Is Thanksgiving an Italian holiday?

This guide is for an Italian-American-style Thanksgiving menu, not a claim that Thanksgiving is a traditional Italian national holiday. Family menus and celebrations vary.

Can I serve lasagna with Thanksgiving turkey?

Yes, if it fits your guests and cooking plan. Treat lasagna as an optional pasta course, use the recipe yield to plan quantities, and reserve oven time for both dishes.

What Italian appetizers work for Thanksgiving?

Marinated olives, tomato bruschetta and focaccia are options from the existing recipe collection. Pick a small selection so the appetizer does not become another full meal.

What can I make ahead?

Use the preparation and storage directions in each linked recipe. Plan refrigerator and oven space; do not assume every dish can be assembled, chilled or reheated the same way.

Can I make a vegetarian Italian Thanksgiving?

Yes. Build your own menu around vegetable antipasti, a meat-free pasta recipe and vegetables. The linked Bolognese lasagna and sausage recipe are not vegetarian; check cheese, stock and all other ingredients too.

What wine goes with the menu?

Match the wine to the dominant dish and sauce using Wine Pairing 101. No wine is required, and coffee, water or a zero-proof drink can be part of the meal.

Italian Thanksgiving

Last updated October 17, 2026

Thanksgiving dinner can make room for Italian-American favorites without turning the kitchen into a restaurant service. Keep the turkey if it belongs at your table, add a small antipasto, and choose one pasta dish rather than an entire second dinner. Larry’s approach is a manageable menu: something to nibble, a main event, vegetables, a sweet finish and coffee. The suggestions below link to existing recipes, not a newly invented family tradition. Choose what fits your guests, your equipment and the time you actually have.

Short answer

Build an Italian-American Thanksgiving around a small antipasto, an optional pasta course, turkey or another main, vegetable sides, dessert and coffee. Pick dishes that share oven space sensibly, use each recipe’s serving quantities, and plan safe storage. This is a suggested menu, not one universal Italian family tradition.

Antipasto: start small

Marinated olives and tomato bruschetta give guests something to enjoy while the main course finishes. Prepare the toppings according to the recipes and assemble bruschetta near serving so the bread keeps its texture. A little focaccia is another option, not an obligation to serve three breads.

Check allergies and dietary requirements before building the platter. Put out smaller portions and replenish rather than leaving all the food on the table for the whole afternoon.

Pasta: choose one supporting act

Lasagna alla Bolognese can be a pasta course or the centerpiece of a smaller gathering. If turkey is also on the menu, decide whether you want smaller pasta portions and adjust quantities honestly; the recipe’s stated yield is your starting point.

Lasagna occupies oven space and needs time to rest. Read its recipe before promising a make-ahead schedule. Reserve a cooking slot that does not conflict with the main dish, and do not improvise a reheating time for a colder or larger tray.

The main: turkey is welcome, sausage is optional

You do not need to replace Thanksgiving turkey to make the meal Italian-American in spirit. Use a reliable turkey recipe and its safety guidance; this guide does not supply an untested turkey or stuffing recipe.

Larry’s skillet sausage and peppers is an alternative main for a smaller table or an additional dish when guests want it. It uses the stovetop, which can help when the oven is busy. Follow the linked recipe, including its pork-sausage temperature check, instead of judging doneness by color.

Sides: balance the rich dishes

Caponata brings eggplant and a sweet-sour contrast; a salad or simply cooked vegetables can keep the plate from becoming all pasta, bread and meat. Choose a few sides you can execute rather than a long list competing for the same burner.

Keep vegetarian dishes separate from meat drippings and serving utensils if that matters to your guests. Caponata is a vegetable dish, but check the full recipe and any substitutions against individual dietary needs.

Dessert and coffee: leave a little room

Choose one dessert: tiramisù from the existing recipe, or affogato assembled at serving. Check the tiramisù recipe’s egg handling and storage guidance; do not assume every version is suitable for every guest.

Espresso or another coffee can finish the meal, with decaf or a caffeine-free option available. Serve alcohol only to adults who want it. Wine Pairing 101 can help you choose for the dish rather than treating one bottle as a match for the entire table.

A make-ahead checklist, not a stopwatch

Before shopping: count guests, read each recipe’s ingredients and yield, and identify allergens. Write down which dishes need the oven, burners and refrigerator. Scale quantities on the recipe pages instead of guessing how far a tray will stretch.

Before the meal: do only the preparation each recipe supports, store perishable food safely, and leave bread assembly and affogato for serving. On the day: cook to the recipe’s doneness checks and keep the serving plan simple.

After dinner: divide leftovers into suitable containers and refrigerate promptly following reliable food-safety guidance. Reuse them only within the relevant storage limits; a holiday menu does not extend a food’s safe life.

Larry’s table rule

Give each dish a job. Antipasto welcomes people, pasta adds comfort, the main anchors dinner, vegetables bring contrast, and dessert closes it out. You can skip a course. A calm host beats an extra tray.

This is original menu-planning advice, not a transcript quote or a claim about Larry’s own Thanksgiving gatherings. Italian-American households vary, and there is no single required Thanksgiving menu.

Common questions

Is Thanksgiving an Italian holiday?: This guide is for an Italian-American-style Thanksgiving menu, not a claim that Thanksgiving is a traditional Italian national holiday. Family menus and celebrations vary.
Can I serve lasagna with Thanksgiving turkey?: Yes, if it fits your guests and cooking plan. Treat lasagna as an optional pasta course, use the recipe yield to plan quantities, and reserve oven time for both dishes.
What Italian appetizers work for Thanksgiving?: Marinated olives, tomato bruschetta and focaccia are options from the existing recipe collection. Pick a small selection so the appetizer does not become another full meal.
What can I make ahead?: Use the preparation and storage directions in each linked recipe. Plan refrigerator and oven space; do not assume every dish can be assembled, chilled or reheated the same way.
Can I make a vegetarian Italian Thanksgiving?: Yes. Build your own menu around vegetable antipasti, a meat-free pasta recipe and vegetables. The linked Bolognese lasagna and sausage recipe are not vegetarian; check cheese, stock and all other ingredients too.
What wine goes with the menu?: Match the wine to the dominant dish and sauce using Wine Pairing 101. No wine is required, and coffee, water or a zero-proof drink can be part of the meal.

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Quick answer

How do you make sausage and peppers pasta?

Cook short pasta like rigatoni or penne. Meanwhile brown sliced or crumbled Italian sausage, soften peppers and onions in the same pan, add garlic and either crushed tomatoes or a splash of pasta water. Toss the drained pasta in the pan with grated Pecorino or Parmigiano and finish with herbs.

The gear Larry uses →Where to eat sausage & peppers →What to drink with it →This week on the blog: Labor Day Cookout: The Sausage Lineup That Never Fails →