Food and wine experts share their favorite home-style dishes around the holiday table with the ultimate wine pairings
Written by Molly Allen
THANKSGIVING is a holiday to gather around the table with family and friends. The occasion calls for a spread complete with homemade dishes you’ve enjoyed for many years, along with new, inspired additions or twists on a classic.
Whether you’re prepping the perfect bird, dishing up a side of mashed potatoes or scalloped potatoes or slicing into your favorite pie, Thanksgiving has long been known as an exceptional food holiday as we give thanks for all we have.
It’s also a food-worthy celebration for popping open a favorite bottle of wine.
With so many different flavors and textures on the table, it begs the question of what to pair with those Thanksgiving dishes?
We turned to several food & wine experts to find out. As you plan your holiday menu, these wine pairings are sure to make the meal that much better. What follows are some of the homestyle dishes food and beverage experts prepare for their family table, with the ultimate wine pairings to elevate each dish.
Sausage-Stuffed Turkey Wings
What to Drink: Gamay
According to Dan Koommoo, the James Beard-nominated chef behind Yakima’s Crafted restaurant, he often takes the wings off his turkeys before cooking them. “They often become cannon fodder for the meal and get so over-cooked that they go to waste. So, what we do is remove them first and debone them. Then, I stuff them with sausage and roast or smoke them that way. These are definitely fought over at every meal.” Koommoo says this makes for a great pairing with Gamay thanks to its lighter body.
Parker House Rolls and Honey Butter
What to Drink: Chardonnay
For many, the best food on the Thanksgiving table are the bread rolls. Koommoo loves to pair warm, soft, fluffy yeast rolls with a sweet whipped honey butter that melts in your mouth “It’s like eating a warm hug. Pair it with a nice oaky Chardonnay,” he adds. This will complement the buttery texture and honey in the rolls.
Herbed Sausage and Mushroom Stuffing
What to Drink: Grenache
Brett Fallows, director of wine and spirits at Walla Walla’s Marcus Whitman Hotel, reminisces about the stuffing his mom would prepare for Thanksgiving, which he notes was layered with deep flavor, fragrant with sage and thyme and enriched by caramelized onions.
“The stuffing soaks up the turkey drippings perfectly and crisps beautifully around the edges. It’s nostalgic, deeply comforting and something I crave every year,” he says.
Fallows recommends pairing this dish with Grenache. He gravitates toward the lighter, red fruit–driven expressions found throughout Washington, which will complement the savory herbs and spices without overpowering them. “Add a spoonful of cranberry sauce to your plate, and you’ll really see this pairing come alive,” he notes.
Green Beans and Bacon Lardons
What to Drink: Grüner Veltliner
Fallows says this beloved dish always graced his mother’s table alongside her stuffing. “She’d quickly blanch the beans to keep them vibrant and crisp and then sauté them in a bit of bacon fat with garlic and herbs before tossing in the lardons. They’re simple, but packed with savory depth. It was a side that everyone fought over,” he says.
Pairing this dish with Grüner Veltliner, especially from cooler vineyard sites, is an exciting and refreshing choice. “With vibrant acidity, white pepper spice and crisp citrus notes, it’s a versatile pairing that goes with everything from salads and green beans, to dishes with artichokes or asparagus,” Fallow says. “It’s a palate cleanser that brings brightness to the table.”
Southern Yam Custard
What to Drink: White Rhone Varietals
Jackson Rohrbaugh, master sommelier and owner of Seattle-based wine club Crunchy Red Fruit, says family Thanksgiving isn’t complete without this dish, which his mom copied from a Better Homes & Gardens magazine in the early 90s.
It’s a custard made from canned sweet potatoes, with a crispy topping featuring diced pecans and coconut flakes. “It’s on the sweeter side, but ends up on everyone’s savory plate, and it belongs there. It is one of the best flavors and textures my palate knows,” he says. “This is your chance to put that Washington Roussanne or Rhône-style white to use. Enjoy that textural richness with this custardy dish.”
Green Bean Casserole
What to Drink: Sauvignon Blanc
This is a tried and true classic for good reason, and Rohrbaugh says it’s always on the menu at his house. “This must be made like your aunt made it in the 1980s, with canned green beans, Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup and French’s crispy onion straw topping. This marvel of mid-century Americana is better with packaged ingredients, contrary to modern foodie wisdom,” he says. Elevate it with Sauvignon Blanc, which Rohrbaugh says complements the green vegetal notes in the casserole.
Classic Roast Turkey
What to Drink: Pinot Noir
Fallows notes that a classic roast turkey is the star of the show, and he’s pairing it with Pinot Noir. “My mom would carefully brine and glaze the bird, ensuring juicy, flavorful meat and golden, crispy skin, creating layers of texture in every bite,” he says. “Pinot is a thin-skinned red with delicacy and structure. It offers enough acidity and subtle earthiness to balance a variety of Thanksgiving flavors, from turkey to roasted root vegetables, without overwhelming the dish.
There are some seriously impressive Pinots coming from cooler AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) in Washingon.” For example, watch for Pinots coming out of AVAs such as Lake Chelan, Columbia Gorge, Royal Slope and Puget Sound.
Smoked Peking-Style Turkey
What to Drink: Grenache
Rohrbaugh says he does this showpiece turkey every year. “It’s insanely flavorful and ends up being a lot of people’s favorite turkey ever. The turkey is clean, with a mild flavor that takes on Chinese five-spice and hoisin beautifully—and using a pellet smoker gives the bird even more depth of flavor. A glaze of honey and hoisin at the end of the smoking takes this one over the top,” he adds.
Pair it with Grenache for a beautiful match. Rohrbaugh says that it’s sweetly fruited, ripe, peppery and lovely in all ways, making for the ideal pairing.
Homemade Potato Chips and Onion Dip
What to Drink: Sparkling Wine
While smoked Peking-style turkey is a favorite for Rohrbaugh, he says if that’s not on the menu, then the turkey is being deep fried that year. “While standing by the fryer, I will often drop thinly-sliced potatoes into the hot fry oil before the turkey goes in. These golden-brown crispy wafers are the crunchiest, loveliest chips you’ll ever eat and are even better with some homemade caramelized onion dip.”
He suggests the perfect pairing is a glass of sparking wine, preferably while standing by the fryer cooking. “It’s a textural match, and a great pre-dinner palate cleanser. I prefer a classic, ice cold Brut or Extra Brut—you’ll want one with ripe fruit and a hint of sweetness on the finish,” he adds.
Cosmic Crisp Apple Galette
What to Drink: Dessert Wine or Bubbly
Swap out classic pie for an apple galette, or prep both desserts for a spread. Koommoo says he loves to combine a buttery crunchy crust with crispy, sweet apples. “Pair it with something fun like a glass of bubbles or yeasty champagne. Add some ice cream or whipped cream and you are set,” he says. The sparkling effervescence will help to cut through any of the rich desserts on your table.
For those with a sweet tooth, try pairing this dish with a dessert wine such as a late-harvest Riesling for a complementary match-up.