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    Complete Traditional Thanksgiving Menu

    Home » Holidays » Thanksgiving » Complete Traditional Thanksgiving Menu

    Published: Oct 30, 2019 · Modified: Oct 2, 2023 by Sarah · This post may contain affiliate links · 10 Comments

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    Are you hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year? We have all the recipes needed for hosting with a traditional Thanksgiving menu, including side dishes and pies. All easy recipes and VERY delicious!

    Traditional Thanksgiving Menu collage. Top left - Turkey top right- stuffing, bottom left - rolls bottom right - pie.

    I have hosted Thanksgiving almost six years in a row now, and now I like to consider myself a seasoned pro. My husband and I have so much fun with it. We love everything from coming up with the Thanksgiving menu, grocery shopping, making playlists (so we can dance party as we cook) and setting the table. If you're hosting this year, keep reading.

    Our recipes are all pretty easy, and VERY delicious. They will not disappoint! 

    Traditional Thanksgiving Menu

    A traditional Thanksgiving menu is made up of a roasted Turkey, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Green Bean Casserole, Rolls, Cranberry Sauce, Corn and Pumpkin Pie.

    If you are hosting Thanksgiving this year, I recommend choosing your basic Thanksgiving menu based on what you and your guests like the best. 

    We always use this easy and delicious Turkey recipe, then mix up which of our favorite side dishes we have. 

    Make sure you check out ALL of our Tips for Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner and print your Thanksgiving planner to use while you plan your menu! 

    Thanksgiving Turkey on a white platter with fresh herbs sitting on a granite counter next to a tea towel

    The Turkey

    This Easy Thanksgiving Turkey recipe has been a go-to for years and years. It's perfectly seasoned, juicy, and just honestly perfect. This post has all of the information on what size of Turkey you should buy, how to thaw it, and how to roast it. Just follow the directions and always use a meat thermometer!

    Traditional Thanksgiving Sides

    From Green Bean Casserole to Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry Sauce and Rolls, Thanksgiving side dishes are my favorite part of the meal! Yes, I love them at least as much as dessert.

    Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
    Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce is easy to make in 20 minutes and only has 5 ingredients. Perfect cranberry sauce for a holiday meal! 
    SEE THE POST

    This Cranberry Sauce is so easy to make and you can make it up to two weeks ahead of time! 

    Fruit salad made with granny smith apple cubes and pomegranate seeds mixed with cool whip with dollops of cool whip on top.
    Apple Pomegranate Salad Recipe
    This Pomegranate Apple Salad is the perfect fruit salad for Thanksgiving or Christmas! It's light and fresh and wonderful. You will love it! 
    SEE THE POST

    At our house, it is not Thanksgiving without Pomegranate Apple Salad. A light and fresh side dish made with green apples, pomegranate seeds and whipped cream.

    Literally the best ever stuffing recipe! Easy, hearty, and so delicious!

    Stuffing

    We've tried a lot of stuffing recipes over the years, but landed on this: the Best Stuffing Recipe Ever. Technically it is 'dressing' and not stuffing because it is not cooked inside the bird. We prefer to stuff the Turkey with onions and make this delicious, not-too-soggy Stuffing with sausage in it. Yum! 

    Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes close up on a spoon with salt and pepper.

    Mashed Potatoes for Thanksgiving

    Mashed Potatoes have an important place on the traditional Thanksgiving menu. It's really up to you and your guests whether it's worth making two or three potato dishes, but at our house, we love them!

    Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes close up on a spoon with salt and pepper.
    Recipe For Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes
    Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes are so easy to make, so creamy and so delicious. After trying this, you won't want to make mashed potatoes any other way.
    SEE THE POST

    This recipe for Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes is really good, and you can save that precious stovetop space for making other side dishes! 

    Alternates: We also love Slow Cooker Ranch Potatoes (always a crowd-pleaser) and Funeral Potatoes AKA Cheesy Potato Casserole, for the big meal. 

    Sweet Potatoes 

    We never make enough of our Easy Sweet Potato Casserole (yes, with marshmallows on top!) it goes so fast.

    Alternate: If you're in the mood for something different try this amazing Savory Sweet Potato Casserole with Sage Breadcrumbs! (Pictured above)

    Traditional Green Bean Casserole in a white baking dish with French's fried onions on top.

    Green Bean Casserole

    This is the Best Green Bean Casserole I've ever had. If you like mushrooms and fried onions, you will love this recipe! 

    More Side Dishes for your Thanksgiving Menu

    Thanksgiving Salads - left: pomegranate apple salad. Right: green salad with almonds, cranberries, swiss, and bacon.

