cornbread cubes aside.
- In a saucepan, sauté the ¼ cup of butter, chopped onion, celery, thyme, rosemary, and sage.
- Stir to coat the vegetables in the herbs and melted butter, then sauté until they soften and turn slightly brown.
- Add the shredded chicken, chicken broth, salt, and pepper to the simmering mixture, and stir to combine.
- Remove the chicken and herb mixture from the stovetop and set aside.
- Allow the mixture to cool until it is safe to touch, then combine it with the egg. This prevents the egg from cooking and scrambling due to residual heat.
- While the chicken and herb mixture is cooling, beat the egg and parsley in a medium-sized bowl.
- Pour the egg and parsley mixture over the cubed cornbread in the set-aside baking dish, and gently fold in the mixture evenly with the bread cubes.
- Then, pour the cooled chicken and herb mixture into the cornbread and egg mixture, evenly distributing it with your pour.
- Cut the 1 tablespoon of butter into small pieces and scatter them evenly on top of the dressing.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes.
- Uncover and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown, then serve warm and enjoy! Optionally, serve with gravy on top.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 307kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 655mg | Potassium: 227mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 743IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 2mg
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The Ultimate Soul Food Recipes Guide
What is soul food? Soul food recipes are African-American recipes full of flavor! A legacy of Southern cooking the Black way. Check out this collection of the best soul food recipes!
Check out this recipe!
Wow! Lots of black folks soul food menu to choose from!