Our 2019 Thanksgiving Menu
This comprehensive list of everything we’re planning to serve for Thanksgiving dinner covers the gamut, from cocktails and appetizers to how we’re preparing and cooking the turkey, vegetables, side dishes and, of course, dessert! If you’re still struggling with your Thanksgiving menu, I hope you’ll find some inspiration below.
Thanksgiving is ONE WEEK away!
Do you have any special memories associated with the fall holiday?
Growing up, this was one of – if not THE – most special holiday tradition for me. My grandfather’s parents and siblings settled in Chicago after immigrating here from Italy, while he remained here in Western Pennsylvania. Every year, his family traveled here to Pittsburgh for Thanksgiving, often spending the entire week.
It was so much fun for us kids to see those great aunts and uncles and cousins that we rarely got to spend time with. My grandma would start baking weeks in advance and she cooked feasts for them every night, never mind Thanksgiving dinner! We would play cards or dice late into the night, which usually resulted in my grandma taking out a spread of bread, Italian meats, and cheeses for sandwiches. It was the best time and I have so many fond memories of those Thanksgiving weeks.
To make a long story short… I have always absolutely adored the Thanksgiving holiday and am elated when it rolls around every year. 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. Yes, I am totally THAT PERSON, but it is a LIFESAVER when it comes to planning the meal!
Our 2019 Thanksgiving Menu
This year we are having 11 people for dinner (plus two more for dessert), in addition to our three kids, and this is what we’ll be feasting on…
Cocktails
- We always have an assortment of water, soft drinks, beer, and wine on hand.
- Two years ago, I made this cranberry cider punch and everyone LOVED it, so I made it again last year and it’ll make an appearance again this year (we typically go through a triple batch per 10 people). It’s a non-alcoholic drink, but some guests chose to spike it with their liquor of choice 😉
Appetizers
I like to keep pre-meal apps and snacks pretty light since Thanksgiving is such a huge and heavy meal. Appetizers for this year:
- Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms (my mom has been making this recipe for a few years now and they get totally devoured).
- A cheese board is always a massive hit and you seriously cannot go wrong. I’ll load it up with fruit and veggies, too.
The Turkey!
I have brined a turkey for the last seven years, and plan to do so again this year. Up until two years ago, I had done traditional saltwater brines with sugar and aromatics, but two years ago, 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 seven 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 years 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.
- Make-Ahead Gravy – This is my go-to gravy; since we deep fry the turkey, there are no pan drippings to make traditional gravy. I may try to roast some turkey legs this weekend and save the drippings to amp up the turkey flavor!
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!
- Traditional Bread Stuffing – I have made an additional sausage stuffing for the last few years (sometimes cornbread and sometimes the Challah version), and even though I LOVE it, we always have an insane amount leftover, so I scratched it from the menu this year and am just going with a larger pan of the traditional stuff.
- Perfect Mashed Potatoes – I usually triple or quadruple batch this so there is enough for dinner plus extra to send home with the leftover turkey.
- Trying to decide between sweet potato gratin, which is always a big hit, or a more traditional sweet potato casserole, which we haven’t had in a few years. Which would you vote for?
- Green vegetable! I haven’t nailed this one down yet; my mother-in-law has made the Brussels sprouts with pancetta, cranberries & pine nuts in years past and everyone enjoys them, and then there’s green bean casserole from scratch. Decisions, decisions.
- Corn Casserole – I’m still debating between the classic creamed corn casserole, fresh corn casserole from scratch, or sweet corn spoon bread. Do you have a vote?
- Dinner Rolls – We usually buy them from a bakery, but I’m making them from scratch this year!
(For more side dish ideas, check out 27 Thanksgiving Side Dishes That Are Better Than the Turkey)
Dessert
- Pumpkin Pie
- Chocolate Chip-Pecan Pie Bars
- Italian Walnut Pillow Cookies (my grandma’s Thanksgiving week staple)
(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!
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.
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.Â
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.
Everything looks great! So excited to try the sweet potato gratin. Thanks couldn’t pull up the dry rub from the WSJ without subscribing can you please post it? ThanksÂ
I’m so sorry, I am not a subscriber and I was able to pull it up (I had it bookmarked from last year – I wonder if that has anything to do with it?). In any case, here it is! The actual recipe is for a grilled turkey using a charcoal grill and wood chips, but I imagine once you get to this point, you could cook it however you’d like (we fry). The original recipe calls for brushing the turkey with a melted lemon-butter mixture every 30 minutes after it has been cooking for 1 hour.
½ cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons ground dehydrated apple slices, such as Bare brand
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 (12-to-15-pound) turkey, neck and giblets removed
1. Make dry brine: In a small bowl, combine salt, brown sugar, ground apples, black pepper, pepper flakes, paprika and cloves. Pat turkey dry all over with paper towels and transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet. Use your hands to rub dry brine all over turkey, paying special attention to breast. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Chill turkey, uncovered, overnight or up to 2 days.
2. Remove turkey from refrigerator and let it come to room temperature, 2 hours.
Sweet corn spoon bread for sure! It’s always a must at our Thanksgiving dinner.Â
Hi! Â You probably know this, but do not wrap your breadsticks too early with the prosciutto! Â The meat will soften the breadsticks into mush. Â They are delicious though….great choice. Â Happy Thanksgiving….love your site.
