The Ultimate Thanksgiving Menu + Turkey Carving Video
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Here’s the ultimate Thanksgiving Menu featuring our best recipes for roasted turkey, sides, breads, and desserts. You’ll be able to plan your Thanksgiving dinner menu with ease and learn tips on how to bring it all together. Plus, watch our video on how to carve a turkey!
Planning your Thanksgiving Menu
First things first — how many people will you be serving?
Once you have a number, you’ll be able to decide which recipes will work best and whether or not they need to be scaled up or down.
Keep in mind any food allergies or dietary concerns you may need to plan for.
If any of your guests don’t eat meat, plan an extra vegetarian main course so they won’t be left feeling hungry!
Lastly, print out all of the recipes for your Thanksgiving dinner menu and use any blank space to take notes.
Write down when to start prepping and cooking so you can use your time efficiently.
Deciding What To Make
- Main Course: When choosing a turkey, plan for about 1-1.5 pounds per person depending on if you want leftovers. Or, pick an alternative to turkey if you’d prefer.
- Side Dishes: Pick a variety of flavors and try a new recipe or two!
If you’re only cooking for a few people, maybe stick with one type of potato dish and a green vegetable to break up the heavier sides. - Dessert: For smaller groups, one dessert should be fine. However, the more people you add to your table, the more variety you will want.
- Extras: Don’t forget the gravy, rolls, and cranberry sauce — staples for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner menu!
If you’ll be feeding a crowd, select your Thanksgiving dinner recipes more carefully so you don’t spend all day in the kitchen.
Pick at least a few side dishes that don’t require the oven or even ones that can be made ahead of time.
Make Ahead Tips for Your Thanksgiving Dinner Menu
- Prep in advance – Chop your vegetables, then make any sauces and toppings you’ll need. Place them in storage containers and refrigerate so they are ready to go.
- Cook ahead of time – Many side dishes can be made the day before and reheated just before serving.
Pie crusts can be frozen well in advance, and desserts are often fine in the refrigerator overnight. - Use small appliances – This is the time to break out your slow cooker, Instant Pot, and air fryer.
Even your microwave can come in handy! Do whatever you can to free up valuable oven space.
Recipe Video
Want to learn how to carve a turkey? Watch the video in this post!
The Star of Your Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Menu
It’s all about that turkey!! I’ve included my favorite recipe that I make every year, plus a few others if you’re craving something different.
This Slow Roasted Turkey Recipe is the one I make every single year. All you need is butter and a handful of spices to get moist, flavorful meat without the need for basting!
Our ultimate guide to Smoking a Turkey shows you how to get crispy skin on a perfectly juicy bird. While it may seem intimidating, the flavor is incredible — and it frees up your oven too!
Bacon Wrapped Herb Roasted Turkey is proof that literally everything tastes better wrapped in bacon! Don’t worry… it only takes an extra 10 minutes or so, and the results are well worth the effort.
If you’ll be cooking for fewer people, try this Crock Pot Turkey Breast instead!
There’s no need to carve up the bird before serving, and you don’t even need to check it while it cooks. Plus, you’ll have plenty of space in the oven for everything else!
Delicious Gravies and Sauces
I can’t decide which homemade gravy is my favorite, so I typically alternate which one I serve each year.
You’ll find recipes for both below, plus an unexpected addition that you’re sure to love!
This Homemade Brown Gravy Recipe doesn’t use any turkey drippings so you can make it in advance or while you wait for other dishes to cook. And with just 5 simple pantry ingredients, it’s one of those easy Thanksgiving recipes you’ll be reaching for again and again.
If you prefer to use drippings, this is the Best Turkey Gravy Recipe for them! It takes a little extra time to make, but the flavor is absolutely incredible.
Yes, you’ll want to make this Creamy Three Cheese Sauce too.
Set it out with chips and vegetables as an easy appetizer, or place a bowl on the dinner table for any cheese lovers you may have!
Best Thanksgiving Recipes for Side Dishes
This is where the magic happens. Our family has discovered so many favorites over the years that it was hard to narrow these down!
Linked below are (what we consider to be) the best Thanksgiving recipes for stuffing, mashed potatoes, veggies, and more.
We look forward to them every year and never get tired of them.
