Easy Thanksgiving Menu

Tired of searching the internet for a collection of recipes to serve at your holiday dinner this year? Look no further! I have compiled the perfect Thanksgiving menu for you, all in one place.

Turkey

>> Turkey

Thanksgiving is literally right around the corner. So, let’s take care of the biggest item on the menu — turkey. And boy do I have the easiest, best and juiciest roast turkey ever for you! It cooks faster than using a traditional method and it requires NO brining! Winning!

Get the recipe here. Gluten-Free

>> Gravy

Thanksgiving is not the same without thick and delicious, classic homemade turkey gravy made using leftover drippings and homemade turkey stock. The leftover drippings come from the turkey recipe above and the homemade turkey stock will require the turkey neck and giblets. There is seriously no need for powdered gravy if you are already making a roast turkey dinner!!

Get the recipe here.

>> Cranberry Sauce

Finally, a recipe that you can make days before Thanksgiving! Easy make-ahead cranberry sauce. You literally have no excuse to serve cranberry sauce out of a can when it only takes 15 minutes and 4 ingredients to make. This recipe will just take the stress out of the holidays!

Get the recipe here. Vegan, Gluten-Free

>> Stuffing

I love combining sweet and savory flavours, and this stuffing is the perfect example of why it works so well. Cranberry walnut bread paired with sautéed apples, onions, and rosemary is exactly what your holiday table needs! Hello cranberry walnut apple stuffing!

Get the recipe here. Vegetarian

Starters

>> Soup

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

This delicious and easy roasted butternut squash soup brings all the taste of the holidays in one spoon. Rosemary, sage and thyme, need I say more? This soup is just all around comfort food… without the guilt! That’s right, this soup is super healthy. It’s vegan, gluten-free and whole 3o compliant. Which also means that there is no cream, no milk, no butter!! Yet this soup has a very creamy and smooth texture from the butternut squash. You really can’t get any healthier than that!

Get the recipe with VIDEO here. Vegan, Gluten-Free, Paleo

Creamy Cauliflower and Garlic Soup

A handful of ingredients and a few simple steps makes creamy cauliflower and garlic soup one of the easiest and tastiest soups ever. Carmelized cauliflower, garlic and onion in this soup not only enhances the flavour, but it also gives the soup a gorgeous, golden colour.

Get the recipe here. Vegetarian, Gluten-Free

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup with Toasted Croutons

Another killer butternut squash and apple soup with toasted croutons to share. It’s got sweetness from apple and carrots, a kick from onions and curry powder, and it’s just all around comfort food… also without the guilt!

Get the recipe here. Vegetarian, Gluten-Free (without the croutons)

Other Soups

• Roasted Carrot and Ginger Soup
• Carrot Pumpkin Soup
• Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup
• Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup
• Skinny Creamy Artichoke Soup
• Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup
• Spinach and Green Pea Soup
• Creamless Cream of Asparagus Soup

>> Salad

Apple Walnut Salad with Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

Have an apple today and keep the doctor away with this fresh, fall favourite — apple walnut salad with homemade balsamic vinaigrette. Throw together crisp apples, crunchy walnuts, and sweet cranberries to beautifully decorate your dinner table with a taste of the holidays.

Get the recipe here. Vegetarian, Gluten-Free

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

This roasted brussels sprouts salad with creamy potatoes, crispy string beans, and dijon vinaigrette makes for a delicious whole30 compliant and vegan meal this season!

Get the recipe here. Vegetarian, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free

Winter Kale Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette and Spiced Pecans

Winter kale salad with apples, goat cheese and spiced pecans tossed in apple cider vinaigrette can be on your holiday table from start to finish in under 10 minutes. Take that, Thanksgiving stress!

Get the recipe here. Vegetarian, Gluten-Free

Other Salads

• Arugula Salad with Apple and Pecan
• Warm Lentil Salad with Butternut Squash
• Radicchio and Mandarin Orange Salad with Walnuts and Currants
• Mixed Greens Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Arugula and Roasted Carrot Salad

Sides

Pick one item from the following categories (or more, depending on how big your party is).

