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Leftover Turkey Vegetable Soup Ready in 30 Minutes

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A blue bowl full of turkey and vegetable soup with a leafy green garnish and another bowl in the background.

This recipe lets leftover turkey shine. TABLE contributor Rhonda Schuldt’s turkey and vegetable soup is a no-fuss, one-pot meal that resets the kitchen after a long holiday weekend. The ingredient list is short on purpose to save you another trip to the grocery store. 

Carrot, celery, onion, and garlic give mirepoix-like aromatics and soften in olive oil in about five minutes. Fire-roasted diced tomatoes add a gentle smokiness and a little acidity, which keeps the broth from tasting flat. The turkey goes in last to stay tender.

Homemade turkey stock gives this soup a body and richness that store-bought broth can’t quite match, and it means nothing from the turkey goes to waste. If you’re short on time, a good boxed turkey or chicken stock makes for a great substitute. Choose a low-sodium version to control the seasoning.

This recipe is also easy to scale. Double or triple the ingredients in a larger Dutch oven to use up a big bag of leftovers, and the cooking time barely changes. A pot on the stove means lunch is handled for several days.

Can I Make Turkey Soup in a Slow Cooker or Instant Pot?

Yes. For a slow cooker, sauté the vegetables on the stovetop first if you can, since it builds flavor, then add everything except the turkey to the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours. Stir in the turkey for the last 30 minutes. In an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker, use the sauté function to soften the vegetables, add the tomatoes and stock, and pressure cook on high for 5 minutes, followed by a 10-minute natural release. Stir in the turkey and let it warm through on the sauté or keep-warm setting.

How Do I Add Noodles, Rice, or More Vegetables?

This soup is a blank canvas. For a heartier bowl, cook egg noodles, small pasta, or rice separately and add them to individual bowls rather than the pot, so they don’t soak up all the broth overnight. Cooked wild rice or barley adds a nutty, chewy texture. Leftover roasted vegetables from the holiday table, such as sweet potatoes, green beans, or Brussels sprouts, can be chopped and stirred in at the end. A handful of baby spinach or kale wilts in a minute. To change the flavor, add a teaspoon of dried thyme or Italian seasoning with the vegetables, or finish each bowl with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon.

What Can I Serve With Turkey Vegetable Soup?

A light, brothy soup calls for something to dunk. Crusty bread, warm buttermilk biscuits, and cornbread are classic, and a grilled cheese or a turkey salad sandwich turns it into a soup-and-sandwich lunch. For a lighter meal, pair it with a crisp green salad or a shaved Brussels sprouts salad with a tangy vinaigrette. A wedge of sharp cheddar and a few apple slices make a simple, satisfying finish.

Tips for Success

  • Dice evenly. Cut the vegetables into roughly ½-inch pieces so they cook at the same rate.
  • Keep it at a simmer. Once the turkey goes in, avoid a hard boil, which toughens cooked meat.
  • Season at the end. Leftover turkey and stock both carry salt, so taste before adding more.
  • Skim the stock. If chilled homemade stock has a layer of fat on top, lift it off for a cleaner broth.
  • Store and freeze smart. Refrigerate leftovers and finish them within a few days. The soup freezes well for up to three months; leave headspace in containers, and freeze it without noodles or rice, which turn mushy when thawed.

Make the most of the whole bird with TABLE’s Homemade Stock Recipes, then work through the rest of your leftovers with our gluten-free turkey enchiladas verde. 

For more cozy bowls, browse our soups and stews collection, and bake a batch of Hot Honey Buttermilk Biscuits for dunking.

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A blue bowl full of turkey and vegetable soup with a leafy green garnish and another bowl in the background.

Leftover Turkey Vegetable Soup Ready in 30 Minutes


  • Author: Rhonda Schuldt
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 Servings (6 Cups) 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

A quick, one-pot soup of leftover turkey, carrot, celery, onion, fire-roasted tomatoes, and turkey stock.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium carrot, diced
  • 1 rib celery, diced
  • ½ cup diced onion
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 1 (14-oz) can diced tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
  • 1 qt (4 cups) turkey stock (see notes)
  • 2 cups shredded leftover turkey
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste


Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the carrot, celery, onion, and garlic and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes, until softened.
  2. Add the tomatoes with their juices, the turkey stock, and the turkey. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the turkey is heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

  • It’s easy to make turkey stock from the leftover carcass of your turkey.
  • Corrected from the original card, which listed 1 cup of turkey; the instructions call for 2 cups.
  • Freeze up to 3 months; add cooked noodles or rice when serving, not before freezing.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1½ cups
  • Calories: 240
About the Recipe Author

Rhonda Schuldt is a TABLE Magazine contributor who writes about practical, comforting home cooking. Her recipes for TABLE range from family classics like Nancy’s Layered Meatloaf and Easy as Shepherd’s Pie to holiday showpieces like Porchetta-Inspired Turkey, plus smart second acts such as Easy Recipes for Leftover Beef Brisket and Homemade Stock Recipes. Find all of her stories on her TABLE author page.

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine’s print edition.

Buffalo Turkey Sliders Made With Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey

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Three buffalo turkey sliders on a white plate and wood table.

By the weekend after Thanksgiving, most of us are ready to trade sage and gravy for something with a little more kick. These Buffalo turkey sliders deliver. TABLE contributor Rhonda Schuldt borrows everything people love about Buffalo wings, including the buttery, vinegary heat, tangy blue cheese, the crunch of celery, and piles it onto soft slider buns with shredded leftover turkey. They’re great for football Saturdays, casual get-togethers, and anyone who needs a break from the traditional holiday menu.

The sauce follows the classic Buffalo formula of equal parts melted butter and hot wing sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot, seasoned with garlic powder and black pepper. The butter tames the vinegar bite and helps the sauce cling to every strand of turkey, while the hot sauce brings the heat. Schuldt suggests making plenty, since it keeps well in the fridge and is just as good on eggs, roasted vegetables, or grilled chicken.

Leftover turkey soaks up the sauce, and a mix of white and dark meat gives the sliders both tenderness and richness. Each slider takes just two tablespoons of sauce and half a cup of turkey, so the recipe is easy to scale up for a crowd or down for a quick lunch for one.

There is no shame in shortcuts here. Store-bought slider buns, bottled hot sauce, and a jar of good blue cheese dressing get these on the table in about 20 minutes, which is part of their charm on a busy weekend. If you have a little more time, crumble fresh blue cheese into the dressing for a chunkier, more pungent topping, or add a few pickled red onions for color and tang. The same sauced turkey also makes a great filling for wraps, quesadillas, and baked potatoes.

How Do I Make Buffalo Turkey Sliders Gluten-Free or Dairy-Free?

For gluten-free sliders, use gluten-free slider buns or dinner rolls, or serve the Buffalo turkey in butter lettuce cups for a lighter option. Most traditional cayenne-based wing sauces are gluten-free, but check labels, since some bottled blue cheese dressings and flavored hot sauces contain wheat-based thickeners.

For dairy-free sliders, swap the butter in the sauce for a plant-based butter or a neutral oil such as avocado oil. The sauce will be slightly thinner but just as flavorful. Replace the blue cheese dressing with a dairy-free ranch, or stir a little garlic, lemon juice, and fresh dill into vegan mayonnaise for a quick creamy topping. Double-check the buns, too, since many soft rolls are made with milk or butter.

Can I Make Buffalo Turkey Sliders in a Slow Cooker?

Yes, and it’s the easiest way to serve them at a party. Combine the shredded turkey and sauce in a slow cooker and warm on low for 1 to 2 hours, stirring once or twice, then switch to the warm setting. Guests can build their own sliders straight from the pot. For a baked, pull-apart version, set a slab of connected slider buns in a baking dish, fill with the sauced turkey, brush the tops with melted butter, cover with foil, and bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes, until warmed through.

What Can I Serve With Buffalo Turkey Sliders?

Lean into wing-night classics: carrot and celery sticks with extra blue cheese dressing, a crunchy coleslaw, or a basket of fries or kettle chips. Roasted Brussels sprouts or a crisp green salad keep things lighter. To drink, a cold lager or a crisp, slightly off-dry Riesling helps cool the heat.

Tips for Success

  • Warm the turkey first. Cold turkey won’t absorb the sauce well. Reheat it gently, covered, with a splash of stock, before tossing.
  • Shred, don’t slice. Thin shreds catch more sauce than thick slices of breast meat.
  • Toast the buns. A quick toast in a dry skillet or under the broiler keeps the bottoms from going soggy.
  • Tune the heat. Add more hot sauce for more fire, or a little more butter for milder sliders that kids will eat.
  • Store the sauce. Leftover Buffalo sauce keeps refrigerated in a covered jar for up to a week. The butter firms up as it chills, so rewarm it gently, whisking, before using.

Looking for more ways to use up the bird? Our leftover turkey recipes include Gluten-Free Leftover Turkey Enchiladas Verde Casserole.

Planning a game-day spread? Pair these sliders with TABLE’s Meatballs in Cranberry Gochujang Sauce, Crispy Butter Beans with Whipped Chèvre.

Read the rest of our appetizer recipes.

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Three buffalo turkey sliders on a white plate and wood table.

Buffalo Turkey Sliders


  • Author: Rhonda Schuldt
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 8 Sliders 1x

Description

Shredded leftover turkey tossed in buttery Buffalo sauce and piled on slider buns with blue cheese dressing and diced celery.


