diff --git a/cpp/cmake_modules/FindThrift.cmake b/cpp/cmake_modules/FindThriftAlt.cmake
similarity index 91%
rename from cpp/cmake_modules/FindThrift.cmake
rename to cpp/cmake_modules/FindThriftAlt.cmake
index 2f20a5cb59..e317e2c7c4 100644
--- a/cpp/cmake_modules/FindThrift.cmake
+++ b/cpp/cmake_modules/FindThriftAlt.cmake
@@ -28,7 +28,23 @@
 #  thrift::thrift, a library target to use Thrift
 #  thrift::compiler, a executable target to use Thrift compiler
 
+if(ThriftAlt_FOUND)
+  return()
+endif()
+
+set(find_package_args "")
+if(ThriftAlt_FIND_VERSION)
+  list(APPEND find_package_args ${ThriftAlt_FIND_VERSION})
+endif()
+if(ThriftAlt_FIND_QUIETLY)
+  list(APPEND find_package_args QUIET)
+endif()
+find_package(Thrift ${find_package_args})
 if(Thrift_FOUND)
+  set(ThriftAlt_FOUND TRUE)
+  add_executable(thrift::compiler IMPORTED)
+  set_target_properties(thrift::compiler PROPERTIES IMPORTED_LOCATION
+                                                    "${THRIFT_COMPILER}")
   return()
 endif()
 
@@ -133,12 +149,12 @@ else()
 endif()
 
 find_package_handle_standard_args(
-  Thrift
+  ThriftAlt
   REQUIRED_VARS THRIFT_LIB THRIFT_INCLUDE_DIR
   VERSION_VAR Thrift_VERSION
   HANDLE_COMPONENTS)
 
-if(Thrift_FOUND)
+if(ThriftAlt_FOUND)
   if(ARROW_THRIFT_USE_SHARED)
     add_library(thrift::thrift SHARED IMPORTED)
   else()
diff --git a/cpp/cmake_modules/ThirdpartyToolchain.cmake b/cpp/cmake_modules/ThirdpartyToolchain.cmake
index b7cd31f3d7..72b8cfe286 100644
--- a/cpp/cmake_modules/ThirdpartyToolchain.cmake
+++ b/cpp/cmake_modules/ThirdpartyToolchain.cmake
@@ -1510,8 +1510,10 @@ macro(build_thrift)
 endmacro()
 
 if(ARROW_WITH_THRIFT)
-  # Thrift c++ code generated by 0.13 requires 0.11 or greater
+  # Thrift C++ code generated by 0.13 requires 0.11 or greater
   resolve_dependency(Thrift
+                     HAVE_ALT
+                     TRUE
                      REQUIRED_VERSION
                      0.11.0
                      PC_PACKAGE_NAMES