35 Easy Thanksgiving Recipes for a Delicious Holiday Dinner

This collection of 35 easy Thanksgiving recipes covers the entire holiday meal, including appetizers, turkey and other mains, classic side dishes, breads, desserts, and festive drinks. Use the categories below to quickly build your Thanksgiving menu or find the perfect dish to complete it.

1. Cranberry Hummus Dip

Creamy cranberry hummus combines savory chickpeas with tart cranberries for a festive twist on the classic dip. Its beautiful pink color and cranberry garnish make it an easy appetizer for the Thanksgiving table.

2. Curried Pumpkin Deviled Eggs

Creamy deviled eggs get a fall-inspired twist with pumpkin and warm curry spices. They’re served cold, making them a practical Thanksgiving appetizer that won’t compete for oven space.

3. Cranberry Jalapeño Queso Fundido

Warm, melty cheese is paired with tart cranberries and jalapeños for a festive mix of creamy, sweet, and spicy flavors. Serve it straight from the oven with tortilla chips or crusty bread for an easy Thanksgiving appetizer.

4. Cheesecake Factory Stuffed Mushrooms

These savory stuffed mushrooms have a rich, cheesy filling and a golden baked finish that fits right into a Thanksgiving spread. They’re bite-sized and easy to serve while everyone waits for the main meal.

5. Brûléed Pears with Prosciutto

Juicy pears with a caramelized finish pair with salty prosciutto for an appetizer that feels a little more elegant without being complicated. The sweet-and-savory combination is a nice contrast to the creamy dips and cheesy appetizers in this collection.

6. Brined Whole Turkey

A simple brine helps the turkey stay juicy and flavorful while roasting, with beautifully browned, crisp skin on the outside. It’s the classic centerpiece when you’re serving a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

7. Instant Pot Turkey Breast

This Instant Pot turkey breast gives you juicy, flavorful turkey without taking up valuable oven space. It’s especially practical for a smaller Thanksgiving dinner or when you want turkey alongside another main dish.

8. Smoked Turkey Legs

Smoked turkey legs are a flavorful alternative to roasting a whole bird, with smoky meat and beautifully browned skin. They’re especially useful for a smaller Thanksgiving dinner or when you want to keep the oven available for side dishes.

9. Honey Baked Ham

This honey baked ham has a caramelized glaze that brings a sweet-and-savory contrast to all those classic Thanksgiving sides. It’s an easy alternative to turkey or a great second main when you’re feeding a larger crowd.

10. Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy

Rich, savory turkey gravy brings the turkey, potatoes, and other Thanksgiving sides together. This gluten-free version delivers the classic flavor and silky texture without using regular flour.

11. Sweet Potato Casserole

Creamy sweet potatoes topped with toasted marshmallows make this casserole both a classic side and a standout on the Thanksgiving table.

12. Cranberry Sauce

This homemade cranberry sauce brings the tart, fruity flavor that cuts through rich Thanksgiving dishes like turkey, gravy, and creamy sides. Make it ahead and chill it until dinner, taking one more task off your Thanksgiving Day schedule.

13. Mashed Sweet Potatoes

These creamy mashed sweet potatoes are made with coconut milk and finished with bacon and cilantro for a savory twist on the traditional Thanksgiving side. Because they’re prepared on the stovetop, they also keep valuable oven space free for the turkey and casseroles.

14. Instant Pot Brussels Sprouts

These tender Brussels sprouts cook quickly in the Instant Pot and are finished with crispy bacon for extra savory flavor. They’re especially useful on Thanksgiving when the oven is already packed with turkey, casseroles, and other sides.

15. Roasted Carrots and Parsnips

Roasted carrots and parsnips bring naturally sweet, caramelized flavor and plenty of color to the Thanksgiving table. This simple vegetable side is a nice counterpoint to richer dishes like gravy, casseroles, and mashed potatoes.

16. Crispy Smashed Potatoes

These smashed potatoes are fluffy inside with crisp, golden edges that add a welcome texture alongside softer Thanksgiving sides. They’re a great alternative to traditional mashed potatoes, especially if your menu already includes creamy sweet potatoes.

17. Mac and Cheese Carbonara

This extra-creamy mac and cheese combines a comforting holiday favorite with the savory flavors of carbonara. It gives you a hearty Thanksgiving side that can be prepared on the stovetop, leaving valuable oven space for the turkey and casseroles.

18. Fall Salad

This colorful fall salad adds a fresh, crisp contrast to the rich casseroles, potatoes, gravy, and other traditional Thanksgiving sides. It also requires no oven space, making it an easy addition when the rest of your holiday menu is competing for cooking space.

19. Pan-Fried Collard Greens

Thinly sliced collard greens cook quickly on the stovetop for a savory green side that balances the richer dishes on your Thanksgiving table. They’re especially practical when the oven is full of turkey, casseroles, and other holiday favorites.

