Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes

Published: Jan 13, 2023 · Modified: Aug 7, 2023 by Karin and Ken · This post may contain affiliate links. Leave a Comment

Looking for some delicious Canadian Thanksgiving dinner recipes? Look no further! Here are some of our favorite Canadian Thanksgiving dinner ideas, from traditional turkey dinners to sweet treats and everything in between.

Collage of four Thanksgiving dinner recipes with the title "Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes" in the center of the collage.

What is a Canadian Thanksgiving?

Canadian Thanksgiving is a holiday that occurs in October, and it is often celebrated with a large family feast. Traditional Canadian Thanksgiving dinner recipes typically include turkey or chicken, seasonal vegetables, stuffing, and mashed potatoes.

There are many different delicious Canadian Thanksgiving dinner ideas to choose from, but some of our favorites include traditional turkey dinners, sweet treats like pumpkin pie and apple crisp, and other dishes like mashed potatoes or roasted vegetables.

How do Canadian and American Thanksgiving differ?

There are many differences between Canadian and American Thanksgiving, but perhaps the most noticeable difference is that Canadian Thanksgiving occurs in October, while American Thanksgiving typically takes place in November.

Additionally, US celebrations tend to be larger and more extravagant than those in Canada, with families often gathering for huge feasts and other special events.

Another key difference is that Canadian Thanksgiving is primarily celebrated by families and friends, while US Thanksgiving often features public holiday celebrations with parades, festivals, and other community events.

Regardless of the differences between these two holidays, however, they are both wonderful opportunities to come together with loved ones and celebrate all that we have to be thankful for.

Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes

While Canadian and American Thanksgiving have differences, one thing that is similar is the dishes that are served. In fact, you can't really tell the difference between American Thanksgiving dishes and these Canadian Thanksgiving dinner ideas.

Every family has their traditional family recipes that are served every year. It is also fun sometimes to mix it up and try something new.

Perhaps you are out on your own for the first time and looking to create your own traditions. Or, you could be hosting for the first time. No matter the case, the following recipes are great to use as Canadian Thanksgiving recipes. Our family loves these recipes and we are sure your family will love them as well.

Cranberry Balsamic Sauce

Cranberry Balsamic Sauce is easy to make, and this sweet and tangy sauce is amazing on beef, turkey or even chicken! This balsamic cranberry sauce recipe can liven up any dinner night, there's no need to wait for the holidays.

Cranberry Balsamic Sauce

Easy Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce

Make easy homemade cranberry sauce in just minutes using your pressure cooker. This easy Instant Pot cranberry sauce recipe is exactly what you need to add that finishing touch to your holiday table.

Leftover Cranberry Sauce Muffins

Not sure what to do with that leftover cranberry sauce from your holiday meal? You're going to love these cranberry sauce muffins! We're taking this breakfast treat to the next level with a delectable mashup of croissant-meets-muffin + cranberries that's so delicious.

Three cranberry sauce muffins on a plate with a striped tea towel and fresh cranberries.

The Best Oven Roasted Turkey

Making the best oven roasted turkey has never been easier! This recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas or any special occasion when you're making turkey.

The Best Oven Roasted Turkey on a platter ready to serve.

Turkey Stuffing Pot Pie

Looking for a quick and easy way to put Thanksgiving leftovers to use? This hearty and comforting turkey pot pie with stuffing crust recipe is just perfect. This turkey stuffing casserole is also delicious with rotisserie chicken, so you can make it any time of year!

Turkey pot pie in a skillet with stuffing topping.

Fried Turkey Legs (Air Fryer)

Learn how to make the perfectly crispy, juicy and delicious Air Fryer Turkey Legs for your weeknight dinner or small Thanksgiving celebration at home.

Air fryer turkey leg on plate with roasted potatoes.

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

This easy Crockpot turkey breast recipe is perfect for those winter nights and holiday dinners when you want to keep it simple and effortless, but still yummy!

