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Thanksgiving dinner ideas and tips will help you have a stress-free holiday. From planning, shopping, and cooking, to a whole list of recipe ideas—this post has everything you need to know about turkey day!

More Collections: Thanksgiving Appetizers, Thanksgiving Side Dishes, Thanksgiving Desserts

Collage of Thanksgiving dinner ideas.

Who Doesn’t Love Thanksgiving?!

When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, it can be a little bit overwhelming knowing where to start, especially if you’re the HOST. But, don’t fret, we are sharing all the best recipes and tips to help you plan your Thanksgiving menu.

We’re here to help:

  • Share the load. One of the things we like to do is to divide the work and assign each person to bring a dish (or two).
  • Plan the menu. Whether you do a classic spread or something more unique, we’ve got you covered!
  • From start to finish. Included are tips to get you organized and walk you through a tasty Thanksgiving dinner, prep, and all!

I’m helping you get prepped for Thanksgiving – from dinner ideas to appetizers and side dishes, we’ve got you covered!

Perfect Roast Turkey in a pan

Tips for Making Dinner Easy

Seasoned Thanksgiving cooks know the secret to a successful meal: ORGANIZATION. Whether you’re a first-timer or a pro, you need to have a plan to execute a successful Thanksgiving Feast.

I’ve gathered a few tips to help make an easy Thanksgiving dinner:

The Menu

From appetizers to desserts, plan out everything you want to serve (use our FREE Thanksgiving Menu Planner to help).

  • How much to make. Get a head count then decide how much to make of each item. Add a new side dish for every 8-10 people attending. 
  • Allergies/limitations. Consider making accommodations, and be sure to label the dishes so guests know they are safe for them to eat.
  • Ask for help. Most are happy to help! Consider assigning items that are easy to transport – or items that don’t need to be kept warm.
  • Cooking for under 6 people. Cook a turkey breast! One half-breast or even a whole turkey breast makes more than enough for a small party of four to six. (And yes, you’ll still have plenty of pan drippings to make gravy.)”
A planning guide for dinner.

More Tips

  • Shopping. Don’t wait until the last minute. Plan the menu and purchase as much as you can in advance.  
  • Storage. Clean out the fridge the week before. Take note of any items that do not HAVE to be refrigerated to make room for other dishes. 
  • Plan a cooking schedule. Here are a few questions, and a bit of information that will help when planning your schedule:
    • What are all the items that need to be cooked in the oven, and in what order?
    • Which items need to be cooked on the stovetop, and in what order?
    • Can anything be made in a crock pot?
    • How can I keep items warm? 
    • Can anything be made ahead of time? Do they need to be reheated, and how?
  • Ahead of time. Prep dishes such as pies, casseroles, and salads ahead to save time. Prep other ingredients beforehand, like making sure the turkey is defrosted, chopping veggies, and pre-measuring ingredients so they’re ready to be mixed. 
  • On the day of. Choose a dinner time, then figure out how long each item takes to cook or reheat and subtract that amount from the time dinner is served. This will give you a good idea of when to start the prepping.

Top Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes

Turkey is usually the main dish served at Thanksgiving. Other recipes to remember include: Turkey Brine, Turkey Gravy (no drippings), and Turkey Gravy (with drippings).

We’ve also included all of the classics you can find on any table in America on Thanksgiving day (Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Rolls, Cranberry Sauce, etc.), but there are even more to consider when building your menu.

1 How to Roast a Turkey

Main Course How to Roast a Turkey
Total Time: 3 hours

Recipe Video

5 from 36 votes
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2 Crockpot Ham Recipe

Main Course Crockpot Ham Recipe
Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 40 votes
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3 Pot Roast Recipe

Main Course Pot Roast Recipe
Total Time: 7 hours 5 minutes

Recipe Video

4.99 from 116 votes
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4 Honey Glazed Ham Recipe

Main Course Honey Glazed Ham Recipe
Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 27 votes
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5 Crockpot Roast Chicken Recipe

Main Course Crockpot Roast Chicken Recipe
Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
5 from 25 votes
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6 Swiss Chicken Bake Recipe

Main Course Swiss Chicken Bake Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour 7 minutes

Recipe Video

4.94 from 439 votes
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7 Prime Rib Recipe

Main Course Prime Rib Recipe
Total Time: 3 hours 35 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 22 votes
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8 Steak Marinade

Main Course Steak Marinade
Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes

Recipe Video

4.97 from 78 votes
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9 Easy Meatloaf Recipe

Main Course Easy Meatloaf Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 31 votes
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10 Baked Salmon Recipe

Main Course Baked Salmon Recipe
Total Time: 40 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 17 votes
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Appetizers

We usually include 2-3 different appetizers in our Thanksgiving spread, so here are plenty of favorites to choose from!

