Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. While my kids enjoy Christmas because of all the lights, gifts and excitement plus longer vacation, I enjoy sharing some good food with friends and family. And I love giving thanks for all the good things that happened this year. It’s a time of gratitude and slowing down a bit just to enjoy time with each other:).
These group of recipes has a little bit of everything. There’s something to indulge on, there’s some healthy options and there’s something to fill in the table with extra options when you have lots of guests over.
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
You can’t host Thanksgiving without some sort of cranberry sauce on the table. It’s ok to buy canned, but you won’t regret making your own as it’s so, so easy to make and you can also make it a day or two ahead. Double up so you can have more cranberry sauce to use with sandwiches after Thanksgiving:).
Get Recipe: Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Loaded Sweet Potato Casserole
I can’t have Thanksgiving without this loaded sweet potato casserole with pecans, marshmallows and Fall spices. Even when we go visit family for Thanksgiving, I always volunteer to make my casserole for everyone. It’s definitely my favorite side of all!
Get Recipe: Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
Pumpkin Biscuits
Buttermilk biscuits are a must on Thanksgiving table, but you can add a pumpkin twist to the classic recipe. Everyone loves these pumpkin biscuits, especially on Thanksgiving table.
Get Recipe: Pumpkin Biscuits
Beets, Sweet Potatoes and Walnuts Salad
This beets and sweet potatoes salad with walnuts is so easy to make but looks like a gourmet salad. It really shines and adds color to Thanksgiving table. You can get creative with the dressing from simple vinaigrettes to complicated recipes.
Get Recipe: Beets, Sweet Potatoes and Walnuts Salad
Butternut Squash & Cranberries Salad
This simple salad with baby kale, butternut squash and cranberries makes for a great combo flavor with heavy dishes on Thanksgiving. Plus the colors make everything pop. While I love indulging on holidays, I still need my greens and healthy bites:).
Get Recipe: Butternut Squash Salad with Cranberries and Kale
Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
It took me a while to love brussel sprouts, but once I did omg they opened a whole new world of recipes for me. These roasted brussel sprouts with bacon make for a beautiful and delicious side dish.
Get Recipe: Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
Roasted Butternut Squash with Honey
I start cooking with Butternut Squash as soon as September starts and can’t stop using this ingredients till early December. So of course I have to add few dishes with butternut squash to my Thanksgiving table.
Get Recipe: Roasted Butternut Squash with Za’atar and Honey
Gravy with White Wine
Add to a twist to regular gravy with this herbed, white wine gravy and you won’t regret it!! Different but still familiar, and it matches all the rosemary and sage sides dishes you are adding to the turkey this Thanksgiving.
Get Recipe: Herbed, White Wine Gravy
Cornbread Muffins
I love baking these cornbread muffins during Fall season and especially close to Thanksgiving. Secret to these amazing cornbread muffins is the Jarlsberg Cheese!
Get Recipe: Cornbread Muffins
Mediterranean Rosemary Cornbread
While this rosemary cornbread is typical in the Mediterranean, you’ll love the cornbread, rosemary combination. I love to snack with this bread, feta cheese and some olives while I’m cooking my Thanksgiving feast.
Get Recipe: Mediterranean Rosemary Cornbread
Phyllo Shells with Sweet Potatoes
If you can’t make the whole sweet potato casserole I shared above, consider making a mini version of it with these sweet potatoes bites in phyllo shells. Same flavor, easier to make!
Get Recipe: Phyllo Shells with Sweet Potatoes
Roasted Turkey Breast
Looking to cook Thanksgiving dinner for just few people and not a crowd? Maybe just roasting turkey breast instead of whole turkey is a better solution, especially when you can’t let go of tradition but also don’t have the time to make the whole feast. One year for health reasons, I only made this herbed, roasted turkey breast plus some side dishes my family loved it.
Get Recipe: Roasted Turkey Breast
Roasted Acorn Squash
Acorn squash is such a pretty squash. If you add a side dish of roasted acorn squash to the Thanksgiving table, it will make for such a great and pretty addition to the feast.
Get Recipe: Roasted Acorn Squash
Apple Bourbon Cocktail
Yes, I know most people serve wine on the Thanksgiving table but this apple bourbon cocktail is so amazing to get started on the festivities while you serve some appetizers before dinner.
Get Recipe: Apple Bourbon Cocktail
Crostini with Brie & Grapes
These brie and grapes crostini are great appetizers to serve while you are preparing to serve dinner. Your guests will be so happy with these crostini!
Get Recipe: Brie, Grapes Crostini with Pistachios
Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary & Sage
I love serving potatoes of any kind when I have people over, they make for the easiest side dish to cook. Roast them with rosemary and sage to match the rest of Thanksgiving dishes.
Get Recipe: Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary and Sage
Bonus Recipes
These are my go to leftover recipes:
- Orzo Turkey soup – this is a great soup to make with shredded leftover turkey.
- Baked pasta with turkey and spinach – such a great lazy casserole:).
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