Our Classic Thanksgiving Menu
This comprehensive list of everything we love to serve for Thanksgiving dinner covers the gamut, from cocktails and appetizers to how we prepare and cook the turkey, vegetables, side dishes, and, of course, dessert! If you’re still working on your Thanksgiving menu, I hope you’ll find some inspiration below.
I have always absolutely adored the Thanksgiving holiday and am elated when it rolls around every year.
While planning a big meal can be daunting, I keep a spreadsheet with tabs for different years to keep track of how many people we host, what we eat, how much, if people liked it, how much was leftover, and notes for what to change for the following year. It is a LIFESAVER when it comes to planning the meal!
Before you start cooking, be sure to read over my Thanksgiving kitchen essentials to ensure you have all of the tools you need for the meal to go as smoothly as possible!
After hosting Thanksgiving for over ten years now, we’ve gotten into a groove with our menu; below is how it shakes out:
Our Classic Thanksgiving Menu
Festive Cocktails
- We always have an assortment of water, soft drinks, beer, and wine on hand.
- A number of years ago, I made this cranberry cider punch and everyone LOVED it. It’s a non-alcoholic drink, but some guests chose to spike it with their liquor of choice 😉
- If you’d like something warm for after dinner, give hot apple cider rum punch a try.
Holiday Appetizers
I like to keep pre-meal apps and snacks pretty light since Thanksgiving is such a huge and heavy meal. I usually do an assortment of three different appetizers:
- Hot Finger Food: My mom has been making sausage-stuffed mushrooms for years now and they get devoured. Another popular hot appetizer has always been cheesy bacon-wrapped dates.
- Cold Dip or Cheese Ball: A few favorites include spinach dip, homemade French onion dip, Neiman Marcus dip, sun-dried tomato dip, and pimiento cheese ball.
- Veggies! Last but not least, I load up a veggie tray with ranch for dipping, and I bet kids would absolutely love this turkey veggie tray!
The Turkey!
I have brined a turkey for the last decade; up until several years ago, I had done traditional saltwater brines with sugar and aromatics. However, after seeing a recipe in the Wall Street Journal, I tried dry brining. It was easier and produced an incredibly juicy turkey, so it’s become my go-to method ever since. [Please note that the recipe link above appears to be behind a paywall, but if you Google “dry brine turkey recipe” you’ll find tons of similar recipes!]
We first deep-fried a turkey at least 10 years ago, and I don't think we'll ever look back. Everyone agreed that it was the best turkey, ever. We have the Butterball XL Indoor Turkey Fryer, which holds up to a 20-pound turkey (although we fried a 22-pound turkey a couple of times without any issues). The indoor fryer is safe, easy to use, and the turkey cooks extremely quickly. We love it!
(You can read how we do it here –> How to Deep-Fry a Turkey)
Alongside the turkey come its duo of accompaniments:
- Fresh Cranberry Sauce – I love this chutney/relish-style cranberry sauce and have been making it for years. I also add a can of jellied cranberry sauce to the table for those who prefer the nostalgia ;-)
- Make-Ahead Gravy – This is my go-to gravy; since we deep fry the turkey, there are no pan drippings to make traditional gravy.
Thanksgiving Side Dishes
I like to have a variety of side dishes, encompassing all of the necessary categories that people expect to see – stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, etc. The amount you choose to serve totally depends on the number of people you are having!
- Stuffing: My husband’s favorite is sausage and apple stuffing, but we always have traditional stuffing, too!
- Mashed Potatoes – I usually make a triple or quadruple batch of my creamy mashed potatoes so there is enough for dinner plus extra to send home with the leftover turkey.
- Sweet Potatoes – My all-time favorite sweet potato side dish is my sweet potato gratin, and I also love the pineapple-bourbon sweet potato casserole for something unexpected and different!
- Salad – I first made shaved Brussels sprouts salad with bacon and pecans a few years ago, and it was a big hit; I’ve also done a roasted butternut squash salad with warm cider vinaigrette in the past.
