Hispanics’ Thanksgiving Dinner Dishes
(Photo : Reuters)

For the typical American citizen, Thanksgiving includes mashed potatoes, multiple types of casseroles, gravy, and much more, and also the star of the table, turkey. For Hispanic-American communities, however, families have a little broader thanksgiving menu to choose from.

Aside from the traditional American meals served on the table on Thanksgiving Day, Hispanic-Americans also add their originating country's traditional dishes on the table. Their recipes boast a combination of rich flavors, authentic ingredients, and unique family recipes that were handed down from generation to generation. Hispanics' Thanksgiving celebrationa are truly something to be excited about.

Cuban-American Favorites

During large events such as Hispanics' Thanksgiving where a big number of Cuban natives are the hosts, platanito maduros is a special and necessary dish that never gets forgotten to be served on the table.

Platanito Maduros are sweet plantains that are fried. It is a staple food of Cuban cuisine together with black beans of the frijoles negros.

The main ingredients used to cook the Platanito Maduros are riped plantains, oil, and salt. The plantains are riped when their skin is dark brownish in color.

Frijoles is also an important dish traditionally partnered with rice by Cubans.

Argentinian-American Favorites

For Argentinian-Americans, Hispanics' Thanksgiving celebration dinners include the Milanesa, a famous dish that originates from the Latin American region. The Argentinian version of the Milanesa is considered the best in the entire region. 

This is a diverse Latin dish that involves covering different types of meat with a special breading. Some of the meats used by the Argentinians for this dish are chicken, pork, and steak.

Some of the Argentinian-American families substitute the turkey with the Milanesa on their dinner table during the Thanksgiving celebration. However, some add the Milanesa in the dishes served on their table together with the turkey and other common American Thanksgiving dinner dishes.

Puerto Rican-American Favorites

Puerto Rican-American families celebrating Thanksgiving will normally add mofongo on their dinner table.

It is a staple food of the Puerto Rican which they usually serve for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

It consists of mashed plantains mixed with garlic. 

Some of the common ingredients used for this dish are fried pork skin; unripe plantains, mashed cloves of garlic, olive oil, and frying oil. 

Dominican-American Favorites

Families from Dominican-American communities put a different sweet-twist on the traditional American type of Thanksgiving dinner celebration with their version of a cake.

Bizcoho is a Dominican dessert that boasts Dominican tradition and culture. This cake has different variations of recipes from simple to complex, with a mix of ingredients and sometimes the addition of rum.

The Bizcoho are served by the Dominicans anytime of the year. The rum cake version of the Bizcoho is famous for its many variations.

There are many possible combinations of ingredients in the creation of this cake. Some of the possible fillings used are pineapple jam, guava jam, pastry cream, and dulce de leche.

The cake is covered with the suspiro, a type of Dominican meringue icing.

Regardless of whether black's, white's, or Hispanics' Thanksgiving are being celebrated, the food served on their dinner table, the successes, the love, and good family ties are what make the Thanksgiving celebration special. And although the history of the holiday isn't the most appealing, the message that coincides with this day rings true for all nationalities; be thankful for what you have.