Popular French-Canadian Thanksgiving Dishes

Delicious and Inexpensive Holiday Recipes

By
Rebecca Franklin
Rebecca Franklin
Rebecca Franklin is a freelance lifestyle writer and recipe developer. Her expertise is in French cuisine, which she writes about and teaches.
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Updated on 11/4/21

This French-Canadian Thanksgiving menu celebrates the autumn harvest with seasonal recipes. Indulge in apples, cheese, onions, potatoes, squash, turkey, and everything else that is in season during the cooler months. This list is something of an extreme menu, one that you would serve if you had forty guests coming and several days to prepare. The beauty is that you can pick your favorites, mix and match, and stay within a budget because these dishes are made with inexpensive seasonal ingredients. More potatoes, anyone?

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  • 01 of 10

    Pissaladiere

    pissaladiere
    HUGHES Herv / hemis.fr

    Pastry is a delicious way to stretch a food budget. Small cuts and intense flavors go a long way with appetizers! Pissaladiere is a savory Provencal onion tart layered with olives, anchovies, and herbs. Serve it cut into little rectangles for a fabulous appetizer.

  • 02 of 10

    Citrus Marinated Olives

    Greek olives
    MIB Pictures / Getty Images

    Citrus, an incredible seasoning ingredient, begins arriving in markets during the cold months. The brilliance of making your own marinated olives is that you alone customize the flavor of the dish. Take out an ingredient here and add one there…you have your own special blend! 

  • 03 of 10

    Butternut Squash Bisque

    Butternut Squash Bisque

    bhofack2 / Getty Images

    The mild sweetness of butternut squash soup is perfectly offset with a trio of fresh, savory herbs. Add heavy cream to the already velvety texture of pureed squash and you have rich, thick bisque to serve for a first course or a light main dish.

  • 04 of 10

    Gratineed Onion Soup

    German Onion Soup - Zwiebelsuppe gratiniert
    German Onion Soup - Zwiebelsuppe gratiniert. FoodPhotography Eising/StockFood Creative/Getty Images

    Stretch the budget with onions. Gratineed onion soup is an ultimate comfort food. Butter-soft, caramelized onions are cooked down into a rich, seasoned beef stock. Top it off with fresh garlic croutons and melted, bubbly Gruyere cheese and you have a rich soup, indeed.

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  • 05 of 10

    Vegan Cauliflower and Potato Soup

    Vegan Cauliflower and Potato Soup

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

    Easy to make during busy holiday preparations, Vegan Cauliflower and Potato Soup is a great soup recipe when you need something delicious, fast, and healthy. Because of the heavy cream used in the recipe, it is not low fat. 

  • 06 of 10

    Spiced Cranberry Relish

    Cranberry relish

     

    Zoryanchik / Getty Images 

    Oranges and sweet spices really perk up the already bracing flavor of tart, fresh cranberries in this spiced cranberry relish. Serve it as a refreshing, palate-cleansing side dish or a light dessert to accompany a big meal.

  • 07 of 10

    Roasted Maple Orange Glazed Turkey

    Roasted Maple and Orange-Glazed Turkey

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    This main dish is as quick as quick can be! The speed-roasting method requires that the turkey be cooked for 10 minutes per pound–adjust accordingly for your bird. Very fitting for the season, orange and maple glaze bring out the rotisserie-style flavor of the turkey.

  • 08 of 10

    Apple Tarte Tatin Recipe

    Plate with Tarte Tatin garnished with mint leaves
    Westend61 Getty

    Apples are a great way to stretch the dessert budget! Adding a touch of lemon zest and spice really perks up this classically delicious apple tarte Tatin recipe. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream to the dessert for a rich after-dinner treat.

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  • 09 of 10

    Caramelized Apples

    Caramelized apple recipe

    The Spruce

    Caramelized apples are meant to be slightly sweet, not overpowering and sugary, so they are versatile in nature. For a delicious "cheater" dessert, fill a store-bought tart shell with these apples.

  • 10 of 10

    Gougeres Recipe

    gougeres on a plate

    Getty Images / from_my_point_of_view

    Gougeres are little cheese puffs, usually served as an appetizer with wine or cocktails. They're so easy to make. Simply whip up an egg and cheese batter, pipe it onto a baking sheet, and bake the gougères until they are puffed and golden.