Growing up in a Latino family in the United States, I experienced Thanksgiving Day dinner as representative of two cultures. We always had the turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberries, and stuffing, but arroz con gandules, pernil, and pasteles also made appearances at our table. My mom was definitely an ambitious hostess who aimed to please everyone during the holidays. We were spoiled, that's for sure. And while I appreciate the all-out efforts of my mother, I love the idea of merging cultures during the holiday table rather than keeping them parallel.
More from MamásLatinas: 13 Signs you're at a Latino Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving, of course, is not a Latino holiday, but it is a holiday that exists largely because of the agricultural skill of the Indigenous people of the Americas and stands as a symbol of their kindness and generosity. Those Indigenous people share many things in common with the native people of Latin America, so it makes sense that a Latin spin works so well with many traditional Thanksgiving dishes.
Plus, there are lots of Latin American ingredients, including corn and pumpkin and spices like cinnamon and ginger, that are synonymous with the harvest holiday. Some Latin dishes, like arepas and mashed yucca, actually fit quite seamlessly into a classic Thanksgiving dinner.
Here are 31 Latin and Latin-inspired recipes for you to try this Thanksgiving.