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I don’t know about you, but I haven’t had much time to think about my Thanksgiving menu yet. Like almost every year, it somehow snuck up on me again. My mom called me in mid-October to ask what I was having for Thanksgiving, and I said, “I have no idea! I haven’t even thought about Halloween yet!” If you need some ideas, this list has main courses (turkey and some non-traditional Thanksgiving recipes), cranberry sauce and gravy recipes, sides, and desserts. Bonus: If you’re looking for a full menu or a simple sheet pan thanksgiving dinner, jump to this section. State of Dinner has the ultimate Thanksgiving hack with this One Pan Thanksgiving Dinner!
Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be an intense cooking experience. I love being in the kitchen all day and preparing a feast, but I know that’s not everyone’s cup of tea. This list highlights simple menu options, many of which seem like they would be intense to prepare, but aren’t! Confession: I don’t own an Instant Pot. I have several friends who love theirs, but I haven’t made the leap yet. Some of the recipes on this list might just have me looking for a deal on Black Friday. Instant Pot mashed potatoes in 15 minutes?? Yes Please!
Oh, and if you want a unique breakfast idea for Thanksgiving morning, try these Gluten Free Pumpkin Belgian Waffles (by Mountain Berry Eats).
Thanksgiving Mains: Turkey & More
If you’re cooking for a small group, consider a turkey breast instead of a whole turkey. It’s nice to have leftovers, but turkey breasts will cook a lot faster than a whole turkey. You can also go nontraditional with a pot pie or vegan mushroom Wellington. If you don’t want to fool with roasting in the oven, I have you covered with Instant Pot and slow cooker turkey breast recipes.
Juicy Roasted Turkey Breast
If you’re cooking for a smaller number of people this Thanksgiving, then this roasted turkey breast is so easy and quick to cook. Recipe by Nourish Plate.
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Sheet Pan Turkey and Potatoes
8 ingredients | 40 minutes
Make your main course and a side dish at the same time! This Sheet Pan Turkey and Potatoes is perfect for a one pan meal that is still completely festive and delicious. Recipe by My Kitchen Love.
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Make your main course and a side dish at the same time! This Sheet Pan Turkey and Potatoes is perfect for a one pan meal that is still completely festive and delicious. Recipe by My Kitchen Love.
Buttery Roasted Turkey Thighs
Replace your whole turkey with these Roasted Turkey Thighs. Seasoned with honey and spicy harissa paste, these will be a hit for a holiday dinner! Recipe by Went Here 8 This.
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Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast is one of the best ways to cook a turkey breast. Easy to do, just let it cook all day and it is so delicious. Recipe by Jeannie’s Tried and True Recipes.
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Instant Pot Turkey Breast
Instant Pot Turkey Breast is just the easy Thanksgiving recipe that you’ve been searching for. Recipe by Easy Budget Recipes.
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Easy Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Air fryer turkey breast results in tender and juicy turkey with crispy skin. Recipe by Upstate Ramblings.
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Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers
These peppers are stuffed with butternut squash, cranberries, and sage. Perfect for fall, comforting, hearty, and filling. Gluten free, and easily made vegan if feta cheese is omitted. Recipe by The Healthful Ideas.
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Fall Vegetable Pot Pies
These delicious homestyle Fall Vegetable Pot Pies are stuffed with a rainbow of creamy fall veggies, including root vegetables, carrots and romanesco broccoli, and covered by a puff-pastry crust. What a satisfying, comforting meal! Recipe by Seven Roses.
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Vegan Mushroom Wellington
This is the ultimate Vegan Mushroom Wellington! It’s one of the best ways to level up a roast dinner. (For readers in the US, this bakes at 375° F). Recipe by Vegan Punks.
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Gravy & Cranberry Sauce
How To Make Gravy Without Drippings
Learn how to make gravy without drippings. This easy homemade gravy recipe makes a perfect batch of gravy every time, and can be made ahead of time. 5 ingredients. 15 minutes total time. Recipe by The Toasty Kitchen.
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Best-Ever Vegan Gravy With Mushrooms
You are going to want to eat this vegan gravy straight from the pot with a spoon! The vegan brown gravy uses mushrooms, nutritional yeast, and soy sauce to expertly blend flavors. It is kid-friendly and easy to make! 7 ingredients. 15 minutes total time. Recipe by Wow, It’s Veggie?!
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Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Homemade Cranberry Sauce – So quick and easy you will never choose the can again. 4 ingredients. 15 minutes total time. Recipe by Cooks Recipe Collection.
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Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
Ready in 7 minutes with only 3 ingredients needed. Recipe by The Tasty Travelers.
