Thanksgiving is the understated best holiday (sorry Christmas) for two main reasons: you drink and you eat. A lot. Sure, there are the awkward family interactions to get through, but it’s all worth it to watch Grandma get drunk off hot cider as you reach for your third piece of pecan pie. Because Thanksgiving is all about that food (and drank), food pictures are at their very best.
The Thanksgiving food porn on Instagram is in its prime at this very moment and I’m here to bring you the most drool-worthy examples. To have your Thanksgiving feast and all other edible adventures captured for all to see, tag us at #spoonsgiving (and always at #spoonfeed) and follow us @spoonuniversity on Instagram!
For those of you who are really ambitious, some of these photos include links to the recipe for you to make the food porn virtuality a reality. For those of you who just need a moment to salivate over your computer screen, this one’s for you, too.
Warning: NSFW. This article includes highly graphic images of food.
Appetizers
To whet the appetite…
1. Maple-Roasted Chickpeas
Courtesy of @greatfoodlifestyle, these maple-roasted chickpeas are kind of healthy, but don’t let that ruin it for you. It’s still maple, it’s still roasted, it’s still delicious. Recipe here.
2. The Most Epic Cheese Board
Because everything delicious comes with cheese. @honestlyyum.
3. Cheesy Pull-Apart Bread
It’s cheese, it’s bread, it’s sharable. And you can make it at home courtesy of @thekitchn.
4. Avocado Bruschetta Toasts
Your favorite breakfast item taken to a new level, this avocado toast is no longer basic thanks to @brandiego. Smash some avocados now.
5. Miso Deviled Eggs
@brandiego strikes again with an Asian spin on that universal appetizer, deviled eggs. Pass it around your Thanksgiving.
Soups & Sides
Gotta have side food to go with your main food.
6. Cheesy Jalapeño Cornbread
There it is again: that magic combo of cheese and bread. This time, @thelatinkitchen adds some Latin flavor to it with jalapeño and cotija cheese. Make it now.
7. Autumn Soup with Pumpkin, Red Lentils and Ginger
Soup is great because its liquid so doesn’t take up as much room in the stomach, letting you eat even more. At least, that’s the scientific explanation. Thanks to @mzpoetic for the inspiration.
8. Lobster & Bacon Stuffing
Thanks to @jonesdairyfarm, the pinnacle of indulgence has been reached: lobster and bacon (and butter). Your arteries may be saying no, no but your stomach is saying let’s go. YOLO.
9. Bourbon Sweet Potato and Pecan Casserole
@halfbakedharvest has introduced a whole new world with liquor, sweet potatoes, glazed pecans and bacon. Sorry, vegetarians, but bacon makes everything better including ye olde sweet potato casserole. Recipe here.
10. Roasted Shiitake Mushroom & Asian Pear Salad
Take a break from meat and bread and cheese and butter and check out @blogoverthyme‘s crisp and bright salad. Get green.
11. Pumpkin Corn Bread
The geniuses over at @spoonforkbacon know their food porn, and this pumpkin corn bread is no exception. Ogle this recipe and more at their home site.
12. Wild Blueberry Stuffing with Mushrooms, Leeks andParsnip
The best fruit + the best veggies stacked into one amazing stuffing recipe. @danielleomar even included some the super food of the year, quinoa, and those anti-oxidant rich blueberries so you can say you had a healthy Thanksgiving meal. Get wild over these blueberries.
13. Twice-Baked Sweet Potato with Marshmallow
Thanksgiving motto: sweet potato everything. @emsjellytoast gets it.
Main Course
Life beyond the turkey.
14. Jamie Oliver’s Nut Roast
Swoon-worthy chef Jamie Oliver (@jamieoliver) brings us an untraditional main course that’s meatloaf’s meatless cousin. Help out the vegetarians who are usually isolated to the salad and cheese plate and add this to the Thanksgiving table.
15. Korean Style Spicy Pork Belly
It’s still not turkey, but @spoonforkbacon makes that all okay by giving us decadent pork belly instead. It’s like spicy and sweet, thick bacon at your table. Dreams can come true.
16. Lasagna-Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
@thekitchn teaches us the art of stuffing anything and everything into a squash. Get to stuffing here.
17. Sweet & Spicy Roast Chicken
It may have been for Rosh Hashanah, but this dish from @nytfood is too good-looking to forget. Bring it back for this Thanksgiving.
18. Caramelized Onion Tart
A big slice o’ love is what this quiche/tart can offer you. @food52 brought us the photo; find the recipe on Licking the Plate.
19. Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Turkey
Finally, the turkey. But brought to you by @foodnetwork with the obvious upgrade of bacon (oh and a pear hash stuffing). Bacon forever.
Dessert
Bring me my pie.
20. Molten Chocolate Pumpkin Streusel Bread
You can never go wrong with something called “molten”. Bonus points to @halfbakedharvest for it being chocolate and pumpkin. Bring it to the table.
21. Peanut Butter Oreo S’mores
Easy does it with this recipe from @minimalistbaker. Oreo + PB + marshmallow baked until gooey. Say no more and make it today (or right now).
22. Sunken Apple & Honey Cake
You can admire its beauty all night and you can eat it. @smittenkitchen brings us the best of both worlds and it’s so pretty.
23. Double Dark Chocolate Macaroon Tart
Double the chocolate, double the fun from @ohsheglows. Motto for life. Spread the chocolate love.
24. Cowboy Chocolate Bark
@averiesunshine takes a tip from Trader Joe’s to re-create their legendary cowboy bark, and yup it’s legendary for all the right reasons: chocolate, Oreos, pretzels, nuts, toffee, ermygerd it’s all the cravings at once. Break off some of that bark.
25. Double-Layer Pumpkin Oreo Cheesecake
Just look at it. (@holidaypartyplanner)
26. Chocolate-Drizzled Pecan & Caramelized Sweetened Condensed Milk Sandwich Cookies
Get your pecan fix with this decadently-named concoction from @halfbakedharvest. Dare I say it’s better than pie? See for yourself.
27. Salted Caramel Apple Pie
There’s no better way to end a Thanksgiving roundup than with apple pie. @sallysbakeblog brings it home with this gargantuan slice of sweet traditions. Recipe here.
Feast Your Eyes on More Thanksgiving Fare: