Looking for tips on how to make the Thanksgiving classics? How about some new ideas you can try? Look below for a roundup of some of the best dishes we’ve done, all hand-picked as sure-fire winners at the Thanksgiving feast.
- Main Dishes
- Roast Turkey
- Rotisserie Turkey
- Rotisserie Chicken
- Slow Roasted Chicken
- Classic Side Dishes
- Cranberry Sauce
- Smooth Cranberry Sauce
- Roasted Squash
- Glazed Carrots
- Potatoes au Gratin
- Fried Green Beans with Bacon
- Giblet Gravy
- Potato Buns
- Desserts
- Tarte Tatin
- Sorghum Pecan Pie
- Cranberry Cheesecake
- Frozen Chocolate Truffle Pie
- Alternatives
- Brussels Sprouts
- Corn Casserole
- Sauteed Cabbage
- Baked Mac and Cheese (two versions)
- Baked Fauxtatoes
- Creamy Cheesecake
- Leftovers
- Turkey Hash
- Turkey Soup
- Clarified Turkey Broth
- Other
- Classic Kids’ Thanksgiving Feast
- Industrial Food-like Products
- Cooking Safety
- Pie Crusts (And one topping)
Main Dishes
The perfect bird.
Roast Turkey
The classic centerpiece of the Thanksgiving dinner.
Rotisserie Turkey Breast
If the weather holds up, and you don’t need the whole bird, this method is great for getting all-around crispy skin and not much fat.
Rotisserie Chicken
You don’t need a whole turkey, but you still want drumsticks.
Slow Roasted Chicken
This method doesn’t get you the beautiful, camera-ready skin, but it’s moist and delicious and nearly foolproof.
Classic Side Dishes
A few things you’re just expecting to see.
Cranberry Sauce
If your mother-in-law just refuses to serve the stuff from a can, this grown-up version is the real thing you never knew you were missing.
Smooth Cranberry Sauce
Just like the stuff in the can, but without the rings around it.
Roasted Squash
This might not be a classic in your family, but there’s a good bet they had it at the first Thanksgiving.
Glazed Carrots
Not the mushy, syrupy pieces of sad that you remember from your high school cafeteria. They’re a little sweet, a little salty, and still have a bit of texture to them.
Potatoes au Gratin
Just a bit less boring than the traditional mashed potatoes.
Fried Green Beans with Bacon
Say it with me, kids: “Everything’s Better With Bacon!”
Giblet Gravy
You know that bag of “stuff” you have to take out of the turkey before you cook it? You don’t just throw that out, do you?
Potato Buns
These have a softer texture than most other dinner rolls I’ve made. And they’re just the right size for making turkey sammiches.
Desserts
You can find apple, pumpkin and cherry pie recipes anywhere. Why not try one of these instead?
Tarte Tatin
A classic French twist on the classic American pie.
Sorghum Pecan Pie
If you think you don’t like pecan pie, have you ever had it made from scratch? What a difference.
Cranberry Cheesecake
Save some of that cranberry sauce you made to top this classic cheesecake recipe.
Frozen Chocolate Truffle Pie
So crazy chocolatey it will satisfy the most intense cocoa craving.
Alternatives
These don’t usually show up on Thanksgiving menus, but they should.
Brussels Sprouts
One great thing about these, besides the taste, is that they’re ridiculously easy to make. Always a plus when you’re doing a bunch of dishes for a large crowd.
Corn Casserole
A little more work than just heating up a bag of frozen corn, but easy to do ahead.
Sautéed Cabbage
This is a crossover from my St. Patrick’s Day lineup, but it earns its place here with great flavor, and quick prep.
Baked Mac and Cheese
I picked this recipe up on my honeymoon, and it’s been a favorite at big get-togethers ever since.
Baked Mac and Cheese, Take 2
This is a more traditional version than the one above.
Baked Fauxtatoes
If you’re trying to cut back on carbs but still want some mashed potatoes, this is a pretty good alternative.
Creamy Cheesecake
This is usually a summer treat with seasonal berries, but if you’ve got access to good ones, go for it.
Leftovers
Turkey Hash
Every year I heard this in The Movie — you know which movie I mean, right? I finally made it … totally worth it.
Turkey Soup
This version of the recipe shows cooking the turkey just for the soup. You’ll be doing it with leftovers.
Clarified Turkey Broth
I’ll admit this is a bit of work, but do it once and tell me it isn’t worth the time.
Other
A couple of odds and ends to consider.
Classic Kids’ Thanksgiving Feast
If you watch the holiday specials on TV every year, you’ve seen a dog serve this to a bird.
Industrial Food-like Products
There’s never been an industrial simulation of a real food that wasn’t a chemical and biological horror show.
Cooking Safety
Make sure the battery is good in your smoke detector, and keep a fire extinguisher handy. Just in case.
Pie Crusts (and one topping)
If you follow all of those pie recipes above you’ll see these links included within. But if you’re just looking for a crust recipe for some other pie, you can try: basic pie crust; sweet pie crust; cookie pie crust (like Oreo™); graham cracker crust (great for cheesecake).
And if you want a crunchy top on your apple or pumpkin pie, try some toasted pecans.
