When most Americans think of Thanksgiving, the first thing that comes to mind is food—lots and lots of delicious food.
After all, one of the best parts of Thanksgiving is spending time with family and friends and enjoying home-cooked meals.
For many Cuban families in Miami, Thanksgiving means finding great Cuban food to serve alongside other foods.
Whether you’re hosting this year or attending a potluck with your extended family, our list of Cuban Thanksgiving food will make your menu more authentic than ever!
Here is a little pick of some Cuban Thanksgiving foods;
Cuban-style roast Pork
This is a traditional Thanksgiving favorite. The pork is marinated in garlic, oregano, and sour orange juice before being perfectly roasted.
Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry sauce is a popular Cuban Thanksgiving dish. It is made with cranberries, sugar, water, and orange juice. The dish can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Hence, Cranberry sauce is typically served with turkey or ham. It’s an excellent Cuban Thanksgiving food you can perform on your Thanksgiving!
Arroz Moros y Cristianos (Moors and Christian Rice)
This dish is significant as a Cuban Thanksgiving food. It consists of a delicious mix of white rice and black beans—a tasty representation of the two cultures that came together to form Cuba.
Therefore, the beans represent the enslaved Africans brought to the island, while the rice represents the Spanish colonizers. This dish is traditionally served with pork, but you can also find it with chicken or beef. Whatever meat you choose. It will be cooked in a flavorful sofrito sauce made with onions, garlic, green peppers, and tomatoes; enjoy!
Pan con Lechon (Roast Pork Sandwich)
One of the most famous Cuban Thanksgiving foods is pan con lechon, a roast pork sandwich. The pork is slow-roasted with garlic, onions, and spices until it is incredibly tender. It is then shredded and placed on a crusty Cuban roll with salsa Criolla (a mixture of onions, peppers, and vinegar).
This sandwich is delicious and perfect for any Cuban Thanksgiving feast!
Spanish Cider
Cuban Thanksgiving food would not be complete without Spanish cider. This refreshing drink is made from apples and has a slightly sweet taste. It is perfect for quenching your thirst on a hot day. Spanish cider is also a great way to enjoy the flavors of Cuba.
Cake de Ron
Cuban rum cake is a popular Thanksgiving dessert. It is soaked in rum, which gives it a unique flavor. It is often served with a fruit salad or ice cream.
Hence, Cuban rum cake is a popular choice for Thanksgiving dessert. The cake is soaked in rum, which gives it a unique flavor. It is often served with a fruit salad or ice cream.
Flan
Another popular Cuban Thanksgiving food for dessert is flan, a custard made with eggs, milk, and sugar. Flan can be served plain or with fruits and nuts.
Coffee
Cuban coffee, made with dark roasted beans and having a strong flavor, is also a popular choice for Thanksgiving coffee.
Arroz con Lech
Cuban food is a delicious blend of Spanish and African influences, and Cuban Thanksgiving food is no exception. One of many people’s favorite Cuban dishes to enjoy during the holidays is arroz con leche, a sweet rice pudding made with milk, sugar, and spices.
Besides, this dish is typically served as a dessert, but it’s most enjoyable as a snack or even for breakfast. Arroz con Leche is so comforting and rich. It always brings me back to happy memories of spending time with family in Cuba.
Yuca con Mojo
Yuca, also known as cassava, is a starchy root vegetable staple in Cuban cuisine. Yuca con mojo is a dish made with yuca that is boiled and then served with a garlic-based sauce. This dish is often done on special occasions, such as Thanksgiving.
Mojo is a sauce made from olive oil, garlic, lime juice, and spices. This dish is usually served with chicken or pork.
Meanwhile, yuca con mojo is not traditionally served as a Thanksgiving dish in the United States. However, it can be a delicious and festive way to add a taste of Cuba to your holiday feast. If you want something different to serve this year, why not try Cuban Thanksgiving food?
Tostones
Tostones are a Cuban dish made from unripe, green plantains. The plantains are first fried, then flattened and fried again. They are usually served with a dipping sauce such as mojo or garlic sauce.
Yet, Tostones are a popular choice for Cuban Thanksgiving food because they can be made ahead of time and reheated. Making them perfect for a large holiday gathering. Plus, they’re just plain delicious!
Crema de Vie
What is Cuban Thanksgiving food without Crema de Vie? This delicious eggnog-like beverage is made with milk, sugar, vanilla, and eggs. It’s rich and creamy, perfect for sipping while enjoying a big holiday meal.
Plus, it’s super easy to make! Just combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve chilled, and enjoy!
Garlicky yuca
Yuca, also known as cassava, is a starchy root vegetable popular in many Latin American countries.
It is usually boiled or roasted and can be served as a side dish or main course.
Cuban cooks often add garlic to their yuca dishes, which gives them a unique flavor.
Thus, if you want something different to serve at your Thanksgiving feast. Why not try this traditional Cuban Thanksgiving food?
Tamales
Cuban tamales contain cornmeal, pork, garlic, onions, and other spices. The filling is wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. They are usually served with a mojo sauce, which is made with garlic, onions, lime juice, and olive oil.
