15 Delicious Puerto Rican Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas to Try!
Want to surprise your guests this year? Check out these 15 delicious Puerto Rican Thanksgiving dinner ideas and take your hosting game to the next level.
Even though Thanksgiving is a United States holiday, Puerto Rican families love any excuse to get together and celebrate. As a U.S. territory, we adopted the Thanksgiving holiday after colonization in 1898, and gave it our own twist. Thanksgiving is also part of our Christmas season celebration, which is the longest in the world! If you are curious about some of our fun holiday traditions, check them out, too. 😊
Therefore, this is the perfect opportunity to try our most popular recipes and surprise guests and family with placing the unique flavor of Puerto Rican spices on your Thanksgiving dinner table. It is one of my favorite holidays because it allows me to try different things while keeping some of our traditional dishes.
There were many recipes to choose from to write this list. However, I focused on some of the more traditional Puerto Rican dishes usually found in a Puerto Rican household on Thanksgiving Day. I narrowed it down to these Puerto Rican Thanksgiving dinner ideas.
Enjoy this traditional Puerto Rican Thanksgiving menu!
Appetizers
All Puerto Rican gatherings have appetizers before the main course. We really like to cook, and we LOVE to eat. LOL. There were so many to choose from, but I went with two favorites.
Queso Frito & Guava.
A favorite in many households is queso frito (fried cheese) and guava. The cheese is usually “Del País” (local) but sometimes it is done with cheddar or any block cheese you like. The creaminess of the cheese and the bitterness of the guava is a combination to dream of. If you do not believe me, check out this Puerto Rican guava cheesecake recipe. SO GOOD!
Barriguitas de Vieja.
These pumpkin fritters are a delight! They are so easy and quick to make, a treat for all ages to enjoy during gatherings, especially Thanksgiving. They are made with pureed pumpkin, mixed with egg, flour and spices to create a batter. The batter is then fried on both sides until nice and crispy, and served with guava paste, a dipping sauce or as-is. They also make the perfect afternoon snack. I added a video with the ingredients and how to make them. 😊
@lau_happy_wookiee These Puerto Rican pumpkin fritters are a delight! Perfect to welcome the fall season. To make “Barriguitas de Vieja” (as we call them) you need: – 15 oz pumpkin puree – 3/4 cup flour – 1 egg – 1 tsp vanilla extract – pinch of salt – 1 tsp baking powder – 1/2 tsp cinnamon – 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice – 1/4 tsp nutmeg – 3/4 cup brown sugar Fold all ingredients, and fry on a soft boil. Not too hot so they do not burn! Move them to some paper towels and dip them in guava paste or any sauce with your favorite autumn vibes. Enjoy! Check out more recipes like this one, at thehappywookiee.com! #pumpkin #pumpkinfritters #barriguitasdevieja #barrigasdevieja #puertorico #puertoricanfood #puertorican #caribbeanfood #caribbean #food #easysnack #easyrecipes #thehappywookiee #fallfood
Main Course Dishes
Pernil – Puerto Rican Roast Pork
The main course at most Puerto Rican holidays is pernil. Typically made from pork shoulder and seasoned with fresh garlic cloves, salt, black pepper, vinegar, and olive oil. It is traditionally slow cooked or baked but can be made a few different ways.
My favorite (and the simplest) way to make it is in the slow cooker. When I have many dishes going on at once, like most Thanksgiving days, I stick to my slow cooked pernil recipe. It is so easy; I am sharing it with you today so you can make it this T-Day!
Slow Cooker Pernil - Puerto Rican Pork
Equipment
- 1 Slow cooker
- 1 large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 8 lbs pork shoulder pork butt
- 6-8 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp white vinegar
Instructions
- The night before, mince garlic in a small bowl and mix all the ingredients, except the pork. Place the pork in a large bowl and pour the mixture over it. Rub it all over. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator overnight for a flavorful marinade.
- The next morning, move the pork (and all the juices) to a 6-quart slow cooker, and cook it on low for 6-8 hours.
- Once it is done cooking, shred the pork with two long forks. Serve with your favorite sides!
