Life

7 Fried Thanksgiving Foods That Make You Thankful For A Deep Fryer

by Lindsay E. Mack

There are two schools of thought on the Thanksgiving feast. The first declares that a holiday is no reason to go crazy with calories, and urges you to cook up healthier versions of traditional dishes. The second school of thought reminds you that Thanksgiving only comes around once a year, so why not go ahead and stuff your face with every fatty, fried, sweet concoction imaginable? This piece speaks to that second school of thought. In fact, there are ways to fry Thanksgiving food. You’re welcome.

Except for maybe a salad, most Thanksgiving dishes can be improved with batter and a vat of hot oil. From sides to desserts, you can basically fry up the entire meal. (Or just pick one or two of these recipes to add some variety to your otherwise-healthy feast.) If you’re ready to eschew all of your careful eating for a few hours of absolute overindulgence, you have come to the right place. With all of these fried dishes on hand, it’s like hosting your family holiday at the state fair. So get your deep fryers and stretchy pants ready, because these deep-fried Thanksgiving recipes are bound to call your name for seconds (and maybe thirds.)

1Fried Zucchini

Most Thanksgiving spreads include some variety of Winter squash, and this fried zucchini recipe from Real Simple is an exceptionally tasty way of including some veggies on the side. The chive mayo dip doesn't hurt, either.

2Friend Sweet Potato

These crispy sweet potato chips from Greatist would make a great appetizer for your guests to munch on while the main meal finishes up. Fried with coconut oil, they are not completely unhealthy. And to get the taste of a casserole, you serve with some marshmallow dip.

3Fried Turkey

Fried turkey seems to be more commonplace now, and the New York Times's deep fried turkey recipes helps you prepare it without burning off your eyebrows.

4Fried Stuffing

If you want to go all-out with the fried foods theme, this Paula Deen's deep fried stuffing is all yours. You can even serve it on a stick.

5Fried Turducken

If you want to blow the roof off of Thanksgiving (metaphorically, of course), make a fried turducken with this recipe from Ladue News. For the uninitiated, a turducken is a chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey. (Yes, I’ve tried it, and yes, it’s delicious). The fried version takes this overindulgent dish completely over-the-top.

6Sweet Pumpkin Fritters

Now on to something purely delicious: these delightful pumpkin fritters from Simply Delicious have everything: on-point pumpkin flavor, crispy fry batter, and a caramel sauce for drizzling or dipping. These are likely to disappear quickly.

7Fried Apple Pie

Finish off your big meal with a nice fried pie courtesy of Today. You are contractually obligated to pair this dish with a giant scoop of ice cream or whipped cream.

Images: Courtesy of Kevin McShane, Jazz Guy, Joan Nova, Steven Depolo, Mike, stu_spivack, Phil Romans/Flickr; Simply Delicious