Thanksgiving Dinner Menu for Two

Creative planning makes it easy as pie

Written by
Kevin D. Weeks.
Kevin D. Weeks is a personal chef, cooking instructor, and food writer.
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Kevin D. Weeks.
Updated 11/14/19
Thanksgiving meal
Maren Caruso / Getty Images

Thanksgiving is known as a time to come together with friends and family and stuff yourself with traditional dishes. But there's also something special about taking a break from the bustle of the holiday season and spending it with someone special. If you're celebrating the food-centric holiday with a meal for two, try this menu. It won't leave you with an overwhelming amount of leftovers but it includes everything you'd expect from a classic Thanksgiving meal.

  • 01 of 07

    Crostini Appetizer

    Fig Crostini

    The Spruce / Molly Watson 

    A light but delicious appetizer is fun to munch on while you put the finishing touches on the other dishes. Crostini are easy to make for as many or as few people as you like and you can get creative with the toppings. Try fig crostinis with goat or blue cheese and balsamic vinegar, or toasts topped with ricotta cheese and smoked salmon.

  • 02 of 07

    Turkey Breast

    Roast Turkey Breast

    The Spruce 

    A whole turkey is certainly too much for two people, but a bone-in, skin-on turkey breast is a great option. Quick and easy to cook, it's plenty for dinner with leftovers for delicious turkey sandwiches. Roasting is always a good option, but you can also deep fry or pressure cook the turkey in an Instant Pot. If you're planning ahead, try brining the breast for extra moist, flavorful meat.

  • 03 of 07

    Stuffing

    Vegetarian Cornbread Stuffing

    The Spruce

    Typical stuffing recipes serve a crowd, but they're also easy to scale down. Pick a recipe that doesn't include eggs, like cornbread stuffing, turkey stuffing with chopped apples, or wild rice stuffing. Reduce all of the ingredients by one-half or two-thirds and bake in a smaller pan for the perfect amount of stuffing or dressing for two.

  • 04 of 07

    Gravy

    Make ahead turkey gravy

    The Spruce

    Just because you aren't spending three or four hours roasting a whole turkey doesn't mean you have to give up the homemade gravy. Try a recipe that doesn't heavily rely on pan drippings since you won't end up with lots of drippings when roasting a single turkey breast. Halve or third this turkey gravy recipe so you don't end up with too much leftover.

    Continue to 5 of 7 below.
  • 05 of 07

    Easy Skillet Green Beans and Bacon

    Easy Skillet Green Beans and Bacon

    The Spruce 

    A whole green bean casserole might be overboard when feeding two, but easy sautéed green beans with bacon fit the bill perfectly. You can cook up as much or as few green beans as you like, and they only take a few minutes to make. Swap the bacon for sliced, fried shallots for a vegetarian option.

  • 06 of 07

    Mashed Potatoes and Rutabagas

    Mashed Potatoes with Rutabaga
    Mashed Potatoes with Rutabaga.

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    A Thanksgiving spread, no matter how big or small, wouldn't be complete without a potato dish. Mashed potatoes are especially good menu addition since the dish pairs perfectly with turkey and gravy. A mixture of potatoes and rutabagas makes an extra flavorful side dish, especially with a little butter. Reducing mashed potato recipes is also easy—use a half or a third of the ingredient amounts for a meal for two.

  • 07 of 07

    Baked Sweet Potato Custard

    Baked Sweet Potato Custard

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray 

    If you're looking forward to eating pie for days, then, by all means, bake a whole pie for your Thanksgiving meal. But if you want just enough dessert for your holiday meal, make baked sweet potato custards. The recipe is easy to reduce by two-thirds so that you end up with two perfect desserts. Make them ahead of time and stash in the fridge until it's time to serve.