21 Easy Thanksgiving Recipes for a Stress-Free Holiday

Even Beginner Cooks Can Handle These

By
Cathy Jacobs
Cathy Jacobs
Cathy Jacobs
A freelance journalist and avid home cook, Cathy Jacobs has more than 10 years of food writing experience, with a focus on curating approachable menus and recipe collections.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 11/16/21
Slow cooker mashed potatoes recipe

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Will you be hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year or contributing dishes to a Friendsgiving? Make things simple on yourself with these easy Thanksgiving recipes that even novice cooks can prepare. You'll find no-fuss recipes for all the usual Thanksgiving classics, including turkey and stuffing, green bean casserole, scalloped and mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, roasted vegetables, and more.

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  • 01 of 21

    Instant Pot Turkey Breast

    Instant Pot Turkey Breast

    Diana Rattray

    Thanksgiving dinner is a breeze with this time-saving Instant Pot turkey breast that's ideal for smaller gatherings. You only need an hour from start-to-finish, leaving plenty of time free for making other dishes or decorating your holiday table.

  • 02 of 21

    Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese

    Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese

    Maren Caruso/Digital Vision/Getty Images

    Comforting macaroni and cheese is an essential Thanksgiving side dish for many families and this clever crockpot recipe makes it easy to put together. All of the ingredients, including the pasta noodles, three kinds of cheese, and prepared Alfredo sauce, cook together in the appliance for the simplest-ever preparation.

  • 03 of 21

    Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce

    Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce

    Diana Rattray

    Everyone needs a go-to cranberry sauce for the holiday season and this Instant Pot recipe is sure to become a favorite for both its flavor and ease of prep. It takes only minutes to make and produces a vibrant, ruby-red sauce that makes an excellent accompaniment to your Thanksgiving turkey, chicken, or ham dinner.

  • 04 of 21

    Easy Slow Cooker Cola Ham

    Easy Slow Cooker Cola Ham

    The Spruce Eats

    Cola is the secret ingredient in this slow cooker ham that makes a great Thanksgiving entree. Only a handful of ingredients are needed for this recipe that glazes a fully-cooked, bone-in ham with cola, brown sugar, and mustard before leaving it to slow cook and take on flavor all day long.

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  • 05 of 21

    Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

    air-fryer-brussels-sprouts-4769746-08

    The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

    Use your air fryer to make flavorful fried Brussels sprouts and save oven space for other dishes. Seasoned with white pepper, garlic chili paste, and honey, they're crispy and delicious.

  • 06 of 21

    Cornbread Pudding

    cornbread pudding topped with green scallions

    The Spruce Eats / Jennifer Perillo

    Cornbread pudding bakes up in 30 minutes, so it's a quick and simple side dish casserole. The recipe uses frozen corn and cornbread mix, along with a few kitchen staples, and is topped with cheddar cheese. It's the perfect choice when you can't decide between cornbread and corn pudding.

  • 07 of 21

    Traditional Crock Pot Stuffing

    Traditional Crock Pot Stuffing

    The Spruce Eats

    Save time and effort on Thanksgiving day with a fuss-free holiday stuffing recipe that's made in the slow cooker. This is the classic bread stuffing, studded with onion, celery, mushrooms, and parsley, and flavored with poultry seasoning and sage.

  • 08 of 21

    Make Ahead Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

    Slow cooker mashed potatoes recipe

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

    These slow cooker mashed potatoes can be made up to two days in advance, then reheated before serving, saving you time and stress on Thanksgiving day. The recipe produces a super-creamy mash with a smooth consistency that guests are sure to love.

    Continue to 9 of 21 below.
  • 09 of 21

    Instant Pot Butternut Squash

    instant pot butternut squash in a serving bowl
    Diana Rattray

    Since oven space is a premium on Thanksgiving, this simple recipe for butternut squash cooked in the Instant Pot will be a life-saver. In just a few minutes you will have tender cubes of butternut squash that when dressed with a little cinnamon, sugar, and sliced almonds becomes a special side dish for the holiday table.

  • 10 of 21

    Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

    Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

    The Spruce Eats / Pete Scherer 

    You can prepare the spaghetti squash for this recipe the night before, which makes finishing the dish a breeze on Thanksgiving Day. Stuffed spaghetti squash is a delicious side and the squash doubles as the serving bowl. It's filled with cherry tomatoes, garlic, onion, and Parmesan cheese, with fresh oregano and rosemary for a boost of flavor.

