Plan a full Thanksgiving meal with this handy Thanksgiving menu plan. Tips and tricks included for hosting, planning out a prep timeline, turkey roasting tips, and more!
If you’re hosting Thanksgiving this year and need a little assistance with pulling your menu together, I’ve got you covered! I’ve been running Thanksgiving dinner in my family for the past 10 + years and while some years have definitely not gone to plan (there was an *ahem* miscommunication one year on the turkey getting pulled out to thaw) I’ve definitely learned a few things over the years that I’m so excited to share with you!
I’m sharing all the details you’ll need to pull off a stellar Thanksgiving from tips for roasting a turkey to a handy prep timeline for the week leading up, and of course, all the recipes! You’ve got this.
The Turkey
Roasting a turkey can seem daunting at first but I’ve learned a few tricks over the years that make the process go smoothly!
- Plan ahead for thawing – plan on 1 day of thawing for every 4-5 pounds of turkey. I typically roast an 18 pound turkey and pull it out of the freezer to start thawing the Friday before Thanksgiving just to be extra safe. To safely thaw turkey, place it in a large pan and place on the bottom shelf of refrigerator.
- Season underneath the skin – use a paring knife and your fingers to gently loosen a section of skin around the breast and rub salt/pepper or whatever seasoning mix you are using underneath the skin and on top for extra flavor.
- Tie legs together with kitchen twine – this will help the legs cook more evenly.
- Use a kitchen thermometer – this is an essential piece of equipment for roasting a turkey as this is the only way to reliably check that the turkey is done.
- Allow turkey to rest before carving – I recommend about 30 minutes of rest time as this will ensure that the juices stay locked into the meat. You can use this rest time to whip up the gravy.
This is a traditional turkey option that is very simple and features a sweet maple glaze brushed on top. There’s no fussing around with brining either! This recipe will serve around 10.
(ideal for a smaller dinner crowd! This recipe will serve about 6)
Appetizers and Drinks
A small spread of appetizers and drinks are a great way to kick of Thanksgiving day and keeps guests satisfied while waiting for the turkey to roast. I recommend choosing 2-3 appetizers and 1-2 drinks or cocktails.
These slushies are going to quickly become your favorite fall cocktail! The sweet apple cider, fall spices, and firey bourbon are an incredible trio of flavors in these refreshing sippers.
The poinsettia cocktail features tangy cranberry juice, bubbly champagne, and a kiss of orange liqueur creating an unmatchable holiday cocktail!
Caramelized Apple Brie Flatbread
This caramelized apple brie flatbread features tender caramelized apples, gooey brie, and lots of crispy bacon piled on top of tender naan flatbreads.
Roasted Garlic Butternut Squash Hummus
Flavorful roasted garlic and butternut squash gives this butternut squash hummus an unmatchable silky texture that you won’t be able to keep those pita chips out of!
Pimento White Cheddar Stuffed Mushrooms
Stuffed with gooey white cheddar and flavorful pimentos, these white cheddar stuffed mushrooms are quick to whip up and always the most popular appetizer on the table!
Side Dishes
Everyone knows that the sides are the heart and soul of Thanksgiving dinner! Whether you want a tried-and-true classic or are looking to add some fun unexpected dishes to the table, I guarantee you’ll be able to find something for everyone from this list. I also recommend trying the following tips below to set your side dishes up for success!
- Use crockpots and instant pots – as much as you can, I recommend keeping side dishes warm in either crockpots or instant pots set on ‘warm’. This helps save on oven space which is usually limited on Thanksgiving!
- Prep side dishes ahead of time – most of my recipes below can be prepped at least the night before and a few of them even days in advance! I typically bake the rolls on the Saturday before and throw them straight in the freezer, make the cranberry sauce on Tuesday, assemble the stuffing, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, and any other vegetable side dishes on Wednesday, peel the potatoes on Wednesday for easy cooking/mashing the next day, assemble the salads shortly before dinner, and bake off all applicable side dishes about an hour before dinner. Refer to my timeline graphic at the bottom of the post for more precise timing info.
- Don’t forget the garnishes – try a sprinkle of fresh rosemary or orange zest on your cranberry sauce, a handful of fresh chives on the mashed potatoes, toasted nuts over roasted vegetables, etc. A few simple garnishes give the side dishes a little boost in appearance and in flavor!
Perfectly creamy and mashed with a rich garlic butter and fresh chives, these garlic mashed potatoes are an easy side dish and go well with so many dishes.
Perfectly sweet and tangy, my mom’s fresh cranberry sauce recipe is an essential side dish for any Thanksgiving table. It’s so simple to make you’ll never go back to the canned stuff again!
