Forget the turkey, these are the Easy Thanksgiving Recipes that deserve top billing! Come on, we all know the sides are the star of the show! Then throw in some outrageous appetizers, sweater-weather drinks, and desserts worth unbuttoning your pants for, and you’ve got the feast everyone will be raving about!
Without a doubt, these easy Thanksgiving recipes are guaranteed to get more compliments than the turkey (sorry, turkey).
Everyone knows the appetizers, sides, and desserts are the real reason we all show up hungry.
That’s why I’ve rounded up everything but the turkey for you below, because let’s be honest… nobody’s ever fought over the last slice of white meat.
These show-stopping Homemade Pies, savory sides, and Easy Appetizer Recipes are about to save your sanity and steal the show!
So what are you waiting for?
Go grab some ridiculously easy quick Thanksgiving recipes below and make this year’s Thanksgiving menu the best one yet!
You’ll get all the flavor, less the drama!!
How Do You Plan an Easy Thanksgiving Dinner?
When it comes to a stress free Thanksgiving dinner, you’ll want to plan ahead as much as possible!
Planning ahead is truly the key to an easy Thanksgiving meal.
Just remember… the more work you put in on the front ahead, the more time you’ll have to sit back and relax with your guests on Thanksgiving day!
3 Weeks Before Thanksgiving:
- Finalize your guest list
- Plan your menu
- Make a shopping list
- Grocery shop for non perishable items
2 Weeks Before Thanksgiving:
- Create a music playlist
- Plan your Thanksgiving tablescape
- Deep clean your home
Thanksgiving Week:
- Spot clean your home
- Wash all serving dishes & glasses
- Grocery shop for perishable items
- Create a cooking & baking schedule
- Thaw turkey in fridge (24 hrs for each 4 – 5 lbs)
2 Days Before Thanksgiving:
- Make as much food ahead of time as possible
1 Day Before Thanksgiving:
- Set the table (plates, glasses, silverware, napkins)
- Chill beverages in fridge
What Thanksgiving Food Can You Make Early?
There are so many different easy Thanksgiving recipes available to choose from.
Here are just a few of my favorite Thanksgiving make ahead recipes…
- Bacon
- Candied Nuts
- Cinnamon Honey Butter
- Cookies
- Cranberry Sauce with Orange Marmalade
- Deviled Eggs
- Fluffy Mashed Potatoes
- Fudge
- Great Thanksgiving Pies
- Homemade Bread Recipes
- Muffins
- Veggies
- Overnight Bacon Egg Casserole
- Pumpkin Bread
Thanksgiving Table Decor
Before we get into the deliciously easy Thanksgiving recipes, check out these fun ideas for Thanksgiving table settings…
When it comes to creating a Thanksgiving tablescape, don’t be afraid to think outside the box!
Here’s the turquoise and orange Thanksgiving table settings I set out last year.
The unexpected pop of color, silk flowers and leaves, and jute placemats came together to make such a fun display.
Don’t forget to add some pretty flickering candles for ambience!
Here are some pretty Fall favorites…
Dried Orange Slices for Candles
Fall Mason Jar Candles
Instantly elevate your Thanksgiving table with these pretty Fall candles!
Shannon writes: “Turned out so nice. I added an apple scent candle and it added a great smell to the room.”
Fall Simmer Pot
Then set this Pumpkin Spice Simmer Pot on the stove, to fill your home with the loveliest scents while dinner cooks and your guests start arriving!
Thanksgiving Gravy and Sauces
How To Make Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Amanda writes: “This was probably my favorite thing at Thanksgiving this year! The flavors in this were amazing!!! I normally only eat cranberry sauce at the holidays but I will definitely be making this throughout the year! It was fantastic!!!”
Chicken Gravy Recipe
(No Drippings Needed!)
Diane writes: “This is a wonderful gravy … easy and tasty!! Thank you!!”
Brown Gravy Recipe
(No Drippings Needed!)
One reader writes: “This brown gravy recipe is so good, we would eat a shoe if you poured it on top. Quick, easy and fool proof and just in time for comfort food and mashed potatoes.”
Thanksgiving Appetizer Recipes
Now on to the recipes! What’s a Thanksgiving feast without some delicious appetizers to ease you into the meal?
These easy Thanksgiving Appetizers are always the hit of the party!
Crockpot Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies
Kaitlyn writes: “This was a huge hit at Thanksgiving. My family ate the entire batch before we even ate dinner!”