- Corn Casserole – The cheesy creamed corn casserole is quite possibly everyone’s favorite Thanksgiving side dish!
- Veggie Side Dish – So many options! In the past, we’ve enjoyed corn and mixed vegetable casserole, broccoli casserole, Brussels sprouts and bacon gratin, Brussels sprouts with pancetta, cranberries & pine nuts, and green bean casserole from scratch. In addition, hashbrown casserole and crock pot mac and cheese have been two of the most popular Thanksgiving recipes over the years!
- Dinner Rolls – Some years I make them homemade from my white bread recipe, and some years we get them from the bakery. I haven’t decided which route I’m taking yet this year :)
(For more side dish ideas, check out 27 Thanksgiving Side Dishes That Are Better Than the Turkey)
Classic Thanksgiving Desserts
- Pumpkin Pie (a must! my mother-in-law always brings the pumpkin pie!)
- Pecan Pie is my very favorite Thanksgiving dessert, so I always make one :)
- If you are making pie, be sure to read over my ultimate guide on how to make pie crust!
- Italian Walnut Pillow Cookies (my grandma’s Thanksgiving week staple)
- Chocolate Desserts – I’ve always argued that Thanksgiving needs a biiiiit more chocolate. My chocolate cream pie and French silk pie have always been incredibly popular among readers for Thanksgiving!
- Most Popular Desserts – If you’re looking to try something different, the following have been the most popular Thanksgiving desserts on this site over the years: Dutch Apple Pie, Key Lime Pie, Southern Banana Pudding, Ambrosia Salad, No-Bake Oreo Dessert, New York Cheesecake, Pumpkin Roll, and Pumpkin Cupcakes, along with my tutorial on how to make meringue and recipe for homemade whipped cream.
(For more dessert ideas, check out 29 Thanksgiving Desserts Worth Saving Room For)
I’d love to hear what you’re planning to make for Thanksgiving this year!
Are you hosting? Are you bringing a dish somewhere? Give me all of the yummy details!
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Hi Jenn!
Our kids are dining with distant in-laws this year. I will make a feast with 2 turkey thighs and slabs of breast meat with fixings to have as in-house-grazing holiday fare. But this year we’ve been invited to a friend’s house – for a vegan Thanksgiving! Should be educational!
Happy Turkey Day with blessings!
Anne
I had to comment because so many of our classic Thanksgiving recipes come from you! We love your cranberry sauce and make it every year. Once upon a time you had a make-ahead gravy recipe that used sautéed onions as a base. This is a must for our menu. We also always make your Skillet Apple Pie – https://www.browneyedbaker.com/skillet-apple-pie/. Thanks for making our Thanksgiving table so delicious!
We are hosting again this year and expect about 20 people to be here. Our menu looks a lot like yours…appetizers (Rotel/Velveeta dip, vege tray, & deviled eggs are on the list so far), turkey & ham, sides (dressing, mashed potatoes & gravy, mashed sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, creamed corn, corn pudding), and desserts (pumpkin pie, pecan pie, apple pie, cheesecake). Whew! I’m full just thinking about it!
Thanksgiving has passed in Canada but I truly love reading all your menu suggestions as they are also great for Christmas. I love your Brussels sprouts recipe with dried cranberries, pine nuts and pancetta and love having that for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Have you tried Jamie Oliver’s recipe for make-ahead gravy? It uses baked chicken wings for flavour and is absolutely delicious. Highly recommend. Can be made ahead and frozen.
https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/chicken-recipes/get-ahead-gravy/
A few sides are enough for me ie mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts, stuffing and lots of gravy and whole berry cranberry sauce. I need to try making some. I love your idea of pecan pie as I’m not a pumpkin pie fan.
Wishing you and your family a fabulous Thanksgiving!
🦃 Happy Thanksgiving Michelle to you and your family! I hope u and your family have the best and blessed day ever! 🦃
It’s just me so I will go to a local firehouse that is giving away free dinners. It will be enjoyable because I don’t have to cook. A donation to the fire company is also planned. Happy Thanksgiving to all.