Rice and Beans
Rice and beans is a traditional Cuban dish usually made with black beans. But it can also be made with red or pink beans.
The rice is cooked in stock or water and then seasoned with garlic, onions, and other spices. This dish is often served as Cuban Thanksgiving food.
Though it’s a simple but flavorful dish made with white rice, black beans, garlic, onion, and green peppers, sometimes tomatoes, cilantro, or other herbs add a little extra zing. This dish is often served with a side of plantains.
Plantains
Cubans enjoy plantains year-round, but they are prevalent during the holidays. Thanksgiving is no exception! Plantains can be used in various dishes, from appetizers to main courses to desserts.
However, some favorite Cuban Thanksgiving foods can use plantain, including Fried or baked green plantain chips and Cuban pastelitos de guayaba y queso (guava and cheese pastries).
It’s common to see tamales filled with meat, chicken, or seafood cooked in banana leaves on Cuban Thanksgiving tables.
But many of the most iconic dishes for this holiday involve rice. We also have other types of meat, such as pork, beef, or chicken. One example is arroz con pollo (chicken with rice), which you’ll find served throughout Latin America at Christmastime.
Black Beans
Black beans are a popular food in Cuba and can be used in many dishes. One popular dish is black bean soup, usually served with rice.
This dish is hearty and filling and can be enjoyed beforehand.
Another option is to make a black bean casserole, which is a little lighter than the soup but still has flavor.
You can also use black beans to make a traditional Cuban Thanksgiving food called frijoles negros.
This dish, made with onions, garlic, and green peppers, can be served as a side dish or main course.
White Rice
White rice is a staple in Cuban cuisine and can be found on most dinner tables. It is usually served plain but can also be flavored with saffron, garlic, or onion. Cubans typically eat white rice with beans, which makes for a complete protein. White rice is also a popular side dish to meats and stews.
Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows
This dish is a Cuban Thanksgiving food, its take on the classic sweet potato casserole. It’s made with mashed sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, and milk and then topped with marshmallows. The result is a rich, sweet, and satisfying side dish with everyone returning for seconds.
Cuban Corn Pudding
This dish is a staple at Cuban Thanksgiving celebrations. It’s made with fresh corn, milk, eggs, sugar, and spices. The pudding is then baked until it’s set and golden brown.
Easy Pumpkin Pie
This traditional Cuban Thanksgiving food will surely be a hit with your guests! Our recipe uses pumpkin puree, condensed milk, and spices to create a delicious pie that is sure to please.
The best part is that it only takes minutes to prepare and can be made beforehand. So, if you’re looking for a unique and delicious way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year, try our Cuban Pumpkin Pie!
Perfect Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are a must on any Cuban table, and Thanksgiving is no exception.
They’re typically made with lots of garlic and butter; milk or cream is sometimes added for extra richness.
This dish is usually served alongside roast pork or turkey. And it’s the perfect way to soak up all the delicious gravy.
Green Bean Casserole
A green bean casserole is a common Cuban Thanksgiving food. It contains green beans, garlic, onion, and tomato sauce. The green beans are first cooked in boiling water until tender.
Furthermore, the garlic and onion are sautéed in olive oil until translucent. Finally, the green beans, garlic, and onion are combined with the tomato sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.
Perfect Gravy
The holidays are a time for family, friends, and food. And what would a holiday feast be without gravy? While turkey is the traditional bird served at Thanksgiving, many Cuban families enjoy serving up a lechón. A roasted suckling pig – for their holiday meal.
Meanwhile, the lechón is roasting, and you can prepare your Cuban-style gravy. This gravy is made with sofrito, a blend of sautéed onions, garlic, bell peppers, and cilantro.
Sofrito forms the base of many Cuban Thanksgiving foods and gives this gravy its unique flavor. Once you’ve made your sofrito, mix it with some stock (chicken or pork work well), white wine, and a little sugar.
Melt-in-Your-Mouth Oven-Cooked Brisket
Cuban Thanksgiving food is a delicious mix of Spanish and African influences. The country’s rich history is reflected in its diverse cuisine.
Another popular dish among tourists is Cuban-style brisket, which is slow-cooked in a special oven called a paladar.
Hence, the meat is marinated in a blend of garlic, onion, sour orange juice, and spices, then cooked until soft. This dish is often served with black beans and rice or plantains. If you’re looking for something unique to perform at your Thanksgiving feast this year, try Cuban food!
Bagel Stuffing
Cuban food is a unique blend of Spanish and African influences. This is especially evident in the variety of dishes served during Thanksgiving.
One of the most famous Cuban Thanksgiving foods is Everything Bagel stuffing.
This dish mixes bagel crumbs, onions, garlic, and spices. It is usually served with roast pork or turkey. Yet it’s a great way to add flavor to your holiday meal.
Chopped Livers
There’s no better way to start a Cuban Thanksgiving food than with a big bowl of chopped livers.
This dish is traditionally made with chicken livers, but you can also use beef or lamb livers.
The livers are cooked with onions, garlic, and olive oil until they’re tender.
Then, they’re chopped into small pieces and served with crackers or bread. Yum!