    Thanksgiving Salads 

    Pomegranate Apple Salad made with tart green apples, pomegranate seeds and whipped cream is one of our favorite Thanksgiving side dishes, and Christmas too. We can't go without it!

    Here is our family's favorite Green Salad with a Homemade Italian Salad dressing. Everyone will beg you for the recipe!

    Orange Fluff Dessert Salad
    If you like fluff recipes you will love this easy creamsicle fluff! Everyone who tries it asks us for the recipe!
    SEE THE POST

    Another family favorite is this Creamsicle Fluff. It's especially popular with the kiddos.

    Roasted Balsamic Glazed Carrots

    Thanksgiving Vegetables

    Brown Sugar Roasted Balsamic Carrots are a truly divine, easy vegetable for Thanksgiving dinner! 

    For an easy and light vegetable, make some roasted or steamed Broccoli with the BEST Broccoli Seasoning Ever! 

    If you are still in the mood to browse, here are even more Thanksgiving Side Dish ideas!

    Thanksgiving Pies

    Thanksgiving pies. Left: Lemon Sour Cream Pie. Right: Chocolate Chess Pie.

    One of the most important parts of a traditional Thanksgiving menu is, of course, Pie! While we love Pumpkin Pie, we usually opt for this amazing Pumpkin Dessert, Lemon Sour Cream Pie and Chocolate Chess Pie. 

    These Thanksgiving pies are the best of the best. Try the Lemon Sour Cream Pie, just trust me, and Chocolate Chess Pie is another must-have. These two are both great to have - one for the chocoholics and one for the fruit pie crowd!

    Our Easy Banana Cream Pie and Cherry Cream Cheese Pie are also great options, and absolutely no baking is required!! 

    a punch bowl of apple cider with ice next to three apples and a bottle of cider

    Thanksgiving Drinks

    Our Homemade Sparkling Apple Cider (a Martinelli's copycat recipe) is so easy to make and perfect for a crowd! 

    Cranberry Lime Punch is another perfect choice for Thanksgiving. It's so pretty and festive, too!

    We don't drink, so we're basically experts in finding delicious mocktail recipes. If you're looking for more special, non-alcoholic drinks for Thanksgiving, we recommend checking out these Holiday Mocktails or this huge list of Non Alcoholic Party Drinks.

    Woo! While these are our main Thanksgiving recipes, we have even more on our Thanksgiving page!

    I would love to know which of these recipes you will be using this year. Don't forget to print your Thanksgiving Menu printable and checklists before you go! 

    Thanksgiving menu printable planning sheet.

    xoxo and Happy Thanksgiving,

    Sarah

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    More Thanksgiving Table Decor, Food Ideas + More

    • Cranberry and Feta Pinwheels
      Cranberry Feta Pinwheels
    • two colored thanksgiving coloring pages on a white counter
      Free Thanksgiving Coloring Pages
    • A slice of chocolate chess pie on a white plate with whipped cream on top, dusted with cocoa powder.
      Chocolate Chess Pie
    • Fruit salad made with granny smith apple cubes and pomegranate seeds mixed with cool whip with dollops of cool whip on top.
      Pomegranate Apple Salad

    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Melissa

      October 31, 2019 at 11:25 am

      I love having a plan! Everything looks delicious!

      Reply
    2. Katie

      October 31, 2019 at 12:04 am

      The fact that this is all in one place is a life changer!! Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
      • Sarah

        October 31, 2019 at 11:05 am

        You're so welcome!

        Reply
    3. Pam Dana

      October 31, 2019 at 12:02 am

      GREAT ideas here! Makes me even more excited for Thanksgiving in a few weeks! Also, the printables you linked are AH-MAZING! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Sarah

        October 31, 2019 at 11:05 am

        YAY! Thank you :)

        Reply
    4. Trang

      October 30, 2019 at 10:59 pm

      This is such a great resource for Thanksgiving with all the recipes together for each course!

      Reply
      • Jessica

        October 30, 2019 at 11:01 pm

        Thank you! We're so glad it was helpful!

        Reply
    5. Laura Reese

      October 30, 2019 at 7:56 pm

      Wow, you have such an amazing menu! I love the printable too! I can't wait to try some of your ideas.

      Reply
      • Jessica

        October 30, 2019 at 11:01 pm

        Thanks so much Laura! We hope you love them!

        Reply
    6. Lynnette Beste

      October 30, 2019 at 6:13 pm

      What a great idea! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply

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