On Thanksgiving, Tannaz Sassooni’s family incorporates fragrant flavors from Iran into their menu. Basted with turmeric and saffron, roasted over citrusy quince, plump prunes, and dried apricots, this turkey is a showstopper.

This Dell family recipe forgoes the pesky requirement of basting a turkey. Instead, the bird is dressed and placed into a label-less paper bag that’s coated inside and out with oil. The result is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside.

Every Thanksgiving, Becca Gallick-Mitchell says she is tempted to carve the turkey poorly, leaving more meat on the bones. In her family, what’s left is the key to a five-generation strong recipe for kreplach.

Tannaz Sassooni combines egg yolks, lemon juice, and saffron with rice to create her tahdig, the crispy rice at the bottom of the pot. Rich with a hint of sweet and sour from the topping, the tahdig works wonderfully alongside her family’s roasted turkey with saffron and quince.

With a crisp, golden crust and a fluffy, pudding-like interior, this spinach and challah stuffing recipe from cookbook author Chanie Apfelbaum’s mother is a family favorite. It’s the perfect vehicle for soaking up pomegranate gravy.

In the lower Galilee (and across Israel), cooking over an open flame is central to the culture, says chef Loren Abramovitch. This method imparts a smoky flavor to the butter and sage-infused sweet potatoes. Not to worry if you don’t have access to a fire pit — a very hot oven works well.

Food writer Mitchell Davis ferments a slew of vegetables for this pickle salad. Since the fermentation will take a few days, be sure to start this recipe ahead of time.

This crunchy shaved fennel salad from Seed + Mill co-owner Rachel Simon is loaded with fresh herbs for a bright touch. You can also add shaved Parmesan, if you like.

Cookbook author Rottem Lieberson’s family traditionally serves this salad as part of their Rosh Hashanah table, but it is also a perfect fresh and crunchy accompaniment to a Thanksgiving meal.

When Frida Bozo was in her late 40s, she started to go to her mother Adelle’s home twice a week to learn her recipes, which she wrote down in a small notebook. For this recipe, Adelle always sliced the green beans lengthwise, which helps them melt into the rich sauce.

For cookbook author and culinary historian Michael Twitty, collard greens are a constant on the table. While often made with ham hocks, Michael’s collards are kosher, and get their flavor from spicy cayenne and bright lime.

While many yapsuk (also spelled yapchik) recipes call for meat, this rendition from David Glick's family is entirely vegetarian. Think of it as a large latke that's baked instead of fried.

A simple, savory, and sweet side, Tsivia Tobi seasons her pumpkin with a bit of paprika. Feel free to use other varieties of winter squash such as butternut or kabocha.

In her Jerusalem home, Alona Eisenberg hosts dinner parties inspired by the Kavkazi Jewish community from the Caucasus, where her family lived until 1922. This recipe for pumpkin and walnut-filled flatbread comes from that tradition.

Fresh and bright leafy greens complete a Thanksgiving meal. This salad is perfectly balanced with kale or peppery arugula, tossed with sweet pears and pomegranate, and garnished with chopped hazelnuts and optional pecorino.

Anna Polonsky’s family held onto their Jewish traditions and recipes after moving to France from Poland in the 1920s. Today, they call this recipe strudel aux pommes and make it with apples that are cooked as they would be for a tarte tatin — until caramelized and golden brown.

“This is one of those rare cakes that improves with age,” says bakery owner Miriam Foster. Warming spices like cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg will waft through your kitchen as it bakes.

Cookbook author Adeena Sussman adapted this recipe from her mother’s — adding in three types of ginger: fresh, candied, and powdered. The result is a warmly spiced cake with a moist and fruity undercurrent. 

This sweet tart was inspired by a heritage trip chef and artist Elazar Tamano took with his father Melaku to Ethiopia. Elazar uses Ethiopian white honey for this recipe and strongly recommends seeking it out.