>> Potatoes

The Best and Creamiest Mashed Potatoes

Say good-bye to lumpy, bland and dry mashed potatoes this year!! I introduce the best and creamiest mashed potatoes. These potatoes are so velvety and so smooth. Your holiday table has never looked better! Seriously. You can also prepare these mashed potatoes the day before. Just make it without the butter, store in the refrigerator, and reheat the next day adding in the butter.

Get the recipe here. Vegetarian, Gluten-Free

Herb-Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Crispy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside, these flavourful, herb-roasted sweet potatoes are the perfect side dish on your holiday table. It’s another one of my go-to’s since it is super easy, taking only about 10 minutes of prep time. Your oven basically does all the work.

Get the recipe here. Vegetarian, Gluten-Free

Hasselback Potatoes with Garlic Herb Butter

Hasselback potatoes are perfectly crispy on the outside and tender and buttery on the inside. The ah-mazing garlic herb butter is basically just that, butter infused with garlic and rosemary. You can also serve it with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top for maximum flavour.

Get the recipe here. Vegetarian, Gluten-Free

Other Potato Recipes

• Healthy Mashed Potatoes
• Baked Sweet Potato Wedges with Homemade Honey Mustard
• Potato Galette with Arugula and Creme Fraiche

>> Vegetables

Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts

One of my favourite dishes to serve on Thanksgiving are tender and caramelized, easy roasted brussels sprouts tossed in balsamic vinegar and honey. Now that’s a mouthful of yum! It is also another super easy dish that takes only 10 minutes to prep and then you let the oven do the rest of the work while you can relax and kick your feet up!

Get the recipe here. Vegetarian, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free

Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash

If you are hosting the big event this year, this recipe has just made your life a little easier. The key to stress-free holiday entertaining is to prepare some dishes that take no time and no effort to make. I am talking about dishes that take under 30-minutes to make or dishes that can be made in one pan. How about both? That’s where one-pan maple roasted brussels sprouts and butternut squash comes in play.

Get the recipe here. Vegan, Gluten-Free

Easy Garlic and Herb Roasted Carrots

Here’s another super easy, one-pan vegetable dish to make your holiday prep so much easier. I am talking about sweet and flavourful easy garlic and herb roasted carrots. Plus, these veggies are roasted which brings out their flavour and intensifies it, making them sweeter and more flavourful. Carrots will never taste the same!

Get the recipe here. Vegan, Gluten-Free, Paleo

Creamy Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

Imagine having a nice big serving of mashed potatoes but with a quarter of the calories. Now you can with creamy garlic mashed cauliflower! That’s right, cauliflower. You might just fool your guests into thinking this is mashed potatoes, yet saving them tons of calories!

Get the recipe with VIDEO here. Vegetarian, Gluten-Free

Oven-Roasted Corn on the Cob with Garlic Butter

Why settle for steamed corn when it is too cold to grill your corn on the cob? You can get that perfect balance of perfectly juicy inside and charred on the outside, without a grill. It’s called buttery, oven-roasted corn on the cob with garlic butter! This corn turns out perfect every time. The garlic butter gives it a perfect subtle flavour and keep the corn juicy. But for extra juiciness, add even more butter on top. YUM!

Get the recipe here. Vegetarian, Gluten-Free

Other Vegetable Recipes

• Roasted Garlic Asparagus and Mushrooms
• Maple Roasted Carrots with Yogurt Sauce
• Spinach and Feta Quiche with Cauliflower Crust
• Quick and Easy Sauteed Asparagus
• Easy Vegan Stuffed Bell Peppers

>> Casserole

Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Creamy, cheesy, classic mac and cheese with a crunchy topping always finds a way to my holiday table. Yes, I know this isn’t particularly the most healthy dish, but at least it is made from scratch. If you have grown accustomed to those boxes of mac and cheese, you don’t know what you are missing!! Throw away that orange, powdered cheese and try fresh, grated cheeses. Trust me, once you try the real stuff, you will never go back!!