Plan to serve 3-5 appetizers per person. If you only have 5-10 people coming, plan to serve 1-2 different appetizer dishes. Add another appetizer dish for every 5-8 people in attendance.

Check out our complete list of Thanksgiving Appetizers

11 Turkey Veggie Tray Recipe

Appetizer Turkey Veggie Tray Recipe
Total Time: 20 minutes

Recipe Video

4.99 from 241 votes
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12 Spinach Puffs Recipe

Appetizer Spinach Puffs Recipe
Total Time: 40 minutes

Recipe Video

4.97 from 193 votes
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13 Deviled Eggs Recipe

Appetizer Deviled Eggs Recipe
Total Time: 35 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 53 votes
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14 Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe

Appetizer Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe
Total Time: 35 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 15 votes
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15 Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball Recipe

Appetizer Bacon Ranch Cheese Ball Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 16 votes
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16 Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe

Appetizer Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe
Total Time: 35 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 95 votes
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17 Bacon Wrapped Smokies Recipes

Appetizer Bacon Wrapped Smokies Recipes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 80 votes
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18 Dill Veggie Dip Recipe

Appetizer, Snack Dill Veggie Dip Recipe
Total Time: 7 minutes
5 from 49 votes
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19 Brie Phyllo Tarts Recipe

Dessert Brie Phyllo Tarts Recipe
Total Time: 15 minutes
5 from 3 votes
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20 Burrata Board Recipe

Appetizer Burrata Board Recipe
Total Time: 26 minutes
5 from 6 votes
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21 Fruit Dip Recipe

Dessert, Snack Fruit Dip Recipe
Total Time: 10 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 204 votes
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Sides

When planning our menu, we like to include 1-2 potato dishes, a veggie dish, and of course, rolls!

Plan about 6 ounces of potatoes per person, and 4 ounces of veggies per person. For every 5-8 people attending, add another dish to the menu. Plan to serve 1.5 rolls per person. 

Check out our complete list of Thanksgiving Side Dishes.

22 Funeral Potatoes Recipe

Side Dish Funeral Potatoes Recipe
Total Time: 50 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 1224 votes
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23 Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots Recipe

Side Dish Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots Recipe
Total Time: 20 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 1473 votes
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24 Creamed Corn Recipe

Side Dish Creamed Corn Recipe
Total Time: 20 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 127 votes
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25 Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Side Dish Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Total Time: 30 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 95 votes
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26 Mac and Cheese Recipe

Main Course Mac and Cheese Recipe
Total Time: 40 minutes

Recipe Video

4.99 from 167 votes
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27 Dinner Rolls Recipe

Bread Dinner Rolls Recipe
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 266 votes
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28 Homemade Stuffing Recipe

Side Dish Homemade Stuffing Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 16 votes
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29 Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows Recipe

Side Dish Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 28 votes
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30 Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Side Dish Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Total Time: 55 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 116 votes
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31 Mashed Potato Gravy Recipe

Dressing Mashed Potato Gravy Recipe
Total Time: 10 minutes

Recipe Video

4.99 from 108 votes
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32 Corn Casserole Recipe

Side Dish Corn Casserole Recipe
Total Time: 50 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 2 votes
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33 Fresh Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Appetizer Fresh Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Total Time: 17 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 22 votes
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34 Cheesy Potatoes Recipe

Side Dish Cheesy Potatoes Recipe
Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 362 votes
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35 Scalloped Potatoes Recipe

Side Dish Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
5 from 7 votes
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Dessert

We like to have an entire table dedicated to dessert, and we load it up! It’s going to be hard to narrow down what you make there are so many tasty treats to choose from.

Although pie is the most common dessert for Thanksgiving, there’s nothing wrong with serving other desserts—especially ones with seasonal flavors, like pumpkin! 

