21 Easy Thanksgiving Recipes

crockpot maple glazed turkey breast — The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

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.

21 Easy Thanksgiving Desserts That Are Simply Delicious

01 of 21

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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09 of 21

Instant Pot Butternut Squash

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

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

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

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.

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13 of 21

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

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

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

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.

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17 of 21

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

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

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

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.

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21 of 21

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.