Pilgrim Thanksgiving Recipes | What Did The Pilgrims Really Eat? (2024)

Take a tour back in time and try these pilgrim Thanksgiving recipes for some flavors of the past.

RELATED: 25 Classic Pioneer Woman Recipes For Thanksgiving

Ye Olde Pilgrim Thanksgiving Recipes to Enjoy Today

Pilgrim Food: What Did the Pilgrims Eat on Thanksgiving

I’ve always wondered, what did the pilgrims eat every day? As far as I know, things were prepared simpler back then… Leaving aesthetics much to be desired.

But hey, they only had so many ingredients, and definitely no supermarkets, so let’s give them some credit for creativity! I did a little research on “what do pilgrims eat?”

The Thanksgiving feast we know today is nothing like what the pilgrims had 391 years ago. Their pickings were much slimmer, but they were able to make a beautiful feast leaving them satisfied, full, and grateful.

1. Roasted Butternut Squash

Pilgrim Thanksgiving Recipes | What Did The Pilgrims Really Eat? (1)

Okay, so this may be a modern way to prepare this but I’m sure everyone will enjoy this roasted butternut squash.The leeks, bacon, and a smoky-sweet apple glaze bring the wonderful fall flavors together.

2. Stewed Pumpkin

Pilgrim Thanksgiving Recipes | What Did The Pilgrims Really Eat? (2)

Just gather all the ingredients and make this stewed pumpkin in just one pot. It's a standing dish perfect for fall and winter.

3. Hardtack

Pilgrim Thanksgiving Recipes | What Did The Pilgrims Really Eat? (3)

Have a taste of history by making these simple biscuits the civil war soldiers ate. Hardtack is so easy even your kids can make them, plus it's a survival food item you should know of just in case…

4. Turkey Sobaheg

Pilgrim Thanksgiving Recipes | What Did The Pilgrims Really Eat? (4)

In simpler terms, turkey stew.

Ingredients:

    • 225 g dry beans
    • 225 g white or yellow corn
    • 1/2 kg of turkey meat
    • 3L cold water
    • 115 g green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths
    • 225 g winter squash, cubed
    • 1/2 cup pounded walnuts
    • onion powder and/or garlic to taste
    • clam juice to taste (optional)

Instructions:

Place beans, corn, turkey meat, onion or garlic powder, and water in a large pot. Simmer over medium heat and cook for about 2 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally.

When the beans are tender, break up turkey meat and remove the skin and bones. Throw in green beans and squash, and simmer over low heat until they are tender.

RELATED: Thanksgiving Table Ideas | This Is Everything You Need For A Perfect Thanksgiving Day

5. Boiled Bread Recipe

Pilgrim Thanksgiving Recipes | What Did The Pilgrims Really Eat? (5)

Yes, boiled bread. Before people had ovens, they had to boil their bread.

Ingredients:

    • 1/2 cup cornmeal
    • 1/2 cup cornflour
    • 1L slightly boiled water
    • 1/2 cup dried cranberries, blueberries, and currants
    • 1/2 cup crushed nuts
    • Maple syrup to taste (optional)

Instructions:

Thoroughly mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Slowly add slightly boiled water a spoonful at a time.

When it becomes thick and sticky, shape round patties.

Return water to a slight rolling boil and drop in one or two patties, Make sure they do not stick to the bottom.

Remove the bread when they begin to float.

6. Curd Fritters Recipe

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They did it a little differently in the past but here’s a modern take on this pilgrim recipe you can follow today.

Ingredients:

    • 5 eggs
    • curds (ricotta, cottage, or other soft cheese)
    • wheat or cornflour
    • salt
    • cooking oil or butter
    • sugar

Instructions:

Make a thin batter with the eggs and equal amounts of curds and flour, then season with salt. Heat a small amount of cooking oil in your frying pan.

When the oil is hot, pour in the batter and tip the pan to make the batter spread very thinly–they should be like crepes.

When brown on one side, use your knife to flip them over or slide them onto a plate and flip them over into the pan.

Add more oil to the pan when needed. Serve with sugar sprinkled on the top if you wish.

7. Nasaump Recipe

Pilgrim Thanksgiving Recipes | What Did The Pilgrims Really Eat? (7)

This is something similar to oatmeal or porridge prepared by the Wampanoags.

Ingredients:

    • 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
    • 1 cup assorted berries
    • 1/2 crushed walnuts, hazelnuts, and sunflower seeds
    • 1L water
    • maple syrup (optional)

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a pot of water and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat and stir continuously for about 15 minutes.

8. Indian Meal Pudding

Pilgrim Thanksgiving Recipes | What Did The Pilgrims Really Eat? (8)

Need some classic pilgrim comfort food? Then try making this yummy Indian meal pudding recipe.

So named after the cornmeal the natives gave them upon arrival.

9. Easy Thanksgiving Pilgrim’s Hat Cookie Treats

Okay, so maybe the pilgrims didn’t eat these yummy Thanksgiving pilgrim's hat cookie treats but it's actually pretty easy, so it's sure to be a definite winner.

10. Mussel Stew

Pilgrim Thanksgiving Recipes | What Did The Pilgrims Really Eat? (9)

When the pilgrims arrived, one of the most abundant kinds of seafood they found are mussels. And this stew is easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

    • 2 kls mussels
    • 2 tbsp butter
    • chopped parsley
    • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
    • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
    • salt andpepper

Instructions:

Scrub the mussels clean. In a large pot, place a cup of water and all ingredients aside from the mussels. Bring it to a boil. Add the mussels and let it a simmer until all of the mussels have opened fully.

