Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
Culture

The Only Friendsgiving Menu Inspo You Need this Year

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at St. Andrews chapter.

Her Campus Invites you……

To throw an incredible Friendsgiving this year! We’ve got the menu covered. Here’s the best recipe inspo you need to shake up classic Thanksgiving staples that are sure to impress your guests, no matter where they’re from. Pulling off a dinner party is no small task, so we’ve ensured the recipes are uni kitchen friendly. Potluck-style parties are never a bad idea, so make sure to send these recipes along to your friends so they can bring something along! After all, it is FRIENDSgiving! Keeping the people you love close by is a great way to relieve some stress and bring some warmth to your week as the weather begins to get colder and the sun sets earlier. So, light some wine bottle candles and dim the lights, and enjoy the company of your closest friends.

Starters

Milk Buns: I messaged my high school boyfriend after years of not speaking for this recipe, and I’d do it again. They’re that good. 

Baked Brie with Pomegranate: What else screams festive like pomegranate and brie?

Side Dishes

Garlic Confit Mashed Potatoes: The best mashed potatoes you’ll have all year.

Cinnamon & Sweet Potato Mash: This can easily be made vegan!

Spicy Sesame Green Beans: This recipe from my mom is my go-to super easy potluck side dish. I’ve made this for the past few Friendsgivings I’ve gone to and it’s consistently been a fan favorite, as long as you can handle a little bit of spice.

Ingredients: 2 bags green beans, 2 tbsp oil, 3 tbsp sesame seeds, 1 tbsp chili flakes, 1 tbsp sesame oil.

  1. Blanche the green beans in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain and dry well.
  2. Heat up olive oil in a wok and lightly fry the green beans until lightly browned. Take off the heat and add in sesame seeds and chili flakes, and drizzle with sesame oil. Toss until combined.

Sausage and Sage Stuffing: In my opinion, stuffing is the star of Thanksgiving so making extra batches is a must. Here’s a good vegan stuffing option for your veggie friends!

Main Course

Tiny Oven Friendly Turkey Option: Most flats in St Andrews are equipped with the tiniest ovens you’ve ever seen, including my flat last year. There was no chance of fitting a whole bird, so we had to pivot to this stuffed turkey roll. An added perk is that it cooks way faster. Whether your oven is too small or the Americans have wiped the shelves of Aldi clean of any whole turkeys, this recipe is for you.

Desserts!

Honey Walnut Apple Pie: Baklava meets apple pie for a fresh take on a classic. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Classic Pumpkin Pie: Although this recipe calls for a homemade crust, nobody will fault you for using a store-bought crust. You’ve had a busy week, plus, finding canned pumpkin in St Andrews is a nearly impossible feat. Pro tip: my flat orders a dozen cans on amazon every fall.

We hope these recipes will take the stress of menu-planning off of your shoulders this holiday exam season! We hope you enjoy and happy Friendsgiving!

Ella Bernard

St. Andrews '25

Ella is a third year studying Archaeology and Social Anthropology. She hopes to pursue a career in journalism when she’s not captaining her own sailboat on a voyage around the world. In her free time you can find her at the farmers market, gathering fresh ingredients for her next dinner party. She is especially passionate in writing about travel, women’s health, and wellness.