Thanksgiving is a huge holiday across the United States, but particularly in the Midwest region, where food is more than just sustenance. Featuring foods that exemplify comfort and cherished rituals passed down through generations, the food eaten is as important as the people you share it with. Including states such as Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky, keep reading to learn what Thanksgiving dishes must be on these Midwestern tables, and why green bean casserole is one of them.
Green Bean Casserole
You can’t have a Midwestern Thanksgiving meal without green bean casserole. The dish is a staple of many spreads, blending green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and crispy fried onions. The Thanksgiving dish was created in 1955 by Dorcas Reilly, according to the Campbell Soup Company. As of 2020, green bean casserole was served at 20 million Thanksgiving dinners across the country. The meal is still going strong after 70 years of being served. And while the traditional recipe is a great option, certain Midwestern families tweak their recipes “just so” to make the dish uniquely their own. However, that does not mean completely modernizing the simple dish, as most still contain beans, soup, and onions.
Other Staples
Green bean casserole isn’t the only staple Midwestern Thanksgiving dish on the table. Several families prize their array of casseroles, such as the sweet potato casserole. Topped with marshmallows and bursting with flavor, the dish may seem like a dessert. Instead, it is served during the main meal. Midwesterners sure love to add their sugar to everything possible. Another popular and delicious casserole is the tater tot hotdish, which continues to prove the region’s affinity towards comfort foods.
While casseroles are a non-negotiable, stuffing can divide some Midwestern homes. Or, more specifically, the debate between stuffing versus dressing. In the end, Midwesterners tend to prefer dressing baked outside the turkey. Depending on the region, some chefs will use cornbread, while others will use white bread. The one thing that most Midwesterners agree on is that stuffing is served outside the turkey.
Another popular dish that adorns several Midwest Thanksgiving tables is cranberry sauce. While there are a ton of new recipes out there featuring homemade compotes and added ingredients, tradition continues to reign in this region. Cranberry sauce out of a can, with its unmistakable ridged sides, is the preferred option. Other fun fruit or gelatin-based dishes that appear on Thanksgiving tables include ambrosia salad and canned gelatin salads. The main theme throughout all of the dishes is embracing comfort food and nostalgia from Thanksgivings in the past.
Comfort vs. Gourmet
While Midwestern Thanksgiving dishes may lack in gourmet or new ingredients, they do provide an immense taste of home and nostalgia that cannot be beat. Along with the food, the meal is often finished off with a Corningware casserole dish passed down through the generations. In the background, either “A Christmas Story” rerun or Thanksgiving football is on the television screen. There is something special about familiarity, bringing back memories from years past while creating new ones at the same time.
While some chefs may see these dishes as plain or outdated, they are the true hallmarks of an authentic Midwestern Thanksgiving spread. Not only do they give thanks to years of heritage, but bring families together under an umbrella of delicious and familiar flavors. There is no denying that the Midwest knows its Thanksgiving foods and holds its food traditions in the highest esteem.