• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Peanut Blossom
  • Start Here
  • Family Recipes
  • Cooking with Kids
  • Book Club
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • ABOUT
  • FAMILY RECIPES
  • COOKING WITH KIDS
  • HOLIDAY IDEAS
  • ONLINE BOOK CLUB
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • ABOUT
    • FAMILY RECIPES
    • COOKING WITH KIDS
    • HOLIDAY IDEAS
    • ONLINE BOOK CLUB
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Blog » Thanksgiving

    Top 10 Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes {Start Here!}

    Published: Aug 25, 2023 by Tiffany Dahle · This post may contain affiliate links.

    • Share
    • Email Friend!
    The photo collage shows a roast turkey, a pan of sausage stuffing, whole cranberries, and a pan of sweet potato casserole.

    Planning a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for the first time? Start with this basic Thanksgiving meal plan and then add your favorite variations to fill your buffet table.

    The photo collage shows several traditional Thanksgiving dinner recipes including a roast turkey, stuffing, cranberries, and sweet potato casserole.

    If you want to host a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with a classic turkey and old fashioned side dishes, you only need a handful of popular family recipes to pull it off.

    These main Thanksgiving dinner recipes are at the core of the most delicious Thanksgiving feast.

    Start your Thanksgiving meal plan with these dishes and then be playful with your favorite holiday variations.

    Jump to:
    • Why These are the Best Traditional Thanksgiving Recipes
    • Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes
    • Turkey Gravy and Cranberry Sauce
    • Thanksgiving Stuffing
    • Thanksgiving Potatoes
    • Thanksgiving Vegetables
    • The Bread Basket
    • Thanksgiving Pies
    • More Thanksgiving Ideas
    • 💬 Comments

    Why These are the Best Traditional Thanksgiving Recipes

    The Thanksgiving holiday is all about family and memory making.

    Who doesn't love to come to the table knowing they'll find a cherished favorite waiting for them?

    These are the best traditional Thanksgiving recipes because:

    1. Widely Popular: These are the core Thanksgiving dinner recipes that make up that picture-perfect Thanksgiving table everyone imagines.
    2. Time Tested: These are the dishes I've made again, and again, and again, for almost 20 years of Thanksgiving cooking.
    3. Easy and Wholesome: The recipes are simple to prepare, made from scratch whenever possible, and use just a few handy shortcuts to make the meal prep easier.

    Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes

    The star of any traditional Thanksgiving dinner is always a turkey but you definitely have options for which turkey recipe to choose depending on your goal for the feast:

    1. Classic Roasted Herb Butter Turkey: This is the Normal Rockwell whole turkey recipe that you'll proudly bring on a platter to the table.
    2. Easy Slowcooker Boneless Turkey Breast: This is my new favorite holiday shortcut and the easiest turkey recipe you'll ever find.
    • A roasted turkey sits in a metal roasting pan, golden brown all over.
      Roasted Herb Butter Turkey
    • Two slices of slow cooked turkey breast are on a plate drizzled with gravy.
      Slowcooker Boneless Turkey Breast

    Turkey Gravy and Cranberry Sauce

    Every Thanksgiving turkey needs a little sauce to bring out the flavor.

    Traditionally you'll use a homemade turkey gravy and a citrusy cranberry sauce.

    These sauces help to add so much flavor to all the dishes on your dinner plate.

    • A full plate of Thanksgiving dishes drizzled with homemade gravy.
      Easy Homemade Gravy for Beginners
    • A pot of fresh cranberries is cooking with a wooden spoon to stir.
      Cranberry Sauce with Grand Marnier

    Thanksgiving Stuffing

    While Thanksgiving stuffing is usually stuffed into the turkey while it bakes, you can have a traditional dinner with an oven baked dressing made in a baking dish and served on the side.

    • A baking dish filled with homemade sausage stuffing sits next to a striped towel.
      Italian Sausage Stuffing

    Thanksgiving Potatoes

    A traditional Thanksgiving dinner will offer one or two potato side dishes.

    The most classic options are usually a white mashed potato with butter that pairs well with gravy and a sweet potato casserole with marshmallows or streusel topping.

    • A silver Crockpot has finished mashed potatoes that are sprinkled with fresh chives and two pats of butter.
      Creamy Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
    • A baking dish filled with the finished sweet potato casserole with pecan topping.
      Make Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole

    Thanksgiving Vegetables

    Fall seasonal vegetables roasted or turned into an easy casserole side dish traditionally fill out the Thanksgiving dinner plate.

    • A serving of crispy green bean casserole is in a blue dish with a fork.
      Crispy Crockpot Green Bean Casserole
    • A white bowl is filled with sliced zucchini squash covered in cheddar cheese and bread crumbs.
      Old Fashioned Squash Casserole
    • A sliced open acorn squash has been filled with red dried cranberries and a spoonful of brown sugar.
      Slowcooker Acorn Squash with Apples
    • The oven roasted carrots have golden brown edges and are being served on a white platter with a serving spoon.
      Oven Roasted Carrots

    Get all the best Thanksgiving vegetables here

    The Bread Basket

    Yes, there are already lots of starches on the table at this point but it's not really a traditional Thanksgiving dinner without a bread basket and pats of softened butter.