Lil Smokies Grape Jelly
Emily writes: “This combination of flavors is delicious! Always has been a family favorite!”
Simple Deviled Eggs Recipe
Michelle writes: “Taking it to the next level with the added bacon! Deeelish!”
Crockpot Meatballs
Tiffany writes: “Just do it! Best and easiest recipe ever. These have been my Thanksgiving tradition every year and everyone texts me a week before get togethers requesting them. 5 out of 5 stars!”
BBQ Ranch Meatballs
Christina writes: “It was delicious and easy! Everyone loved the meatballs, I will definitely make it again!”
Crab Dip Recipe
Gwen writes: “Used this recipe last Thanksgiving and doing it again.”
Cranberry and Cream Cheese Dip
Vanessa writes: “Super delicious and perfect for the holidays!!!”
Crock Pot Spinach Dip
Jamie writes: “I had to double the recipe as I didn’t think it would be enough to feed 20 people – I was right lol this by far was probably the best spinach dip recipe I’ve made and it was gone in a flash.”
Cold Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe
Angie writes: “Simple to make and so delicious!”
Easy Artichoke Dip
Myra writes: “I’ve made this 3 or 4 times. Everyone I make it for can’t get enough of it!”
Crock Pot Kielbasa
Brittney writes: “Huge hit! Everyone loved them!”
BBQ Sausage Bites
Darien writes: “The whole family loved it! It was truly delicious!”
33 Easy Dip Recipes
Start your next Thanksgiving off bold and strong with one of these easy dips. They are unapologetically nothing less than chip dipping sensations!
Thanksgiving Main Entrees
Now most traditional Thanksgiving dinners will feature a turkey as the main dish. So if you’re planning on cooking a turkey, make sure to check out these tips for success.
Turkey Cooking Tips for Success
If you’re looking to change things up this year, or to offer a secondary main dish in addition to your turkey, here are some scrumptious and festive ideas for Thanksgiving main entrees…
Maple Glazed Ham
Kelly writes: “I made for my family for Thanksgiving and it was absolutely delicious! Must try!”
Pineapple Glazed Ham
GG writes: “Tastes great & super easy!”
Crockpot Cranberry Chicken
Jana writes: “Yummy! Family really liked this.”
Cranberry Orange Glazed Chicken
Mary writes: “Made this and it is delicious! This recipe is a keeper!”
Horseradish Sauce Recipe
(for Prime Rib or Steak)
Rebecca writes: “Such a great recipe – so good!”
Crock Pot Whole Chicken
Samantha writes: “This chicken is absolutely delicious!”
Creamy Pumpkin Pasta
Traci writes: “You could rename this pumpkin pasta “Pumpkin Heaven”… it’s so easy to prepare, and the payoff is pure decadence.”
Sides for Thanksgiving Meal
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
Kristy writes: “Who cares what the main is when you have this as a side?! Yum!”
Fluffy Mashed Potatoes
One reader writes: “Thank you for the simple instructions and great recipe. I will use it again and again.”
Hashbrown Party Potatoes
Shareen writes: “My Mother and family have been making this wonderful dish for many years, mostly around the holidays. This yr. was the first yr. my husband tried it and now begs for it all the time!!”
Cheesy Crockpot Potatoes
Kelly writes: “Made it – So good, very easy!”
Creamed Corn Recipe
Marianne writes: “This is a great recipe!!”
Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic
Heather writes: “A great, healthy side! And sooooo easy”
Cauliflower and Cheese
Kara writes: “Good, like mac and cheese.”
Stephanie writes: “Huge hit!! Delicious and very simple!”
Cheesy Broccoli
Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese
Tara writes: “I made this for a 2nd time. So good and creamy. Very easy recipe. Good for taking for a potluck.”
Bacon Mac and Cheese
Jessica writes: “This is the best Mac and cheese ever.”
Easy Cornbread Recipe
Lori writes: “This is the most delicious cornbread ever!”
Skillet Cornbread
Wendi writes: “Love this recipe!!!”
Easy Cornbread Muffins Recipe
Pam writes: “Great, easy recipe!”
Pull Apart Bread
Becky writes: “This turned out great and the family loved it!”
Artisan Bread Recipe
Michelle writes: “Love how easy it is to make crusty bread at home!”
No Knead Dutch Oven Bread
Joan writes: “We call this magic bread. It’s amazing!”
Whipped Maple Butter
Kathy writes: “Good on so many things!”