I hope you have a great Thanksgiving. Your menu sounds delicious.
For those wanting access to the WSJ brine recipe, check your local library site for free access. I was able to search for dry brine & easily found the recipe.
Okay, here is what I am attempting on my first Thanksgiving as sole cook or any cook for that matter. I am cooking a turkey breast, how, I am unsure of. I’m doing candied yams, Mac and cheese with crumbled sausage, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole (maybe) and probably a corn casserole. I’m making an Angel meringue pie. Not a big meal but then again, there’s only three or four of us. Hope you all have a happy thanksgiving.
My gosh, my seams are busting just reading this! I used to host for any and all that wanted to come, however, after losing my husband it sort of took the wind out of me. So this year I’ll will be spending it with my brother and his wife. Will make fresh cranberry sauce(quite similar to yours), a cherry cobbler,and fresh rolls to serve with local Amish butter, and maybe a sweet potato casserolee. My SiL always fixes tons of food, so we’ll all be fat and sassy by the end of a very enjoyable evening together.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours,straight from my heart to all y’all. God bless y’all, and extra special blessings for your precious Dominic.
Hi Michelle – We’re hosting this year with a traditional menu similar to yours. I roast my turkey with the breast down and always have moist and tender breast meat. Also, I put a paste of garlic, fresh herbs, and olive oil under the skin and generously salt the outside skin. In the past, I included something Italian – lasagna, ravioli, gnocchi, etc. with Thanksgiving and although those sides tasted delicious, I decided they really aren’t complimentary with the other traditional Thanksgiving side dishes. So instead, I save the Italian dishes for another dinner!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family with an extra measure of blessing for Dominic.
It’s just me here, so I will have chicken, stuffing, and cranberry sauce for one. I’m tempted to buy a turkey because they are so cheap right now, but that’s a lot of bird! I will, however, make those delicious-sounding walnut cookies for Christmas-they sound heavenly!
I’m sorry you’re going through that.We used to have huge Italian family gatherings when I was a kid, but our family lost many family members the last 15 years, mom, dad, brother, grandmothers, uncles & my Godaughter. So, l feel for you. Plus, we moved away to be closer to our son who is in college. Having very little family or friends around is really difficult. People don’t understand how blessed they are to still have an intact family. I think nowadays, our situation is actually more common then most people realize. I wish you peace holiday season & know you’re not alone in this very real struggle.
Turkey and some barbecue ribs and all the fixings
Have a Happy Thanksgiving 🦃
🦃Happy Thanksgiving Michelle to u and your family! I hope it will be a wonderful day of memories for everyone that will be remembered yrs after! We all are sooo thankful for this yr! I’m also thankful that Dominic is doing so well! 🦃
Hosting, as always. I dry brine my turkey too – started maybe the year before COVID hit? Yum. Have a great holiday!
Your menu sounds wonderful!! We are having 8 people. We also love to entertain.
Our menu is much like yours with the traditional items: Turkey, stuffing, (also adding baked ham with a marmalade sauce on the side this year) mashed potatoes (love yukon gold), sweet potato casserole , cubed and baked sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, canned cranberry sauce, homemade orange/cranberry sauce, baked pineapple casserole, cole slaw, rolls and dessert. Pumkin pie and mincemeat pie.
Wishing you and your family a blessed Thanksgiving.
Thank you for sharing your recipes.
We always go to my mom’s. I’ll be bringing my mother in law’s delicious sausage dressing, and usually macaroni and cheese and a broccoli gratin I’ve made for years. I haven’t 100% decided what I’m bringing this year, but probably that :) why change up a good thing? Lol
I agree! Our menu doesn’t change too much anymore; I feel like we’ve kind of nailed down what everyone really likes!
