After decades of trial and error, we have finally established how to make the perfect (& easy) Thanksgiving Day meal! And are so excited to share it with you; praying it blesses you and yours in more than one way!
The following collection includes all of our family’s favorites for Turkey Day with an emphasis on taste AND ease! As a day of thanks, we strive to ensure it is a stress-free and thank-filled holiday. Even for the cook (me)! Toward this end, I’ve created a step-by-step guide for how to plan and prep the perfect Thanksgiving Day meal. As an accompaniment, I wanted to offer up the specific recipes (and methods) that we use to celebrate and honor our national day of thanks.
How to Make the Perfect (Easy!) Thanksgiving Day Meal Recipes
We have tried so many different recipes, methods, and prep options over the years. After years of experimentation, we have a set meal that we make and enjoy EVERY year. It really is the perfect, easy Thanksgiving Day Meal! Here are some of our never-miss favorites:
š Bon Appetit’s Simple Turkey Brine
Yes, it makes a HUGE difference when you brine your turkey!! It guarantees a juicy, tender bird, resulting in one that everyone will actually want to eat! This brine is super easy and can be done up to 3 days in advance, meaning Monday evening. We use a large bucket from Home Depot to brine it in, place a heavy plate on top, and leave it in our garage fridge until the big day. It is absolutely worth the additional effort!
š Bon Appetit’s Herb-Roasted Turkey
It’s simple, classic, and delicious! It involves very little work the day of – just chop the herbs, rub the bird, and stuff with onions, lemons, and orange quarters. The results are absolute perfection!
š Bon Appetit’s Make-Ahead Gravy
Are you catching the theme here? The easiest Thanksgiving Day meal is one that can be prepared and made little by little in advance. And this gravy is another such item. I actually make in on Tuesday night and we eat the chicken wings as part of dinner that night. They are so good! Store this gravy in a glass jar in the fridge and gently warm on the stove just before serving. It is good enough to drink!
š King Arthur Flour’s Stuffing Pull-Apart Bread
This recipe is the perfect marriage of traditional stuffing flavor without any mushy bread. I make this days (sometimes weeks) in advance, allow it to cool completely, wrap it in foil, and toss it in the freezer. On Weds, I move it to the fridge and then, on Thurs, toss it in the oven, foil and all, while the turkey is resting. It comes out warm and tasting fresh-from-the-oven delicious!
š Maple-Pecan Sweet Potatoes
To make this super easy, I roast the potatoes ahead of time and then whisk the “meat” in the mixer until smooth. Then, I put them in a plastic baggie and freeze them until Thanksgiving Day. In the AM, I set the frozen mix on the counter, ensuring it’ll be room temperature by the time I compile the casserole. (Of course, we cover the top completely with marshmallows like normal!)
š Easy Orange-Tarragon Roasted Root Vegetables Recipe
These roasted root veggies are super simple and, yet again, can be made in advance. Bake them to al dente (about 10 mins less than the recipe calls for). Allow to cool completely. Freeze in zipper bag and then thaw the day of. Heat in oven for 10-15 mins before serving. Garnish with extra orange juice, tarragon, and orange zest just before serving. Easy-peasy, orange-squeezy.
š Easy Cherry Port Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Yet again, this easy homemade cranberry sauce recipe can be made ahead of time, frozen, and then gently warmed the day-of. The dried cherries and port wine add a depth of flavor and complexity that go so well with herbed turkey. Got leftovers? Slather this on leftover sandwiches and watch them disappear in record time!
š Pear Pie
My own creation, this pear pie is as easy as a traditional apple pie, but has an exponential wow factor. Serve with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for an indulgent dessert. (It’s also SO good for breakfast the next day!)
š Make-Ahead Crepes with Mixed Berry Compote
I make both the crepes and the compote ahead of time. I put wax paper in between the crepes and freeze them in a zipper bag. Leave them on the counter while you watch the parade and they’ll be ready to enjoy for brunch. We nuke them in the microwave for a few seconds before serving, but that’s a personal preference.
Also, the berry compote makes more than enough, so I divide it in half and then freeze each portion in a zipper bag. We use half of it for Thanksgiving brunch and the other half for Christmas brunch. You can swap out almost any berries to suit your own preferences. My son has a blueberry allergy, so we adapt it for him. Our favorite combination is 1 cup each of raspberries, blackberries, cherries, and strawberries.
Enjoying a Perfectly Easy Thanksgiving Day
Finally, in my opinion, the mood of the day is just as important as the food. One way that we ensure our hearts are focused on thankfulness is with a Thanksgiving Music Playlist. I saw someone post on Instagram about how there are only “2 Thanksgiving Songs” and my jaw dropped. Obviously, they’ve never looked at my Spotify playlist, which is FULL of hours worth of thankful music. Second only to my Easter Playlist, it’s my favorite collection of holiday music! Such tunes and this perfect easy Thanksgiving Day menu, are how we ensure everyone’s hearts are tuned to gratitude.
Friends, I am so thankful for each of you and for the community that you have built around this blog and our family. Praying each of you are found richly blessed and blessedly thankful on this grateful holiday.
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