Ingredients

Scale

For the buffalo sauce:

  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter
  • ½ cup hot wing sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot, plus more to taste
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp black pepper

For the sliders:

  • 4 cups shredded leftover roast turkey, warmed
  • 8 slider buns, split
  • ½ cup blue cheese dressing
  • 1 rib celery, finely diced (optional)


Instructions

  1. Make the sauce: Combine the butter and hot sauce in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and whisk until melted and smooth. Add more hot sauce to increase the heat, if desired. Season with garlic powder and black pepper.
  2. Make the sliders: Toss the warm turkey with the sauce, using about 2 tablespoons of sauce for every ½ cup of turkey.
  3. Divide the turkey among the slider buns. Top with blue cheese dressing and diced celery, if desired.

Notes

  • Quantities scaled from the author’s per-slider ratio of 2 tablespoons sauce to ½ cup turkey.
  • Leftover sauce keeps, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Appetizer/Sandwich
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Slider
  • Calories: 420
About the Recipe Author

Rhonda Schuldt is a TABLE Magazine contributor who writes about practical, comforting home cooking. Her recipes for TABLE range from family classics like Nancy’s Layered Meatloaf and Easy as Shepherd’s Pie to holiday showpieces like Porchetta-Inspired Turkey, plus smart second acts such as Easy Recipes for Leftover Beef Brisket and Homemade Stock Recipes. Find all of her stories on her TABLE author page.

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine’s print edition.

Leftover Turkey Salad Sandwiches, Classic and Curried

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A croissant with turkey salad sandwich filling between its layers and a small salad behind it.

Turkey salad may be the most practical leftover recipe of all. It takes about 15 minutes, needs no reheating, and turns a container of cold roast turkey into lunches for days. TABLE contributor Rhonda Schuldt offers two versions, so you can make whichever suits your mood, or make both and set them out side by side.

The classic turkey salad is old-fashioned comfort: shredded turkey, diced celery, chopped hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt, and a little mustard, seasoned with salt and pepper. The eggs make it extra creamy and hearty, while celery adds the crunch every good chicken or turkey salad needs. The curried turkey salad goes in a brighter, lighter direction. Greek yogurt, curry powder, and garlic powder form a tangy, warmly spiced dressing, and finely diced cucumber and crisp green apple bring freshness and a little sweetness.

Either way, the dressing puts in work. Leftover turkey, especially white meat, can dry out after a few days in the refrigerator; folding it into a creamy dressing brings back moisture and flavor. Serve the salad on toasted bread, crackers, salad greens, or thick tomato slices, or enjoy it straight from the bowl with a fork.

Both versions are easy to customize. Stir dried cranberries or chopped grapes into the classic salad for a sweet note, add fresh dill or tarragon for an herbal twist, or fold in a spoonful of leftover cranberry sauce to make Thanksgiving-in-a-sandwich. In the curried version, golden raisins, diced red onion, or chopped fresh cilantro all work well. Taste as you go and adjust the seasoning, since leftover turkey can vary in saltiness. A little extra black pepper or a squeeze of lemon can make a big difference.

How Do I Make Turkey Salad Gluten-Free or Dairy-Free?

The turkey salad itself is gluten-free; the gluten comes from what you serve it on. Swap in gluten-free bread or crackers, or skip the bread entirely and serve the salad in lettuce cups, on thick tomato slices, or spooned into a halved avocado. Check the labels on your mustard and curry powder, since a few blends contain wheat or are processed alongside it.

For a dairy-free version, use mayonnaise in the classic salad rather than Greek yogurt; regular mayonnaise is made from eggs and oil, not dairy. In the curried version, replace the Greek yogurt with an unsweetened plain dairy-free yogurt, such as a coconut- or oat-based one, or use mayonnaise with a squeeze of lemon. 

How Long Does Turkey Salad Last in the Fridge?

Because it starts with leftovers, turkey salad has a shorter shelf life than you might expect. Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat it within a day or two, staying within three to four days of when the turkey was first cooked. The curried version is best the day it’s made, since the cucumber releases water as it sits. Don’t freeze turkey salad; mayonnaise, yogurt, and hard-boiled eggs all turn watery or rubbery when thawed.

What Can I serve With Turkey Salad Sandwiches?

A cup of soup is the classic partner, especially one made from the same holiday leftovers. Other easy sides include kettle chips, dill pickles, a simple green salad, fresh fruit, or a crunchy slaw. For a party, pile turkey salad onto mini croissants or crackers as an appetizer, or set out both versions with an assortment of breads and greens so guests can build their own.

Tips for Success

  • Chop to the same size. Dice the turkey, celery, eggs, cucumber, and apple into similar pieces so every bite is balanced.
  • Dress gradually. Start with less mayonnaise or yogurt and add more as needed. You can always add, but you can’t take it away.
  • Chill before serving. Thirty minutes in the refrigerator lets the flavors meld.
  • Toast the curry powder. Warm it in a dry skillet for 30 seconds before mixing it into the yogurt for deeper flavor.
  • Keep the apple bright. Toss the chopped apple with a little lemon juice so it doesn’t brown.
  • Cook the eggs right. Lower eggs into boiling water, simmer 11 to 12 minutes, then chill in an ice bath for easy peeling.

Turn lunch into a full spread with more of TABLE’s leftover turkey recipes like Gluten-Free Leftover Turkey Enchiladas Verde Casserole.

Love a good salad? Browse our salad recipes, or try the Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad and Black-Eyed Peas Salad for crunchy sides that pair well with sandwiches. 

And if it’s eggs you’re craving, our Deviled Eggs with Caviar dress up a classic.

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A croissant with turkey salad sandwich filling between its layers and a small salad behind it.

Turkey Salad Sandwiches, Classic and Curried


  • Author: Rhonda Schuldt
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings per version (about 4½ cups classic filling) 1x

Description

Two ways to turn leftover turkey into sandwich filling: a classic salad with egg, celery, and mustard, and a curried version with Greek yogurt, cucumber, and green apple.


Ingredients

Scale

For the classic version:

  • 3 cups shredded or diced leftover turkey
  • 2 ribs celery, diced
  • 3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
  • ½ cup mayonnaise (or plain Greek yogurt)
  • 1 to 2 tsp mustard of your choice
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste

For the curried version:

  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1½ tsp curry powder
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 3 cups shredded leftover turkey
  • ½ cup finely diced cucumber
  • 1 green apple, cored and chopped

For serving:

  • Toasted bread
  • Crackers
  • Salad greens
  • Tomato slices


Instructions

  1. Classic version: Stir together the turkey, celery, eggs, mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt), and mustard. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Curried version: Mix the Greek yogurt, curry powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in the turkey, cucumber, and apple.
  3. Serve on tomato slices, salad greens, toasted bread, or crackers.

Notes

  • Quantities standardized for the card; the original recipe listed ingredients without amounts.
  • The curried version needs no cooking and is ready in about 10 minutes.
  • Refrigerate up to 2 days. Do not freeze.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Category: Lunch/Sandwich
  • Method: Boiling
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: ¾ cup filling
  • Calories: 260
About the Recipe Author

Rhonda Schuldt is a TABLE Magazine contributor who writes about practical, comforting home cooking. Her recipes for TABLE range from family classics like Nancy’s Layered Meatloaf and Easy as Shepherd’s Pie to holiday showpieces like Porchetta-Inspired Turkey, plus smart second acts such as Easy Recipes for Leftover Beef Brisket and Homemade Stock Recipes. Find all of her stories on her TABLE author page.

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine’s print edition.

Gluten-Free Leftover Turkey Enchiladas Verde Casserole

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A variety of creative and mouthwatering dishes made from leftover turkey. From turkey sandwiches and salads to hearty casseroles and soups, these recipes offer exciting ways to repurpose and enjoy Thanksgiving leftovers.

Leftover turkey can feel like an edible chore by day four, but these gluten-free turkey enchiladas verde make it the main event again. We skip the fussiest part of enchilada night, rolling each tortilla one at a time, and build the dish like a casserole instead. Corn tortillas, shredded turkey, black beans, roasted corn, onion, and plenty of melted cheese go into a 9-by-13 pan in layers, then disappear under a blanket of tangy green enchilada sauce.

These layered enchiladas come together in about 20 minutes of hands-on time. The corn tortillas soften in the sauce as they bake, settling into tender layers that hold together like a Tex-Mex lasagna. Green sauce, made from tomatillos and chiles, has a bright, slightly sour edge that cuts through the richness of the cheese and keeps day-old turkey tasting lively. Black beans and corn stretch the meat further, so four cups of leftovers can comfortably feed eight people.

Because the recipe relies on corn tortillas rather than flour, it’s naturally gluten-free, which makes it an easy choice when holiday guests are still in town and someone at the table avoids wheat. Just read the label on the enchilada sauce, since some brands thicken theirs with flour. Measurements are loose by design, so you can use four cups of turkey or six, add a little more cheese, or fold in roasted peppers to make this recipe your own. 

Can I Use Red Sauce or Dairy-Free Cheese Instead?

Yes, and both swaps are worth trying. Rhonda notes the recipe works equally well with red enchilada sauce, which brings a deeper, earthier chile flavor that pairs nicely with dark meat. For a fully homemade version, replace the canned sauce with her roasted tomatillo and sweet onion salsa verde, thinned with a splash of turkey stock or water so it spreads easily over the tortillas. In a pinch, a jar of green salsa also works and is usually gluten-free.

If you’d rather use flour tortillas, go ahead. They make a softer, equally delicious bake, but the dish will no longer be gluten-free. To keep it gluten-free, confirm that your corn tortillas are labeled gluten-free, since some brands blend in wheat flour or are made on shared equipment. Leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken can replace the turkey cup for cup.

