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My personal style for Thanksgiving is to keep the menu small and easy to prepare. Here’s exactly what Thanksgiving recipes I make each year.
If the holidays are feeling a little hectic and you’re tired just thinking about putting together a Thanksgiving menu, I’ve got you!
Thanksgiving doesn’t have to mean hours in the kitchen or complicated recipes that only get made once a year. Over the years, I’ve collected a small lineup of go-to dishes that are easy enough for busy cooks, yet delicious enough to earn a permanent spot on the holiday table.
If you’d like to try my tried & true Thanksgiving dinner, below you’ll find all of the ingredients for each dish, plus instructions on how to make. And to make it even easier, I created a Walmart list so you can add each ingredient to your cart in just ONE click. You can also update quantities or remove items you don’t need. Just head here!
Not only does making the same Thanksgiving each year save my sanity, but it’s also what my family genuinely enjoys and looks forward to as a tradition.
Stuffing is a personal highlight for me! It’s the best part of the meal in my opinion. This one has sage and sausage for wonderful taste and chopped celery and apples for texture.
Ingredients for Sage Sausage Stuffing:
- 1 pound breakfast sausage (such as Jimmy Dean sage sausage)
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 celery ribs, chopped
- 2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 16 oz. cubed seasoned stuffing
- 1 green apple chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
- 2 cups chicken broth
Directions: HERE
2. Roasted Turkey Using the Butter Blanket Method
For years now, I have roasted turkey using a cheesecloth soaked in melted butter while in the oven. This makes the skin crip and the inside moist and juicy! I also stuff it with an orange, sliced onion, and celery. For the outside, I rub the raw turkey first with Goya Sazon seasoning to give it a deep golden color and lots of flavor.
For Roasted Turkey using Butter Blanket Method, you’ll need:
- defrosted whole turkey
- cheesecloth
- 2 sticks of butter, melted
- seasonings of choice ( I use Goya Sazon)
- Citrus, Onion, Herbs for the middle
Directions:
- Pat the turkey dry, set it inside a roasting pan, rub with softened butter, and season it as desired.
- Stuff the turkey with fresh citrus, onion, celery, and fresh herbs.
- Dip a cheesecloth in melted butter and cover the whole turkey like a blanket.
- Cook the turkey in the oven at 325°F–350°F until golden and fully cooked (usually 13–15 minutes per pound). Baste it a few times as well.
- Let the turkey rest 20–30 minutes before slicing so it stays juicy.
Check out the video below to see the butter blanket method in action!
What about the gravy? I make it from the buttery turkey drippings:
- Heat the drippings: Pour the turkey drippings into a saucepan. Add a little turkey or chicken broth to make the amount of gravy you want.
- Thicken: In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry. Slowly whisk it into the hot drippings until the gravy thickens.
- Season: Add salt and pepper to taste, then serve.
3. Caramelized Bacon & Green Beans
One of my favorite must-have dishes that I always make during the holidays is actually the EASIEST one to prepare – caramelized bacon & green beans! In fact, this is my favorite way to jazz up a couple of cans of green beans.
Ingredients for Bacon & Green Beans:
- 2- 14.5 oz cans cut green beans, drained
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 4-5 pieces of bacon, cut into squares
Directions: HERE
My husband is from the Midwest and thinks one should deviate from Campbell’s iconic green bean casserole, so it’s what we make each year using canned green beans. Sometimes I make a double batch to have with leftover turkey because it’s always the first to disappear.
Ingredients for Classic Green Bean Casserole:
- 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Cream of Mushroom Soup
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 2- 14.5 oz. cans of green beans, drained
- 1 1/3 cups French fried onions, divided
Directions: HERE
Get that pretty, bakery-style shape with the perfect “split top,” using this muffin pan hack and frozen Rhodes dinner rolls! You could of course make dough from scratch, but these turn out fluffy and delicious every time. My family loves these even more than homemade.
What you’ll need to make Double Rhodes Rolls:
- 24 frozen rolls (such as Rhodes)
- a muffin pan
- butter for greasing the pan and for the tops of rolls
Directions: HERE
6. Traditional Mashed Potatoes
I typically don’t do anything fancy with mashed potatoes except maybe garnish with some fresh or dried herbs and lots of butter. Boiling the potatoes and mashing them with a potato masher right in the pot is how I usually make them.
Ingredients for traditional mashed potatoes:
- 3 pounds potatoes (Yukon gold or russet)
- 6 tablespoons butter
- ½–1 cup warm cream or milk
- 1–2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
- Prep the potatoes: Peel the potatoes and cut them into even chunks.
- Boil: Place potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water, and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until very soft when pierced with a fork.
- Drain: Pour off all the water and let the potatoes sit for 1 minute to steam dry.
- Mash: Add the butter, some of the warm cream or milk, salt, and pepper. Mash until smooth, adding more cream or milk as needed for the texture you like.
- Taste and serve: Adjust salt and pepper, then serve warm and fluffy.
Hip Tip: I have tried this hack in recent years, where you can peel the potatoes after cooking! They slide off pretty easily if you score the skin around the middle before boiling.
Need Thanksgiving dessert ideas?
Try these easy recipes:
In my opinion, simple is better when it comes to holiday dishes.
I feel like social media has elevated the pressure to prepare perfect Pinterest-worthy meals, which creates more stress. These easy ideas are the core of what I typically prepare, and then sometimes we may add in corn casserole, sweet potatoes, and I can’t forget canned cranberry sauce!
No matter what you make, it’s the people around the table that matter the most, not the food! If you are hosting, DON’T be afraid to delegate certain dishes out and DO nominate a clean-up crew at the end of the meal!