Slow cooker turkey breast on a plate topped with gravy, mashed potatoes, cranberries, and cooked carrots.

Thanksgiving Turkey and Dressing (Crock Pot)

This Turkey Stuffing Casserole is easy to make, and makes for a great weeknight dinner so you can enjoy the flavors of Thanksgiving any day of the year!

A fork holding a piece of turkey stuffing casserole garnished with fresh herbs.

Instant Pot Spiral Ham with Glaze

Instant Pot Spiral Ham takes your basic ham over the top with a simple six ingredient glaze. Cooking the ham under pressure takes less time and work to prepare a tasty ham dish. It's perfect for a scrumptious holiday feast, Sunday dinner, or a busy weeknight meal.

Sliced instant pot spiral ham on a plate with broccoli and mashed potatoes.

Air Fryer Ham with Pineapple Glaze

Air Fryer Spiral Ham is juicy, sweet, and takes very little time to make. This delicious air fryer ham is flavored with pineapple, brown sugar, and Coca Cola. Cooking ham in the air fryer saves all the mess and heat of traditional preparation, and it frees up the oven for other dishes.

Cream Cheese Corn Casserole with Bacon and Ham

Cream Cheese Corn Casserole is a filling and decadent side dish made with cheese, ham, and bacon. This savory, cheesy corn casserole recipe is loaded with flavor, and is a popular holiday side dish that can be enjoyed anytime.

Dr Pepper Glazed Ham (Crockpot or Oven)

This Dr. Pepper Ham makes a tasty twist for the classic baked ham! Even better, you can make it in the slow cooker or the oven, so choose which one works best for you. The Dr. Pepper ham glaze infuses your ham with so much flavor! It's perfect for Sunday dinner, Christmas, Easter, or any other occasion.

Dr pepper ham on a platter with bits of crushed pineapple seen on top.

Honey Mustard Glazed Ham

This baked ham recipe is sweet, tangy, and undeniably good. The simple honey mustard ham glaze turns your ham into the most mouth-watering sauce you’ll ever come across.

Three slices of honey mustard ham on plate with mashed potatoes and peas.

Bourbon Glazed Ham

This bourbon glazed ham is savory and sweet with a hint of warmth from the bourbon. Cinnamon and clove give it that distinct holiday flavor that just makes everything feel a little more special. It’s the perfect star for a holiday spread.

A fork picking up a piece of bourbon glazed ham from a plate with more ham on it.

Dijon Maple Glazed Spiral Ham

This Dijon Maple Glazed Spiral Ham recipe is so delicious and perfect for entertaining or when you want an easy meal with great leftovers. The Dijon and maple glaze is sweet, tangy and so full of flavor. Plus, the ease of preparation you get with a boneless spiral ham can’t be beat!

Candied Sweet Potato Casserole Two Ways

Get ready for the best sweet potato casserole recipe you've ever tasted! Or rather, the best TWO recipes since we're showing you two ways to make candied sweet potato casserole! We keep it classic with marshmallows or you can choose a pecan streusel topping!

A collage image showing the two different ways to make candied sweet potato casserole.

How to Make Candied Sweet Potatoes

How to Make Candied Sweet Potatoes recipe is the way to making the best, old-fashioned, southern candied maple sweet potatoes on the planet!

Sweet Potato Sheet Pan

Sweet Potato Sheet Pan dinners are flavorful, healthy and easy to prepare with minimal cleanup. This versatile, vibrant dish is a wonderful blend of sweet and savory flavors. Add sausage or chicken and you have an awesome well-rounded dinner!

Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

These Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes are a simple dish with sliced potatoes, onions and cheese baked in the most flavorful, creamy cheese sauce ever! It's perfect for family dinners but also a holiday favorite.

A bowl of easy cheesy scalloped potatoes stacked in another bowl with a fork lifting up a potato slice.

Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole

This is by far the BEST Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole! Creamy mashed potatoes combine with sour cream, butter and cheese to make the base of the dish and then add on plenty of toppings. It's the perfect potato casserole for holidays, lazy weekends, or any time you need an easy, yet delicious potato side dish.