To make the enchiladas dairy-free, swap the cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese for a dairy-free shredded cheese that melts well, or leave the cheese out entirely and finish the baked casserole with sliced avocado and extra cilantro. Top servings with a dairy-free sour cream or a squeeze of lime in place of regular sour cream.

What Can I Serve With Turkey Enchiladas Verde?

Rich, cheesy enchiladas warrant something fresh and crunchy alongside it. Consider a green salad with lime vinaigrette, a quick cabbage slaw, or sliced radishes and cucumbers with salt and Tajin. Mexican-style rice and refried or charro beans turn it into a full combination plate. Warm tortilla chips with guacamole or homemade salsa verde are an easy starter. For toppings, set out sour cream, sliced scallions, chopped cilantro, pickled jalapeños, and your favorite hot sauce. Washing it down with a crisp Mexican lager or a classic margarita is never a bad idea.

Can I Make Enchiladas Ahead of Time?

Assemble, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add 10 to 15 minutes to the covered bake time when it goes straight from the fridge to the oven. Unbaked enchiladas also freeze for up to three months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.

Tips for success

  • Layer, don’t roll. Overlap the tortillas so they completely cover the pan. Small gaps let the filling poke through and dry out.
  • Warm stiff tortillas. Cold corn tortillas can crack. Wrap them in a damp towel and microwave for 30 seconds before layering.
  • Shred the turkey finely. Smaller pieces absorb more sauce and make the casserole easier to slice.
  • Don’t skip the rest. Ten minutes out of the oven lets the layers set so each square holds its shape.
  • Handle leftovers with care. Since the turkey has already spent time in the fridge, refrigerate any leftover enchiladas promptly and finish them within a day or two.

If you love green chile, try TABLE’s Mac and Cheese with Green Chile or the Lamb Loin With Green Chile Harissa. 

Browse our Dietary Needs recipes for more gluten-free ideas.

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A variety of creative and mouthwatering dishes made from leftover turkey. From turkey sandwiches and salads to hearty casseroles and soups, these recipes offer exciting ways to repurpose and enjoy Thanksgiving leftovers.

Gluten-Free Turkey Enchiladas Verde


  • Author: Rhonda Schuldt
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: Serves 8
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

A no-roll, layered enchilada casserole made with leftover turkey, corn tortillas, black beans, corn, and cheese under tangy green enchilada sauce.


Ingredients

Scale

For the enchiladas:

  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 1 (28-oz) can green enchilada sauce, gluten-free (see notes)
  • 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, gluten-free
  • 4 to 6 cups shredded leftover turkey
  • ½ yellow or red onion, chopped
  • 1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup roasted corn (canned or frozen work equally well)
  • 3 to 4 cups shredded cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese, divided

Optional toppings:

  • Sour cream
  • Sliced scallions
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Hot sauce


Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce over the bottom of the dish. Arrange 6 tortillas over the sauce, overlapping them to cover the bottom of the pan.
  3. Top with the turkey, onion, beans, and corn. Sprinkle with 1 to 2 cups of the cheese, depending on how cheesy you like your enchiladas. Pour about one-third of the remaining sauce over the filling.
  4. Cover with the remaining 6 tortillas, overlapping them to cover the filling. Pour the rest of the sauce over the top and spread it evenly to the edges. Top with the remaining cheese.
  5. Cover with foil and bake 20 to 30 minutes, until bubbly and heated through.
  6. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with sour cream, scallions, hot sauce, or cilantro, if desired.

Notes

  • If you can’t find gluten-free green enchilada sauce, use jarred green salsa, which is usually gluten-free, or the homemade Roasted Tomatillo and Sweet Onion Salsa Verde.
  • Red enchilada sauce works equally well.
  • Flour tortillas make a delicious version that is not gluten-free.
  • Make ahead: Assemble and refrigerate, covered, up to 24 hours; add 10 to 15 minutes to the bake time. Freeze unbaked up to 3 months.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Rest Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Tex-Mex

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 cup
  • Calories: 25
About the Recipe Author

Rhonda Schuldt is a TABLE Magazine contributor who writes about practical, comforting home cooking. Her recipes for TABLE range from family classics like Nancy’s Layered Meatloaf and Easy as Shepherd’s Pie to holiday showpieces like Porchetta-Inspired Turkey, plus smart second acts such as Easy Recipes for Leftover Beef Brisket and Homemade Stock Recipes. Find all of her stories on her TABLE author page.

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine’s print edition.

Homemade Halloween Crackers: Easy Cookie-Cutter Crackers Kids Can Make

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Homemade bat-shaped and ghost-shaped Halloween crackers sprinkled with sea salt.

Halloween cookie cutters usually come out once a year, for one batch of sugar cookies, before disappearing back into the drawer. This year, put them to work on something savory. These homemade Halloween crackers are crisp, golden, and lightly salted, and they come out of the oven shaped like bats, ghosts, pumpkins, and whatever other creatures your cutter collection holds.

The recipe comes from Kari Moore of Le Craker, and it’s a natural fit for the healthy Halloween snacks TABLE contributor Kelly Kinsey gathered for her family’s celebration. Kelly’s goal is to balance the season’s candy haul with real food that still feels festive, and few things are more satisfying than a cracker you rolled and cut yourself. With just flour, sea salt, baking powder, olive oil, and water, the dough comes together in minutes, and the hands-on rolling and cutting make it an ideal project for cooking with kids.

Why Make Crackers from Scratch?

Store-bought crackers are convenient, but homemade crackers have a few advantages. You control the ingredients, so there are no preservatives or hard-to-pronounce additives. The olive oil gives them a rich, clean flavor that pairs well with cheese, dips, and cured meats. And because you cut them yourself, they can take any shape you like, which turns an everyday snack into a centerpiece for a Halloween party board.

They’re also inexpensive. A batch of crackers costs a fraction of a fancy box from the cheese counter, and the recipe doubles easily for a crowd. Leftover dough scraps can be gently pressed together and rerolled once.

How to Make Homemade Halloween Crackers

Start by whisking the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl. Add the olive oil and work it in with a fork or your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Then add the water and mix just until the dough forms a ball. If it’s too crumbly, add a bit more water; if it’s sticky, add a little more flour. Try not to overwork the dough, which can make the finished crackers tough and chewy.

Let the dough rest for 30 minutes. That short break relaxes the gluten, so the dough rolls out more easily and won’t shrink in the oven. Roll it out on a floured surface to about ⅛ inch thick, cut out your shapes, and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes, until lightly browned and crisp.

Tips for Crisp, Even Crackers

Roll evenly. Crackers bake best when they’re the same thickness. Rolling between two sheets of parchment helps, and so do rolling-pin spacer rings.

Dock the dough. Pricking each cracker a few times with a fork prevents large air bubbles. For bats and ghosts, a couple of well-placed holes can double as eyes.

Bake by color. Small shapes brown faster than large ones, so bake similar sizes together and pull the crackers once their edges turn golden. Let them cool completely on the pan; they’ll keep crisping as they cool.

Season creatively. Try a sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning, smoked paprika, or dried rosemary along with the sea salt. A brush of olive oil before baking helps toppings stick.

Store them well. Keep cooled crackers in an airtight container for up to a week. If they soften, re-crisp them in a 300°F oven for a few minutes.

How to Make Halloween Crackers Gluten-Free

These crackers are already dairy-free and nut-free, and they can be made gluten-free, too. Replace the all-purpose flour with an equal amount of a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. Gluten-free dough is more fragile, so roll it between two sheets of parchment, chill the rolled dough for 10 minutes before cutting, and use a thin spatula to move the shapes to the baking sheet. Expect a slightly more delicate, sandy texture.

More Halloween Recipes from TABLE

Make this board the centerpiece of your spread with Kelly’s Halloween Mummy Dip and Deviled Egg Spiders. Want another showpiece? Our Savory Pumpkin Dip with a Halloween Skull Cheese Board crowns a Brie skull with marigolds, and the Roasted Squash Salad with Mozzarella Skulls is a fresh side for the same table. Browse more crowd-pleasers in our Appetizer section.

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Homemade bat-shaped and ghost-shaped Halloween crackers sprinkled with sea salt.

Homemade Halloween Crackers: Easy Cookie-Cutter Crackers Kids Can Make


  • Author: Kari Moore at Le Craker
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 36 crackers 1x
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

Crisp, olive oil crackers made with six pantry ingredients and cut into bats, ghosts, and pumpkins with Halloween cookie cutters.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup water
  • Additional sea salt, for topping


Instructions

  1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
  2. Add the olive oil and, using a fork or your fingers, mix until combined and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  3. Add the water and mix just until the dough comes together into a ball.
  4. If the dough is too crumbly, add a bit more water. If it’s too sticky, add a bit more flour. Try not to overwork the dough.
  5. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes, then roll it out on a floured surface to 1/8 inch thick.
  6. Cut into shapes using your favorite cookie cutters. Place the cut-outs on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  7. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and crispy.

Notes

Gluten-free: Substitute a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. Roll between parchment and chill 10 minutes before cutting.

Docking: Prick each cracker with a fork to prevent bubbling.

Storage: Airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Rest Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Snack
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 6 crackers
  • Calories: 230
About the Recipe Author

Kari Moore is the baker behind Le Craker, where she makes crackers from scratch.

About the Story Author

Kelly Kinsey is a Pittsburgh home cook, mom of two, and TABLE Magazine contributor who specializes in playful, family-friendly recipes for the Kids Table. A self-described seasonal curmudgeon who still goes all out for Halloween, she learned to bake at her grandmother’s side and now cooks with her own kids. Read more of her work at TABLE.