Easy Thanksgiving Breads

Warm bread is an easy way to round out a Thanksgiving dinner and gives guests something to enjoy with turkey, gravy, and all those savory sides. These options add variety beyond the standard dinner roll.

20. Pumpkin Pie Spice Pull-Apart Bread

This soft pull-apart bread layers warm pumpkin pie spices into a festive loaf made for sharing. Its fall flavors make it a natural addition to the Thanksgiving bread basket while offering something different from traditional rolls.

21. Brazilian Cheese Bread

These Brazilian cheese breads, or pão de queijo, have a crisp exterior and a soft, chewy, cheesy center. Their small size makes them easy to pass around the Thanksgiving table, and they offer a naturally gluten-free alternative to traditional dinner rolls.

22. Cheese-Stuffed Garlic Bread Rolls

These soft garlic bread rolls have a gooey cheese center and a buttery, savory finish that makes them especially good alongside turkey and gravy. Serve them warm as a more indulgent alternative to traditional Thanksgiving dinner rolls.

Easy Thanksgiving Desserts

These easy dessert recipes include pumpkin, pecan, apple, sweet potato, and chocolate desserts, with several options you can make ahead to keep Thanksgiving Day easier.

23. Texas Pecan Pie

This Texas pecan pie has a rich, gooey filling packed with crunchy pecans in a flaky crust. It’s a classic choice for the Thanksgiving dessert table and can be made ahead, leaving you with one less thing to prepare on the holiday.

24. Keto Pumpkin Pie

This pumpkin pie has a creamy, warmly spiced filling and all the familiar fall flavor you expect on a Thanksgiving dessert table. It’s a useful alternative for guests following a low-carb or gluten-free diet, and you can prepare it ahead of the holiday.

25. Sweet Potato Pie

This sweet potato pie has a smooth, creamy filling with warm spices and a flaky crust. It’s a classic Southern-inspired Thanksgiving dessert and a great alternative—or addition—to pumpkin pie when you want more than one traditional pie on the table.

26. Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cobbler

This apple pie cobbler combines tender spiced apples with a golden topping and salted caramel for a cozy Thanksgiving dessert. It’s an easy alternative to traditional apple pie and works especially well when you need a dessert that can be served straight from the baking dish.

27. Buttermilk Pie

This buttermilk pie has a smooth, creamy custard filling with a lightly caramelized top and a flaky crust. It’s a good Thanksgiving option when you want a traditional pie that contrasts with the pumpkin, sweet potato, pecan, and apple flavors already on the dessert table.

28. Sweet Potato S’mores Brownies

These fudgy chocolate brownies combine sweet potato with a toasted marshmallow topping for a fun twist on traditional Thanksgiving flavors. They also add a chocolate option to a dessert table that is otherwise dominated by pies.

29. Roasted Sweet Potato Crème Brûlée

This creamy sweet potato crème brûlée turns a familiar Thanksgiving ingredient into an elegant individual dessert with a crisp caramelized sugar topping. Most of the preparation can be done ahead, then the sugar can be brûléed shortly before serving.

30. Chocolate Pie with Meringue

This chocolate pie has a rich, creamy filling topped with fluffy meringue for a classic dessert that brings something different to the Thanksgiving table. It’s a great choice when you want a chocolate option alongside traditional pumpkin, pecan, apple, and sweet potato desserts.

31. Spiced Sweet Potato Pound Cake

This moist sweet potato pound cake is flavored with warm spices and finished with a rich caramel frosting. It brings familiar Thanksgiving flavors to the table in cake form, making it a good option for guests who want something other than pie.

32. Candied Sweet Potato Cupcakes

These sweet potato cupcakes turn a familiar Thanksgiving flavor into an easy individual dessert, finished with a toasted marshmallow topping. They add variety to a pie-heavy dessert table and are especially convenient for serving a crowd without slicing another dessert.

33. Pumpkin Pie Flan

This creamy pumpkin flan combines the warm spices of pumpkin pie with a silky custard and caramel topping. It’s an excellent make-ahead Thanksgiving dessert when you want pumpkin flavor without serving another traditional pie.

Easy Thanksgiving Drinks

Finish the menu with a festive Thanksgiving drink. These two options give you both a cozy apple-cider choice and a bright cranberry cocktail, so you can serve something that fits the mood of your gathering.

34. Quick Salted Caramel Apple Cider

Warm apple cider gets a holiday upgrade with rich salted caramel for a cozy drink that fits naturally with Thanksgiving dessert. Serve it after dinner or set up a warm cider station where guests can help themselves.

35. Sparkling Cranberry Passion Fruit Cocktail

This sparkling cocktail combines tart cranberry with tropical passion fruit for a bright, refreshing drink that balances the richer flavors of Thanksgiving dinner. Its deep cranberry color also makes it an easy festive choice for the holiday table.