Thanksgiving Recipes to make your Thanksgiving dinner amazing!
Are you hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year? Or are you just in charge of bringing a side dish or a dessert to dinner? I've gathered everything you're going to need to make this holiday dinner extra special.
These recipes include the turkey, all the side dishes and some extra special desserts. I've featured several of my own recipes as well as several recipes from other amazing bloggers.
Everyone has their favorite recipes for Thanksgiving. We tend to stick to pretty traditional recipes in my family. We start with an oven roasted turkey filled with a homemade sausage stuffing.
Homemade mashed potatoes and gravy are a must. Then we usually have green beans, cranberry sauce and a few other side dishes to make certain our plates are overflowing.
For dessert we always offer a variety of choices: pumpkin pie, cherry pie, and this year we will also have a cranberry cake.
How to make a successful Thanksgiving Dinner
- A successful Thanksgiving dinner always begins with planning.
- Write down your menu
- Plan a shopping list
- Determine which items you can make ahead of time
- Plan for extra storage
- Examine your tableware - plates, silverware, glasses, linens, serving dishes.
- Plan out each serving dish. Label each dish with the contents that will fill the dish at serving time. This helps make certain you have enough dishes and it allows others to help out at the last minute.
- Write out a timeline for cooking your meal on Thanksgiving Day.
- Allow others to help
- Assign your guest to bring side dishes or desserts
- Assign tasks in the kitchen prior to serving
- Allow help with cleanup
- Take time to enjoy
- Enjoy the conversation, your family and friends and the food!
- Don't stress and if things don't go quite as planned, it's okay!
Make ahead tips
- Make any dishes that can be made ahead of time
- Peel and slice potatoes, cover potatoes in water
- Cut up any vegetables, onions and garlic for your recipes
- Prep your turkey - make certain your bird is fully thawed. Remove package of organs from cavity of your turkey. Check both ends and make certain there's nothing extra under the flap of skin around the neck. Rinse and dry bird and store covered with plastic wrap on a baking sheet in the refrigerator. Do not stuff your turkey with stuffing until the just before placing in the oven. Your stuffing should be fully cooled when stuffing your bird. Many people also cook their stuffing separately.
- Make a turkey broth with neck, gizzard, heart and other organs included in turkey package. This is often used for basting your turkey, making your stuffing extra moist and adding to gravy.
Thawing a turkey
If you bought a fresh turkey, you don't need to worry about thawing a turkey. But if you bought a frozen one, you'll need to plan ahead. All Recipes has a great guide for making certain your turkey is fully thawed.
Equipment you might need
Thanksgiving Recipes
Any recipe can be served for Thanksgiving. Below are a few traditional recipes you might enjoy.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving full of family, friends and good food!
Thanksgiving Recipes
From the turkey to the sides and desserts, this collection of recipes includes everything you need for your Thanksgiving.
Dry-Brined Roasted Turkey + Tips for Roasting & Resting That Bird
Follow this straight-forward recipe for Dry-Brined Roasted Turkey to bake up one moist, tender, and flavorful bird. It's actually easy to do! We've got you covered with roasting and resting tips for how to best keep that turkey juicy and warm, too
Easy Spicy Honey Glazed Turkey
Looking to jazz up your turkey this Thanksgiving? Well, then this slightly spicy, slightly sweet, fully-flavor-packed, Easy Spicy Honey Glazed Turkey is for you!
Oven Roasted Turkey (Easy Recipe with VIDEO)
This Easy Oven Roasted Turkey is smothered in garlic herb butter for a juicy turkey with crisp, flavorful skin. No brining or special equipment required!
Slow Roasted Turkey Roulade (Thanksgiving Turkey Roll)
This juicy, succulent, flavorful Sage and Rosemary Slow Roasted Turkey Roulade is a great alternative to a whole turkey for your Thanksgiving spread this year!
Traditional Bread Sausage Stuffing recipe ~ A Gouda Life
Traditional Herb Stuffing
Wild Rice and Fennel Stuffing
This vegetarian Wild Rice and Fennel Stuffing recipe is hearty and savory. It’s homemade and delicious. This aromatic side dish is perfect for Thanksgiving! |
Mashed Red Potatoes
Creamy and delicious mashed potatoes made with red potatoes. Make ahead tips!