About the Photographer

BurkleHagen is a commercial food photography studio led by owner and creative director Andrew Burkle. The team specializes in photography, food styling, motion, and set styling for local and national brands, restaurants, chefs, and cookbooks. See more at burklehagen.com and on Instagram.

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.

Spooky Halloween Charcuterie Board with Carrot Witch Fingers and Cheese Ghosts

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Carrot sticks on a black plate with red fingernails on them below two slices of cheese made to look like jack o lanterns.

A great charcuterie board already does most of the work at a party. It feeds a crowd, suits every appetite, and invites guests to linger. This Halloween charcuterie board adds a little mischief to the mix. Carrot witch fingers with red pepper nails reach across the board, cheese ghosts and bats flutter among the salami, and sweet potato pumpkins round out a spread that’s as wholesome as it is spooky.

The board comes from TABLE contributor Kelly Kinsey, a Pittsburgh mom of two who believes Halloween snacking doesn’t have to mean a sugar overload. Her approach is to “Halloweenify” healthy staples with a paring knife and a set of cookie cutters, then surround them with the cured meats, olives, and pickles that make any board a hit. Despite how impressive the finished board looks, every element is manageable for novice cooks of all ages.

How to Make Carrot Witch Fingers

The witch fingers are the board’s showstoppers, and they start with an ordinary bag of carrots. Peel each carrot and cut a 3-inch piece from the tapered tip end. With a paring knife, carve a small, flat shelf on the tip to make a secure spot for the fingernail. Then cut a red bell pepper into small pieces sized to fit each tip. A dab of cream cheese glues each nail in place.

For extra creepiness, use the knife to score two or three shallow lines across the middle of each carrot to look like knuckles. Arrange the fingers so they appear to be creeping in from the edge of the board.

Thick-cut cheese slices are the canvas for the rest of the spooky shapes. Kelly uses white cheese, such as Miceli Dairy mozzarella, for ghosts, and yellow and orange cheeses, such as Gouda, cheddar, and Colby from Middlefield Original Cheese, for bats, pumpkins, moons, and leaves. Ask the deli counter to slice the cheese about ¼-inch thick so the shapes hold together, then press out the designs with Halloween cookie cutters.

Kelly is still on the hunt for one ingredient. “If y’all find black cheese, let a girl know!” she says. Until then, a dark rind, a dusting of black sesame seeds, or tiny olive-slice eyes can add contrast. Save the cheese scraps left over from cutting; they’re perfect for snacking, melting into a quick mac and cheese, or tucking into the mummy dip.

Sweet Potato Pumpkins

For a sweet, earthy element, slice large sweet potatoes into ½-inch rounds and press a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter into each one. We like to roast the cut-outs at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re tender with lightly caramelized edges, so they’re easy to snack on. Serve them warm or at room temperature. Kids who are wary of vegetables tend to find a pumpkin-shaped sweet potato far more convincing than a plain wedge.

How to Build a Killer Halloween Board

Once the spooky elements are ready, fill in around them with the classics Kelly relies on for “killer boards”: folds of prosciutto, thinly sliced salami, a mix of olives, Marcona almonds, pickled green beans, and a handful of popcorn or corn nuts for crunch. Start with the largest items, like the cheese and meats, then tuck smaller ones into the gaps. Place the carrot fingers last so they stay visible and look like they’re reaching for a snack. Most of the board can be prepped earlier in the day; cover the cut cheese and vegetables tightly and refrigerate until party time.

How to Make a Dairy-Free and Nut-Free Halloween Board

Dairy-free: Use dairy-free cheese blocks for the ghosts and bats; firm, sliceable varieties hold cookie-cutter shapes best. Swap the cream cheese “glue” for hummus or a dab of mashed avocado.

Nut-free: Skip the Marcona almonds and add roasted pumpkin seeds or extra popcorn for crunch. Check labels on salami and other cured meats, which are sometimes processed in facilities that handle nuts.

More Halloween Recipes from TABLE

Make this board the centerpiece of your spread with Kelly’s Halloween Mummy Dip and Deviled Egg Spiders. Want another showpiece? Our Savory Pumpkin Dip with a Halloween Skull Cheese Board crowns a Brie skull with marigolds, and the Roasted Squash Salad with Mozzarella Skulls is a fresh side for the same table. Browse more crowd-pleasers in our Appetizer section.

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Carrot sticks on a black plate with red fingernails on them below two slices of cheese made to look like jack o lanterns.

Spooky Halloween Charcuterie Board


  • Author: Kelly Kinsey
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 16 servings 1x

Description

A healthy Halloween charcuterie board with carrot witch fingers, cookie-cutter cheese ghosts and bats, and roasted sweet potato pumpkins, filled out with cured meats, olives, almonds, and pickles.


Ingredients

Scale

For the Halloween elements:

  • 1 bag carrots (about 1 lb)
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1/2 to 1 lb white cheese, such as mozzarella, thick-cut sliced
  • 1/2 to 1 lb yellow cheese, such as Gouda, cheddar, or Colby, thick-cut sliced
  • 2 large yams or sweet potatoes
  • 1 tbsp cream cheese

For filling out the board:

  • 1 lb prosciutto
  • 1 lb salami, thinly sliced
  • 1 lb assorted olives
  • 4 to 6 oz Marcona almonds
  • 8 oz pickled green beans
  • Popcorn or corn nuts


Instructions

For the carrot “fingers”:

  1. Peel the carrots and cut each about 3 inches from the tip.
  2. Carve a small shelf on each carrot tip to make a secure spot for the red pepper fingernail.
  3. Slice the red bell pepper into small pieces sized to fit the carrot tips. Use a dab of cream cheese to secure each “nail” in place.

For the cheese ghosts and bats and sweet potato pumpkins:

  1. Use Halloween cookie cutters to cut ghosts from the white cheese and bats, pumpkins, moons, and leaves from the yellow cheese.
  2. Slice the yams into 1/2-inch-thick rounds and press the pumpkin cookie cutter into each to imprint or cut out the design.
  3. Optional: Roast the sweet potato pumpkins on a parchment-lined sheet at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender.

To assemble:

  1. Arrange the cheeses and meats on a large board, then fill in with olives, almonds, pickled green beans, popcorn or corn nuts, and the sweet potato pumpkins. Add the carrot fingers last.

Notes

Dairy-free: Use firm dairy-free cheese blocks for cut-outs; use hummus instead of cream cheese to attach the nails.

Nut-free: Omit Marcona almonds; add roasted pumpkin seeds or extra popcorn. Check cured-meat labels for cross-contact.

Editor’s note: The original recipe does not specify cooking the sweet potatoes; the optional roasting step is a TABLE suggestion.

Make ahead: Cut vegetables and cheese up to 8 hours ahead; cover tightly and refrigerate.

  • Prep Time: 45 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: No-Cook (with optional roasting)
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/16 of board
  • Calories: 480
About the Recipe Author

Kelly Kinsey is a Pittsburgh home cook, mom of two, and TABLE Magazine contributor who specializes in playful, family-friendly recipes for the Kids Table. A self-described seasonal curmudgeon who still goes all out for Halloween, she learned to bake at her grandmother’s side and now cooks with her own kids. Read more of her work at TABLE.

About the Photographer

BurkleHagen is a commercial food photography studio led by owner and creative director Andrew Burkle. The team specializes in photography, food styling, motion, and set styling for local and national brands, restaurants, chefs, and cookbooks. See more at burklehagen.com and on Instagram.

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.

Deviled Egg Spiders: An Easy Halloween Appetizer with Bacon and Scallions

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Deviled eggs topped with black olive spiders on a Halloween serving platter.

Every Halloween, somebody steps on a plastic spider hiding in the carpet. These spiders are much better company. Each one perches on a creamy deviled egg, its black olive body and legs stretched across a swirl of yolk filling flecked with crisp bacon and fresh scallion. They look like they might scuttle off the platter, and they disappear just as quickly.

The recipe comes from TABLE contributor Kelly Kinsey, who admits to a touch of seasonal curmudgeonry but makes up for it with a mad-scientist approach to Halloween cooking. Her goal is simple: trade some of the season’s sugar rush for real food that still feels like a treat. Deviled eggs fit the bill perfectly. They’re packed with protein, easy to make ahead, and they welcome a little creepy decoration.

What Makes These Halloween Deviled Eggs Different

Classic deviled eggs lean on mayonnaise. Kelly uses sour cream instead, which gives the filling a lighter, tangier flavor and a silky texture that pipes beautifully. For mustard, she likes a pale ale-style mustard from Trader Joe’s, which adds a malty depth that plain yellow mustard can’t match. Dijon or a good stone-ground mustard works, too.

The mix-ins make these eggs worth a second trip to the platter. Finely chopped bacon adds smoky crunch, and a sliced scallion brings a fresh, oniony bite. A pinch of salt and pepper is all the seasoning they need. If you like your filling extra creamy, add more sour cream a spoonful at a time until it’s as smooth as you want.

How to Make Black Olive Spiders

The spiders look intricate, but they take just two cuts. Slice a pitted black olive in half lengthwise. One half becomes the spider’s body; set it, cut side down, in the center of the filling. Slice the other half crosswise into thin, curved strips. Those arcs become the legs. Arrange four on each side of the body, curving them outward so they look like they’re crawling.

This is an ideal job for kids. Olives are forgiving, legs can go anywhere, and a spider with a few extra limbs only looks more alarming. Let young helpers do the decorating while an adult handles the knife work.

Tips for Perfect Deviled Egg Spiders

Start with easy-peel eggs. Eggs that are a week or so old peel more cleanly than very fresh ones. Cook them in boiling water for 12 minutes, then plunge them into an ice bath before peeling.

