Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays of the year. It combines my favorite things- family and food! While I do my best to recognize my blessings daily, there is something about this low pressure day of gathering and thanks that really highlights how much my people mean to me and how grateful I am for it all. Originally created as a harvest holiday when the farmers would bring in the last of their crops, Thanksgiving has always been connected with food. This is one of the reasons Thanksgiving dinners tend to be some of the largest meals we’ll cook in the year; it tends to be the more the merrier and food enough to feed ’em all!
Having a table of food surrounded by some of your favorite people is a blessing for sure, but cooking all those traditional dishes can feel like a bit of a challenge. That’s why today I’m sharing a round-up of easy Thanksgiving recipes that’ll feed a crowd that you can cook up in only an hour or two, so there’s more time to spend with family and friends. Better yet, make it a potluck where everyone contributes their favorite dish to share and then everyone can enjoy the smorgasbord with less pressure and more focus on the festivities.
10 Easy Thanksgiving Recipes
Thanksgiving recipes don’t need to cost you days of work in the kitchen. Here are a few simple and easy dinner ideas you can use to get Thanksgiving dinner on the table in only a few hours!
Make-Ahead Vegetarian Holiday Frittata
If you’re looking for a veggie-based easy Thanksgiving recipe, this one’s for you! With creamy mozzarella cheese, savory sun-dried tomatoes, and hearty vegetables, this make ahead frittata can be served as a tasty breakfast, lunch, or even as part of Thanksgiving dinner. I love that you can prepare this recipe 1 to 2 days in advance and you don’t even have to heat it up when it comes time to serve because this frittata tastes delicious even when cold.
- Ingredients: Oregano, salt and pepper, mozzarella cheese, milk, eggs, sundried tomato halves, spaghetti squash, zucchini, garlic, onion, and olive oil.
- Total Time: 50 minutes
Roasted Turkey Breast
What Thanksgiving dinner would be complete without a little turkey? This roasted turkey breast recipe from Lauren Allen over at Tastes Better From Scratch is the perfect recipe for smaller families, or when you don’t feel like cooking a huge bird but you want some turkey on the table. Because you’re only using a whole or halved turkey breast instead of a full bird, this recipe takes a fraction of the time to cook without losing any of that classic turkey flavor..
- Ingredients: Turkey breast (whole or half, boneless or bone-in), sage, rosemary, thyme, garlic, salt, and unsalted butter.
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Roast Chicken
If your family isn’t a fan of turkey or you’re looking for a different protein to serve, roast chicken is a great alternative. It’s similar enough to turkey that you can capture some of the same flavors, but chicken has the added benefit of being less expensive to buy and quicker to cook. Nagi over at Recipe Tin Eats has come up with a delicious roast chicken recipe that’s perfect for an easy Thanksgiving dinner. Nagi’s secret to a crispy skin and flavorful chicken is to add the lemon-garlic herb butter both on top of and under the skin so that flavor is present in every mouth-watering bite.
- Ingredients: A whole chicken, olive oil, salt and pepper, lemon, sprigs of rosemary, unsalted butter, garlic cloves, dried rosemary, parsley, sage, dry white wine, onion, and a full garlic bulb.
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
When you’re preparing a large meal with lots of sides and dishes it’s a good idea to find recipes you can make that don’t need your stovetop or oven. This slow cooker mac and cheese will give you a delicious, creamy Thanksgiving side dish that your kids are bound to love. Using two types of cheese adds plenty of flavor while the evaporated and whole milk give this recipe the creamy texture you expect from a mac and cheese. Not only does it taste great, but it’s super simple to prepare. All you need to do is shred your cheese, combine your ingredients, set the timer on your slow cooker and it’ll be hot and ready to eat when it’s time to serve up your plates!
- Ingredients: Elbow macaroni noodles, salt and pepper, water, melted butter, sharp cheddar cheese, grated Parmesan, evaporated milk, whole milk, sour cream, and Dijon mustard.
- Total Time: 2 and a half hours (but only 15 minutes of hands on work).
Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Alongside sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes are one the most iconic thanksgiving side dishes. Michelle over at Brown Eyed Baker has perfected the technique to making them super creamy. The secret to that technique is using Yukon potatoes — they’re the creamiest — and warming up your half and half and butter together before you add them to the potatoes. It’s a simple trick, but it’s one that Michelle swears by. Add in some garlic, fresh herbs, bacon, or onions for a customizable and tasty mashed potato side dish.
