Latin-inspired Thanksgiving recipes

Thanksgiving may be a conventionally American holiday, but there’s no reason you can’t put your own spin on the turkey day feast with traditional Thanksgiving recipes that have a Latin flair.

Actress Eva Longoria, of Desperate Housewives fame, shared with Latina Magazine that her Thanksgiving tradition involves frying a turkey and a tamalería involving her entire family?the perfect harmony between American tradition and her ethnic Mexican roots. New York City based chef Zarela Martínez, who owns eponymous restaurant, Zarela, shares in New York Magazine that she serves a whole suckling pig in lieu of turkey.

The key to coordinating your perfect Thanksgiving meal is finding a balance between your favorite dishes and traditional Thanksgiving food (e.g., mashed potatoes and gravy, corn bread, macaroni and cheese, cranberry sauce, stuffing, turkey). The easiest way to do this is to make sure the main ingredients are the same, and play with the spices and secondary ingredients.

Still confused? We’ve scavenged through the web to find you the best celebrity-chef approved Thanksgiving recipes so you can add a Latin twist on your holiday spread and pay tribute to your Hispanic-American heritage.

APPETIZERS

SIDES

TURKEY

DESSERTS

BEVERAGES

When all is said and done, Thanksgiving is about giving thanks so there are no set rules for what you should serve. What qualifies as “normal” in America is pretty diverse given its melting pot status. Translation: If your family wants to celebrate with a taco bar, take-out pizza or a traditional meal, then so be it.