And if you want to test out some non-traditional options with your Thanksgiving menu, give one of these a try:
- Beer Cheese Bacon Stuffing – A hint of citrus beer pairs perfectly with loads of savory flavor.
- Easy Jiffy Corn Casserole – So easy to make with a couple of boxes of Jiffy, it’s like all your favorite corn dishes rolled into one!
- Cheesy Green Bean Casserole – This isn’t your grandma’s recipe! Crisp bacon and tender mushrooms put this dish over the top.
I could eat this Sausage Apple Cranberry Stuffing all year round! It’s got savory, sweet, and tart flavors plus a variety of textures for the perfect bite. Be sure to have the recipe handy because everyone will be asking for it!
No traditional Thanksgiving dinner menu is complete without the Best Ever Mashed Potatoes! They’re super creamy with the perfect balance of buttery garlic flavor. Delicious plain or smothered in extra gravy.
This Crockpot Mac and Cheese is the absolute cheesiest, and it doesn’t require much effort to make. Layer everything in a slow cooker, stir halfway, then melt extra cheese over the top before serving.
Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts are savory and sweet with a touch of maple syrup. Delicious as is or with a variety of dipping sauces, they also double as an easy appetizer!
Make Crockpot Creamed Corn from scratch in a few easy steps. Let it cook while you work on everything else — a true set-it-and-forget-it recipe! It’s so thick and creamy, you may want to make a double batch.
3 Ingredient Fresh Cranberry Sauce is one of the best Thanksgiving recipes for both dinner and leftovers. It adds a tart and sweet punch to every bite of the main meal, and it’s the perfect spread for turkey sandwiches the next day!
This Boston Market Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe always steals the show. With gooey marshmallows, a crisp streusel topping, and plenty of creamy, spiced sweet potatoes, it just screams fall flavors!
Southern Sweet Potato Casserole is perfect for those who refuse to add marshmallows to their sweet potatoes. It’s got a simple pecan streusel topping, just like grandma used to make, which adds nutty flavor and plenty of texture.
Homemade Rolls and Bread
Instead of warming up store-bought packages (which tend to be dry, in my opinion), why not make this side from scratch?
Savory, sweet, or extra cheesy — you’re sure to find something to satisfy everyone at your table.
Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls are perfectly fluffy and taste just like the restaurant version. They’re a staple of my yearly Thanksgiving menu! Easy to make ahead and pop in the oven to warm.
This Texas Roadhouse Cinnamon Butter Recipe makes the perfect sweet and creamy spread for those buttery rolls. It’s ready in just 2 minutes and is delicious on pancakes, toast, banana bread, and more!
When I want to make something a little extra special, I swap the Texas Roadhouse rolls for these Pumpkin Honey Dinner Rolls instead. They’re packed with autumn flavor and are naturally dairy-free too.
Cheddar Bay Biscuits are easier AND tastier than a box mix! This Red Lobster copycat recipe is so easy — all you need is one bowl, one whisk, and 20 minutes from start to serve.
Make No-Knead Roasted Garlic Skillet Bread for a bakery-style loaf without any special equipment! Perfect as an appetizer or on the dinner table, it’s one of those easy Thanksgiving recipes you’ll want to make year-round.
Easy Thanksgiving Recipes for Dessert
No Thanksgiving menu is complete without something sweet at the end of the night!
I always make a batch of Shortbread Pecan Pie Bars and my famous Caramel Apple Bundt Cake, but I know most people look forward to pumpkin everything.
No matter what you choose, each of these Thanksgiving dessert recipes is as tasty as they look!
This Pumpkin Roll Cake infuses a classic Swiss roll with loads of pumpkin flavor. That gorgeous spiral is made with luscious, cream cheese filling and is always a crowd-pleaser.
Caramel Apple Cheesecake features tender apples, sweet caramel sauce, and a crisp crumbly topping for the most decadent fall-flavored dessert. Be sure to make this the day before so it has time to set!
Pumpkin Pie Bombs are a favorite with the kids, but the adults will love them just as much! Warm and gooey, this stuffed bread recipe is so easy to put together and features a sweet, creamy glaze on top.
Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread with just 3 ingredients! It’s perfect for those without a sweet tooth, and you can have leftover slices for breakfast the next day.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Originally published November 2019, updated and republished November 2024
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