23 EASY-TO-MAKE COMPLETE THANKSGIVING MENUS

This year, do yourself a favor with blessedly simple recipes that deliver on flavor while still allowing you time to, say, sneak a nip of bourbon with grandpa.

Main Course: 

Turkey Roulade Three Ways

Sides: 

Rosemary Monkey Bread Stuffing

Brussels Sprouts Gratin

Slow-Cooker Mashed Potatoes

Sweet Potato-and-Cauliflower Salad

Desserts:

Sweet Potato Snickerdoodles

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Cookie Crust

Grape Slab Pie

Pull out the vintage china! We added a few fresh twists to time-tested staples, from green bean casserole to cranberry sauce, for a meal rooted in nostalgia.

Main Course:

Herb and Citrus Butter Roasted Turkey

Sides:

Apple-Walnut Stuffing

Maple Meringue Sweet Potato Casserole

Green Bean Casserole with Fried Shallots

Rosemary-Port Cranberry Sauce

Desserts:

Chocolate Brown Sugar Butter Cake with Spiced Pumpkin Frosting

Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Fudge Pie

This down-home gathering with a hint of Texas twang (deep-fried turkey! cranberry salsa!) is perfect for the casual, potluck kind of crowd.

Main Course:

Fried Turkey

Sides:

Pickled Peach-and-Cranberry Salsa

Jalapeño-Green Chili Spoonbread

Baked Kale Gratin

Sorghum-Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Desserts:

Apple Crostata

Maple Granola Pecan Pie

This spread celebrates the season’s bounty with crowd favorites taken up a notch.

Main Course:

Pear-Thyme Brined Turkey

Sides:

Buttermilk-Boursin Mashed Potatoes

Roasted Acorn Squash with Maple Bacon Drizzle

French Green Beans with Garlicky Almond Breadcrumbs

Shaved Brussels Sprout-and-Chestnut Salad

Desserts:

Toffee Crunch Cake

Spiced Pumpkin Latte Cheesecake

Lemon-Coconut Tart

This tasty menu will guarantee every single guest experiences a post-dinner food coma.

Main Course:

Easiest Salt-and-Pepper Turkey

Rosemary and Bourbon Gravy

Sides:

Fresh Herb Spoon Rolls

Apricot-Wild Rice Stuffing

Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

Baked Two-Cheese Rigatoni

Desserts:

Pumpkin Pie with Oat-Pecan Crust

Mocha Cream Pie

South Carolina baker Carrie Morey doesn’t hoard her family’s best recipes. She spreads the love—and tweaks the traditional Thanksgiving favorites.

Appetizers:

Collard and Brussels-Sprout Salad

Main Course:

Sage-Butter Roasted Turkey

Sides:

Cornbread Dressing

Citrus-Cranberry Sauce

Caramelized-Onion Galette

Skillet Green Beans

Potato Gratin

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Carrots

Buttermilk Biscuits

Dessert:

Pecan Pie

Cranberry sauce with a hint of orange, dressing with bay leaf and sage, and salad with slightly bitter chicory give this Thanksgiving menu huge bursts of flavor.

Main Course:

The Perfect Roast Turkey with Herbes-de-Provence Rub

Sides:

Spiced Cranberry Sauce with Orange Star Anise

Wild Rice and Basmati Dressing with Sausage and Sage

Edyth Newman’s Matzo Stuffing

Ruby Red Grapefruit and Chicory Salad

Light and Fluffy Carrot Soufflé

Desserts:

B. Smith’s Bourbon-Cranberry Bread Pudding

Chocolate-Chunk Pecan Pie

A pioneer in California’s farm-to table movement, chef Cindy Pawlcyn’s menu offers a touch of exotic to tried-and-true recipes.