Pipe for a polished look. Spoon the filling into a piping bag or a zip-top bag with one corner snipped off. It’s faster than spooning and gives each egg a neat, generous swirl. Just chop the bacon and scallion very finely so they don’t clog the tip.

Make them ahead. Boil and peel the eggs and mix the filling up to a day ahead, storing the whites and filling separately in the refrigerator. Pipe and add the spiders within a few hours of serving.

Travel smart. A deviled egg carrier or a muffin tin keeps the eggs upright on the way to a party.

Keep them cold. Deviled eggs shouldn’t sit at room temperature for more than two hours. For a long party, nestle the platter over a tray of crushed ice, or set out a dozen at a time and refill from the refrigerator as the spiders disappear.

Mix up the colors. Green olives make lighter, more cartoonish spiders, and a dusting of smoked paprika over the filling gives the eggs a fiery orange glow.

How to Make Deviled Egg Spiders Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free

Gluten-free: Mustards made with beer, including pale ale-style mustards, typically contain gluten. Swap in a Dijon or yellow mustard labeled gluten-free, and check that your bacon is gluten-free, too.

Dairy-free: Replace the sour cream with an equal amount of mayonnaise or a plant-based sour cream. Mayonnaise is traditionally made with eggs and oil, not dairy, and gives the filling a classic, rich flavor.

More Halloween Recipes from TABLE

Round out your party table with Kelly’s warm, cheesy Halloween Mummy Dip. For more creepy-crawlies, make our blackberry Berry Scary Spider Treats, and for a bigger spread, explore 8 Spooky-Good Halloween Party Recipes, including Jack O’Lantern Roasted Beets. Need a drink for the grown-ups? Try our Pumpkin Spice Martini.

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Deviled eggs topped with black olive spiders on a Halloween serving platter.

Deviled Egg Spiders


  • Author: Kelly Kinsey
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 12 deviled egg halves (6 servings) 1x

Description

Creamy deviled eggs made with sour cream, pale ale mustard, bacon, and scallion, topped with black olive spiders for a fun, protein-packed Halloween appetizer.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
  • 1/4 cup sour cream, plus more as needed
  • 1 tbsp mustard (such as Trader Joe’s pale ale mustard)
  • 1/8 tsp salt, or to taste
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
  • 1 scallion, finely chopped
  • 2 slices cooked bacon, finely chopped
  • 6 pitted black olives, for spiders


Instructions

  1. Cut the eggs in half lengthwise.
  2. Scoop out the yolks and add them to a mixing bowl.
  3. Mash the yolks with a fork, then fold in the sour cream, mustard, salt, pepper, scallion, and bacon, mixing well.
  4. Add more sour cream, a spoonful at a time, until the filling reaches your desired consistency.
  5. Pipe or spoon the filling into the egg white halves.
  6. Halve each olive lengthwise. Place one half, cut side down, on each egg as the spider’s body. Slice the remaining halves crosswise into thin strips and arrange four on each side of the body as legs.

Notes

To hard-boil eggs: Lower eggs into boiling water and cook 12 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath for 5 minutes, then peel.

Gluten-free: Beer-based mustards typically contain gluten. Use a Dijon or yellow mustard labeled gluten-free, and check bacon labels.

Dairy-free: Replace sour cream with an equal amount of mayonnaise or plant-based sour cream.

Make ahead: Store whites and filling separately, refrigerated, up to 1 day. Fill and decorate within a few hours of serving.

Editor’s note: The original recipe calls for olive spiders in the method; olives have been added to the ingredient list.

  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Boiling
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 deviled egg halves
  • Calories: 115
About the Recipe Author

Kelly Kinsey is a Pittsburgh home cook, mom of two, and TABLE Magazine contributor who specializes in playful, family-friendly recipes for the Kids Table. A self-described seasonal curmudgeon who still goes all out for Halloween, she learned to bake at her grandmother’s side and now cooks with her own kids. Read more of her work at TABLE.

About the Photographer

BurkleHagen is a commercial food photography studio led by owner and creative director Andrew Burkle. The team specializes in photography, food styling, motion, and set styling for local and national brands, restaurants, chefs, and cookbooks. See more at burklehagen.com and on Instagram.

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.

Collier’s Cuts: Up Close and Deceptive With Fraudster Elizabeth Holmes in ‘You Can See Everything’

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Elizabeth Holmes stands in her kitchen with Nathan Fielder behind her in the background.
An orange rating card for You Can See Everything with a picture of Elizabeth Holmes and a 4/5 star rating.

It’s an unlikely choice for the week’s most hotly anticipated new movie: A three-hour documentary about a comedian hanging out with a convicted fraudster. Yet there’s such a car-crash appeal to You Can See Everything, in which directors Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim spend days with Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, that crowds have lined up to see it.

You Can See Everything Documents Elizabeth Holmes’ Final Days of Freedom

Holmes, who was convicted of fraud related to her once-vaunted medical startup, Theranos, remains a beguiling figure. She’s never admitted her guilt, even in the face of monumental evidence, and has maintained a persecuted stance and an irrational optimism even as her empire fell. It’s difficult to get a read on her: Is she naive and idealistic or calculating and manipulative?

After three hours of You Can See Everything, I don’t have an answer. That’s to the film’s credit.

Holmes and her partner, Billy Evans, invited comedian and filmmaker Fielder and acclaimed documentarian (and director of the recently released Primetime) Lance Oppenheim to spend several weeks with them as incarceration loomed. Fielder, who serves more as an interviewer and a character than a filmmaker, immediately asks an obvious question: Was he selected because he’s not a serious journalist?

Holmes evades the question, but the uncertainty is immediately established — and doesn’t dissipate.

Nathan Fielder Is Another Unreliable Narrator in a Swamp of Confusion

To watch You Can See Everything is to witness three people — Holmes, Fielder and Evans — compete to out-sincere one another. Holmes says she wants a chance to demonstrate who she really is but always seems to be performing. Fielder plays the role of legitimate journalist but can’t resist inserting himself into his subject’s lives. Evans insists he’s operating in his partner’s interests but is clearly engaged in building his own brand.

It falls to one additional player (whose identity I won’t divulge) to point out the disingenuous behavior exhibited by every player in this unusual drama — in spite of the fact that she herself is also clearly, and sometimes literally, performing.

Most documentaries aim to convince the viewer of a perspective; You Can See Everything remains permanently in search of one. In that regard, it’s a noble example of the form; these filmmakers clearly followed the story as it evolved, even as it spun into something very different from what was intended.

It May Be More Fiction Than Nonfiction, But It’s Fascinating and Entertaining

There are already those who have accused You Can See Everything of being pure performance. It’s a charge that makes a certain sense; long stretches are almost certainly bits of acting rather than fly-on-the-wall observation.

To get bogged down in a Catfish-style debate over verisimilitude is, however, to miss the point. You Can See Everything is a remarkable document of the weaknesses of pursuing clarity in a post-truth world. It’s not that Fielder and Oppenheim can’t uncover the hidden reality behind Holmes’ surface; it’s that reality, in this case, may not even exist. There are only layers and layers of intention, misunderstanding and (perhaps) deceit.

Some may find that depressing; I found it exhilarating. In both quantum mechanics and human relations, the outcome changes when it’s observed. You Can See Everything may not be the most grounded documentary you’ll see, but it’s quite possibly the most alive.

Whalefall, Street Fighter and Sense & Sensibility All Hit Theaters This Weekend

Based on a well-regarded novel by Daniel Kraus, Whalefall has a setting both novel and … well, Biblical. Jay (Austin Abrams), mourning the death of his estranged father (Josh Brolin), heads into the ocean for a bit of SCUBA diving — only to be accidentally swallowed by a passing sperm whale. With 40 minutes of oxygen in his tank, Jay needs to figure out how one escapes from the belly of a whale. About half of Whalefall takes place inside the great mammal; those scenes are thrilling, viscerally upsetting and well-performed. The frame story, about Jay’s relationship with his iron-jaw Dad, is less entertaining. But you’ll be glued to your seat anyway.

The likely box-office winner — if not the most prominent movie in this week’s film-world discourse — is Street Fighter, a new movie adaptation of the popular video-game franchise. The movie assembled an intriguingly oddball cast to fill out the game’s roster, including Jason Momoa as Blanka, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson as Balrog, David Dastmalchian as M. Bison and Cody Rhodes as Guile. Trailers look fun enough — and it won’t have trouble surpassing the quality of the 1994 adaptation with Jean-Claude Van Damme.

Back to a Classic

The timing seems odd on the release of Sense and Sensibility, another adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved novel. It’d be less surprising to see this take hit theaters somewhere adjacent the Valentine’s Day — a la this year’s Wuthering Heights — or closer to the end of the year, if an awards play was forthcoming. Still, early reviews have been positive for British director Georgia Oakley’s work; the film stars Daisy Edgar-Jones as Elinor Dashwood and George MacKay as Edward Ferrars.

Whalefall will be one of two films in this week’s Top Ten starring up-and-comer Austin Abrams, who also leads the recent horror hit Resident Evil — a film I’d call the best new horror flick of this Halloween season. Elsewhere at the multiplex, don’t expect The Social Reckoning to stick around for too long; it debuted in a dismal seventh place (although I liked it more than most critics). Aaron Sorkin’s film joins the widely panned Digger as this month’s high-profile flops; unlike Social Reckoning, I agree with the consensus on Digger and recommend that you avoid it unless morbidly curious.

Read more of Sean Collier’s movie reviews in our guide to the arts, culture, and entertainment.