Get the recipe here. Vegetarian

>> Bread

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

These garlic cheddar biscuits are packed with flavour and can be prepped and in the oven in less than 15 minutes! They also make a great leftover breakfast so go ahead and make a big batch of this stuff, you won’t regret it!

Get the recipe here. Vegetarian

Quick and Easy Skillet Dinner Rolls

These fluffy, quick and easy dinner rolls will melt in your mouth, making them the only bread recipe you’ll need to complement any meal! And don’t run away at the thought of baking bread. It may have been that putting freshly baked bread on the table used to be something that only our grandmothers used to do. Nowadays, we feel like we just don’t have the time. But guess what? What used to take hours to make can now be put on the table in less than an hour, while you preparing the rest of the dishes for your holiday dinner! It can’t get any easier!!

Get the recipe here. Vegetarian

Easy Cornbread Muffins

Easy cornbread muffins just made your holiday dinner a whole lot easier and tastier! They take literally 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to bake. It’s so easy that even the kids can help you make this! So add these moist and fluffy muffins (made with cornmeal, cooked corn kernels, and sweetened with honey) to your holiday table.

Get the recipe here. Vegetarian

Dessert

>> Pie and Pastries

Classic Old Fashioned Pecan Pie

Classic pecan pie is an essential Thanksgiving dessert. Try this easy to follow recipe to get that flaky crust, smooth custard filling and pecan topping. For such a complicated looking pie, it is actually embarrassingly easy to make. You can also make this a day in advance or at least a few hours before your Thanksgiving dinner to allow the filling to set.

Get the recipe here. Vegetarian

Chopped Pecan Pie

Give traditional pecan pie a twist this holiday season by using finely chopped pecans to create a smooth topping on this chopped pecan pie! This pie is also ridiculously easy to make. You prepare the pie crust, prepare the pie filling, put them together and bake. The entire preparation process takes less than 20 minutes which gives you time to do the other hundred items on your to do list during the busy holiday season. So basically it’s time to change things up this Thanksgiving and say good bye to store-bought pies and hello to irresistible homemade!

Get the recipe here. Vegetarian

Individual Apple Crisp

Individual apple crisp are served in ramekins so that you and your guests can enjoy single-sized servings meaning you will get the crunchy corners of crumble all to yourselves! Add a big scoop of ice cream on top for maximum happiness.

Get the recipe here. Vegetarian

>> Cake

Pumpkin Pie Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze

Celebrate fall this year with think and dense, yet surprisingly light, pumpkin pie bundt cake with cream cheese glaze. Can you think of a more perfect pair? The beauty of this cake is that it is thick and dense, but also surprisingly light! It’s warm from the mixture of pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice blend, and absolutely benefits from a hearty drizzle of cream cheese glaze. Can you think of a more perfect pair?!

Get the recipe here. Vegetarian

Butternut Squash “Pumpkin” Bread

Move over pumpkin, there is a new loaf in town! Butternut squash “pumpkin” bread is moist and flavourful, and brings the pumpkin spice season to your home. This loaf can be made with butternut squash puree or pumpkin puree.

Get the recipe here. Vegetarian

>> Cookies

Soft and Chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Walnut Cookies

Warm, fresh-from-the-oven, soft and chewy white chocolate cranberry walnut cookies make the perfect holiday treat. They are beyond simple to prepare, and even easier to watch disappear! You’ve got sweetness from the white chocolate, a slightly crunch from the walnuts, and the perfect tangy bite from the dried cranberries. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love these.

Get the recipe here. Vegetarian

The Best Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

What is better than classic, soft and chewy peanut butter cookies? Umm… not a whole lot comes to mind. Get ready to fall in love with a cookie. A puffy, thick circular pile of goodness. It takes 10 minutes to prepare (basically while the oven is preheating anyways) and 8 minutes to bake. Yup, 8 minutes. When you are craving a delicious treat, nothing else is on your mind than taking that first bite. The amount of time it takes really matters!!