Cinnamon Honey Butter
Kerstin writes: “So so so so good!! It’s a huge hit along with homemade bread with the family. I always double it.”
Cinnamon Sugar Butter
Marji writes: “Delicious! On very dark bread it almost tastes like churros.”
Garlic Butter Recipe
Kathy writes: “This spread adds so much flavor!”
Thanksgiving Salad Recipes
Broccoli Raisin Salad
Sheryl writes: “My bowl gets emptied by many each potluck we have. This is yummy!!!!”
Easy Fruit Salad Recipe
Maria writes: “Fantastic! I made it and enjoyed this tasty fruit salad.”
Great Thanksgiving Pies
What’s Thanksgiving without Thanksgiving pies? Here are some of my favorite pies that always get rave reviews…
No Bake Pumpkin Pie Dessert
Sabina writes: “My family loved it! So easy to make.”
Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie
Elena writes: “Wow!!! This is really amazing!!!!”
Flaky Pie Crust Recipe
Tiffany writes: “This is amazing”
Apple Pie Granny Smith Recipe
Pamela writes: “Made this for Thanksgiving and it turned out great! Did a turkey on top in extra crust rather than lattice.”
Apple and Salted Caramel Pie
Carol writes: “I made this pie. This recipe was perfect and easy to follow. Made me feel like a professional pie maker! Everyone loved it. It was beautiful and delicious!!”
Authentic Key Lime Pie Recipe
This easy Key Lime Pie is going to give your key lime hankerings a fun kick in the pants! Plus, with just 10 minutes of prep, it’s SO simple to make!
Peanut Butter Cool Whip Pie
Jessica writes: “Everyone eats it all up immediately, you’d better make two!”
Hershey’s Chocolate Pie
Sheryl writes: “I’ve made this and this is so easy and delicious”
Southern Pecan Pie Recipe
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Bobbi writes: “Chocolate in pecan pie! My favorite Turkey day pie.”
Thanksgiving Desserts Ideas
What about Thanksgiving desserts that aren’t pie?
Here are some your guests will go CRAZY for!
Best Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Marianela writes: “This was one of my favorite finds. My family absolutely loved it. Instant Hit!!! So moist and delicious.”
Pumpkin Cake with a Cake Mix
Stacy writes: “I tried this recipe for my Thanksgiving dinner and it was a big hit with my guests. Very moist and flavorful. I will make it again.”
Pumpkin Angel Food Cake
Sheila writes: “It is amazing!
Pumpkin Dump Cake
Barb writes: “We make this for Thanksgiving every year! We’ve made believers of those who don’t care for pumpkin pie but they love this dessert!”
Pumpkin Dip Recipe
Carolyn writes: “We had this for Thanksgiving with vanilla wafers and graham crackers. So good!!”
Apple Spice Dump Cake
Ricki writes: “This is super easy and quick to make. My husband loved it, and it made the whole house smell wonderful.”
Apple Caramel Crumble
Heather writes: “This was absolutely delicious! Definitely will make this again.”
Thanksgiving Dump Cake
Bree writes: “Love this recipe!! It’s really delicious and my family loved it!”
Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
Shelly writes: “These were a huge hit with my family! Will definitely be making again.”
Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
(5 Ingredients)
Cindy writes: “Made these and we will definitely be making them again! Yum!”
Pretzel Turtles
Kim writes: “I made this for several parties. It is always a HUGE hit!”
Maple Pecan Cookies
Dawn writes: “Great addition to the holiday cookie tray!”
Spice Cookies
Angie writes: “Very good, would be great for fall or Thanksgiving.”
Salted Caramel Chocolate Cookies
Butterfinger Fudge
Ginnie writes: “I made this at Christmas and people are still asking me to make it 6 months later.”
Toffee Fudge
Megan writes: “Super easy, super delicious… they taste amazing. Hard to stop just at 1 🙂 !!”
Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
Tori writes: “Very easy to make and was such a hit with the party goers.”
Reese’s Peanut Butter Bar
Abbey writes: “Taste just like Reese’s. It was very very very good.”
Reese’s Cup Cookies
Karen writes: “These only last minutes in our house!”
Peanut Butter Kisses Cookies
Nikki writes: “Couldn’t believe how easy these were. So delicious, they were a big hit.”
Easy Thanksgiving Recipes for Drinks
Recipe for Cranberry Punch
Colline writes: “Easy to make, delish to the max.”