Notes
Pavochón – Turkey
The word pavochón is a combination of the Spanish words pavo and lechón, which mean turkey and pork. This is our traditional turkey, and it is named that way because the pavochón seasoning is the one we typically use for the turkey. The marinade is made of garlic, oil, and an acidic component such as citrus or vinegar. Check out this simple Pavochon recipe!
After marinating, it is placed in a roasting pan and cooked throughout the day until golden brown (checking the temperature with a meat thermometer). We sometimes baste it with white wine or champagne in addition to butter, which keeps it juicy and delicious. For the stuffing, feel free to use your regular recipe or try a mofongo stuffing (green plantain). Pavochón can still be served with your classic sides such as sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and anything else you serve on Thanksgiving. A great way to step up Thanksgiving turkey. 😊
Side Dishes
Arroz con gandules
While our classic arroz blanco y habichuelas guisadas (white rice and beans) will occasionally make an appearance on T-Day, yellow rice is the way to go during the holiday season in Puerto Rico, especially arroz con gandules. Rice and pigeon peas is the quintessential Puerto Rican holiday rice, made with homemade sofrito, tomato sauce, and our favorite seasonings. It is super simple to make as it all goes in one pot, and it does not take a lot of time, perfect for a Thanksgiving meal. You can make it in the instant pot, too, for extra convenience.
Pasteles
This fine creation is mostly seen during the holiday season and special occasions. The masa is made from grinded root vegetables such as acorn squash, taro root, potatoes and green plantains (green bananas). They are then filled with cooked pork and some red pepper, wrapped in banana leaves and boiled for ultimate perfection. This process takes several hours but the result is well worth it. Making pasteles is a family affair for us. My abuela has been making them for years and I am hoping to be able to share this family recipe someday. I have yet to taste pasteles as good as hers anywhere else! Plus, they look so beautiful served in a banana leaf. Thinking about it makes me want to hop on a plane to abuela’s house!
Tostones
The twice-fried plantains are a traditional side dish in Puerto Rico, all year. Made with unripe plantains, tostones are excellent because they are an easy side dish to prepare and so delicious. Typically served with mayo ketchup or mojo which is a garlic sauce made from fresh garlic cloves, olive oil, salt, and parsley. This is THE perfect pairing for tostones. Checkout this Quick & Easy Mojo Sauce Recipe to try it with your tostones today! Also, for the full Tostones recipe, go to this 15-Minute Tostones recipe.
Morcilla – Blood Sausage
I confess, morcilla is not a favorite in my house, but it is so popular in Puerto Rico and my family I could not leave it out of the list. This blood sausage is made of ground pork, the pork’s blood (duh), a filler such as rice, and seasonings. After casing and curing, it gets boiled and served with whatever the main dish is. It is popular all over the world and has many variations. For a brief history on blood sausage, Taste of History offers great insight.
If you want to experiment this year, give this spicy side dish a try. You might like it!
Ensalada de papa – Potato Salad
This Thanksgiving, switch out your mashed potatoes with a Puerto Rican potato salad recipe. Many countries have their own version, and Puerto Rico is no exception. Made with vegetables such as roasted red bell peppers, and seasonings like adobo, oregano, and garlic powder, it is a classic side dish at home. For the full Puerto Rican version, see the Best Puerto Rican Ensalada de Papa.
Guineos en escabeche – Pickled Green Banana
This deliciously savory dish is rarely missing during Puerto Rican celebrations. Made in a marinade of onions, peppers, garlic, bay leaves, Spanish olives, salt, pepper, oil and vinegar, it makes for a unique dish definitely worth trying. The unripe bananas (not plantains) are boiled until tender, strained and mixed with the simmered marinade. After everything is combined, it is covered and refrigerated anywhere from an hour to overnight, until it is time to serve.
Desserts
Puerto Rico has a wide variety of desserts to choose from. Pastries, cakes, puddings, or custards, they do not disappoint. However, these three are the most common during Thanksgiving celebrations, and the main ingredient for most of them is coconut milk. They are simple to make, packed with flavor, and the perfect way to bring dinner to a close. The best part is you make them the night before and refrigerate them to be served the next day, so you do not have to worry about them while cooking everything else the day of.
Tembleque
Spanish for “wiggly,” tembleque is a coconut pudding (custard) made with coconut milk, cornstarch, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar. It jiggles when set and has a velvety texture when tasted. Its tropical flavors transport you to the archipelago in no time. It is not hard to prepare and can be made for big or small crowds as the recipe is easily adjusted. Definitely one to try this year! For a simply delicious recipe, check this Tembleque de Coco video out.
