The Spruce Eats' Ultimate Thanksgiving Menu

A whole roasted turkey is a Thanksgiving essential and this bird's got it all, with crispy, butter-basted skin and tender, juicy meat. Carrots, onion, celery, and fresh herbs are used to stuff the turkey and infuse the meat with lovely fall flavor.

Green bean casserole is a great argument for the theory that Thanksgiving is all about the side dishes. This elevated holiday recipe uses simple ingredients to create a crowd-pleasing dish with all the crucial elements: tender green beans, a creamy mushroom sauce, and crispy fried shallots on top.

Every Thanksgiving host needs to know one foolproof recipe for homemade dinner rolls. Consider this one for buttery Parker House rolls your new holiday essential. Make it easy on yourself by prepping the dough and shaping the rolls one day ahead. Store them in the fridge overnight for popping into the oven just before dinner.

Holiday turkey and mashed potatoes are both better with gravy. Make your turkey gravy ahead of time with this recipe. Refrigerate it up to six days, then reheat with some of the drippings from the turkey roasting pan once that's ready.

The Instant Pot makes short work of cranberry sauce. This delicious recipe includes cranberries, orange zest and juice, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and cinnamon and only takes 15 minutes to cook. It's the perfect accompaniment to roast turkey, chicken, pork, or ham.

Traditional Thanksgiving dinners call for a whole turkey that will feed a crowd and leave you with leftovers for days. Follow this simple, fuss-free recipe for a roasted bird with tender meat and golden browned skin. The recipe includes instructions for making turkey gravy and tips for prepping and cooking both a stuffed or unstuffed bird.

What would the Thanksgiving be without pumpkin pie for dessert? This recipe produces one that's spiced to perfection with ginger, cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg. Serve it warm from the oven with whipped cream on top.

Roasted garlic adds its deep flavor to mashed potatoes in this winning gourmet-inspired recipe. Choose Yukon gold or red-skinned potatoes for the creamy mash and use the best-quality butter you can find for best results.

Bright garlicky green beans are always welcome on holiday tables. These are quickly steamed until crisp-tender, then sauteed with lots of garlic, pepper, cumin, and a little pinch of cayenne.

The umami of mushrooms brings plenty of richness to this vegan and vegetarian-friendly gravy. Poultry seasoning is added to enhance the "meaty" flavor without any actual meat. Pour it over vegetables or serve with your holiday tofurkey.

This popular turkey is filled with fruit and onion, rubbed all over with butter, basted with a maple glaze, and roasted in the oven, for a gorgeous, lacquered bird. Either apple cider or apple juice can be used to make the irresistible glaze.

All-American apple pie makes a great fall holiday dessert. This version uses a rich cream cheese pastry for a pie with something extra-special. Use Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, or Gala apples, or any combination of the three, for this pie.

Pecan pie is a classic Southern dessert often served at Thanksgiving meals. This recipe delivers a pecan pie with a rich sweet interior and plenty of toasted pecans on top for the perfect slice every time.

A vibrant ruby-red cranberry sauce infused with the heady richness of red wine is a lovely twist on a classic. Use cabernet or any other full-bodied red wine to create this winning sauce. Salt and cayenne are surprising ingredients that work magically to lift the flavors of the fruit.

Want to save time on Thanksgiving day? Make these mashed potatoes up to two days ahead of time using your slow cooker, then reheat in the same appliance when ready to serve. These potatoes have a fantastic smooth consistency and buttery flavor that your family and friends will love.

Save time, work, and oven space on Thanksgiving day with this traditional stuffing recipe that cooks effortlessly in your crockpot. This is the classic turkey dressing recipe you know and love, made with day-old bread cubes, mushrooms, onion, celery, chicken or turkey broth, sage, thyme, and poultry seasoning.

Delight vegetarians at your Thanksgiving table with this flavorful apple, fennel, and challah bread stuffing. The recipe is made with vegetable broth and cooks on its own in the oven rather than being stuffed into the bird.

If you like a meaty stuffing, this is the essential dressing to serve alongside Thanksgiving mains. Delicious sausage stuffing is full of great seasonal ingredients, thanks to a mixture of sage, thyme, apples, dried cranberries, and whole wheat bread. You can prepare this recipe in the slow cooker or oven, or stuff it inside your holiday turkey for cooking until done.

Only six ingredients are needed to make a cheesy Brussels sprouts gratin that will make converts out of those who claim not to enjoy the vegetable. This is a rich holiday side dish, including salty bacon, cheddar cheese, and whipping cream with a buttery breadcrumb topping.

Roasting in a hot oven brings out the natural sweetness of butternut squash. This popular holiday side dish could not be easier to make, seasoned with optional onion, dried sage, salt and pepper.

Bacon slices are draped over a whole turkey as it roasts in this outstanding recipe to level up this wonderfully juicy Thanksgiving entree. For even more flavor, add fresh chopped sage leaves to the butter that's used to coat the turkey.

The combination of seasonal ingredients in this fall-inspired dish makes it perfect for the Thanksgiving holiday. Brussels sprouts and squash are simply roasted in the oven, then topped with tangy dried cranberries, and toasted pecans.

For many families, it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without a sweet potato casserole on the table. This is the ultimate version, with all of the creamy, brown sugared sweet potato flavor you crave, along with a crunchy pecan topping.

What is the secret to making the perfect mashed potatoes? Find out in this essential Thanksgiving recipe, which offers tips on choosing the right spud for your mash, the best way to cook them, and what to add to lift their flavor. Don't miss the helpful tips and ideas for variations at the bottom of the recipe.

Maple syrup brings fantastic fall flavor to this winning sweet potato and apple casserole. Apple slices are simmered in a mixture of maple syrup, brown sugar, and butter until softened, then layered into a casserole dish with steamed sweet potatoes and topped with chopped pecans for baking.

Scalloped corn casserole is a popular holiday side dish and it is so quick and easy to make. This recipe adds chopped bell pepper and paprika to the baking dish for extra crunch, color, and flavor.

Bone-in turkey breast takes a bath overnight (or up to 24 hours) in a basic brining liquid to add moisture to the mild meat. Then you rub on a little olive oil, add simple seasonings, and fill the cavity with optional fruit and fresh herbs to infuse the meat with extra flavor as it roasts until perfection.

Baked corn pudding is a traditional holiday side dish with an irresistible custard-like consistency and an appetizing golden-brown topping. Prepare it for your holiday table with this simple, classic recipe. You start by making a simple white sauce that's mixed with fresh or frozen kernels along with other pantry ingredients.

Southern-style bourbon apple pie with raisins and pecans is loaded with gorgeous flavor and texture. Bourbon (or whiskey, if you prefer) gives this nicely-spiced pie a boozy punch, with buttermilk, nuts, and fruit preserves adding extra down-home flavor.

Wow Thanksgiving guests, or make a winning contribution to a holiday buffet party, with this sweet potato pecan pie. Spiked with a little brandy or bourbon, the luscious, smooth interior is beautifully balanced by the crunchy, toasted nut topping. Use a prepared pastry shell for a quicker preparation.