22 Must Make Thanksgiving Recipes (2024)

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The holiday season is on its way and I’ve got 22 Must Make Thanksgiving Recipes to make your menu planning a cinch this year! Whether you are cooking for just your family or a giant feast, I’ve got you covered with a delicious selection of mains, sides, and desserts that are sure to impress.

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22 Must Make Thanksgiving Recipes (1)

22 Best Thanksgiving Recipes For 2022

Can you believe it’s almost turkey day again already!?! There is nothing better than a big juicy turkey with some classic mashed potatoes and roasted brussels sprouts on Thanksgiving! It’s iconic holiday food at its best. And I love cooking for Thanksgiving!

In fact, over the years I’ve developed a number of family favorites to share with you. So every recipe I’ve included in this year’s selection is a tried and true crowd pleaser. But the best part is that all my recipes are crafted to be as tasty as possible and as simple as possible so that anyone can make a delicious holiday meal.

There is something here for everyone. With a variety of ways to cook a turkey from in the air fryer to brined. Not to mention, lots of sides and desserts. Some classics you may know like roasted carrots and others you don’t like pumpkin roll. So have a look and let me know what you think! I hope you have a wonderful holiday and this list of my favorites inspires you this Thanksgiving!

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Bacon Wrapped Scallops

These jumbo melt-in-your-mouth Bacon Wrapped Scallops are definitely one of the most decadent appetizers out there, and the perfect treat for the holidays. To top them off, these incredible morsels are then drizzled with luscious melted garlic butter, all ready for you to enjoy in about 30 minutes.

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World’s Best Cranberry Sauce

Your Thanksgiving table is not complete without this Cranberry Sauce made from scratch in just 20 minutes. Fresh or frozen cranberries, a hint of nutmeg, lots of orange juice and zest and a bit of vanilla complete this incredible cranberry sauce.

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Apple Stuffed Pork Loin

Stuffed with sweet apples caramelized in butter and brown sugar, then seared to perfection creating a crispy crust that is then covered in an orange juice mixture to bake, this juicy Apple Stuffed Pork Loin is amazing! It’s a simple recipe and perfect for the holidays or a weekend dinner!

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Bourbon Glazed Baked Ham

This Baked Ham is glazed with a bourbon, orange juice and brown sugar glaze and studded with cloves. It's delicious and incredibly flavorful, the perfect sweet and savory holiday dinner!

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Spatchco*ck Turkey

Save time and oven space this holiday season with my foolproof recipe for Spatchco*ck Turkey! Learn how to spatchco*ck a turkey, cook it in half the time, and with only a handful of ingredients. This turkey is ready in less than 2 hours, freeing up precious oven space to make delicious sides or desserts for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

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Easy Roasted Turkey Legs

These Easy Roasted Turkey Legs are the perfect alternative to roasting an entire turkey! Made with only 3 simple ingredients, this recipe is no fuss, no muss and there's no tricky carving required!

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Air Fryer Turkey Breast

My Air Fryer Turkey Breast is a true time saver! Made in half the time, with only 4 ingredients, you can say goodbye to holiday stress and hello to your new favorite cooking method!

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Brined Roast Turkey Breast

This Turkey Breast is wet-brined overnight, for maximum flavor and moisture, basted in butter then roasted to perfection. This Brined Roast Turkey Breast is what Thanksgiving dreams are made of!

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Roast Beef

Learn how to make perfect Roast Beef with this foolproof recipe! Featuring instructions to cook your roast to any temperature you prefer, this is a guaranteed winner for any special occasion you host. Whether it's family or guests, I've got you covered for a gorgeous dinner table centrepiece.

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Potatoes Au Gratin

A classic dish of Potatoes Au Gratin, that will have you hooked at first bite. They're perfect for your Holiday table or even just a Sunday supper. Thinly sliced potatoes, smothered in a creamy sauce and topped with cheddar and Parmesan cheese. So good to the very last bite!