Starter:

Avocado-Papaya Salad

Main Course:

Roast Turkey with a Pipian Sauce of Tomatoes, Chiles, and Sesame Seeds

Side Dishes:

Cornbread Stuffing with Sweet Peppers, Onions, and Celery

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Goat Cheese and Scallions

Tangerine-Cranberry Jam

Anita Lo, the owner and executive chef of Annisa in New York City, says that the Chinese have a classic hoisin-glazed duck dish that’s stuffed with sticky rice. “With that as my inspiration,” she says, “I prepared the rice stuffing on the stovetop to make sure it didn’t overcook.”

Main Course:

Roast Turkey with Hoisin Gravy

Side Dishes:

Sticky Rice Dressing with Chinese Sausage, Edamame and Chestnuts

Pureed Yams with Ginger, Star Anise, and Cinnamon

Cranberry Sauce with Dried Orange Peel

Dessert:

Pecan Pie with Salted Egg Yolks

What is Joan Nathan’s favorite part of Thanksgiving? “I love planning and cooking with my family,” says the author of Quiches, Kugels, and Couscous: My Search for Jewish Cooking in France.

Main Course:

Brined and Roasted Turkey with Pan Gravy

Side Dishes:

Challah Stuffing with Chestnuts and Dried Fruit

Sweet Potato, Onion, and Almond Cassolita

Zesty Orange-Cranberry Sauce

Sweet Fennel Rolls

When it comes to his Thanksgiving menu, Joe Randall—the coauthor of A Taste of Heritage: The New African-American Cuisine in Savannah—doesn’t mess with tradition.

Main Course:

Butter-Roasted Turkey with Giblet Pan Gravy

Side Dishes:

Cornbread Dressing with Sage and Pork Sausage

Mom Pan’s Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Sun-Dried Cranberry Salsa

Southern-Style Green Beans

Drink:

Valley of the Moon Pinot Blanc 2008

Tim Love, the owner and executive chef of Lonesome Dove Western Bistro and Love Shack, both in Fort Worth, Texas, gives his turkey flavor from the outside in by using a spicy game rub, then covering the bird in prosciutto.

Main Course:

Spice-Rubbed Turkey Wrapped in Prosciutto

Side Dishes:

French-Bread Stuffing with Oysters, Bacon, and Chipotle

Fried Sugar-Poached New Potatoes

Chile-Spiked Cranberry Relish

Roasted Wild Mushrooms with Garlic and Shallots

A juicy, flavorful turkey is almost guaranteed if you soak or “brine” the bird in a saltwater bath before roasting, like the turkey featured on this festive menu.

Starters:

Peppered Goat Cheese with Citrus-Carrot Marmalade

Holiday Oyster Stew

Kenyon Johnnycakes

Main Course:

Roasted Apple Turkey with Apple Brandy Gravy

Side Dishes:

Cranberry-Pear Wild-Rice Stuffing

Triple Cranberry Sauce

Whipped Root Vegetables and Potatoes

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts

Winter Squash and Sage Dinner Rolls

Desserts:

Maple Indian Pudding

Apple-Cheddar Crumble Pie

Drink:

Block Island Fog

Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell take old family recipes in a decadent new direction with their fresh approach to Thanksgiving.

Side Dishes:

Buttermilk Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage

Leek and Potato Gratin

Green Bean Salad with Red Onions

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Roasted Chestnuts

Sweet Potatoes with Ancho-Maple Glaze

Cranberry and Dried-Cherry Sauce

Pumpkin Cheese Bread

Desserts:

Apple Pie with Rosemary and Honey

Sour Cream-Sweet Potato Pie

Pumpkin Goat Cheese Cheesecake

In their hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, cookbook authors (and brothers) Matt and Ted Lee serve up an annual holiday menu that remains true to tradition while putting a fresh spin on classic recipes.

Starter:

Buttermilk Fresh Cheese with Spiced Figs, Pickled Fennel, and Pistachio Crust

Main Course:

Smoked-Paprika-Rubbed Turkey with Madeira and Shallot Gravy

Side Dishes:

Lemon-Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Corn Bread and Sausage Stuffing

Pimento-Cheese Potato Gratin

Cold Brussels Sprout Slaw with Toasted Benne Seeds

Cranberry-Ginger Sauce

Dessert:

Sweet-Potato Pie with Buttermilk Ice Cream

Drink:

Low Country Pousse-Rapière

This old-fashioned menu features earthy potatoes and turnips with smoky bacon and rosemary as an appetizing alternative to mashed potatoes.