    • A bread basket is lined with a napkin and filled with golden crescent dinner rolls from the bread machine.
      Bread Machine Crescent Dinner Rolls
    • A white plate has a pile of fresh baked buttermilk drop biscuits.
      Easy Buttermilk Drop Biscuits {4 Flavor Variations}
    • A white ruffled platter has large squares of homemade buttermilk cornbread.
      Grandma's Buttermilk Cornbread
    • A metal baking pan filled with square-shaped rosemary dinner rolls with roasted herbs over the top.
      Easy Rosemary Pull Apart Rolls

    Get all the best Thanksgiving bread recipes here

    Thanksgiving Pies

    A traditional Thanksgiving dinner always ends with a choice of pies!

    Pumpkin pie and pecan pie are the two most popular options but you can find a list of my favorite easy Thanksgiving pies right here:

    • The photo collage shows slices of pumpkin pie, apple pie, a whole pecan pie, and a slice of Oreo cream pie.
      15 Easy Thanksgiving Pies to Make Ahead

    More Thanksgiving Ideas

    Now that you've got your easy Thanksgiving side dishes all picked out, what about the rest of your Thanksgiving meal plan?

    Don't miss my other easy Thanksgiving recipes for your family feast:

    • A white plate has a grey napkin and a sprig of orange berries with a tag that says "Thankful."
      Thanksgiving Recipes and Ideas for Families
    • The photo collage shows the easy Thanksgiving side dishes -- potatoes, stuffing, and green beans.
      20 Easy Thanksgiving Sides
    • The photo collage shows 4 different easy Thanksgiving desserts including cheesecake, apple cake, pecan pie bars, and banana pudding.
      20 Easy Thanksgiving Desserts
    • The photo collage shows slices of pumpkin pie, apple pie, a whole pecan pie, and a slice of Oreo cream pie.
      15 Easy Thanksgiving Pies to Make Ahead
    The photo collage shows a roast turkey, a pan of sausage stuffing, whole cranberries, and a pan of sweet potato casserole.

    More Thanksgiving

    • The baked turkey brie sandwich has been sliced in half so you can see the layers of turkey, apple, brie, and arugula.
      Turkey Brie Sandwich
    • A white bowl is filled with glazed baby carrots, a blue napkin is tucked underneath.
      Glazed Baby Carrots
    • The photo collage shows several make ahead Thanksgiving desserts that travel well including a 9x13-in cake in a pan and easy dessert bars.
      20 Make Ahead Thanksgiving Desserts that Travel Well
    • A slowcooker has an aluminum foil lining and is filled with baked scalloped potatoes with fresh chives sprinkled over the top.
      Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    Share Your Thoughts Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Tiffany!
    I believe a great family recipe is one that makes everyone at the table happy, not just the kids. I'm the author of two bestselling cookbooks for kids that are chock full of recipes everyone in your family will love. I'm also the hostess of the best online book club for women.

    More about me →

    What's Trending Now

    • The photo collage shows several easy football party appetizers like raw veggies and dip, taco bites, buffalo chicken dip, and a bowl filled with meatballs and cocktail picks.
      35 Easy Football Party Appetizers
    • The photo collage shows several one pot dinner ideas using a skillet or dutch oven.
      60 One Pot Dinner Ideas for Busy Nights
    • A bottle of Mike's Hot Honey is in a photo collage next to 3 recipes it could be used in.
      20 Hot Honey Recipes You Have to Try
    • A blue baking dish filled with mac and cheese with bread crumb topping. A serving spoon has removed a portion to show the creamy elbow noodles.
      Make Ahead Mac and Cheese

    Popular

    • A freezer-friendly metal pan holds an 8x8-inch apple crisp with crumble topping.
      Freezer Friendly Apple Crisp
    • A stack of the best books for book club in 2023
      Best Book Club Picks 2023
    • A taco salad made with mini frozen tacos.
      10-minute Trader Joe's Meals
    • A photo collage shows a table set with ground beef taco fillings and tortilla shells on a pan next to alternative taco tuesday recipes ideas.
      30 Taco Tuesday Recipes for a Family Fiesta
    • A collage of easy dinners for busy nights.
      30 Quick Family Dinners for Busy Nights
    • A wicker picnic basket with white flowers and a bottle of water with fresh fruit sits on a picnic blanket outside.
      What to Pack for a Picnic: 45 Easy Recipes
    • A meal train dinner kit featuring supplies for tacos sits in an aluminum tray for delivery.
      30 Clever Meal Train Ideas with Recipes
    • Harry Potter themed snacks are in a platter with a witch hat sitting next to an open copy of a Harry Potter book.
      21 Harry Potter Snacks for Movie Night

    Footer

    As Seen On

    The Taste of Home Logo
    The Pioneer Woman Logo
    The Country Living Logo
    The Buzzfeed logo
    The Good Housekeeping Logo

    About

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Contact
    Privacy Policy
    Disclaimer
    Terms of Service

    Favorites

    Bread Recipes
    Soup Recipes
    Quick Dinner Recipes
    Harry Potter Fan Club
    Reading with Kids

    Holidays

    Easter Recipes
    Catholic Celebrations
    Thanksgiving Recipes
    Christmas Recipes

    Recipes

    Appetizers
    Dinners
    Main Dishes
    Salads
    Side Dishes
    Desserts
    Brunch
    Homemade Pantry

    ↑ back to top

    Copyright © 2023