My mom’s family recipe for cornbread stuffing is a quintessential side dish on our Thanksgiving table and you’ll soon see why it’s the best ever!
Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel
This sweet potato casserole with pecan streusel is a side dish favorite around the holidays and features sweet mashed sweet potatoes baked with a buttery pecan streusel on top.
Hasselback Butternut Squash with Maple Browned Butter Sauce
Hasselback butternut squash is roasted with a sweet maple browned butter sauce and the perfect impressive side dish to put on your holiday table!
Caramelized Onion Green Bean Casserole
This caramelized onion green bean casserole features a creamy, cheesy green bean filling with lots of flavorful caramelized onions and crispy breadcrumbs on top.
Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Hot Honey
One reader says…“This recipe is a big win! The only thing I did was measure the hot sauce with my heart – to add just a bit more kick. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”
One reader says…“My new go to rice recipe! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”
One reader says…“I made this salad for a girls weekend get-together and It was a huge hit! Note to self: quadruple the recipe next time, everyone wanted seconds.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”
One reader says…“WOW! This recipe is AMAZING! Perfectly balanced flavor components! It’s one of the best plant-based meals I have ever had. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”
Made entirely in the instant pot in minutes, this instant pot creamed corn is so rich and creamy and the perfect side dish for any holiday meal!
Fragrant rosemary and sharp Asiago cheese are the perfect duo in these incredibly soft and fluffy asiago rosemary dinner rolls!
Desserts
Desserts are so hard on Thanksgiving after the big meal, but you always have to save room for at least one slice of pie! I recommend choosing 2-3 different kinds of pie for your dessert table and make sure you have fresh whipped cream on standby.
- Make desserts ahead of time – I typically make the pies on either the Sunday or Monday before Thanksgiving. Most pies can be frozen or stored in refrigerator ahead of time making this task an ideal one to knock out early in Thanksgiving week.
- Use homemade pie crust – homemade crust is SO worth the extra little bit of effort. I include my tried-and-true pie dough recipe below that can be made up to a week in advance.
- Cut pies in advance and arrange on serving trays – you won’t get the pretty presentation on the table, but this makes serving pie go much faster.
Learn all the secrets to making perfect pie crust crust at home with this easy tutorial and lots of step-by-step photos. This crust always bakes up perfectly flaky and can be used in so many pie recipes!
Made entirely in a sheet pan and built to feed a crowd, this sheet pan pumpkin pie is the perfect way to serve pumpkin pie for a crew and is so much easier than the traditional pie!
This apple slab pie features a buttery homemade pastry crust with a spiced apple filling and lots of brown sugar streusel baked on top!
This pumpkin cheesecake pie features silky layers of pumpkin pie filling and rich cheesecake on a spiced gingersnap crust. – a keeper pie for any holiday table!
Silky pumpkin pie filling is swirled with a luscious ribbon of milk chocolate to make one swoon-worthy holiday tart!
This is the best Dutch apple pie you’ll ever make! The apples are full of warm fall spices (with a secret ingredient!) and topped with tons of buttery cinnamon streusel.
White Chocolate Pumpkin Mousse Pie
Fluffy white chocolate pumpkin mousse collides with a spiced gingersnap crust in this luxurious chilled pie that’s perfect for any Thanksgiving table or fall event!
Leftovers
Arguably the best part about Thanksgiving is all the leftovers. Bonus points if you repurpose them into one of these stellar dishes below!
Cooked entirely in the air fryer and perfectly crispy, these air fryer mashed potato cakes come together in minutes and are the perfect use for leftover mashed potatoes!
Butternut Squash Wild Rice Casserole
Tender butternut squash and flavorful wild rice are the perfect duo in this creamy, hearty wild rice casserole! The best use for leftover rice and the perfect accompaniment to any holiday dinner.
This turkey wild rice pot pie features a creamy filling of wild rice and turkey with flaky homemade pastry squares baked on top.
One reader says…“Delicious combo for a panini and a super way to use some of the leftover Thanksgiving turkey in the freezer! I’ll definitely be making this again. Thank you for the meal inspiration ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”
Sun-Dried Tomato Turkey Focaccia Sandwich
Layers of roast turkey, cheese, and flavorful sun-dried tomatoes star in this turkey focaccia sandwich that’s so easy to whip up and perfect for leftover turkey!
Packed with homemade candied pecans, juicy turkey cubes, and all the fall fixins’, this apple spinach salad is the perfect way to incorporate all your favorite fall ingredients into one loaded salad!
Thanksgiving Timeline
Use this prep timeline to plan out your week leading up to Thanksgiving dinner.
If you make any recipes or use any tips from this post, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven. Happy Thanksgiving!
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