A spoonful of loaded mashed potato casserole up over a plate with more.

Cheesy Mexican Corn Casserole

This Mexican Corn Casserole has all the bright flavors of Mexican street corn, right off the cob! It is easy-to-make and incredibly delicious. Of all the Mexican street corn recipes out there, I am confident this will be your favorite.

Scalloped Corn Casserole

This creamy scalloped corn casserole with a buttery Ritz cracker topping requires just a few ingredients and comes together quickly. The savory, versatile corn side dish goes well with holiday dinners, and alongside practically any meal. It's a homey casserole that everyone will love.

Slow Cooker Mexican Street Corn Casserole

Mexican street corn casserole is so tasty and is a breeze to make. A convenient way of making Elote corn casserole or slow cooker corn casserole, this Mexican corn with cream cheese is perfect all by itself, or as a side to any main.

Delicious Glazed Carrots

This Buttery Glazed Carrots recipe is a delicious, budget-friendly, and simple-to-make vegetable side dish. Every cook should have a good glazed carrots recipe in their kitchen repertoire. Delicious glazed carrots go well with just about any protein.

delicious glazed carrots

Sweet Balsamic Roasted Carrots and Onions

This recipe for Roasted Carrots and Onions is so easy and super delicious! Fresh carrots are cooked with onions in a balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and garlic sauce. We make this easy side dish all of the time! This is one of my carrot recipes that I love the most!

Oval white serving dish full of roasted carrots and onions.

Carrots Lyonnaise

Sauteed carrots and onions smothered in a delicious sauce come together as carrots lyonnaise, a delicious veggie side dish perfect for a Thanksgiving feast.

A bowl of carrots lyonnaise on the table with a leaf of parsley as garnish and utensils to the side.

Baked Garlic Butter Carrots

Garlic Butter Carrots are easy and delicious, roasted at 350 degrees, cut or sliced in your favorite shape or using baby carrots, this dish doesn't disappoint.

A white bowl with a serving of garlic butter carrots in it.

Honey Maple Glazed Carrots

Make these honey and maple carrots as a side dish for your Thanksgiving dinner or holiday get-together. They're ridiculously easy to make, and taste incredible too!

Sliced, glazed Honey Maple Carrots garnished with chopped parsley in a pan and a wooden spoon holds up a spoonful.

Green Beans with Bacon and Brown Sugar

Warning: these green beans can be addictive! Made with bacon, brown sugar, onion, garlic, soy sauce and simmered in broth for hours, you can easily see why.

Sweet and Sour Green Beans and Corn

Corn and green beans are an often overlooked vegetable combination! Yet, this sweet and tangy green beans and corn recipe makes it sing! It makes a delicious vegetable side that can be served hot or cold with a wide variety of meals.

A green beans and corn recipe served with corn on a white plate.

Easy Sweet Green Beans

This easy sweet green beans recipe is quick, simple, and delicious making it perfect for busy weeknights. Brown sugar and soy sauce give green beans a sweet and tangy combo everyone will love.

Sweet green beans in baking dish from overhead.

Quick and Easy Balsamic Green Beans

This Sweet Garlic Balsamic Green Beans recipe is made with fresh green beans that are sauteed to perfection! It's the perfect answer to a quick and easy side for all types of meals.

Balsamic green beans in a bowl with fresh green beans on the table, a bulb of garlic, and a fork.

Homemade Pumpkin Praline Pie

This homemade pumpkin praline pie recipe has the best of everything! It's a creamy spiced pumpkin pie with a sweet, crunchy pecan topping. No need to choose between pecan pie or pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, make this one instead! It's the best of both worlds.

A slice of praline pumpkin pie on a small white plate with a fork.

Pumpkin Mousse Pie

No-bake Pumpkin Mousse Pie is a decadent, smooth, creamy treat packed with fall spices and flavors perfect for any occasion. This dessert does not disappoint.

