Foolproof Thanksgiving Recipes: 18 Easy and Impressive Options

By Jenn Segal

Hosting Thanksgiving can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be! Many of these Thanksgiving recipes are make-ahead, so you can spend more time enjoying family and less time in the kitchen.

Easy High-Heat Roast Turkey with Gravy

The high-heat roasting method is my favorite way to cook a turkey. The prep time is minimal, the cooking time is short, and the turkey emerges from the oven juicy and crisp-skinned.
Rolled Turkey Breast with Sausage & Herb Stuffing

Instead of roasting a huge bird this year, try this rolled turkey breast with sausage stuffing. It’s so much more flavorful than your typical roast turkey and cooks in just 1-1/4 hours. What’s more, it can be made entirely ahead of time and is a cinch to carve.
Butternut Squash Soup

This has got to be the easiest butternut squash soup recipe ever. You start with pre-cut squash from the supermarket, then you basically throw everything in a pot, simmer it, purée it and you’re done. It’s still everything you expect a classic butternut squash soup to be: silky, slightly sweet and full of flavor.
Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

You can’t have Thanksgiving without mashed potatoes. Problem is, most recipes require last minute preparation. These creamy mashed potatoes, however, can be made two days ahead and reheated in the microwave — a huge bonus when oven and burner space is at a premium.
Arugula Salad with Apples & Manchego in Cider Vinaigrette

Peppery arugula, crisp apples, manchego, and lightly toasted almonds in a cider vinaigrette make a beautiful salad that’s perfect for Thanksgiving.
Cauliflower Purée with Thyme

This cauliflower purée is creamy and comforting, and just happens to taste remarkably like mashed potatoes. It also has the benefit of being easier to make, healthier, and lower in carbs. What’s more, it can be made several days ahead of time and reheated it in the microwave.
Focaccia

Focaccia is a flavorful and easy-to-make Italian flat bread that feeds a crowd. This classic version is topped with coarse salt and fresh rosemary but other toppings can be added, such as thinly sliced tomatoes, olives or grated cheese. Leftovers are delicious sliced for turkey sandwiches.
Sweet Potato Casserole

This down-home sweet potato dish is always a big hit. Like most sweet potato dishes, it straddles the line between sweet and savory — it’s meant to be a side dish but you might be inclined to eat it for dessert. To crisp up the top before serving, gently reheat in the oven.
Brussels Sprouts Gratin

This make-ahead gratin is perfect for the holidays. Unlike most vegetable gratins, which are made with a Béchamel sauce, this one is made more simply (and decadently) with heavy cream.
Challah, Wild Mushroom & Herb Stuffing

Bake your stuffing separate from the bird so that you can make it ahead of time and ensure that it gets nice and crispy on top. This version, loaded with an earthy mix of onions and vegetables, is easy to make and pairs beautifully with simple roast turkey.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes

In this easy recipe, sweet potatoes are mashed with butter, maple syrup and thyme to bring out their sweet, earthy flavor. You’ll need to allow one hour of hands-off cooking time to bake the potatoes, but you can make the whole dish ahead of time.
Roasted Green Beans with Garlic, Lemon, Pine Nuts & Parmesan

Tender and caramelized roasted green beans, mellowed chunks of garlic, lemon-infused olive oil, crunchy pine nuts and nutty Parmesan — this dish is a huge crowd-pleaser and easy to do ahead of time.
Potatoes Au Gratin

This dish involves layering thinly sliced potatoes with heavy cream and grated cheese, and then baking until the cream reduces and blankets the potatoes in a rich, creamy sauce. Definitely special occasion-worthy!
Easy Sausage & Herb Stuffing

This easy sausage and herb stuffing relies on store bought stuffing cubes, which eliminates the step of slicing and drying out the bread. (Believe me, when you’re using a pound of sausage and an entire stick of butter, the bread does not matter much!) The stuffing can be made in advance and reheated on Thanksgiving day.
Cornbread Muffins

These muffins are a delicious option on Thanksgiving day and you can whip up the batter in no time!
Brussels Sprout Salad with Apples, Walnuts & Parmesan

This sweet, tangy, and utterly addictive Brussels sprout salad can be prepared ahead of time, making it ideal for a holiday buffet.
Cornbread Stuffing

This old-fashioned Southern cornbread stuffing has a rich, almost spoon bread-like consistency, while the top is toasty and golden.
Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese, Walnuts & Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette

This pretty roasted beet salad makes the perfect starter for a dinner party.