Halal Thanksgiving Appetizers: Samosas and Seekh Kabobs

What are good halal Thanksgiving appetizers?

Samosas and seekh kabobs make easy halal Thanksgiving appetizers because they cook in minutes from frozen and do not need the oven while the turkey or main dish is roasting. For families in Artesia and across Southern California, a few packs in the freezer cover the first hour of the party with very little work. Thanksgiving 2026 falls on Thursday, November 26, so there is still time to plan.

RNK Foods brings the Ribs 'n' Kabobs restaurant's kabobs and samosas to your freezer. We are the frozen-food line of the family that runs Ribs 'n' Kabobs, 18925 Norwalk Blvd, Artesia, CA 90701, and everything we sell is hand-made, flash-frozen and 100% Zabiha halal. Many Muslim families, and mixed families where only some guests eat halal, host Thanksgiving every year. The holiday is about gratitude and a full table, and a halal menu fits it comfortably.

Why do samosas and kabobs work while the turkey is in the oven?

The real problem on Thanksgiving is not the recipe. It is oven space and timing. A turkey or a large roast holds the oven for hours, and then the casseroles, rolls and pies all want it too. Guests start arriving while the main dish still has a long way to go, and they are hungry.

Appetizers that cook somewhere else solve this. Seekh kabobs cook in a pan on the stovetop on medium with a little oil or butter in 4 to 6 minutes. Samosas fit in an air fryer at 380 to 390°F for 12 to 16 minutes, or a pot of oil at 350°F for 5 to 8 minutes. Neither one touches the oven. You can cook a round when the doorbell rings and another when the next car pulls up.

They also suit the way people eat before a big dinner. A samosa is two or three bites, easy to hold in one hand with a drink in the other. A kabob cut into pieces with a toothpick and some green chutney does the same job. Nobody needs a plate or a seat, and nobody fills up so much that the turkey goes to waste.

Which ones should you pick?

For a mixed crowd, pick a little of each:

• Beef samosas for the guests who want something rich and savory.
• Chicken samosas as the milder choice that children usually like.
• Spicy potato veggie samosas for vegetarian guests and anyone who likes heat.
• Beef and chicken seekh kabobs for something more substantial while dinner waits.

All of them are on our menu, with the cooking method for each one.

What does a Thanksgiving Day timeline look like?

Here is a simple plan for a dinner served in the late afternoon. Shift it to match your own meal time.

1. The night before: check the freezer. Count your packs against your guest list and set out the pan, the air fryer and a few serving plates.
2. Morning: the turkey or main dish goes in the oven. The appetizers stay frozen. Do not thaw them.
3. About an hour before guests arrive: make or open your chutney and slice some onions and lemons for the kabobs.
4. As the first guests arrive: cook the first batch of samosas in the air fryer and the first pack of kabobs in the pan. Serve them as they come out.
5. Every 20 to 30 minutes: cook another small round so the plate stays warm and crisp, rather than frying everything at once.
6. When the main dish comes out to rest: stop the appetizers. Anything still frozen goes back in the freezer for another day.

Small batches matter. Samosas taste best in the first few minutes, and a tray that sits out for an hour goes soft.

How many samosas and kabobs should you plan?

A simple rule of thumb before a full dinner is 2 to 3 samosas per guest and 1 to 2 seekh kabobs per guest. For 20 guests, that comes to about two to three packs of 20 samosas and four to five 1 lb packs of kabobs. Lean toward the top of the range if the crowd is young, or if dinner tends to run late in your house. Our guide on how many samosas and kabobs per guest has a full table by guest count.

Round up rather than down. Any pack you do not open stays frozen and is just as good the following weekend.

When should you stock the freezer?

Early. The weeks before Thanksgiving get busy for everyone, and you do not want the appetizers to be the last thing on the list. Order a week or two ahead so the box arrives well before the holiday. Keep the packs frozen at 0°F or lower and cook them straight from frozen. There is no need to thaw.

RNK Foods ships in insulated packaging across Southern California, including Cerritos, Long Beach, Anaheim and Irvine, and the delivery details are on our shipping policy page. You can also order ahead and pick up at the restaurant in Artesia, a short drive from the 91 and the 605.

After dinner, put the leftovers away promptly. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service has clear guidance on leftovers and food safety, including how soon cooked food should go into the refrigerator.

What about the halal turkey?

The turkey is a separate purchase. RNK Foods makes seekh kabobs and samosas, not turkey, so ask your local halal butcher about a halal turkey and how early they take holiday orders. Many families find that butchers fill up in November, so it helps to call in early. Some families skip the turkey and serve chicken biryani or a roast chicken as the main dish, which is a perfectly good Thanksgiving too.

Can you get catering for a larger gathering?

Yes. If you are hosting the whole extended family, or a community dinner at a masjid, cooking appetizers by the batch stops being practical. The catering kitchen at Ribs 'n' Kabobs offers three packages with guest tiers of 50 to 100, 100 to 250 and 250 and up:

• Wedding Feast Package: samosas, chicken biryani, beef seekh kabobs and desserts.
• Live Grill Package: lava rock seekh kabobs, naan, mint chutney and salad.
• Smokehouse BBQ Buffet: hickory smoked ribs, brisket burnt ends, masala fries and corn.

Catering needs at least 24 hours of notice, and 4 to 6 weeks for large events, so a holiday booking should go in soon. See the catering page to send your date and headcount, and order ahead for delivery or pickup. For ideas on sides and sauces that go with the kabobs, read what to serve with seekh kabobs at home.

Whatever ends up on your table this year, we hope it is a warm one, with family close by and plenty to be grateful for.