As the holidays near, everyone’s focusing on turkey, family, and football. Which is fine, of course—but Thursday isn’t the only time to celebrate! The relatively modern idea of friendsgiving celebrations came about because sometimes, you can’t fit everyone you love around just one table! And if that’s the case, why not enjoy a casual night with your friends while you’ve got a long break?
To keep things easy, we’ve prepared some friendsgiving ideas that embody the best aspects of holiday cheer. Instead of serving up heavy and gut-sticking dishes so close to Thanksgiving, you can use these fresh, nutritious, and veggie-based dishes to load them up on nutrients without overloading their stomachs!
The best way to keep things healthy without sacrificing flavor is to use flavor-rich ingredients. That’s why we used nutritious HOPE Foods dips and spreads, such as organic Hummus and flavor-packed Cashew & Nut Dips. Full of innovative flavors and healthy ingredients, these dips are the perfect addition to any meal or spread, because they make things so simple and scrumptious!
Yummy Friendsgiving Food Ideas & Recipes
Pumpkin Pesto Hummus Stuffed Shells
Proof that friendsgiving food ideas can blend traditional concepts with modern ingredients, this tasty dish delivers on rich flavors your friends will love. Fill some jumbo pasta shells with a mixture of Kale Pesto hummus, ricotta, and mozzarella, then top with marinara and pumpkin puree. Bake for 25 minutes, then top with fresh sage and grated parmesan—and voila! A perfect vegetarian entrée for your friendsgiving menu.
Cauliflower Steak with Buffalo Bleu Hummus and Roasted Chickpeas
Your vegan and whole-foodie friends will love this novel friendsgiving idea. Just bake some 1-inch cauliflower steaks until browned, then toss them on top of a layer of zesty Buffalo Bleu hummus. Top with chickpeas roasted with a coating of lemon juice, olive oil, and spices, then serve up and watch your guests chow down!
Quinoa Stuffed Peppers by @cultivatewithkruti
This low-calorie, fresh-tasting, and simple friendsgiving side dish makes for a colorful and festive addition to your holiday table. Fill some red bell pepper halves with a mixture of quinoa, black olive, parsley, tomato, and spices. After a quick bake, top with a dollop of creamy Original Recipe hummus and serve. Too easy, right?
Air Fryer Butter Crispy Potatoes by @brandijeanneb
For a quick, easy, and tasty friendsgiving side dish, these crispy potato wedges are hard to beat. Toss potato slices in a mixture of ghee, lemon juice, and chopped parsley, and toss ‘em in the oven for 15 minutes… then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and fresh parsley. Thai Coconut Curry hummus makes for a great dip, but maybe try Jalapeño Red if you want a little more kick!
Red Cabbage Slaw with Black Garlic Dressing
Especially if you’ve got heavy foods on your friendsgiving menu, this fresh and tangy slaw is a perfect complement. Shredded red cabbage, shredded carrots, and green onion slices go well with a dressing made of Roasted Black Garlic hummus, fresh garlic, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, honey, and more. Sprinkle some dry-roasted peanuts and fresh cilantro on top for a beautiful and delectable friendsgiving side dish.
Sweet & Salty Snack Board
Some friendsgiving ideas make for a more casual and comfortable gathering. Case in point: this totally graze-worthy dipping platter combines fruits, veggies, crackers, popcorn, waffles, pretzels, and more. Round it out with a small-batch Cashew & Almond Dip full of healthy fats and plant-based protein, like French Onion, Roasted Garlic, or Roasted Red Pepper, and your friendsgiving menu is already well on its way.
Easy Chocolate Dippin’ Dessert
After serving up a scrumptious friendsgiving menu, finish things off with the perfect dessert. Instead of heavy sugar-and-butter concoctions, try using small-batch Chocolate Cashew & Almond Dip. It’s lower in calories, sugar, and fat than mass-produced chocolate dips, and it’s full of healthy fats and rich cocoa flavor. We’d suggest pairing with strawberries, bananas, pretzels, or cinnamon pita chips—but try out your own flavors for the perfect friendsgiving food idea.
If you like these friendsgiving ideas, or if you want to find hundreds more, visit our Instagram foodie community, Youtube channel, and HOPE Kitchen for more inspiration. You can create your own HOPE Dips masterpiece and let us know… we’re always glad to feature new recipes and credit their crafty creators!