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Honey Roasted Carrots

A super simple recipe for tender Honey Roasted Carrots using only a few staple pantry items. These Roasted Carrotsare delicious with an incredible honey caramelized finish, perfect side dish to any meal, but also ideal for any holiday!

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Honey Roasted Butternut Squash

Using only a handful of ingredients, this Honey Roasted Butternut Squash is one of the best side dishes for any Holiday or weekday dinner. It's a seasonal favorite enjoyed by many that is both healthy and satisfying.

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Sweet Potato Casserole

This Sweet Potato Casserole is a classic Thanksgiving casserole with a crispy cornflake pecan topping and marshmallows. Sweet, crispy and delicious! A must have on your Thanksgiving table!

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Baked Mac and Cheese

This easy homemade Baked Mac and Cheese recipe is the ultimate classic comfort food. We’re talking decadent creamy macaroni with the most incredible cheese sauce. Total soul-food and always a crowd favorite!

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Easy Cornbread Recipe

This Easy Cornbread is your newest counter top staple with its crispy edges and soft inside. It's good for breakfast, lunch, or dinner as either an accompaniment to some hearty, meaty meals or devoured all on its own with a bit of butter and honey. We get our rich color from cornmeal, which lends us the flavor that the bread is named after!

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Corn Casserole

The perfect balance of savory, sweet, rich, creamy, and buttery.This Corn Casserole recipe is incredibly easy to put together, super customizable, and essential for your holiday table!Made with a short list of simple ingredients, this casserole can be made in advance and is the ultimate comfort food side dish.

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Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Delicious Mashed Sweet Potatoes made with only 4 ingredients! Easy, creamy, comfort food. The perfection addition to your holiday table!

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Classic Pumpkin Pie

This Classic Pumpkin Pie is creamy, sweet and luscious! Completely homemade from the crust to the creamy filling. It's utterly delicious and bursting with flavor! It also freezes well! Perfect for your Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving table!

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Pumpkin Pie Bars

These simple to make Pumpkin Pie Bars feature a shortbread crust and a creamy pumpkin filling, making these bars the perfect grab-and-go treat. If you're looking for that perfect pumpkin pie taste without having to make a rolled out pie crust, give this incredibly delicious dessert a try.

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Pumpkin Roll

This classic Pumpkin Roll truly is irresistibly delicious, loaded with pumpkin and spices and filled with the best spiced cream cheese filling. It's so good, it will be gone in seconds!

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Ambrosia Salad

Ambrosia Salad is a staple for your holiday table! It's super simple to make and a favorite with kids and adults alike. This American classic is made with sour cream, miniature marshmallows, sweetened coconut, pineapple, mandarin and maraschino cherries. The flavors are absolutely incredible!

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Chocolate Pecan Pie

Treat yourself and your family for Thanksgiving this year with this decadent Chocolate Pecan Pie. This chocolatey version of the classic Pecan Pie is the ultimate low-effort dessert. It's irresistibly fudgy with an intense chocolate flavor and loaded with pecans. I'm talking pie perfection and the only Chocolate Pecan Pie recipe you'll ever need!

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Other Great Recipes To Try

  • Pumpkin Maple Cornbread
  • 22 Cozy Fall Soup Recipes
  • 22 Favorite Labor Day Recipes
  • 50+ Best Ground Beef Recipes
  • Cheesy Potato Casserole
22 Must Make Thanksgiving Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are the top 20 Thanksgiving foods in America? ›

Top 20 Thanksgiving Recipes
  • Creamy Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes.
  • Turkey Gravy.
  • Pumpkin Pie.
  • Southern Pecan Pie.
  • Apple Pie.
  • Baked Apple Pies.
  • Caramel Apple Pie Bars.
  • Pumpkin Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting.

What can I make 3 day before Thanksgiving? ›

Mashed Potatoes
  1. Classic Make-Ahead Macaroni And Cheese.
  2. Easy Cauliflower Casserole.
  3. Savory Sweet Potato Casserole.
  4. Double-Crust Pie Pastry.
  5. Homemade Cranberry Sauce.
  6. Lacey's Cornbread Dressing.
  7. 5-Ingredient Thanksgiving Recipes To Make The Holiday Just A Bit Easier.
  8. Can You Leave A Turkey Out To Thaw Overnight?

