At the request of many a pal, I’ve compiled my list of favorite Thanksgiving recipe from across the internet, and from my cookbook! Some classic, some less so, these are perfect, tried and true recipes. Thanksgiving is a marathon, not a sprint. Happy cooking, team!
APPETIZERS //
Sweet Potato Biscuits from Just Married: The sweet potato biscuits from Just Married are one of the most popular recipes in the book. They’re so, so, so easy, and just delicious. If you have too much other prep, you can simplify the recipe by using canned pumpkin instead of cooking the sweet potatoes. I’ve tried it, they’re delish. If you’re in the south, stuff these with country ham instead of prosciutto. https://www.theepochtimes.com/sweet-potato-biscuits-from-a-southern-grandmother_2739507.html
Other than that, just make a massive cheeseboard! No need to cook even MORE food for appetizers. Great inspo here: https://whatsgabycooking.com/winter-cheese-board/ and here: https://thefeedfeed.com/weelicious/thanksgiving-cheese-and-fruit-board
TURKEY //
If you need to make two turkeys to accommodate your group size, might I suggest making two? A classic, and a fun one that no one will have tried before.
Classic Roast Turkey: This is a great tutorial to teach you how not to F it up https://www.marthastewart.com/353184/perfect-roast-turkey
Soy Sauce and Honey Glazed Turkey: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/soy-sauce-and-honey-glazed-turkey
Mustard and Rosemary Roast Turkey: Melissa Clark breaks the bird down so that you can roast the dark and white meat for separate times, ensuring a better cooked turkey across the board. https://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/thanksgiving-turkeys?slide=1090250#1090250
SIDES //
InstantPot Cranberry Sauce: Lots of orange flavor, plus a combination of white and brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract which adds a complexity to the sauce. This recipe utilizes a pressure cooker, but if you don’t have one, just throw all the ingredients in a pot and reduce over medium-low heat until thick and saucy. https://mealthy.com/recipes/2037/pressure-cooker-cranberry-sauce
Parker House Rolls: Rolls are a crucial element to any Thanksgiving table. In the south, whoever is the worst cook always gets assigned the job of bringing the Sister Schubert’s parker house rolls. They come in a little round tin and they are buttery and fluffy and perfect. If you can’t buy them, make Amanda Frederickson’s: https://www.amandafrederickson.com/all-recipes/2016/11/7/parker-house-rolls
Mashed Potatoes with Crispety Crunchies: This is a new recipe from Bon Appetite and it looks absolutely perfect. There are potato chips on top of mashed potatoes. I’ll be trying this one out this year. https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/mashed-potatoes-with-crispety-cruncheties
Honey Roasted Carrots with Tahini: These carrots are best enjoyed hot if you have the oven space, but I also love them room temp. The creamy tahini sauce and middle eastern spiced carrots will add a unique flavor to your otherwise ultra-American Thanksgiving table.\]\ https://www.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/news/2014/10/the-chefs-take-yotam-ottolenghis-honey-roasted-carrots-with-tahini
Roasted Cauliflower and Hazelnut Salad: I am absolutely obsessed with this salad, and have made it for more potluck-y meals than I can count. It can be entirely pre-assembled and enjoyed at room temperature.https://www.loveandlemons.com/roasted-cauliflower-hazelnut-salad-jerusalem/
Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad from Just Married: This is a raw salad, and can be prepped entirely in advance. Make the delicious sweet and spicy nuts, or save time by purchasing the sweet and spicy walnuts from Trader Joe’s. Find the recipe here, where it terrifyingly gets picked apart by a panel of recipe testers (they ultimately love it as much as I do, phew!): https://leitesculinaria.com/221594/recipes-kale-brussels-sprouts-salad.html
Wild Mushroom Stuffing: I was never a huge stuffing fan until I discovered that it didn’t have to come in the form of stale croutons, from a box! I’m wild about this recipe. Just use sliced criminis if you need to save time. https://whatsgabycooking.com/wild-mushroom-stuffing/
DESSERT //
Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake with Walnut Crust: Just absurdly good. Do it. https://www.ediblela.com/news/pumpkin-maple-cheesecake-with-walnut-crust
Pumpkin Cheesecake Blondies: A great option if you need a pre-cut sich that’s hand-held and easy to share. http://www.carolinechambers.com/recipes/2018/12/3/ooey-gooey-pumpkin-cheesecake-blondies
Chocolate Pie with Toasted Marshmallow: Why would you not make this? https://thefeedfeed.com/amandafrederickson/chocolate-pie-with-toasted-marshmallow-meringue
Salted Caramel Pear Pie: Because your family really doesn’t need another apple pie. http://www.judykim.nyc/recipes/salted-caramel-pear-pie
Salted Butter Apple Galette with Maple Whipped Cream: But if they do need an apple pie, make it this one. People freak over this. Salty sweet autumnal perfection. https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/salted-butter-apple-galette-with-maple-whipped-cream-51255600