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
These creamy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes turn out absolutely perfect in the pressure cooker. This recipe is way quicker and easier than making them the classic way!
Mashed Cauliflower Recipe (Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes)
Creamy Mashed Cauliflower Recipe with sour cream, Parmesan, and garlic browned butter. A healthier, delicious, low-carb alternative to classic mashed potatoes, these Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes taste just like the real deal and pair perfectly with all your favorite recipes!
Sweet Potato Gratin
Layers of sweet potatoes with a delicious cream sauce topped with cheese.
How to Make Turkey Gravy
What to do with all those wonderful pan drippings from that tender and juicy turkey you just made!? Why make turkey gravy, of course! There is nothing better than homemade gravy, and this turkey gravy recipe really packs a flavor-wallop. Easy to make (really!) this wonderful turkey gravy is the perfect pairing to your roasted turkey.
Whipped Sweet Potatoes {with cream & butter}
With some simple ingredients and about 30 minutes, you could have the most creamy dreamy whipped sweet potatoes! Perfect for your holiday menu!
Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
Making your own cranberry sauce is not difficult, This cranberry sauce uses less sugar than most recipes and it's delicious.
Jellied Cranberry Sauce
Tart and delicious jellied cranberry sauce. Just like the canned sauce, but homemade!
Green Bean Almondine
Delicious vegetable side dish made with fresh green beans and slivered almonds. Tips for making ahead and finishing at dinner time.
Roasted Squash with Crunchy Panko Coating • The Cook Report
Oven Roasted Root Vegetables
Oven roasted root vegetables is a gorgeous way to bring the tastes and colors of fall to your holiday table. This colorful dish combines the earthy flavors of beet, parsnip, and sweet potatoes with the sweet, salty flavors of brown butter, sage, and honey for a dish that will keep them coming back for more.
Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
This Slow Cooker Creamed Corn recipe is an easy, classic side dish for your holiday table, made even more special with a savory sprinkle of crispy bacon and chopped chives to complement the natural sweetness of the creamy corn.
Roast Pumpkin Pear Salad
This delicious Roast Pumpkin Pear Salad is made with all FRESH and seasonal ingredients – baby spinach, sweet roasted pumpkin, juicy pomegranate and pear topped with crunchy walnuts. It’s nutritionally enriched with Grana Padano cheese and tossed in a Pumpkin Seed Oil Vinaigrette.
Wild Rice Salad
Delicious fall salad filled with wild rice, dried cranberries, toasted pecans and fresh apples.
Homemade Dinner Rolls
Homemade dinner rolls with three different shape variations. Make a traditional round roll, a fan shaped roll or a clover leaf roll.
Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls
Use mashed sweet potatoes in these delicious homemade dinner rolls.
Cranberry Bundt Cake
Looking for an alternative to pumpkin pie? Try this cranberry bundt cake!
Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake
Indulge in this gluten free Pumpkin Cheesecake, with it’s velvety texture, warming spices, and nutty crust, everyone is sure to ask for another slice.
The Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Pumpkin Pie is THE classic dish that just has to be on the Thanksgiving dessert table. This easy Pumpkin Pie recipe is simple enough so even beginners can pull it off – your family’s eyes will light up around the holiday table when they see this pie!
Valentina says
What a delicious Thanksgiving feast! That cake is AMAZING. I need a bundt pan with that design! Wishing you and your family and happy and delicious holiday. 🙂 ~Valentina
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Such a great collection of recipes, Kathy! Thanks so much for the shout out!! And lots of great tips. I particularly like the tip about writing down the timeline. I bet that would definitely help in keeping things organized! Pinned 🙂 Have a wonderful week!
David @ Spiced says
What a great collection of recipes, Kathy! We are making a Thanksgiving meal here this year - just not as big as normal. We often make many of the same family recipes (tradition and all), but I'm also down to discover some new ideas, too. Happy Thanksgiving, my friend!
Valentina says
Fabulous collection of Thanksgiving recipes. So many super delicious choices! I hope you have a very Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂 ~Valentina
Kathy says
You too, Valentina!!!