Our Thanksgiving is having Mac n cheese from scratch. Last year so many people were disappointed when there wasn’t any. So definitely cooking it this year.Â
Looks like a great menu! How do you think those stuffed mushrooms compare to the Mrs. Waterman’s ones you have on your site? We’ve been making those for a few years and love them but this recipe looks great too! Happy Thanksgiving :)
Great question! They’re both delicious, just different. If I had to choose, I think I would pick Ina’s (although by a slim margin!).
I have to wonder how in the heck did your poor Grandma do it? I’m sure she loved it but also loved when everyone went home. She sounds like the greatest hostess.
Hi! Any chance you could share the dry brine recipe? I am looking for one and you can’t view the whole WSJ recipe without subscribing. Thank you!!
I’m so sorry, I am not a subscriber and I was able to pull it up (I had it bookmarked from last year – I wonder if that has anything to do with it?). In any case, here it is! The actual recipe is for a grilled turkey using a charcoal grill and wood chips, but I imagine once you get to this point, you could cook it however you’d like (we fry). The original recipe calls for brushing the turkey with a melted lemon-butter mixture every 30 minutes after it has been cooking for 1 hour.
½ cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons ground dehydrated apple slices, such as Bare brand
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 (12-to-15-pound) turkey, neck and giblets removed
1. Make dry brine: In a small bowl, combine salt, brown sugar, ground apples, black pepper, pepper flakes, paprika and cloves. Pat turkey dry all over with paper towels and transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet. Use your hands to rub dry brine all over turkey, paying special attention to breast. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Chill turkey, uncovered, overnight or up to 2 days.
2. Remove turkey from refrigerator and let it come to room temperature, 2 hours.
You might want to mention that one has to subscribe to the Wall Street Journal in order to get the recipe.
I’m so sorry, I am not a subscriber and I was able to pull it up (I had it bookmarked from last year – I wonder if that has anything to do with it?).
I NEED a good stuffing recipe and this looks like it could be a winner (my family likes a very traditional stuffing). We have tried several recipes over the years but have not yet found one we love. Do you make your own bread cubes or do you buy them? If you buy, what brand do you use? If you make them, how exactly and with what type of bread? Thanks!
Hi Suzanne, I make my own and usually cut up Challah. I hope that helps!
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and I have been hosting since 2003. We also deep fry with the same indoor fryer,. On the menu is Homemade cranberries, stuffing/dressing, corn casserole, homemade green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie and your cranberry cheesecake pie but I use my homemade cranberries instead of the can. Per my family the cheesecake is Cheesecake Factory good. :D All the recipes on my menu are family recipes except for the green bean casserole and cranberry cheesecake which I have gotten from your website. Thank you for all your great recipes and Happy Thanksgiving.
The only stuffing I make anymore is your traditional bread stuffing! It’s the best!
Same here. Â The dressing I made was very similar to this, but the BEB recipe fine-tuned it. Â
My vote is for sweet corn spoon bread. Â
Great menu!  And, you’ve inspired me to make the sausage stuffed mushrooms as well. I know my family will love them. I purchased a pretty glass beverage dispenser, on sale, over the summer and have been excited to use it. I’m making apple cider sangria!!  I think we’ll all love it. I get the turkey and gravy from a friend who’s a caterer which is the best part.  After making this dinner for about 35 years I don’t mind the help. Everything else is homemade. He has it all cut up and we pick it up that morning already hot and just keep it warm. Truly, this allows me to enjoy the holiday too with a bit less work. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your beautiful family!!
WOULD BE NICE IF YOU PRINTED YOUR MENU ON A THANKSGIVING BULLETIN..I DO IT FOR OTHER PEOPLE FOR A HOBBY
Oh, I sure need to start working on my list! Thanks for the great tips!
This is wonderful i am going to make the turkey this yr. first time ever. now i have a guideline thanks bb your awesome.
Great tips and so many work for any dinner party! We’ll be moving Thanksgiving so no dinner prep for me!
I haven’t gotten to posting my holiday entertaining tips and I almost feel like I’ll be plenty scooped by then!
Great tips and I’m sure your gatherings are fantastic.
Jason
I think that we might only be having 6, but I’m an everyday list maker, so the to do list is the least of my problems.
Some great advice here! Thanks for sharing – I’m starting to breath again!
This is some great advice! I am hosting dinner for the first time and am already getting stressed out.
thanks for sharing these tips! i love hosting and planning, but sometimes it can get a bit overwhelming!
Great advice! I finally caved and allowed others to bring dishes. This is a huge step for me :)
Thank you for these tips! I definitely need them as I am hosting my first “friends thanksgiving!”
Amanda
ThePinkFork.com
great tips! my best advice is make lists and schedules! having a schedule for the day of and week before helps me stay on top of everything
I’m happy to see I’m not the only list maker! I even label my serving dishes ,and one year my father in law thought he would be funny and switch labels! I really didn’t think it was funny at all! Cann’t wait to see all your great ideas !!
Ah, I don’t know if I’m ready yet for holiday entertaining! Fortunately, I think our Thanksgiving party will be only two.
This is a great way to plan everything. After I plan the menu, I also start thinking about wine pairings and, with hors d’oeuvres, a nice fall cocktail.
Also, I think I’m going in a berry direction for the secondary dessert!
I am putting a twist to all of this. It is only my husband and I for Thanksgiving so far this year. As a result I am organizing all of our favorite foods into different days. So there will be several mini menus to enjoy ALL of it!
organized & efficient…must confess that i scrolled down to see your dessert advice first!!
look forward to your dessert recipes (pumpkin roll sounds interesting!)…well actually looking forward to all your recipes for thanksgiving!