About the Author

Sean Collier is the editor-in-chief of Shady Ave and the arts and culture editor of TABLE Magazine. Before joining the TABLE Media team, he spent nearly 15 years as a writer, editor and columnist at Pittsburgh Magazine. As the in-house film critic for the top-rated WDVE Morning Show since 2009, he’s been Pittsburgh’s most widely heard voice on movies for nearly two decades. A Pittsburgh native, Sean has since 2020 appeared weekly on KDKA-TV’s popular Pittsburgh Today Live talk show. He’s the co-founder of Vigilance Theater Group and an active stand-up comedian and event host. He can be found on Instagram and Twitter at @seancollierpgh.

Photo Courtesy of A24

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Your Full Moon in Taurus Horoscope for October 2026

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An October full moon hidden behind dark trees in the night sky.

The Full Moon of October 26 falls in Taurus, the sign of the Bull. Taurus is the part of the zodiac given to cultivation and upkeep, the slow and steady work of keeping what you have in good order. Traditional sources place it in stables and storehouses, cellars and low rooms, places close to the ground and built to keep provisions safe.

What Does a Taurus Full Moon Represent?

But in our day to day lives, Taurus tends to describe reserves of every kind, from savings and daily routines to a household that runs well and friendships you’ve kept up for years. Taurus favors continuity over expansion, and it measures success by whether the supply lasts through the lean months.

The sign belongs to Venus, and the Moon is exalted there, which makes a Full Moon in Taurus one of the more comfortable lunations of the year (all things considered). It favors stability and good food, a full larder and few surprises. But the rest of the sky this month is less obliging. Mercury squares Mars, and Mercury and Venus are both retrograde, so the month pushes and unsettles while this Moon digs in.

The Bull’s patience is its strength, and stubbornness is the price. Under pressure Taurus hardens, hoarding resources and defending habits past their usefulness. The useful version of this Full Moon keeps tending what you already have while the noise passes, and saves the big moves for after it does.

Deborah Houlding’s Taurus overview at Skyscript goes back to the Taurean Age, when domesticating the ox gave settled farming the plough, and follows the bull through the temple cults of Egypt and Crete. It also carries the best practical advice on the sign: you can’t push a bull, you can only lead it from the front. Worth reading if someone stubborn is testing you this month, or if the stubborn one is you.

Mercury Square Mars: Force Against Cleverness

Mercury is retrograde in Scorpio, a sign associated with information we keep close and secrets we tend to hold back. Mars is in Leo, where its heat goes into pride and display and the need to be seen winning. As Mercury moves to the square of Mars, those two conditions grind against each other. Thinking turns guarded and second-guessing while the pressure to act gets louder.

Astrologers have long read contacts between these two planets as a contest between force and cleverness, and in a square neither side wins cleanly. The aspect produces impatience and arguments, conclusions reached before the facts are in, and opinions defended harder the less certain they are. Because Mercury is retrograde, the facts themselves are under revision, which makes settling matters by pressure more costly than usual. A decision forced through in late October may need unwinding by mid-November.

You will probably recognize this aspect from the inside first. It shows up when you send a heated reply before rereading it, or when a meeting turns into a debate nobody scheduled. It also shows up when you agree to something only to end an uncomfortable conversation.

The square also supplies energy for a hard problem, provided it goes into investigation instead of argument. Scorpio is a sign suited to research and digging, and the restlessness of this aspect can be spent there. When a dispute comes up this month, argue only from what you can check. Give important messages an hour before you send them.

Mercury and Venus Retrograde: Two Personal Planets in Review

Mercury is retrograde in Scorpio and Venus is retrograde at the end of Libra, its own sign. With both moving backward at once, the personal side of life runs less smoothly than it did in September. Conversations, plans, relationships and money all feel disordered, and some of the confusion comes from the past.

Mercury retrograde is the more familiar of the two. Messages go astray and devices fail; travel runs late. Plans made in a hurry come back for revision. Double-check details and back up what you can’t afford to lose. Read any contract twice before you sign it. Mercury turns direct on November 13, and by early December its effects have cleared.

Venus retrograde lasts around forty days, a span that turns up across wisdom traditions, religious ones included, as a stretch of withdrawal, doubt and temptation before a return. During a Venus retrograde, desire comes to the surface and old attachments come back. An ex may get in touch, or a spending habit you thought you’d outgrown may return. Feelings are in flux, which makes this a weak window for starting a relationship or making a large purchase, and a good one for asking what you’ve been accommodating that no longer suits you. Venus turns direct on November 14, though it won’t move into new territory until mid-December, so this theme will carry into next month’s column.

The two stations fall a day apart. If a decision about love, money or an important message can wait until after the middle of November, give it the extra weeks.

Venus Sextile Jupiter: Help From Familiar Places

The better news this month comes from Venus at the end of Libra, its own sign, applying to a sextile with Jupiter in Leo. Venus in Libra is strong even while retrograde, and Jupiter in Leo is expansive and generous, inclined toward large gestures and public warmth. The sextile brings the two benefics into good relation.

A sextile works by cooperation. The openings it creates need someone to meet them halfway, by accepting an invitation or returning a call. Met that way, this aspect is good for affection and goodwill, for gifts and money that come through other people, and for creative work that needed encouragement to continue.

Because Venus is retrograde, the good news is likely to come from people and projects you already know. A friendship that lapsed may reopen on better terms. An old collaborator may come back with an idea. A relationship going through a hard review may find generosity on both sides. This is the counterweight to the confusion of the retrograde: the same retrograde Venus that unsettles personal matters also brings the means to repair them.

Jupiter favors expansion with moderation, so the benefits of this aspect last best when they’re earned and kept in proportion. In Leo, the appetite for display can inflate a good gesture into an extravagant one.

The practical use of this sextile is simple. Get in touch with someone you’ve lost contact with, and make the first move a generous one.

The Moon Conjunct Sheratan, One of the Twin Stars in the Ram’s Horn

The Full Moon joins Sheratan, the star in the left horn of the Ram. Its Arabic name, al-Sharatain, means “the two signs”: Sheratan and its neighbor Mesarthim marked the opening of the year when they stood at the spring equinox in the time of Hipparchus. The Persians called them the Protecting Pair. The astrological tradition gives the star the nature of Mars and Saturn, and the German astrologer Elsbeth Ebertin linked it to daredevils, warning of danger when people act on impulse.

The Moon signifies the people and the public mood, and this Full Moon places that mood on a daredevil’s star a week before the midterm elections on November 3. Expect bold moves and provocations in the final stretch of the campaigns, and short public patience. The volatility is likely to continue after the results, as close counts and contested outcomes meet a restless electorate.

Constellations of Words collects the full lore on Sheratan, including the first Arabic lunar mansion it anchors, which old texts say “causes discords and journeys,” and the myth of the golden-fleeced Ram. Worth a visit if the star sits on a sensitive point in your own chart.

Mid-Autumn Seasonal Guidance for Your Zodiac Sign

By mid-autumn, the season is fully established: cool and dry, with days noticeably shorter. Constitutions respond very differently to this combination – for some it’s among the better stretches of the year, for others the most demanding. Digestion tends to run well for most in autumn, and exercise is broadly manageable. The drying quality is worth attending to as the weeks pass; it shows up differently depending on what your constitution already carries.

These suggestions are drawn from an ancient tradition of thinking about how the body’s constitution responds to seasonal change. They’re offered for consideration, not as rules to follow to the letter – take what applies to your circumstances and leave the rest. To learn more about the theory behind this guidance, see “Medieval Temperaments,” an article by astrologer Ryhan Butler at medievalastrologyguide.com/medieval-temperaments.

Fire Signs – Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

Cool, dry autumn suits your constitution – digestion runs strong, sleep is generally good, and overheating isn’t the concern it is in warmer months. Exercise can be vigorous and regular; this is a good time to establish physical habits that’ll carry through winter. Eat heartily. The dryness is worth attending to: if skin, joints, or mood start to reflect it, olive oil, fatty fish, soups and stews are the remedy. Patience and consistency come more naturally around this time.

Earth Signs – Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo

Mid-autumn is the most demanding time of year for your constitution. Cool, dry air amplifies rather than corrects your native qualities. Diet should be warming and moistening throughout: olive oil, fatty fish, bone broth, soups, stews. Avoid cold, raw, or drying foods. Exercise consistently – stiffness and sluggish digestion both worsen with inactivity. Anxiety, rumination, and low mood tend to be at their annual peak around this time; regular sleep, movement, and social contact are the most useful counters, and worth treating as non-negotiable.

Air Signs – Libra, Aquarius, Gemini

The body tends to feel settled and capable through the full stretch of autumn – cool and dry air balances your constitution, and the restlessness that complicates spring is largely absent. Digestion is strong, sleep generally reliable. Eat heartily and with variety; keep to a regular exercise routine. Watch for the drying effect on the airways – you can be prone to dry coughs and irritated airways when the air is cool and dry; warm drinks, broths, and keeping the chest warm help.

Water Signs – Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

Full autumn is a mixed season for your constitution. The cool air amplifies your native coldness, though the dryness provides some corrective for the wetness. Eat warming and substantial food: soups, stews, roasted meats, root vegetables, butter and animal fats. Don’t let activity lapse; the pull toward inactivity is strong and counterproductive. Moderate alcohol – warming, but excess compounds the sluggishness the cool promotes. The tendency toward withdrawal and low mood builds in autumn; regular social contact helps considerably.Sabian Symbol for 2° Taurus: natural steps up to a lawn blooming with clover.

The Sabian Symbol for 2° Taurus: Natural Steps Up to a Lawn Blooming With Clover

Picture a slope where the ground has settled into steps on its own, worn by weather and feet, rising to a lawn thick with clover. Nobody but earth and time built these stairs.