Want to see what food the pilgrims probably ate for Thanksgiving? Check out this video from Top Tenz:

Our Thanksgiving menu today is already totally different, yet the festivities and the spirit still remain the same. No matter what is in store for your Thanksgiving menu this year, be sure to prepare it with a more grateful heart.

What do you think of these pilgrim Thanksgiving recipes? Will you give it a try? Let me know in the comment section below.

Up Next:

    • 19 Paleo Recipes to Make This Thanksgiving | Healthy Thanksgiving Ideas
    • 14 Homemade Stuffing Recipes For The Perfect Thanksgiving Feast
    • Beekeeping In Winter: Preparing Beehives For The Cold Season

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on November 5, 2019, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.

Pilgrim Thanksgiving Recipes | What Did The Pilgrims Really Eat? (2024)

FAQs

Pilgrim Thanksgiving Recipes | What Did The Pilgrims Really Eat? ›

What did they really eat at the harvest celebration in 1621 (the phrase folks at Plimoth Plantation prefer to "Thanksgiving")? Corn (for flour for bread and grits for porridge) and venison; wild fowl (usually considered waterfowl) and turkeys. No potatoes, sweet or otherwise. No green bean casserole.

What did the Pilgrims really eat for Thanksgiving? ›

So, to the question “What did the Pilgrims eat for Thanksgiving,” the answer is both surprising and expected. Turkey (probably), venison, seafood, and all of the vegetables that they had planted and harvested that year—onions, carrots, beans, spinach, lettuce, and other greens.

Why did the Pilgrims not have enough food? ›

After the colonists first arrived in Plymouth, they had three really difficult years. There were no food shops in New England, so the colonists had to produce their own food. They struggled to grow crops in a climate that was different from England.

How was food * Served * at the first Thanksgiving? ›

The first Thanksgiving banquet consisted of foods like venison, bean stew and hard biscuits. And while corn and pumpkin had their place on the table, they hardly resembled the cornbread stuffing and pumpkin pie we feast on today.

What was the Pilgrims 1621 harvest meal? ›

The 1621 harvest celebration included plenty of wildfowl, and the Wampanoag and English occasionally stuffed birds and fish, typically with herbs, onions or, for the English, oats.

Did the Pilgrims really eat turkey on Thanksgiving? ›

Although turkeys were indigenous, there's no record of a big, roasted bird at the feast. The Wampanoag brought deer and there would have been lots of local seafood (mussels, lobster, bass) plus the fruits of the first pilgrim harvest, including pumpkin. No mashed potatoes, though.

Did they really eat turkey at the first Thanksgiving? ›

That's right—turkey might not have even been present at the first Thanksgiving. The birds were probably stuffed with onions and nuts instead of the bread cubes and sausage more familiar to us today, then boiled or roasted.

What 3 foods did the Pilgrims eat? ›

(English crops such as turnips, cabbage, parsnips, onions, carrots, parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme might have also been on hand.) And for the starring dishes, there were undoubtedly native birds and game as well as the Wampanoag gift of five deer. Fish and shellfish were also likely on the groaning board.

Who helped the Pilgrims from starving? ›

The Wampanoag people, the “People of the First Light,” are responsible for saving the Pilgrims from starvation and death during the harsh winter of 1620–21.

What did corn look like in the 1600s? ›

Maize (Zea mays) at the time of the pilgrims' arrival was very different from what we grow today. It came in an assortment of colors like white, red, yellow, and blue and a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Easily stored and preserved, it was an essential crop for the Native Americans.

Why were potatoes not served at the first Thanksgiving? ›

But back in 1621, they literally had no place at the table. Potatoes had only been introduced to Europe around 1570 when Spanish colonists brought them back after learning about them in South America. In 1621, the vegetable had not yet made its way to the colonies.

Which president refused to celebrate Thanksgiving as a national holiday? ›

While Thanksgiving technically isn't a religious holiday, the “giving thanks” part of it struck Jefferson as being far too religious for his tastes. As our nation's third president, he stirred controversy by refusing to recognize Thanksgiving.

Did the Pilgrims have sugar? ›

Sadly, likely no pie was served at the first Thanksgiving either, as the Pilgrims did not have much sugar or other components needed to make a pie. Sweet potatoes were also not at the feast, as there were no sweet potatoes in America at that time.

What were cranberries called during Pilgrim times? ›

The Indians called the red berries "sasemineash" and also "pakimintzen." The Pilgrims gave this fruit the name "crane berry" because its pink blossom reminded them of the head of a crane, a large wading bird. Over the years its name has been shortened to cranberry.

Which president started Thanksgiving? ›

A few days later, President George Washington issued a proclamation naming Thursday, November 26, 1789 as a "Day of Publick Thanksgivin" - the first time Thanksgiving was celebrated under the new Constitution.

What really happened at the first Thanksgiving feast in 1621? ›

Massasoit sent some of his own men to hunt deer for the feast and for three days, the English and native men, women, and children ate together. The meal consisted of deer, corn, shellfish, and roasted meat, different from today's traditional Thanksgiving feast. They played ball games, sang, and danced.

What did the Pilgrims eat every day? ›

Cooking and Food

During the Mayflower's voyage, the Pilgrims' main diet would have consisted primarily of a cracker-like biscuit ("hard tack"), salt pork, dried meats including cow tongue, various pickled foods, oatmeal and other cereal grains, and fish. The primary beverage for everyone, including children, was beer.

Was there actually a Thanksgiving feast? ›

There's no evidence that the 1621 feast was called Thanksgiving, and the event was not repeated for at least a decade, experts say. Still, it is said to be the inspiration behind the now traditional annual gathering and a testament to the cooperation of two groups of people.

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