What is the most loved Thanksgiving food? ›

America's different regions can favor different local cuisines, and Thanksgiving dinner provides no exception. While turkey is the top selection in every region, side-dish challenger mashed potatoes are tied for first place in the Midwest (both winning 85% of matchups) and West (both winning 79%).

What is a must for Thanksgiving dinner? ›

But a few things are guaranteed, no matter where I am or who I'm with: There will be turkey; there will be stuffing; there will be cranberry sauce, gravy, potatoes, and pie.

What is the most unpopular Thanksgiving food? ›

Jones shared the following on the most disliked traditional Thanksgiving foods ranked by percentage of how many participants didn't like them:
  • Coleslaw — 25.57%
  • Pumpkin pie — 24.28%
  • Mashed potatoes — 18.66%
  • Macaroni and cheese — 17.47%
  • Carrots — 16.98%
  • Apple pie — 16.29%
  • Corn — 15.50%
  • None of these, I like them all.
Nov 13, 2023

What is the unhealthiest Thanksgiving food? ›

Worst: Sausage Stuffing

It's often made with fatty processed meat, butter or margarine, and refined bread or rice. It's a high-calorie food that packs a load of fat, carbs, and nitrates, which are cancer-causing. If you add dried cranberries, there's a good chance they're sweetened and add sugar to your stuffing.

What to make for Thanksgiving dinner instead of turkey? ›

Whatever the reason, here are 20 Thanksgiving recipes for a turkey-free table.
  • Roast Chicken With Maple Butter and Rosemary. Image. ...
  • Beef Wellington. Image. ...
  • Ombré Gratin. Image. ...
  • Skillet Pork Chops and Apples With Miso Caramel. Image. ...
  • Samosa Pie. Image. ...
  • Maple-Baked Salmon. Image. ...
  • Lasagna. Image. ...
  • Ina Garten's Make-Ahead Coquilles St.
Nov 10, 2022

What is the most popular dessert at Thanksgiving? ›

In general, pie reigns supreme as a Thanksgiving dessert. While some families have their nice selections of pie servings, tradition says apple, pumpkin pie, and a southern pecan pie are the go-tos, typically made with a buttery pastry pie crust.

Are deviled eggs a Thanksgiving food? ›

One popular Thanksgiving starter, deviled eggs, took the form we currently know around the same period, though they've been around in other forms for thousands of years.

How many sides should a Thanksgiving dinner have? ›

How many dishes should I serve with the turkey? For 4 people, choose 1-2 appetizers and 3 sides. For 8 people, choose 1-3 appetizers and 3 sides. For 16 people, choose 2-3 appetizers and 3 or more sides.

What to cook first on Thanksgiving? ›

Since it's the main event, the turkey should be the first dish you start cooking in the morning. "The resting process is an absolutely imperative part of the cooking process," Holzman said. Many people overcook their turkeys in the oven and overlook letting them rest, rendering the final product dry and rubbery.

What Thanksgiving food doesn't need to be refrigerated? ›

Apple pie, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, fruit crumbles, betties, and cobblers can all travel for hours at room temperature and be ready to serve when you arrive.

What are the 3 traditional foods Americans eat during Thanksgiving? ›

Along with turkey, stuffing, and cranberry the "traditional" table now included white bread, apple pie, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, and various fruit pies.

What is the most common main dish for Thanksgiving dinner? ›

Turkey is a classic main course for Thanksgiving dinner, but that certainly doesn't mean you have to serve it every year.

What is the least favorite dish for Thanksgiving? ›

"For the third year in a row, cranberry sauce takes first place as the most disliked traditional Thanksgiving food. Over 31% of respondents, 82 million American adults, do not want cranberry sauce for their Thanksgiving dinner.

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