English has an idiom for the scene at the top. To be “in clover” is to live in comfort, and the phrase comes from cattle turned into a clover field, where the grazing is rich and they eat well without effort. For a Full Moon in the sign of the bull, the image fits smoothly, since the abundance is close at hand and a few easy steps reach it.

The symbol points to fulfillment that’s near, with a small effort still owed. The steps are natural, so the effort is modest and the route needs no inventing. Its shadow is the person who waits at the bottom for the lawn to come to them, or who expects the way to be paved before they’ll move. A clover lawn left untended goes to weeds.

The practical question for the weeks after October 26: which good outcome in your life is only a few steps away, and what’s the first one? Take that step before the month is out.

Linda Hill has spent decades working with the Sabian Symbols. Her reading of 2° Taurus goes further into small efforts and large returns, and into the line between ease and complacency that this degree draws. Worth a look if this degree falls on a sensitive point in your chart.

What Does October’s Full Moon in Taurus Mean for Your Sign’s Horoscope?

The themes of this Full Moon will play out differently depending on where 2° Taurus falls in your chart. What follows offers sign-by-sign guidance for working with the weeks ahead. For a more detailed picture of how this lunation engages your own chart, a consultation with a professional astrologer can help clarify what is personal and what is simply passing through.

Want to see a professional astrologer? I offer birth chart consultations that explore dominant life themes through your present circumstances – whether you’re looking to align your actions with what’s ahead, get a sense of near- and mid-term timing, or simply understand your chart more deeply. Get a sense of what we can accomplish together here on my website.

Aries Horoscope

Spend on what you love this month, but watch how fast the money moves. Mars is firing up your appetite for romance and creative work, along with a willingness to gamble on pleasure. At the same time the Full Moon falls in your house of money and possessions, where feelings drive purchases and comfort spending creeps in. Together they make an expensive month. Point the drive at something creative that can pay you back, and give any big purchase a night’s sleep before you commit.

Discover your perfect menu, cocktail, and compatibility information for the zodiac sign Taurus to find out more about your sign.

Taurus Horoscope

The Full Moon is in your sign, so your own moods and needs take center stage, and you’ll notice how you look and come across more than usual. Partnership is the other story. Venus, retrograde in your house of relationships, puts a close bond under review and may bring someone from the past back into view. Old agreements come up for renegotiation. Before you sit down to talk terms with anyone, settle what you want for yourself, while the Full Moon makes your own feelings easy to read.

Discover your perfect menu and cocktail for the zodiac sign Taurus to find out more about your sign.

Gemini Horoscope

Your working days are in revision. Mercury and Venus are both retrograde in your house of daily work and health, so tasks come back to be redone, an old issue with a colleague resurfaces, and a health routine you dropped comes due for repair. The people at work are easier to deal with than the paperwork, and pleasant company softens the slog. Put off new job commitments until mid-November, and spend the weeks between fixing the systems you already use, from your calendar to your sleep.

Discover your perfect menu and cocktail for the zodiac sign Gemini to find out more about your sign.

Cancer Horoscope

Friends and the groups you belong to stir up strong feeling under this Full Moon, and a gathering could bring you closer to people or show you where you’ve drifted apart. Mars in your house of income puts pressure on earning and on defending what’s yours, sharpening your drive to earn and your instinct to protect your share. Watch where those two meet. Money inside a friendship or a group is the likeliest flashpoint, especially who owes what and who paid last. Plain terms settle it faster than hints.

Discover your perfect bar cart, menu, cocktail, year-ahead outlook, compatibility, and birthday gift guide for the zodiac sign Cancer to find out more about your sign.

Leo Horoscope

If you feel ready to take on anyone this month, that’s Mars in your sign, bringing energy and nerve and a strong urge to prove yourself. The Sun, meanwhile, draws your attention home, to family and to the place you live, to old roots and the comfort they offer. The two can collide when restlessness meets a household that wants quiet. Bring the energy home as effort on a domestic project such as a repair or a rearrangement. Keep it out of arguments with the people who share your space.

Discover your perfect bar cart, menu, cocktail, year-ahead outlook, and birthday gift guide for the zodiac sign Leo to find out more about your sign.

Virgo Horoscope

Distant places and bigger ideas pull hard under this Full Moon, which falls in your house of travel, study and belief. A trip or a course looks more appealing than it did a month ago. Closer to home, Mercury retrograde tangles the short-range business of life. Messages cross and errands need doing twice. A talk with a sibling or neighbor can go sideways. The retrograde favors return over novelty, so an unfinished course or an old plan to travel is the better bet. Whatever you book, confirm it twice.

Discover your perfect bar cart, menu, and cocktail for the zodiac sign Virgo to find out more about your sign.

Libra Horoscope

If a recent purchase is nagging at you, pay attention to the doubt. Venus and Mercury are both retrograde in your house of money and possessions, bringing second thoughts and returns along with the reappearance of old debts or agreements. Your eye for value is sharp under these conditions, but your sense of what you want keeps shifting, which makes this a better month for review than for spending. Go through the accounts and renegotiate what you can. Save the large purchase for after mid-November.

Discover your perfect bar cart, menu, and cocktail for the zodiac sign Libra to find out more about your sign.

Scorpio Horoscope

With Mars in your house of career, ambition runs hard, bringing a push for recognition and a readiness to take on anyone who blocks your way. The trouble is that Mercury is retrograde in your sign, so the way you present yourself is in revision and your words may come out sharper or vaguer than you meant. With people above you, that combination can turn a pitch into a clash. Draft the proposal and wait a day. Rewrite it before it reaches anyone with the power to say no.

Discover your perfect bar cart, menu, and cocktail for the zodiac sign Scorpio to find out more about your sign.

Sagittarius Horoscope

Your appetite for horizons is enormous this month. Mars and Jupiter are both in your house of travel, study and belief, which fires up the urge to go somewhere, learn something big or publish what you think, and gives that urge room to grow. The same combination makes you a formidable debater and at times a self-righteous one. Arguments about belief can run hot and long. Put the energy into a journey or a course of study, where it builds something. Keep it away from the comments section.

Discover your perfect menu and cocktail for the zodiac sign Sagittarius to find out more about your sign.

Capricorn Horoscope

Friends keep you busy this month, with the Sun lighting up group plans, networks and community commitments. The Full Moon adds warmth and play, falling in your house of romance, pleasure and creativity, which makes this one of the better months of the year for enjoying yourself without guilt. The two can overlap. Someone you know from a group setting may start to look like more than a friend, and a shared hobby could turn into a serious creative project. Say yes to the invitations.

Discover your perfect menu and cocktail for the zodiac sign Capricorn to find out more about your sign.

Aquarius Horoscope

Work is where you’re most visible this month. The Sun puts your career and public standing on display, and Venus, retrograde in the same part of life, brings charm with people in charge along with a return from the past, such as a former boss or a project you shelved. Goodwill with authority comes easily, though your feelings about the job may shift week to week. Reach out to an old professional contact, because the most useful opening this month is likely one you’ve seen before.

Discover your perfect menu and cocktail for the zodiac sign Aquarius to find out more about your sign.

Pisces Horoscope

Pace yourself at work, because the load is growing. Mars and Jupiter both sit in your house of daily work and health, bringing more responsibility or a larger role, along with the energy to take it on. The danger is overexertion, which shows up as long hours and friction with colleagues, or as accidents when you rush to finish. Jupiter’s generosity extends to appetite too, so diet and rest need some attention. The opportunity is solid, and burnout is the surest way to waste it before it pays off.

Discover your perfect menu and cocktail for the zodiac sign Pisces to find out more about your sign.

About the Author

Wade Caves is a Brooklyn-based astrological consultant, educator, and published author who has practiced astrology professionally since 2014. He was certified with honors from the Mayo School of Astrology in London and the School of Traditional Astrology (STA), where he now serves as faculty and as principal of the Astronomy and Mundane Astrology programs.

Wade wrote the quarterly World Reflections column for The Mountain Astrologer and currently serves as editor of In Mundo, Skyscript’s world astrology journal. He is the editor and annotator of the 300th anniversary edition of William Lilly’s History of his Life and Times (Rubedo Press, 2015) and hosts the World Astrology Summit, a conference dedicated to advancing astrological technique for diverse audiences.

A sought-after speaker, Wade has presented at the United Astrology Conference (UAC), the Northwest Astrological Conference (NORWAC), the Astrological Association, and the International Society for Astrological Research (ISAR), among others. He has taught intensive courses across the US, Europe, Australia, and Canada.

Before practicing astrology full-time, Wade held an executive advisory role with a data consulting firm specializing in large-scale infrastructure, bringing an analytical and research-driven approach to his astrological work. He specializes in horary, electional, and classical technique with an emphasis on cross-era literacy – connecting ancient methods to modern practice.

At TABLE Magazine, Wade writes monthly horoscopes, seasonal forecasts, and original lifestyle content that connects astrology to food, cocktails, and entertaining – a unique editorial approach that bridges astrology and the culinary world.

Website: wadecaves.com • skyscript.co.uk/inmundo Email: hello@wadecaves.com

Photo by Vadim Sadovski

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8 Lamb Recipes to Celebrate 35 Years of ‘The Silence of the Lambs’

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Persian lamb stew for Nowruz, staged with other sides on a light brown table.

It’s been 35 years since movie audiences first met FBI trainee Clarice Starling and cannibalistic psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter. The Silence of the Lambs premiered on February 14, 1991, and it would become the third film in history to sweep the Academy Awards’ top five categories: Best Picture, Best Director (Jonathan Demme), Best Actor (Anthony Hopkins, Hannibal Lecter), Best Actress (Jodie Foster, Clarice Starling), and Best Adapted Screenplay. And parts of it were filmed right here in Western Pennsylvania, which you can learn how to visit in our feature from Arts and Entertainment Editor Sean Collier.