Overhead shot of Pumpkin Mousse Pie on white plate.

Pumpkin Pie Twist

These crescent roll pumpkin pie twists are full of delicious pumpkin pie flavor, a simple glaze, and flaky, golden brown crescent dough.

Closeup overhead photo of a platted full of Pumpkin Pie Twists.

Grandma Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

This grandma old fashioned sweet potato pie recipe really is just like grandma used to make. Every bite is sweet nostalgia!

Closeup shot of grandma old fashioned sweet potato pie with bite taken out on white plate.

Perfect Bar Pumpkin Pie

Perfect Bar Pumpkin Pie sweet pumpkin pie bars that have a soft doughy crust. This delicious pumpkin bars make for a great fall dessert.

Perfect Bar Pumpkin Pie.

Pumpkin Pie with Graham Cracker Crust Recipe

This pumpkin pie with graham cracker crust recipe is a new, delicious twist on a classic. The graham cracker and pumpkin are the perfect pair.

A slice of pumpkin pie recipe with graham cracker crust on a plate with whipped cream.

Smoked Apple Pie

This smoked apple pie recipe gives a new twist to an old favorite. Sweet apple filling in a buttery crust is smoked to delicious perfection.

A slice of smoked apple pie with a golden crust rests on a white plate, accompanied by a fork.

Smoked Pumpkin Pie

A creamy pumpkin pie recipe that's cooked in a smoker with maple wood to enhance the pumpkin flavor with a smokiness that tastes amazing.

A fork holding a piece of smoked pumpkin pie.

Smoked Pecan Pie

A perfectly flaky and buttery crust is filled with a maple sweetened pecan pie filling. Cooking the pie in the smoker adds a layer of smokiness to the sweet flavor of the pie.

A fork holding a piece of smoked pecan pie.

Muffin Tin Apple Pies

Muffin Tin Apple Pies are the perfect handheld dessert, are soft baked and stuffed with flavorful apple pie filling cooked in less than 30 minutes.

A muffin tin apple pie on the counter with whipped cream missing a bite.

Best Caramel Apple Crisp

This delicious caramel apple crisp with pecans and raisins is warm and comforting. Made with perfectly cooked tender apples, pecans, raisins, and a crunchy oat topping covered in caramel sauce. And it's absolutely delicious with or without ice cream!

A bowl of caramel apple crisp on the table topped with ice cream and more caramel sauce.

Old Fashioned Apple Turnover Recipe

Old Fashioned Apple Turnover Recipe makes sweet apple filled pastries that are flaky and crisp on the outside and soft and sweet in the middle. Just like my grandma used to make.

Apple or Blueberry Hand Pies

Apple or Blueberry Hand Pies, also Mini Pocket Pies, make fruit, berry or apple turnovers, made with a homemade pie filling and crust or store bought.

Apple or Blueberry Hand Pies

Apple Cheesecake Crescent Ring

This apple cream cheese crescent ring is so easy and delicious! Try this fruity crescent ring dessert, and you'll be in love in no time.

The Best Old Fashioned Fresh Apple Cake

The Best Old Fashioned Fresh Apple Cake recipe is so easy, moist, full of fresh apples, nuts, raisins, cinnamon and is the best recipe ever!

Best Nutty Apple Cake

Upside Down Apple Cake

Tender apples, rich caramel, and warm spices come together in this soft, moist, and luxurious apple upside down cake recipe that's a great fall dessert to try!

A slice of caramel apple upside down cake topped with a scoop of melting vanilla ice cream.

Whether you are looking for traditional recipes or something a little more unique, there are many delicious Canadian Thanksgiving dinner recipes to choose from.

Some of our favorites include turkey dinners, pumpkin pie, apple crisp, and other classic dishes. So whether you're cooking for a small gathering or a large feast, we hope that these recipes help make your celebration a delicious and memorable one!

Collage of four Thanksgiving dinner recipes with the title "Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes" in the center of the collage.

More Main Courses

Leave a Reply Cancel reply