Get the recipe here. Vegetarian

Jam-Filled Thumbprint Cookies with Almond Glaze

Soft, buttery, melt-in-your mouth jam-filled thumbprint cookies with almond glaze are the cutest, festive treat to make. Plus, it comes together with just a handful of ingredients and less than 20 minutes of prep time.

Get the recipe here. Vegetarian

Other Desserts

• Apple Cardamom Cake with Caramel Pecan Butter Frosting
• Classic French Macarons with Vanilla Buttercream Filling
• The Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
• Vanilla and Chocolate Marble Cake

 

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Easy Thanksgiving Menu

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★★★★★ 5 from 6 reviews

• Author: Sam | Ahead of Thyme
• Yield: 8-10 guests
• Category: Dinner

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Description

Tired of searching for a collection of recipes to serve at your holiday dinner this year? Look no further! Here’s the perfect Thanksgiving menu for you, all in one place.

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Ingredients

• 1 juicy roast turkey
• 1 classic homemade turkey gravy
• 1 easy make-ahead cranberry sauce
• 1 cranberry walnut apple stuffing
• 1 roasted butternut squash soup OR creamy cauliflower and garlic soup OR butternut squash and apple soup with toasted croutons
• 1 apple walnut salad with homemade balsamic vinaigrette OR roasted brussels sprouts salad with dijon vinaigrette OR winter kale salad with apple cider vinaigrette
• 1 creamy mashed potato OR hasselback potatoes OR herb-roasted sweet potatoes
• 1 or 2 easy roasted brussels sprouts OR maple roasted brussels sprouts and butternut squash OR easy garlic and herb roasted carrots OR creamy garlic mashed cauliflower OR oven-roasted corn on the cob with garlic butter
• 1 garlic cheddar biscuits OR quick and easy dinner rolls OR easy cornbread muffins
• 1 classic baked macaroni and cheese
• 1 classic old fashioned pecan pie OR chopped pecan pie OR individual apple crisp OR pumpkin pie bundt cake with cream cheese glaze OR butternut squash “pumpkin” bread OR soft and chewy white chocolate cranberry walnut cookies OR soft and chewy peanut butter cookies or jam-filled thumbprint cookies with almond glaze

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Instructions

Make-Ahead Items

1. Easy make-ahead cranberry sauce can be made a few days in advance and stored in the refrigerator
2. Soups all reheat really well on the stove or microwave (roasted butternut squash soup, creamy cauliflower and garlic soup, and butternut squash and apple soup with toasted croutons)
3. Salad components can be prepared in advance and stored separately, however, don’t add the dressing until just before serving (apple walnut salad with homemade balsamic vinaigrette, roasted brussels sprouts salad with dijon vinaigrette, and winter kale salad with apple cider vinaigrette)
4. Creamy mashed potato and creamy garlic mashed cauliflower reheat well on the stove or microwave.
5. Garlic cheddar biscuits and easy cornbread muffins reheat well in the microwave or oven.
6. Classic baked macaroni and cheese reheats well in the oven.
7. Classic old fashioned pecan pie, chopped pecan pie, pumpkin pie bundt cake with cream cheese glaze, butternut squash “pumpkin” bread, soft and chewy white chocolate cranberry walnut cookies, soft and chewy peanut butter cookies, and jam-filled thumbprint cookies with almond glaze can be stored at room temperature overnight.

Day of Items

1. Roast turkey and classic homemade turkey gravy.
2. Cranberry walnut apple stuffing is best served from the oven.
3. Salad components can be prepared in advance, but should be assembled and tossed with dressing right before serving (apple walnut salad with homemade balsamic vinaigrette, roasted brussels sprouts salad with dijon vinaigrette, and winter kale salad with apple cider vinaigrette)
4. Hasselback potatoes and herb-roasted sweet potatoes are best and crispiest when served from the oven.
5. Easy roasted brussels sprouts, maple roasted brussels sprouts and butternut squash, easy garlic and herb roasted carrots, and oven-roasted corn on the cob with garlic butter are best served from the oven.
6. Quick and easy dinner rolls are best served from the oven.
7. Individual apple crisp is best served from the oven.