Starter:

Butternut Squash Soup

Main Course:

Butter-Basted Roast Turkey with Mushroom Gravy

Side Dishes:

Pickled Vegetables

Potato Clover Dinner Rolls

Creamed Pearl Onions

Roasted Potatoes and Turnips

Sourdough Mushroom Stuffing

Spiced Baked Sweet Potatoes

Spiced Cranberry Sauce with Orange

Desserts:

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

Red Wine Poached Pears

Chef Tom Valenti’s strategy for this menu? The stuffing can be made in advance, as well as the soup, the compote, and the desserts.

Starters:

Artisanal cheese plate, olive bread, French baguette

Roasted Parsnip Soup

Main Course:

Roast Capon

Side Dishes:

Chestnut and Sausage Stuffing

Spiced Apricot, Cranberry, and Golden Raisin Compote

Tom’s Perfect Mashed Potatoes

Sauteed Kale with Garlic and Red Onions

Desserts:

Roasted Pear and Maple Cream Trifle

Pumpkin-Goat Cheese Cheesecake

Assorted chocolates

Serving a sumptuous Thanksgiving feast can be an exciting prospect, especially with a menu like this one that includes country-inspired dishes.

Starters:

Cheese Grits and Corn Pudding

Shrimp Bisque with Bourbon

Main Course:

Roast Turkey with White Wine and Rosemary

Side Dishes:

Wild-Rice, Corn Bread, and Pecan Stuffing

Honey-Glazed Ham

Southern Vegetable Saute

Candied Yams with Apples

Dessert:

Pumpkin Cream Tarts with Candied Raspberries

For celebrated chef and cookbook author Michael Chiarello, Thanksgiving is a way to honor his Italian and California heritage by cooking with seasonal organic products featured in this menu.

Starters:

Olives, salami, cheese

Main Course:

Spice-Rubbed Whole-Roasted Turkey with Cranberry Gravy

Side Dishes:

Panettone Stuffing

Cauliflower alla Parmigiana

Pumpkin Risotto with Pumpkin Butter

Honey-Roasted Applesauce

Cranberry Citrus Relish

Desserts:

Harvest Focaccia

Assorted Pies

This menu puts an emphasis on tradition, using simple and classic recipes.

Starters:

Cheese plate with nuts and dried fruits

Main Course:

Rosemary-Sage Roast Turkey

Side Dishes:

Cornbread and Apple Dressing

Cranberry Sauce

Fresh Green Bean Casserole

Glazed Pearl Onions and Shallots

Oven-Roasted Beets

Desserts:

Pumpkin Mousse

Cinnamon and Vanilla Fruit Compote

Assorted Pies and Cakes

Coffee and chocolates

The lush color and rich harvest of autumn fruit—persimmons, pomegranates, and quinces—are incorporated in this menu.

Starters:

Roasted Lemon Dip

Main Course:

Roast Turkey with Pomegranate Sauce

Side Dishes:

Cornbread, Quince, and Pecan Stuffing

Double-Stuffed Potatoes

Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin

Creamy Brussels Sprouts

Desserts:

Hot Pomegranate-Apple Cider

Quince Mince Pie

Persimmon Crème Brûleé

Drink:

Pomegranate-Champagne Cocktails

Country singer Trisha Yearwood fills her Thanksgiving menu with Southern comfort foods, like pecan pie and buttermilk cornbread.

Starter:

Cheese Straws

Main Course:

No Baste, No Bother Roasted Turkey

Side Dishes:

Grandma Lizzie’s Cornbread Dressing

Buttermilk Cornbread

Daddy’s Biscuits

Dessert:

Pecan Pie