Butternut Squash

We love the contrasts at play in this dish—from its earthy, sweet flavors to its velvety, crisp textures. The convenience of being able to roast these vegetables along with the turkey roulade is just another reason to make them.

This classic Italian trio never gets old, because it works so well: The saltiness of Parmigiano-Reggiano accentuates the sweetness in the popular winter squash while earthy sage rounds it all out.

Gnocchi à l'Alsacienne In the winter, we serve gnocchi with squash and sage crisped in brown butter, an ever-satisfying combination that also works well with just about any pasta. In this dish, the gnocchi are browned in butter, then tossed with sautéed mushrooms and squash and returned to the pan; lemon is added at the end to complete what becomes a classic brown butter sauce, used throughout bistro cooking.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Ted Allen's The Food You Want to Eat. For Allen's tips on throwing a Thanksgiving party, click here. The intent with this dish was an entrée — an entrée not just appropriate for vegetarians, but for vegans. But in the context of Thanksgiving, it serves either as a wonderful companion to turkey (or as that too-rare dish at the American dinner party: a hearty, bona-fide vegetarian option). You can assemble it ahead and refrigerate. (If you do, bake it at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes instead of the below instructions.)

Chef-owner Shawn McClain of Custom House restaurant in Chicago created this recipe for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program. He recommends using a creamy, mild blue cheese like Fourme d'Ambert.

(Khoresh-e fesenjan) Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Najmieh Batmanglij's book A Taste of Persia. Batmanglij also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. To read more about Batmanglij and Persian cuisine, click here. Traditionally this recipe is made with duck: The affinity between pomegranate and duck goes back to ancient times in Persia. Fourth-century Persian manuals describe the domestication of the male duck, fed on hemp seeds and the butter of olives. The finest meal possible was one of these ducks served in a pomegranate sauce. This recipe recreates that ancient dish.

Healthy bonus: Vitamin C and beta-carotene from the squash.

Sunday-night dessert. From Golden Door in Escondido, California. Talk about sweet justice: You can eat "cream" with our spa meal plan. This dessert drives its silky texture from tofu and its tangy flavor from orange zest, plus it's loaded with beta-carotene from the squash. Look for squash without green streaks — they're the sweetest.

A healthier Thanksgiving dish your guests will gobble up If you're looking to replace simple carbs with good-for-you grains, forget the white-breadcrumb stuffing of Thanksgivings past. Try this quinoa mix from Christopher Polidoro, executive chef at 95 School Street in Bridgehampton, New York. Quinoa — the seed from the plant related to spinach — is high in protein, calcium, and iron, and this stuffing substitute has less fat than the old standby.

Chef: Wylie Dufresne, 71 Clinton Fresh Food, New York City. Claim to fame: His restaurant won a rave review from The New York Times — now it's a hot spot. How he defines natural: "Clean, simple food tastes best; by happy accident it's also healthiest."

Top with chopped fresh cilantro, red onions, and grated cheddar cheese, if you like.

Make or buy a favorite pumpkin pie for dessert. What to drink: A fruit-forward Zinfandel or Malbec.

An inventive new take on a classic fall side. What to drink: A fruity red with a nice acidity. Try: Keenan 2002 Merlot, Carneros, Napa ($25).