Easy Thanksgiving Menu
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An Easy Thanksgiving Menu with delicious and classic flavors everyone gathering at your table will love!
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Thanksgiving, for us, is a family affair that grows yearly with marriages, friends, and new babies. Every year the table seems to grow smaller, but we squeeze in, bump each other’s elbows, talk over the top of each other, and reminisce a new year of blessings.
While we may be scattered across the globe this year, we’re still together in spirit, thanks to our devices. But we’re always dream of the years when it’s possible to gather all together around one very delightfully crowded table.
Every Thanksgiving morning will find too many cooks in our kitchen, a few missteps along the way, but inevitably, the dishes make it to the table. And with happy, satisfied smiles, no one leaves that table hungry.
This Thanksgiving, as you gather with friends and family, give thanks and make lifetime memories.
How many sides should you serve at Thanksgiving?
I’m often asked how many side dishes to serve for Thanksgiving. Here is a great rule of thumb:
- Four people: Choose 1 to 2 appetizers and 3 side dishes.
- Eight people: Choose 1 to 3 appetizers and 3 side dishes
- Sixteen people: Choose 2 to 3 appetizers and 3 or more side dishes
Holiday cheese boards are great ideas for appetizers. You can easily scale them to fit the number of guests you plan to serve with almost zero prep.
How much turkey do I need for Thanksgiving dinner?
I like to plan for about 1 lb of turkey per person, allowing for Thanksgiving leftovers. Because who doesn’t want a Thanksgiving turkey sandwich or in my case, Leftover Turkey Vegetable Noodle Soup.
Whole Turkey
- 2-4 people: A small 6-pound turkey (or turkey breast) works great.
- 6-10 people: An 8 to13-pound turkey is plenty.
- 14-20 people: You will need a large turkey, about 18-25 pounds.
How long does it take to thaw a frozen turkey?
When planning your Thanksgiving dinner, allow 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds of frozen turkey. The USDA says that a completely thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days before roasting.
Thanksgiving Recipes and Ideas
STARTERS AND THANKSGIVING SIDES
Easy Holiday Cheese Board
This easy Holiday Cheese Board takes minutes to assemble, is a beautiful and delicious display of seasonal finger foods and appetizers that will keep everyone satisfied for parties and gatherings. I'm keeping it super simple with store-bought ingredients and almost zero prep.
Beautiful Thanksgiving Salad Recipes
From simple to elaborate, these delicious Thanksgiving salad recipes are perfect for the holiday table.
Autumnal Favorite: Pumpkin Curry Soup
This Pumpkin Curry Soup is incredibly delicious, rich, and creamy. Simple to make in 30 minutes, it's a fall favorite or perfect Thanksgiving side.
Carrot Apple Soup
A delicious combination of flavors in this simple soup is perfectly suited for the Thanksgiving table!
Easy Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet Potato Casserole is an easy, iconic side dish perfect for the holidays with a smooth, velvety texture and sweet distinctive flavor. Topped with a crunchy pecan streusel and a hint of citrus, it’s a classic favorite for your Thanksgiving table.
Simple and Classic Stuffing for Thanksgiving
A traditional and Classic Stuffing for Holidays. A simple tried and true family recipe made with onions, celery, herbs, butter, and toasted bread. It's simply and wonderfully... delicious!
Roasted Fall Vegetables with Maple, Thyme and Apple
Roasted Fall Vegetables with Maple, Thyme, and Apple are an easy, simple, and incredibly delicious side dish to prepare for Thanksgiving or fall dinners all season.
Maple Glazed Roasted Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash
Maple Glazed Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash with dried cranberries, toasted pecans, and crispy bacon. This is the perfect Thanksgiving side. It literally combines every flavor you love for the holidays. And... it's very, very easy to make.
Simple Cornbread Dressing Recipe
This simple Cornbread Dressing recipe is a classic holiday side dish that's utterly delicious with holiday flavors of cornbread, sage, and thyme. Simple to make and perfect for Thanksgiving.
Apple Herbed Couscous in Roasted Pumpkins
Apple Herb Couscous in Roasted Pumpkins is an extra special side or vegetarian main dish perfect for the season. It is a stunning, beautiful, and healthy addition to fall and winter meals like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Maple Spiced Slow Cooker Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Maple Spiced Slow Cooker Mashed Sweet Potatoes should be a staple of any fall gathering. And a must for Thanksgiving. Simple and easy, yet rich and delicious!
Three Sisters Stew
Three Sisters Stew is an easy-to-make, wholesome vegetable dish gently stewed in a fragrant broth. With indigenous roots, this delicious dish is perfect to serve during harvest, for Thanksgiving, or on any chilly winter day. And, it's ready in under 30 minutes.
Easy Green Bean Casserole
This iconic Green Bean Casserole is a classic favorite holiday side dish. Requiring only minutes of prep, it can be made with canned, frozen, or fresh green beans. And with a couple of unique ingredients, this twist on a classic favorite is just as delicious as ever.
Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Toasted Pecans
Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Toasted Pecans is an all-time favorite side dish for the season. The flavors are rich and slightly sweet, with maple syrup and the smokey, savory notes from bacon, make this dish irresistible!
Classic Cape Cod Cranberry Sauce
From the heart of the pilgrim country comes a recipe for a Classic Cape Cod Cranberry Sauce made with a handful of ingredients in about 10 minutes, plus chilling time.
TURKEY RECIPES
THANKSGIVING BREADS & DESSERTS
Easy No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake is one of the easiest pumpkin desserts you'll ever make. Light and fluffy with distinctive pumpkin spice flavoring, it's an easy cheesecake you'll come back to time and again.
5 Minute Fall Crack (aka Fall Snack Chex Mix)
A quick and easy 5 minute Fall Crack Chex Mix recipe that's super simple and yummy. Packed with the sweet and salty flavors we love, it's a treat perfect for the season!
Easy Apple Slab Pie
This Apple Slab Pie recipe is a simple way to make an apple pie that feeds a crowd and is 100% delicious with warm spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Using ready-made crusts speeds up the process and delivers a fabulous pie everyone will love.
