Our 30 Easiest Thanksgiving Recipes for a Stress-Free Holiday

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Updated on October 24, 2023

spatchcock turkey with thyme and sage on sheet pan on table

If you're looking for maximum flavor, yet minimal effort this holiday season, these recipes are perfect for you. From roasted turkey to classic sides like mashed potatoes and green bean casserole, these recipes only require 20 minutes of active time or less, so you can get everything started in the kitchen and kick back until dinner time. Recipes like our Air-Fryer Brussels Sprouts and Spatchcock Turkey with Sage & Thyme will get you in and out of the kitchen in no time at all.

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Kale Salad with Cranberries

This easy holiday salad gets its flavor from a sweet citrus dressing that's infused into the kale by massaging the greens and the dressing together with your hands. We like a mix of kale for this recipe, but any type of kale will work.

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Air-Fryer Brussels Sprouts

These super-crispy and browned air-fryer Brussels sprouts with sweet onions and salty bacon—all amped up with bright lemon juice—are sure to be a hit, whether you serve them for a weeknight side dish or as part of your holiday spread for Thanksgiving. This recipe makes enough to serve eight but is easily halved, though once you taste it you may well want a double serving. And if you prefer a vegetarian side, simply omit the bacon.

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Melting Sweet Potatoes with Maple Butter

As the name implies, these sweet potatoes melt right in your mouth. After browning in a hot oven, thick slices of sweet potato simmer in broth and soak up the flavors of maple syrup and lemon. This simple dish is great alongside roasted chicken or pork and makes a great Thanksgiving side dish.

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Spatchcock Turkey with Sage & Thyme

spatchcock turkey with thyme and sage on sheet pan on table

When it comes to cooking a whole turkey quickly and evenly, spatchcocking—removing the entire backbone from the bird and splaying it open—is a great technique. This skin on this spatchcocked turkey gets crispy and browned because nearly all of the skin is exposed. This recipe uses a simple blend of oil, fresh herbs and spices for classic roasted turkey flavor. Look for a small turkey, about 12 pounds, as it fits better in most roasting pans.

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Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie

One of the tasters of this dairy-free pumpkin pie called it a "vegan's dream come true." The filling has just the right amount of spice, while the crust—made with part whole-wheat flour—has a wonderful nutty flavor and crispy texture. The pie is great as is, but to really please the plant-based eaters at your Thanksgiving table, top it with Coconut Whipped Cream.

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Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast with Garlic

Bone-in, skin-on turkey breasts, also called split breasts, are inexpensive, flavorful and nice for (just enough) leftovers. Try this any time of year!

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Healthy Green Bean Casserole

Typical green bean casseroles bathe ingredients in a heavy cream sauce. Our healthy version has fewer calories and fat, thanks to a homemade roux.

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Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes

This healthy mashed sweet potato recipe has just 5 ingredients and is dinner-ready in 20 minutes. Using sweet potatoes for this classic side dish adds color to your plate along with a little sweetness and a boost of Vitamin A. With classic and simple flavors, it can easily be paired with any of your favorite dishes.

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Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

a recipe photo of the Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad — Photographer: Stacy K. Allen; Prop stylist: Julia Bayless; Food stylist: Ana Kelley

Sweet cherries complement the tart goat cheese in this easy shaved Brussels sprouts salad. Pistachios add an extra layer of crunch. A sharp chef's knife works well to slice the Brussels sprouts thinly. A microplane grater is best for finely shredding the goat cheese.

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Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

What could be more satisfying than mashed potatoes? In this garlic mashed potato recipe, the potatoes are flavored with poached garlic, thinned with chicken stock and enriched with a small amount of sour cream. The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled if you're cooking for a crowd—say for Thanksgiving dinner.

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Slow-Cooker Turkey Thighs with Herb Gravy

Those who love tender, moist dark meat will love these slow-cooker turkey thighs. If turkey thighs aren't available, ask your butcher to cut up a whole turkey and give you the bone-in thighs. Feel free to substitute an equal weight of chicken thighs for the turkey thighs, if desired. This pairs well with a simple side of steamed green beans.

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Easy Rutabaga Puree with Bacon

Thanksgiving Rutabaga — Andrea Mathis

Rutabagas are the star in this creamy side dish. A pinch of sugar balances the vegetable's slightly bitter taste while bacon adds smoky flavor. Serve this easy side dish for Thanksgiving.

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Cranberry Buttermilk Pie

This custard filling is what takes this buttermilk pie recipe to the next level. It tastes like a panna cotta with a bit of attitude from the tang of the buttermilk and a generous sprinkling of cranberries on top.

