Canadian Thanksgiving is a lot more than just turkey & pie. In fact, every province has its own spin on holiday dishes, and some of them have some rather strong local roots. Here are ten iconic Thanksgiving foods from every province. Which of these provincial favourites always make it onto your table?
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Savoury dressing with Mount Scio
Turkey in Newfoundland has stuffing that tastes a little different. That’s thanks to Mount Scio summer savoury, which has been grown just outside St. John’s since the 1800s. Locals often make it into breadcrumb dressing with onions, then bake it until the edges crisp. As for the flavour, it’s herby & peppery.
Potato stuffing for the bird
Yes, PEI cooks use bread stuffing. But they also take it further by mashing up the island’s famous potatoes and folding in sautéed onions & herbs. They’ll then pack it into the turkey cavity or bake it in a dish on the side. For many families, it’s like a second main, and they’ll heap generous piles of it next to the turkey.
Wild blueberry grunt for dessert
Not every Canadian finishes with pumpkin pie. Lots of Nova Scotians simmer wild blueberries with a bit of sugar, then put biscuit dough on top & let it steam. The dumplings puff up and soak in the juice, turning it into a gorgeous purple-blue underneath. By far the best kind is when it comes warm straight from the pot, with ice cream melting over the top.
Acadian poutine râpée
Over in New Brunswick, Thanksgiving isn’t complete without poutine râpée. It’s essentially a hefty potato dumpling stuffed with salted pork & boiled until it’s tender all the way through. Sure, the grating and mashing, as well as the shaping, take a long time. But it’s well worth it. Many Acadian poutine râpée recipes have been passed down through generations.
Turkey gravy and stuffing seasoned with herbes salées
Quebec cooks keep jars of herbes salées handy, which are chopped vegetables & herbs preserved in salt. They’ll put a spoonful into gravies or stuffings to give them a deep, savoury kick. Originally, it began in the Bas-du-Fleuve region, but it soon spread across the province. It’s especially popular for fall feasts when everyone’s making big roasts.
Muskoka cranberries for homemade sauce
Cranberry bogs turn bright red right before Thanksgiving in Muskoka, and that’s why families buy baskets of the fresh berries at Bala’s festival. They might also get them at roadside stands. Then, they’ll simmer them with sugar into simple sauces, perhaps with some orange zest or cinnamon sticks. But honestly, the local fruit has enough tang on its own.
Saskatoon berry pie
However, Muskoka isn’t the only place that likes berries. Saskatoon berries are in pies all over the province, and they’re a little bit almond-y. These pies normally come out deep & glossy, baked in simple pastry with just sugar and flour to thicken. They’re on many tables once the harvest rolls around because they’re a classic Prairie finish.
Wild rice stuffing with prairie harvest
September’s wild rice harvest in Manitoba makes it perfect for holiday stuffing, as the grains have a chewy, nutty taste. It works perfectly with roasted vegetables & cranberries. It’s no wonder so many home cooks mix it into turkey stuffings or serve it as a standalone side, as it’s been part of Prairie cooking for ages.
Taber sweet corn in creamed or scalloped sides
Ask Albertans about Taber corn, and you’ll likely hear about lining up at roadside stands in late summer. Many people fold the kernels into casseroles or scalloped dishes during Thanksgiving. Why’s the corn so sweet? It’s because of the area’s sunny days & cool nights, which people swear make it taste different from anywhere else.
Lower Fraser Valley cranberries
Shortly before Thanksgiving weekend, BC’s cranberry bogs flood. This is when the annual festival happens, and West Coast cooks make all sorts of dishes, like cranberry-orange relish & bright sauces for turkey. Some take it a step further by freezing a stash to stretch the season a little longer.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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