  • 11 of 21

    Instant Pot Cornbread

    instant pot cornbread with slices on parchment paper
    Diana Rattray

    Thanksgiving is a notorious holiday for having the oven filled to the max. When it comes to the cornbread, you can take the pressure off by using the pressure cooker. This Instant Pot cornbread recipe comes out firm yet tender, and full of the flavors your guests will expect—or a few surprises if you add the green onions, cheese, or corn.

  • 12 of 21

    Easy Vegetarian Pumpkin Soup

    Easy Vegetarian Pumpkin Soup

    Sandra O'Claire/Getty Images

    Vegan and vegetarian pumpkin soup is warming, filling, and can be made in only 15 minutes with this fall recipe. Serve it as a first course at your Thanksgiving dinner gathering and dress up bowls with a scattering of roasted pumpkin seeds.

    Continue to 13 of 21 below.
  • 13 of 21

    Instant Pot Sweet Potato Casserole

    Instant Pot Sweet Potato Casserole

    Diana Rattray

    Make this Instant Pot sweet potato casserole when you need oven space for other Thanksgiving dishes. It makes a winning holiday side and takes only half an hour to cook in the appliance. If you crave a crunchier topping, you can place the cooked dish under the broiler for a few minutes before serving.

  • 14 of 21

    Easy 4-Ingredient Pork Roast

    Easy 4-Ingredient Pork Roast

    The Spruce Eats

    Serve up an impressive pork roast dinner without slaving over a hot stove all day with a genius recipe that requires only four ingredients. A boneless pork loin roast is seasoned simply, then placed in the oven to roast until tender and perfectly cooked.

  • 15 of 21

    Unbelievably Easy, Fluffy, and Creamy Mashed Potatoes

    Fluffy and creamy mashed potatoes recipe

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

    For the perfect mashed potatoes, you'll need a ricer. It produces a fluffy and creamy side dish that's not gluey. A ricer also helps you skip a few steps like peeling the potatoes, making these mashed potatoes quick and easy.

  • 16 of 21

    Creamy Turnip Soup

    Creamy Turnip Soup

    Lauri Patterson/Getty Images

    Kick off the holiday with this warming, comforting recipe. Creamy turnip soup is super-easy to make on the stovetop with just a handful of ingredients, including vegetables, heavy cream, salt, and olive oil.

    Continue to 17 of 21 below.
  • 17 of 21

    Crockpot Maple-Glazed Turkey Breast With Cornbread Stuffing

    Crockpot Maple-Glazed Turkey Breast With Cornbread Stuffing

    Katarina Zunic/The Spruce Eats

    A maple glaze adds sweetness to mild-flavored turkey breast meat in this easy crockpot recipe. Assemble it in the morning and leave it to slow cook all day. A tasty cornbread stuffing cooks right along with the turkey for a simple, hands-free holiday entree.

  • 18 of 21

    Crock Pot Green Bean Casserole

    Crockpot green bean casserole recipe

    The Spruce Eats / Anastasiia Tretiak

    What would Thanksgiving dinner be without green bean casserole? Save oven space and rustle up a super-easy, tasty, creamy side dish with all the essential ingredients, including green beans, mushroom soup, and French fried onions, in the crockpot.

  • 19 of 21

    Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts

    Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts

    The Spruce Eats

    A little bacon and a few garlic cloves transform oven-roasted brussels sprouts into something to write home about, in this easy sheet pan recipe. The bacon is diced to cook right along with sprouts, infusing the roasted vegetables with smoky flavor.

  • 20 of 21

    Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes

    Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes

    Diana Rattray

    Scalloped potatoes is a popular holiday side dish that's so easy to prepare in the Instant Pot. Layer the ingredients in a pan to cook in 30 minutes, then pop the dish under the broiler for a deliciously browned and crispy topping that will taste oven-baked.

    Continue to 21 of 21 below.
  • 21 of 21

    Crockpot Roasted Vegetables

    Crockpot Roasted Vegetables

    The Spruce Eats

    Root vegetables are cooked low and slow in the crockpot in this recipe, allowing their natural sweetness to develop and deepen. The result is fork-tender, caramelized vegetables with plenty of flavor. It makes a great side dish for roast turkey, chicken, or meats.