Check out the complete list of Thanksgiving Desserts

36 Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Dessert Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Recipe Video

4.77 from 17 votes
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37 Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Bars Recipe

Dessert Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Bars Recipe
Total Time: 5 hours
4.89 from 69 votes
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38 Pumpkin Delight Recipe

Dessert Pumpkin Delight Recipe
Total Time: 3 hours 35 minutes

Recipe Video

4.98 from 695 votes
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39 Pumpkin Dump Cake Recipe

Dessert Pumpkin Dump Cake Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Recipe Video

4.98 from 1039 votes
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40 Pumpkin Lasagna Recipe

Dessert Pumpkin Lasagna Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Recipe Video

4.96 from 50 votes
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41 Apple Pie Recipe

Dessert Apple Pie Recipe
Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes

Recipe Video

4.99 from 81 votes
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42 Easy Apple Cake Recipe

Dessert Easy Apple Cake Recipe
Total Time: 40 minutes
5 from 29 votes
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43 Pecan Pie Cheesecake Recipe

Dessert Pecan Pie Cheesecake Recipe
Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes

Recipe Video

4.96 from 151 votes
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44 Pecan Pie Recipe

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Dessert Pecan Pie Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Recipe Video

4.81 from 21 votes
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45 Buttermilk Pie Recipe

Dessert Buttermilk Pie Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour

Recipe Video

5 from 568 votes
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46 Pumpkin Roll Recipe

Dessert Pumpkin Roll Recipe
Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 2 votes
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47 Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe

Dessert Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe
Total Time: 27 minutes

Recipe Video

4.98 from 98 votes
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48 Pretzel Salad Recipe

Dessert Pretzel Salad Recipe
Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 21 votes
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Drinks

It’s fun to have a fancy drink, it’s like the cherry on top of a tasty meal. Enjoy these favorites!

49 Apple Cider Recipe

Drinks Apple Cider Recipe
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 71 votes
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50 Wassail Recipe

Drinks Wassail Recipe
Total Time: 30 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 12 votes
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51 Hot Chocolate Recipe

Drinks Hot Chocolate Recipe
Total Time: 8 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 3 votes
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52 Easy Eggnog Recipe

Drinks Easy Eggnog Recipe
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 23 votes
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53 Holiday Punch Recipe

Drinks Holiday Punch Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 87 votes
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HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR THANKSGIVING TURKEY?

Do you like it fried? Baked? With Gravy? Without?

No matter how you like it, we wanted to share our go-to Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe. This herb-glazed turkey is simple and is the perfect recipe for the big day.

Here’s the recipe:

5 from 15 votes

TOP Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas – Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna
How to make the perfect Thanksgiving Turkey recipe. This Herb-glazed roast turkey is a juicy, moist show-stopper that everyone will love.
Servings: 12
Cook: 3 hours 20 minutes
Total: 3 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients 

for the turkey:

  • 1 (14-16) pound turkey thawed and brined
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 Granny Smith apples cored and cut into slices
  • 2-3 carrots peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 onion cut into pieces
  • 5-6 stalks celery cut into 1 inch pieces

for the glaze:

  • 1 teaspoon ground thyme
  • 1 cup honey
  • ½ cup butter, melted
  • 2 teaspoons dried sage leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  • Brush the olive oil all over the skin of the turkey and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place about ⅔ of the vegetables and apples in the bottom of a roasting pan with an elevated rack in it.
  • Place the turkey in the roasting pan and stuff the remaining vegetables inside the turkey. If the turkey's legs are not already tied together, tie them with kitchen twine.
  • Roast the turkey uncovered in the oven for 30 minutes, then cover loosely with foil. Reduce the heat to 375°F and roast for an additional 2 – 2½ hours. The turkey is fully cooked when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F.
  • To finish the turkey, whisk together the glaze ingredients. Brush the glaze over the turkey, and return the turkey to the oven uncovered for 15-20 minutes, until golden.
  • Remove from oven, discard the vegetables, and let rest 10-20 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 12g, Calories: 786kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 88g, Fat: 35g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 310mg, Sodium: 916mg, Potassium: 1008mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 28g, Vitamin A: 2190IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 61mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Making this recipe? Tag us!
Share it with us on Instagram using the hashtag #lilluna, so we can see what you’re creating in the kitchen!

Holiday Dinner Planning!

When it comes to food Thanksgiving is the perfect holiday for serving your very best, and these recipes are all sure to impress!

We hope you enjoy these Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas!!

More Collections: Easy Leftover Turkey Recipes, Holiday Drink Recipes, Crock Pot Side Dishes

About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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14 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Kristyn,
    May you and your family have the Happiest Thanksgiving. You have some great recipes, that I copy for later.
    God bless all of you.