Arroz con dulce
Arroz con dulce, or sweet rice, is a rice pudding made with medium grain rice (soaked), coconut milk, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and raisins. The spices are boiled in some of the milk to make a tea of sorts, then the rice is added and the rest of the milk carefully mixed in. It is cooked anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, then chilled overnight. Arroz con dulce is creamy, cozy, and while it is usually served cold (or room temperature), it can also be enjoyed warm. So good!
Flan
This is my favorite, the flan. It has the versatility to be transformed by any flavor you choose but its custard-y, silky texture is second to none. Flan de coco (coconut), and flan de queso (cheese) are popular during Thanksgiving but if you do not want to leave the pumpkins out, you can make a pumpkin flan instead! For the caramel sauce, all you need is sugar and a saucepan to melt it in. For the custard mixture, you need eggs, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, coconut milk, cream of coconut, vanilla, pumpkin spice, and pumpkin puree. Then all the ingredients go in a blender or food processor for an even mixture.
To bake it, I like to use a Bundt cake pan because it reveals a beautifully shaped flan. Carefully, pour the caramelized sugar onto the pan, then the blended custard mixture over it. Place it in the oven in a water bath and bake for about an hour. A baked flan will be set around the edges but have a slight jiggle in the middle. Allow it to cool then chill in the refrigerator 4 hours or overnight. If you want to try some delicious flan flavors this year, checkout this incredibly easy Pumpkin Spice Coquito Flan recipe.
Beverages
Coquito
Coquito or Puerto Rican nog is a staple in Puerto Rican cuisine. As soon as the holiday season starts, you will see it everywhere in the archipelago, in every flavor possible. The coconut and milk flavors give it a silky-smooth texture and the rum gives it a kick that perfectly balances out the sweetness of the drink. It is always present during Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner.
It is made with evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, coconut milk, coconut cream, vanilla, rum, and spices such as cinnamon sticks, cloves, pumpkin spice, and others. You can add flavors such as cookies and cream, coffee, pistachio, cheesecake… you name it. The possibilities are endless!
All you do is place the ingredients in a blender or food processor, divide it into glass bottles and chill it overnight. If you prefer a non-alcoholic version, simply omit the rum, this will not make it less delicious by any means. If you want to, you can even make bottles as gifts for your friends and family. In Puerto Rico, there is never a coquito shortage and once you try it, you will know exactly why. 😊
If you want to try different coquito flavors this year, check out this Coquito Flavor List and pick a flavor you really like! There are even keto options so delicious, they will make you question if what you are drinking is actually sugar-free. Enjoy!
Chocolate Caliente.
As a kid living in the Caribbean, having experienced hardly any cold days, you would think hot chocolate was not something that crossed my mind… but that is not true. I have always loved hot chocolate, especially the one my abuela makes because it has that sweetness and frothiness that I did not get with other hot chocolates. One day I asked how she made it, and when I watched how simple the process was, I was shocked because she only uses three ingredients, and it is so simple! Yet there is nothing else like it.
This year-round recipe is the coziest, simplest, and tastiest you will ever find. The best part? It is super easy and the best way to end special occasions such as Thanksgiving dinner, on a high note. Wait no more and check out this Quick & Delicious Puerto Rican Hot Chocolate Recipe.
As a little bonus… we also like to end our Thanksgiving gatherings with a cup of coffee. Yes, regardless of the time of day. Cafe con leche is usually the sign that the gathering is coming to a close. In fact, coffee has been associated with helping digestion after a meal. So, if you want to give Puerto Rican coffee a try this year (even if you want to serve it at the beginning of your meal), give this Traditional Puerto Rican Coffee 3-Ways Recipe a look.
I hope you enjoyed these Puerto Rican Thanksgiving dinner ideas. This list offers variety so you can pick the things you enjoy most, one or two new recipes to add to your Thanksgiving meal this year! It is the perfect opportunity to surprise your guests and spice up your plate with flavors that are traditional somewhere else. Even if you are not hosting, be the awesome guest who brought a new and exciting dish to Thanksgiving dinner this year!