To celebrate the anniversary, TABLE gathered eight of our favorite lamb recipes for a dinner party worth screaming about. They come from some of the region’s most talented chefs, including several winners from TABLE’s Lamb Fest competitions, and range from party bites and an elegant braised shank dish to a lamb and kidney bean stew. We’ll leave the fava beans to Dr. Lecter. 

Where Was The Silence of the Lambs Filmed?

Although the story is set primarily in Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, and Ohio, director Jonathan Demme shot parts of the film in and around Pittsburgh. Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum’s grand ballroom famously stood in for the Memphis courthouse where Lecter is held in a towering cage. The hall’s first floor also appears in the film, and Pittsburgh horror legend George Romero makes a cameo. 

The Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Invertebrate Zoology department was the backdrop for Clarice Starling’s meeting with entomologists to identify a moth left in a victim’s throat.

A 1910 Victorian house in Fayette County was used as Buffalo Bill’s home. Only the foyer and dining room appear in the movie. (The infamous basement pit was built on a soundstage.) Today, fans can book a stay at Buffalo Bill’s House, a rental filled with nods to the film.

Lamb Recipes at a Glance

Lamb Lettuce Cups With Curry Aioli: a make-ahead appetizer

Gluten-Free Lamb Croquettes With Yuca: a crispy, gluten-free finger food for passing around

Lamb Sloppy Joes With Crème Fraîche: a fancy-casual sandwich

Irish Lamb Stew With Curry and Guinness: a cozy, one-pot main for a chilly fall night or St. Patrick’s Day celebration

Persian Lamb and Kidney Bean Stew: a crowd-feeding (and crowd-pleasing) stew 

Burgundy Braised Lamb Shanks With Gribiche: an elegant sit-down dish before the movie

Lamb Loin With Green Chile Harissa: a dinner party main that comes together in under an hour

Grilled Lamb Scottadito: a main or side? You decide!

8 Lamb Recipes to Celebrate The Silence of the Lambs Anniversary 

1. Lamb Lettuce Cups With Curry Aioli

Three iceberg lettuce cups filled with braised lamb, pomegranate seeds, and curry aioli on a yellow plate against a black background.

Best for: a make-ahead appetizer and the evening’s showstopper

Makes: about 30 lettuce cups

The winning dish at TABLE’s 2021 Lamb Fest belongs on any table that’s celebrating lambs. Created by Chefs Chris Bonfili and Cory Hughes, this recipe calls for braising Elysian Fields lamb shoulder in Pinot Noir until it falls apart, combining it with toasted yam, pomegranate seeds, curry aioli, then placing the into crisp iceberg cups before topping with an almond brittle crumble. The lamb rests overnight, so most of the work is done before the opening credits roll.

2. Gluten-Free Lamb Croquettes With Yuca

A hand lifts a crispy lamb croquette from a gray plate swiped with green sauce.

Best for: a crispy finger food to pass during the first act

Makes: 24 croquettes

Inspired by Brazilian coxinha, these croquettes from Joey Hilty of The Vandal and Keyla Nogueira Cook of Mercearia Brasil bundle spiced lamb with a naturally gluten-free yuca dough, which is fried until golden. Shape and freeze them ahead, then fry from frozen as guests arrive. Serve with a bright green sauce for dipping.

3. Lamb Sloppy Joes With Crème Fraîche

Deconstructed lamb sloppy joes with crème fraîche and a small bun on a white plate.

Best for: casual movie-night food that’s easy to eat from the couch

Makes: 12 sliders

Another Lamb Fest favorite, these sliders from the team behind The Speckled Egg update the beloved picnic staple. Simmer ground lamb with smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, allspice, and cinnamon, then pile it onto tiny buns with crème fraîche and tangy pickled vegetables. Keep the filling warm in a slow cooker and let guests build their own.

4. Irish Lamb Stew With Curry and Guinness

A delicious bowl of Irish Pub Curried Lamb Stew with tender lamb, vegetables, and rich flavors.

Best for: a cozy, one-pot main for a chilly fall night

Makes: 6 servings

Chef Veda Sankaran gives Irish stew a pub-curry twist with Madras curry powder, ginger, jalapeño, and a bottle of Guinness. The stew bakes hands-off in the oven, tastes even better the next day, and leaves five bottles in the six-pack for you and your guests.

5. Persian Lamb and Kidney Bean Stew

Persian lamb stew for Nowruz, staged with other sides on a light brown table.

Best for: a make-ahead main that feeds a crowd

Makes: 6 servings

Developed by Chef Palak Patel, this recipe requires braising lamb shanks with dried Omani limes, saffron, turmeric, and a full bottle of dry red wine for a deeply aromatic stew. Make it a day ahead and serve it with saffron or jeweled rice. 

6. Burgundy Braised Lamb Shanks With Gribiche

Burgundy braised lamb shank with roasted beets, sweet potatoes, asparagus, and gribiche dressing on a white plate.

Best for: an elegant main dish before the movie

Makes: 4 servings

For a more refined evening, this recipe by Chef Kevin Hermann involves slow-braising lamb shanks in red Burgundy until they slide off the bone, then serving them with roasted beets, sweet potatoes, and asparagus under a tangy herb-and-egg gribiche. Dr. Lecter would surely approve of the wine.

7. Lamb Loin With Green Chile Harissa

Sliced roasted lamb loin over chickpea purée drizzled with red green chile harissa and garnished with fresh mint.

Best for: a dinner party main that comes together in under an hour

Makes: 4 servings

Pair seared lamb loin with smoky roasted green chile harissa, chickpea purée, preserved lemon, and fresh mint. The harissa and chickpea purée can be made days ahead, leaving only a quick sear and roast before serving.

8. Grilled Lamb Scottadito

Grilled lamb chops scottadito over blistered cherry tomatoes, olives, and pine nuts with feta and mint on a green plate.

Best for: finger food for guests who can’t wait

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Scottadito means “burned finger” in Italian, a fitting name for a party where nobody can keep their hands to themselves. Season lamb chops with Herbes de Provence, grill them in minutes, and serve them over blistered cherry tomatoes, olives, and pine nuts with feta and mint. No grill? A cast-iron grill pan works just as well indoors.

How to Plan a Silence of the Lambs Dinner Party Menu

Pick one recipe from each part of the menu: lamb lettuce cups and croquettes to pass during the opening scenes, lamb sloppy joe sliders for casual grazing, and a stew or braised shank for the main course. 

Get a head start. Several recipes require some prep ahead of time. The braised lamb for the lettuce cups needs an overnight rest, both stews and the lamb shanks taste better the next day, the lamb sloppy joe filling keeps for four days, and the croquettes can be shaped and frozen for up to three months.

Save the last-minute work for the fun parts. Fry the croquettes, grill the lamb for the scottadito, and assemble the lettuce cups just before serving so everything stays crisp and hot.

Tips for a Silence of the Lambs Movie Night

Pour the right wine. Chianti isn’t the only wine that flatters lamb: Consider Pinot Noir, Grenache, and an Italian red such as Montepulciano d’Abruzzo all beautifully complement the gamey meat.

Set the scene. Dim the lights, cue up the film, and serve food that’s easy to eat without looking away from the screen. The croquettes and lettuce cups are perfect for the couch.

Know your audience. The Silence of the Lambs is rated R for violence and disturbing content, so save this watch party for adults.

Make it a road trip. Visit Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall in Oakland, which has marked past anniversaries with screenings and a replica of Lecter’s cage, or book a night at Buffalo Bill’s House in Fayette County.

The Silence of the Lambs and Lamb Recipe FAQs

Where was The Silence of the Lambs filmed?

Much of the film was shot in the Pittsburgh region. Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum in Oakland stood in for the Memphis courthouse where Hannibal Lecter is caged, and a Victorian house in Fayette County was used for shots of Buffalo Bill’s foyer and dining room. 

Can you visit the Silence of the Lambs house?

Yes. The house operates as Buffalo Bill’s House. Fans can book an overnight stay. Check its listing for current availability.

When did “The Silence of the Lambs” come out?

The film was released on February 14, 1991, making 2026 its 35th anniversary.

Which of these lamb recipes are gluten-free?

The lamb lettuce cups, lamb croquettes, Persian lamb stew, braised lamb shanks, lamb loin with green chile harissa, and grilled lamb scottadito are naturally gluten-free. The Irish stew and sloppy joes include gluten-free substitutions.

Which lamb recipes can I make ahead?

You can make both stews, the braised shanks, the sloppy joe filling, and the lettuce cup lamb 1-3 days ahead. The croquettes can be frozen before frying.

Who developed these recipes?

The recipes come from TABLE contributors and regional chefs, including Chris Bonfili, Cory Hughes, Joey Hilty, Keyla Nogueira Cook, Jacqueline and Nathan Schoedel, Veda Sankaran, Palak Patel, Kevin Hermann, and Gabe Gomez.

Looking for more? Try our Halloween party recipes, Halloween cocktails, Ultimate Halloween Party Playlist and Menu, and Ultimate Guide to Halloween in Pittsburgh.

About the Author

Amanda Reed has written for Popular Science, Pittsburgh Magazine, Pittsburgh City Paper, Very Local Pittsburgh, GearPatrol and TheStreet. Amanda earned the 2021 Ray Sprigle Best of Show Award from the Western Pennsylvania Press Club for a story on stressed-out college counseling centers. She lives in Bloomfield with JunkJunk, a handsome, sad-looking tuxedo cat who wants only wet food and attention.

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