Christmas Punch Drink Recipe
Betty writes: “This is the perfect sparkling punch! I love that it only takes 5 minutes to prep—it’s such a time-saver for busy holiday hosting.”
Apple Cider Punch
Arline writes: “This was a delicious punch! It went fast in our family.”
Fall Party Punch
Skylar writes: “I made it for a party – so good, so fun, when we ran out people were asking for more! Super easy, too!”
Crockpot Apple Cider
Tami writes: “I get the most compliments on this cider. Everyone loves it and wants the recipe.”
Caramel Hot Apple Cider
Janna writes: “Loved this apple cider recipe! My party guests raved about how good it was. ๐ “
Homemade Pumpkin Spice Coffee
Cathy writes: “Delicious and so simple.”
Cinnamon Coffee Recipe
Linda writes: “It is so yummy”
Stovetop Hot Chocolate
Laura writes: “It’s so good! You’ll never go back to the packets ever again.”
Crockpot Hot Chocolate Recipe
Jaime writes: “Made this for my hot chocolate bar. It was perfect!”
Easy Thanksgiving Recipes for Snacks
We all know that there’s something glorious about grazing all day long on Thanksgiving.
So these delicious Thanksgiving snacks will keep your guests happy with something fun to munch on!
Caramel Sauce Recipe
Samantha writes: “This worked out really well over the holidays with granny smith apple slices. Made it the day before serving, and stored in fridge. Will do this again!”
Holiday Chex Mix Recipe
Kelsey writes: “Excellent recipe!! My friends said this was the best Chex Mix they’ve ever had.”
Cinnamon Sugar Roasted Pecans
Jennifer writes: “SO good and SO easy!”
Roasted Cinnamon Almonds
Katherine writes: “They’re great on salads, and just for snacking! So delicious!”
Recipe for Roasted Walnuts
Angie writes: “These are so flavourful, and tasty!”
Thanksgiving Brunch Recipes
If you’re starting your celebration earlier in the day, these Thanksgiving breakfast and brunch recipes will become fast family favorites!
Walnut Cranberry Bread Recipe
Hannah writes: “My uncle said it was one of the best breads he has ever had.”
Recipe for Monkey Bread Muffins
Kristi writes: “This is one of my favorite breakfast treats for my kids. You will not be disappointed!”
Cast Iron Skillet Monkey Bread
Flo writes: “I just made this!! It’s so delicious! Awesome!”
Crockpot Monkey Bread
Heather writes: “I just made this. This is one of the best things to ever come out of my kitchen! Definitely a keeper!!”
5-Ingredient Breakfast Sliders Recipe
Kim writes: “These are so amazing and yummy!”
Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes
Pumpkin Muffins with Cake Mix
Bobbie writes: “This was delicious – thank you.”
Recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Marcia writes: “My husband can not wait for me to make them again”
Hash Brown Egg and Bacon Casserole
Barbara writes: “I make this the night before a holiday and pop it in the oven! Yummy!!”
Overnight Sausage Breakfast Casserole
Allison writes: “Very easy to make. The kids loved it!”
Overnight Bacon Egg Casserole
How To Bake Bacon In Oven
Tracey writes: “My husband, the ultimate bacon lover, says this is the best way he has ever had bacon! Less greasy, more crispy, and easier to eat! Doesn’t curl up and cooks more evenly!”
Thanksgiving Make Head Recipes
15 Fall Pumpkin Recipes
Feed every Pumpkin hankering with this Huge List of Pumpkin Recipes.
21 Easy Pie Recipes
These quick and Easy Pie Recipes for Beginners are perfect for your next holiday celebration or as a fun Friday night treat!
70 Easy Cake Mix Cookies
Got a Thanksgiving cookie itch? Tackle every last cooking yearning with this HUGE list of Cake Mix Cookies Recipes!
More Easy Thanksgiving Recipes
150 Fall Crockpot Recipes
Enjoy fall in all of its delicious glory with some help from this amazing list of crockpot recipes.
Thanksgiving Decor
20 Fun Fall Crafts
Get in the mood for fall with some Fun Fall Crafts for Adults and Kids. Let craft time begin!
So what are your favorite Easy Thanksgiving Recipes, Desserts, or Side Dishes to serve up each year?
Share with us in the comments below!
This list is epic! Wow so many options and of course your photography always makes everything look so delicious.
Aww… thank you! You’re so sweet, and just made my day! ๐