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Sides
If you’re cooking for 2 people, I recommend two sides (OK, maybe two and a stuffing!) If you’re cooking for 4 to 6 people, I don’t recommend adding too many more sides. If you do, adjust the servings downward if you don’t want to end up with a ton of leftovers. Many website, including mine, have a feature in the recipe card portion of the post where you can adjust the servings.
Becky’s Simply Amazing Persimmon Arugula Salad
A beautiful, simple salad with persimmon, avocado, arugula, feta, chopped pistachios, and a lemony vinaigrette. A perfect side dish for a holiday gathering! 10 ingredients. 10 minutes total time. Recipe by Pass Me Some Tasty.
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Instant Pot Sweet Potato Soup
Easy Instant Pot Sweet Potato Soup recipe. Made with pantry essentials, this dinner idea makes for great weeknight comfort food. 9 ingredients. 25 minutes total time. Recipe by A Taste of Madness.
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Savory Baked Pears with Gorgonzola, Walnuts, and Cranberries
9 ingredients | 40 minutes
These Savory Baked Pears with Gorgonzola, Walnuts, and Cranberries are incredibly easy and fast to make with delicious flavors. They bring a lot of class and allure with minimal effort! Vegan and gluten free. Recipe by Three Olives Branch.
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These Savory Baked Pears with Gorgonzola, Walnuts, and Cranberries are incredibly easy and fast to make with delicious flavors. They bring a lot of class and allure with minimal effort! Vegan and gluten free. Recipe by Three Olives Branch.
Roasted Rosemary Buttered Carrots
Roasted Rosemary Buttered Carrots is healthy, quick, and delicious side dish recipe that features the ease of just three ingredients. 3 ingredients. 20 minutes total time. Recipe by Platter Talk.
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Instant Pot Glazed Carrots
Glazed Carrots are such an easy side dish to whip up and they are so buttery, sweet, and delicious. Using an Instant Pot, they are ready in minutes and require no planning or prep time. Recipe includes a paleo option. 6 ingredients. 14 minutes total time. Recipe by Southern Bytes.
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Garlic Butter Green Beans With Parmesan
Sauteed green beans tossed in garlic butter and parmesan – YUM! These garlic butter green beans are a delicious and easy to make side dish recipe. Recipe by Maple + Mango.
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Skillet Green Bean Casserole
Skillet Green Bean Casserole is made without cream of mushroom soup. 13 ingredients. Total time 40 minutes. Recipe by Quiche My Grits.
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Parmesan & Garlic Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts
These crispy roasted Brussels sprouts are packed with garlic flavor with an added richness of the parmesan cheese. This is a great side dish for fall and winter!
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Broccoli Gratin
This Broccoli Gratin with Swiss and Parmesan cheese is a great option for a an easy and delicious Thanksgiving side dish. 8 ingredients. 47 minutes total time. Recipe by Kalyn’s Kitchen.
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Homemade Creamed Corn
Creamed corn from a can just doesn’t come close to matching the flavors and creamy texture of this homemade creamed corn recipe. This recipe can be made ahead. 6 ingredients. 20 minutes total time. Recipe by What A Girl Eats.
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Easy Oven Roasted Mushrooms with Garlic Butter
Easy oven roasted mushrooms with garlic butter will be a favorite low-carb side dish. 10 ingredients. 20 minutes total time. Recipe by Lighter Kitchen.
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Instant Pot Pumpkin Risotto with Caramelized Onions
This Instant Pot pumpkin risotto with balsamic caramelized onions is a creamy, delicately autumn-spiced masterpiece! Forget standing over the pot, carefully adding broth spoon by spoon. Total time 20 minutes. Recipe by She Keeps a Lovely Home.
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Roasted Butternut Squash with Pomegranate and Pistachios
Roasted Butternut Squash with Pomegranate and Pistachios is an easy and unexpected holiday side dish. Goat cheese adds tang to this 5 ingredient, 1 pan dish! Total time 45 minutes. Recipe by White Coat Pink Apron.
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Creamy Butternut Squash Mac And Cheese {Vegan}
A healthy take on macaroni and cheese that’s vegan and filled with nutrition butternut squash. So creamy and flavorful, your entire family will clamor for more. 12 ingredients. Total time 15 minutes. Recipe by Plant Prosperous.
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Easy Skillet Macaroni and Cheese
Creamy, comforting, flavorful, and so good! This can be made ahead. Total time 25 minutes. Recipe by Run Lift Eat & Repeat.