I’m super excited to have my traditional Thanksgiving again this year! We have all the staples including turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and cranbery sauce. I do a similar but different sausage, apple and sourdough stuffing and your pineapple bourbon sweet potato casserole has been on my table for the last 5-6 years; it’s always AMAZING. I’m thinking pumpkin, pecan and apple pies for dessert. Can’t wait!! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. :)
Im from the pgh area too. What bakery are you getting your rolls from? Im always on the lookout 👀 for a new bakery
I’m in Canada so we’ve already had our Thanksgiving but my mouth is watering after reading your menu and suggestions. I loooove a turkey dinner with all the trimmings especially mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce. I might try making your cranberry sauce recipe for Christmas. I love your Brussels sprouts recipe and have made it lots. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
We are lucky enough to be invited to friends each year and usually bring wine and a dish. For the last few years no matter which friend I have been requested to bring Macaroni and Cheese which is your crockpot recipe. Everyone loves it and I love how easy it is too! It is the best!!
Aw I love this!!! So thrilled that it’s enjoyed by so many!
Michelle, your menu looks delicious! I have printed several of the recipes. My question is about the walnuts in your grandmother’s pillow cookie recipe. About how many cups of ground walnuts would equal ‘one and a half pounds’?? Mine are in baggies in the freezer (shelled walnuts, not ground) and I have no idea how many the recipe calls for. Thank you!
Hi Nancy! It’s about 6 cups finely chopped. I hope that helps!
I’m doing the cooking at my mom’s house. We have 23 coming, several vegetarians and one who is also gluten free! So aside from the usual turkey, mashed potatoes, my grandma’s stuffing, corn, green bean casserole, and pecan topped sweet potato casserole, we also have a gluten free vegetarian “turkey,” gluten free stuffing, Acorn squash, rice and broccoli and sauteed mushrooms. Desserts are always insane…I’m doing a pumpkin pie, a French Silk pie and pear ginger crumble bars. There will also be pecan pie, apple pie, and assorted cookies.
Oh my what a spread!!! Kudos to you! Everything sounds delicious!
Wow. I can’t imagine any of this. I don’t have family, friends, or even eat a Thanksgiving meal, at least not for many years. You are the epitome of what I wish everyone can experience during the holidays. Probably not what you want to hear, but as mind boggling and stellar as all this is that you put together, it hurts too. Thank you for sharing. What lucky family and friends you have.
Sending you a great big virtual hug, xo
Thanks, Michelle. :)
Little side-note: I just typed in a search engine, “recipes that I can use root beer in,” and the first website was https://www.cheatsheet.com/culture/cooking-with-root-beer-6-recipes-for-bbq-chili-and-more.html/
—And on their top recipe listings, the first was for your amazing crock-pot root beer baked beans: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/slow-cooker-root-beer-baked-beans/
I would love this side dish.
Best to you.
A.
I don’t know where you are located but, if you are by any chance in East Tennessee, you are welcome to join my family for Thanksgiving.
Oh my-how sweet and kind are you…
I’ll be praying for you A, and I also can relate too. So this
year I’m helping to serve the homeless on Thanksgiving. I can be thankful, and love on others who need it.
I’m sorry you’re going through that.We used to have huge Italian family gatherings when I was a kid, but our family lost many family members the last 15 years, mom, dad, brother, grandmothers, uncles & my Godaughter. So, l feel for you. Plus, we moved away to be closer to our son who is in college. Having very little family or friends around is really difficult. People don’t understand how blessed they are to still have an intact family. I think nowadays, our situation is actually more common then most people realize. I wish you peace holiday season & know you’re not alone in this very real struggle.
Are you brining a regualr frozen turkey that is typically treated with a salt solution?
I keep wanting to try it but am worried it will turn out too salty
Hi Jean, No, we get a fresh turkey from a local farm.
I made your sweet potato gratin last year and it was outstanding!! I vote for that!
So thrilled to hear you loved it! It’s definitely a favorite here, with usually no leftovers!
Do you rinse the turkey after you brine it or leave all salt on to cook? Thanks I really enjoy your site.
Hi Janet, No, do not rinse!
Michelle – your bread stuffing recipe is the closest thing to my mom’s recipe. I bless you every year because I thought the recipe was lost forever! Enjoy the holiday with your lovely family.