Tandoori Turkey and more: How Indian-American families added a ‘desi’ twist to Thanksgiving
Published on: Nov 29, 2025 09:09 am IST
Indian students and immigrant families embraced Thanksgiving by blending traditional turkey dinners with Indian spices, vegetarian options and cultural rituals
Food is one of the most obvious ways Indians customize Thanksgiving. Instead of offering a typical Western-style turkey and mashed potatoes, immigrant households add South Asian flavors to the meal, such as pumpkin pie with cardamom, saffron-spiced mashed potatoes, tandoori-style turkey, or even completely vegetarian spreads with paneer, rice dishes, and dals.
Some families completely abstain from meat, particularly in vegetarian or Jain homes. To follow their dietary preferences, they might make plant-based “turkey substitutes” and classic “butter paneer” or maybe just a desi twist on tofu.
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This year’s Thanksgiving had Instagram flooded with Indian immigrant families and students celebrating with an Indian feast on the table, but with an American style of celebration by reflecting on gratitude, nostalgia and the meaning of “home.”
What is Thanksgiving if not the white version of Diwali after all?
Dhruv Kashyap, a L.A.-based home chef, told New India Abroad that, “Thanksgiving is about making room at the table, just like Diwali. You never say no to people.” This sentiment turns the day into a powerful communal event, where families embrace the spirit of seva (selfless service) by volunteering or inviting newcomers to join their feast.”
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Diwali and Thanksgiving walk hand in hand, and quite literally as well, when both of them fall really close together in November. Sunny Reddy, an immigrant from Michigan, wrote in the New Indian Abroad, “Sometimes, Thanksgiving and Diwali come close together on the calendar. When that happens, we light a small diya near the dining table”
Thanksgiving has evolved from a borrowed holiday for many Indian Americans, particularly those who are first-generation immigrants. It gives just one more festive opportunity to bring together dispersed family members and friends, and foster a feeling of community in a strange country.