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Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Roasted Sweet Potatoes are simple to make yet so delicious & addictive vegan gluten free side dish that is cripsy on the outside, soft delicate on inside. 8 ingredients. Total time 30 minutes. Vegan, Gluten Free. Recipe by Cook with Kushi.
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Ginger Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Ginger Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes — oven-roasted sweet potatoes whipped with butter, ginger, maple syrup, and a touch of brown sugar. Recipe by On Ty’s Plate
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Sweet Potato Casserole
Creamy Sweet Potato Casserole topped with pecan-cinnamon streusel and mini marshmallows is so good, it tastes like you’re eating dessert first! 12 ingredients. Total time 50 minutes. Recipe by Quiche My Grits.
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Baked Mashed Potatoes
Baked Mashed Potatoes made with sour cream, cream cheese, chives and paprika is the perfect side dish for the holidays or any dinner. 9 ingredients. Total time 1 hour 10 minutes. Recipe by Jeannie’s Tried and True Recipes.
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Easy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Making mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot truly revolutionizes an already easy task! It’s quick, easy, and less mess because it’s all in one pot! 8 ingredients. 15 minutes total time. Recipe by Wheat by the Wayside.
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Garlic & Rosemary Rolls
Garlic and rosemary are the perfect combination in these airy rolls baked to golden perfection.
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Stuffing/Dressing
What’s the difference between stuffing and dressing? Stuffing goes inside the turkey, whereas dressing is made on its own. Confession: I still call all of it stuffing!
Cornbread Dressing
A traditional southern recipe that until now has been intimidating. We show you how easy and delicious it is! Recipe by The Buttered Home.
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Easy Homemade Herbed Stuffing Recipe
There’s no Thanksgiving dish that compares to this homemade stuffing recipe. It’s filled with fresh herbs and it’s a make-ahead recipe so there’s one less dish to worry about the day of! Recipe by Run Lift Eat & Repeat.
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Dessert
Spice Cupcakes with Apple Pie Filling and Cinnamon Buttercream
Dress up cupcakes from a boxed spice cake mix with homemade apple pie filling and a cinnamon buttercream. This is a perfect dessert for fall or Thanksgiving!
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Easy Skillet Apple Pie with Crumble Topping
A truly easy recipe for Apple Pie with a crumble topping. It is all made in a cast iron skillet, with some great shortcuts! Recipe by Mom’s Dinner.
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Mini Cherry Pies
These mini cherry pies have a flaky, buttery crust and a perfectly gooey sweet filling made with fresh cherries and a hint of cinnamon. The individual portions make these a fun treat!
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Lazy Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars {Slow Cooker}
Crockpot pumpkin cheesecake bars are an easy, delicious and moist dessert full of the flavors of fall. Sweet, creamy and easy to make! Recipe by The Lazy Slow Cooker.
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No Bake Pumpkin Pie
There’s no need to turn on the oven to make this No Bake Pumpkin Pie Recipe with a pumpkin layer is sandwiched between cream cheese/whipped cream layers. Recipe by Thrifty Jinxy.
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Classic Southern Pecan Pie
Easiest pie in the South! Use a prepared crust and this family recipe for the best pecan pie you’ve ever had! Simple ingredients and simply delicious! Recipe by Smarty Pants Kitchen.
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Cinnamon Baked Pears with Walnuts & Maple Syrup
If you need an easy, impressive (and surprisingly healthy) dessert recipe in your back pocket, our cinnamon baked pears are for you! Recipe by Hurry The Food Up.
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Castagnaccio (Italian Chestnut Cake)
Castagnaccio is the best chestnut cake in the world! Fudgy consistency, nutty taste with a hint of rosemary pure perfection from Italy! Recipe by Taco and Tiramisu.
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Apple & Cranberry Blondies
A unique, non-pie dessert for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or fall.
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Nut-Free Derby Pie Bites
These bite-sized chocolate and bourbon tarts are great for a Derby party!
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Meringues With Chocolate Mousse
Crunchy, chewy meringues filled with a chocolate mousse make these a decadent dessert.
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Full Thanksgiving Menus
Sheet Pan Thanksgiving Dinner
Turkey, stuffing, and three side dishes, all cooked up on a sheet pan. In just 2 hours (cooking time included) your abundant one pan Thanksgiving dinner will be ready to serve. Recipe by State of Dinner.
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Simple Thanksgiving Menu for 6
A delicious Thanksgiving Menu for 6 that uses basic ingredients, small quantities, and simple preparation! A menu so easy and delicious you might just make it every year! Post by Entertaining With Beth.
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Thank you for including my Pecan Pie recipe!❤️❤️