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Roasted Brussels Sprout & Butternut Squash Salad

Roasted Brussels Sprout & Butternut Squash Salad

Serve this hearty and healthy fall salad with roasted pork tenderloin, chicken or salmon, or with your Thanksgiving meal. All of the vegetables are roasted on the same pan, so this recipe is easy to prep, and it tastes great warm or at room temperature so it's perfect for holiday buffet tables and potlucks. Cranberries add a sweet-tart edge, while the maple-tahini dressing provides depth.

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Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows

Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows

The genius hack in this recipe: topping sweet potatoes with marshmallows while they're still piping hot from the slow cooker yields a baked marshmallow topping that's typical with baked sweet potato casseroles.

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Traditional Herbed Roast Turkey

A medley of fresh herbs and vegetables flavors the turkey while adding minimal carbs, calories and fat in this recipe.

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Apple, Onion & Cranberry Stuffing

Stuffing

Apples and fresh cranberries add a unique twist to this variation on the classic stuffing. Use fresh sage or rubbed sage in this healthy stuffing recipe; the ground version is too bitter.

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Easy Apple Galette

Easy Apple Galette recipe on a blue cloth

This simple apple-cinnamon galette is easy to make thanks to premade pie crust—no need to make your own dough! Serve it for Thanksgiving dessert or after any fall meal.

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Balsamic Oven-Roasted Carrots

Balsamic Roasted Carrots — Pictured Recipe: Balsamic Roasted Carrots.

Roasting carrots brings out their sweetness, which is enhanced further with a tangy balsamic and maple glaze. Serve them straight-up for an easy weeknight side dish or garnish with chopped hazelnuts for holiday meals and dinner parties.

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Balsamic-Roasted Green Beans with Parmesan

Balsamic-Roasted Green Beans with Parmesan

Sweet balsamic vinegar and nutty Parmesan cheese complement roasted green beans and shallots in this easy and healthy side dish. Roasting the green beans gives them a sweet, caramelized flavor while they still retain some bite. Serve with chicken, fish, pork—you name it. These green beans are also a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving meal.

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Turkey Stock & Gravy

Turkey Stock & Gravy — Johnny Autry

We tend to think of gravy as a last-minute holiday hassle, whisking like mad over a hot stove right before dinner is served. But there's absolutely no reason not to make it ahead of time using turkey parts. For extra flavor, tip any pan drippings from the freshly cooked bird into the reheated gravy.

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The Best Homemade Cranberry Sauce

This is our go-to recipe for homemade cranberry sauce. It's simple (just five ingredients!), is lightly sweet without being too sugary and has just the right amount of zesty flavor from orange peel. Plus, it's so easy—it goes from stove to table in just 20 minutes!

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Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Now everyone can enjoy classic Thanksgiving favorites, like this dairy-free green bean casserole. We make a homemade vegan cream of mushroom soup using almond milk for the creamy base that's combined with fresh green beans. Top it off with classic french-fried onions (we have a vegan recipe for that, too!) for a side dish everyone will devour.

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Roasted Honeynut Squash

Honeynut squash looks just like mini butternut squash, but on the inside you'll find an even sweeter, deeper orange flesh. This winter squash has only been available at farmers' markets and in select grocery stores for a few years. If you see it, grab a few to try! This simple roasting method enhances the natural flavor of the squash with butter and spices.

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Beet Salad

Beet Salad — Photographer / Victor Protasio, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist / Kay Clarke

This simple beet salad recipe uses just a handful of ingredients to create a delightful side dish. Roasted beets add a sweet, earthy and aromatic flavor that shines in this side salad.

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Yukon Gold & Sweet Potato Mash

Classic mashed potatoes get a nutrient boost with the addition of sweet potatoes. This healthy mashed potato recipe can easily be doubled, just be sure to cook the potatoes in a Dutch oven rather than a large saucepan.

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No-Sugar-Added Sweet Potato Casserole

Instead of loading up this comfort food side with tons of brown sugar and marshmallows, we have turned to sweet spices, vanilla and inherently sweet dried fruit to enhance the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes. A topping of pecans and pepitas replaces traditional marshmallow topping to keep it healthy and add texture and color for a beautiful casserole.

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Corn Muffins

Call on these hearty cornmeal muffins to help boost a soup, stew, chili or salad into a filling meal.

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Fig & Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Roll

Fig & Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Roll — Jamie Vespa, M.S., R.D.

Buttery puff pastry is a tasty shortcut ingredient that can be used in many delicious ways. Here we roll out a pastry sheet and cover it with fig jam and crumbled goat cheese, then roll it up into a log and bake it. The end result is a sweet-and-savory appetizer that looks and tastes impressive, especially considering it has just three ingredients.

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Slow-Cooker Hot Cider with Brandy

Slow-Cooker Hot Cider with Brandy

Brew up a batch of warm apple cider with ease in this no-sugar-added drink recipe. The hot toddy stays warm and party-ready in your crock pot all night long.

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