- Ingredients: Yukon gold potatoes, half and half, unsalted butter, kosher salt, and pepper.
- Total Time: 45 minutes
Easy Green Beans
Green beans are another classic Thanksgiving side because their crisp, juicy flavor pairs perfectly with poultry like turkey and chicken. These green beans are guaranteed to be loved by everyone in your family with their crisp texture and lemon-garlic butter flavor. The best part is, this easy side dish can be on your table in under 15 minutes!
- Ingredients: Fresh green beans, butter, garlic powder, salt, and the juice of half a lemon.
- Total Time: 14 minutes
Sautéed Brussels Sprouts
The key to Brussels sprouts is to use smaller sprouts for a less bitter flavor and to cook them in a way that keeps them firm — no one likes soggy sprouts! Well Plated by Erin has come up with a quick and easy way of cooking sprouts that keeps them firm, while adding a caramelized flavor and crispy coating to the outside of the veggie. With plenty of flavor and only 5 minutes of prep work, you won’t regret adding these to your Thanksgiving recipe line up.
- Ingredients: Halved Brussels sprouts, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, balsamic vinegar (or lemon juice), fresh parsley (or cilantro or mint), parmesan cheese (or feta, or goat cheese), and pine nuts (or another of your favorite nuts).
- Total Time: 20 minutes
5-Ingredient Cranberry Sauce
Some people like cranberry sauce from the can, but the best cranberry sauce in my opinion, is made from scratch. Sally over at Sally’s Baking Recipes, has come up with a real winner that can be made a few days ahead, saving you time on Thanksgiving so you can focus on your other dishes. Her secret ingredient is vanilla which combines beautifully with the tart cranberries, zesty orange juice, and sweet brown sugar to give you a well-rounded and tasty sauce.
- Ingredients: Fresh or frozen cranberries (don’t use dried), brown sugar, fresh orange juice, water, orange zest, and pure vanilla extract.
- Total Time: 25 minutes
30-Minute Dinner Rolls
Sure, you could open a can of Pillsbury crescent rolls and call it done, but why do that when Holly over at Spend with Pennies has perfect a flaky, buttery dinner roll that you can have on the table in only 30 minutes? Not only will these fluffy dinner rolls taste better than store-bought, they’ll fill your home with the delicious scent of freshly baked bread, which will have your guest’s mouths watering the moment they step through your door.
- Ingredients: Warm water, vegetable oil, sugar, active dry yeast, an egg, unsalted butter, salt, milk, and all-purpose flour.
- Total Time: 30 minutes
Easy Pumpkin Pie
You can’t have a Thanksgiving dinner without also serving a dessert. Inspired Taste has created an easy pumpkin pie recipe that’s perfect as a Thanksgiving dessert. It has the flaky crust and classic pumpkin pie spiced filling with none of the hassle of other pie recipes. This recipe is adaptable so you can use fresh or canned pumpkin puree and change the proportion of cinnamon and ginger to create the perfect pumpkin pie. The best part is, pumpkin pie tastes better after a day in the fridge so you can make this pie up to three days ahead of time!
- Ingredients: A single pie crust, pumpkin puree, eggs, sugar, brown sugar, heavy whipping cream, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, vanilla extract, sea salt, and some whipped cream for serving.
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
How To Plan A Thanksgiving Menu
Now that you have some amazing recipes, here’s a few tips on planning the perfect Thanksgiving dinner.
Prepare in advance
With so much going on the day of Thanksgiving, your best bet is to prepare as many dishes as you can ahead of time. For great advance prep dishes try the easy pumpkin pie, make ahead frittata, or 5-ingredient cranberry sauce from this post!
Do Some turkey math
If you’re planning on serving a turkey, poll your guests in advance to see how many will be eating it. Then, plan to buy roughly ¾ to 1 pound worth of bird for each guest who’ll be dining on it. With the weight of the bones, this works out to the perfect amount of turkey!
Cook plenty of sides
Thanksgiving sides are just as important as the turkey because they offer a variety of flavors and ensure there’s something everyone at your table will enjoy. Choose a potato option or two, a few veggies, and some bread options like stuffing or the homemade dinner rolls in this post for a well-rounded side menu.
Enlist help
Most guests will be more than willing to bring a dish to your Thanksgiving dinner. This helps them feel like they contributed, takes some work off your plate, and provides your guests with a wide variety of everyone’s favorite Thanksgiving recipes!
Are there any tips I left out? I’d love to hear them, so be sure to share them in the comments below! Happy Thanksgiving!
