This Basic Thanksgiving Menu Is the Only One You’ll Ever Need

Introduction

Thanksgiving is synonymous with sharing comforting, classic dishes around the table. For home cooks searching for a stress-free, sure-to-please lineup, this basic Thanksgiving menu is meticulously crafted to balance simplicity and flavor. Each dish is a beloved staple, ensuring everyone leaves the table satisfied—while keeping meal planning and preparation perfectly manageable.

The Ultimate Crowd-Pleaser Thanksgiving Lineup

This menu stands out because it covers every base: a juicy roast turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, savory stuffing, tangy cranberry sauce, classic green bean casserole, and a decadent pumpkin pie. Featuring well-tested, no-fuss recipes, it’s designed to deliver that nostalgic holiday flavor while giving you more time to savor the moment with family.

Smart Prep for Turkey and Sides

To streamline the holiday, start with the turkey brine or seasoning the day before. For mashed potatoes and stuffing, prep your ingredients ahead so that flavors build overnight. Casseroles and pies can be made a day in advance, freeing up oven space and reducing last-minute stress. This sequenced approach gives you more flexibility and less chaos.

Serving a Beautiful, Classic Thanksgiving Table

Present this menu family-style for a warm, communal vibe. Let guests help themselves to steaming bowls of creamy potatoes and slices of turkey right at the table. Garnish your dishes with fresh herbs like parsley or rosemary for a simple yet festive touch. Don’t forget a dollop of whipped cream atop each slice of pumpkin pie for the perfect finish.

Nutritional Information and Serving Size

This basic Thanksgiving menu comfortably serves 8 to 10 people. The variety of dishes provides a balanced meal that covers protein, healthy carbs, and vegetables. With thoughtful portions, even dessert fits in as a satisfying finale. Nutritional values will vary depending on serving sizes and recipe adaptations—so allow yourself to enjoy this well-rounded feast in moderation!

This Basic Thanksgiving Menu Is the Only One You’ll Ever Need (Recap)

Embrace the spirit of Thanksgiving with this menu—time-honored recipes, easy-to-follow prep, and flavors everyone loves. You’ll deliver a meal that’s as memorable as it is manageable, leaving plenty of time for gratitude and togetherness.

💡Meal Planning Tip: Save this recipe to automatically generate an organized shopping list with all ingredients sorted by store section, making your Thanksgiving grocery run more efficient than ever.

Instructions

1. Roast Turkey: Preheat oven to 325°F. Pat turkey dry, rub inside and out with butter, salt, and pepper. Stuff cavity with onions, lemons, and rosemary. Roast in a large pan, loosely tented with foil, about 13–15 minutes per pound, basting occasionally. Rest at least 30 minutes before carving.
2. Mashed Potatoes: Cover potatoes in salted water in a large pot. Boil until fork-tender; drain. Mash with butter and warmed milk, seasoning to taste.
3. Savory Bread Stuffing: Sauté onion and celery in butter until soft. Combine with bread cubes and broth, mixing in sage and seasoning. Bake at 350°F in a greased dish, covered, for 30 minutes, then uncovered 10–15 minutes until golden.
4. Green Bean Casserole: Blanch green beans in salted boiling water, then drain. Mix soup, milk, and half the fried onions; fold in beans. Pour into baking dish, bake at 350°F for 25 minutes, top with remaining onions, bake 5 more minutes.
5. Cranberry Sauce: Simmer cranberries, sugar, and water in a saucepan until berries burst and mixture thickens, about 10–12 minutes. Cool before serving.
6. Pumpkin Pie: Whisk pumpkin, sugar, spices, salt, eggs, and milk until smooth. Pour into pie shell, bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, then reduce to 350°F for 40–50 minutes (center should set). Cool completely before slicing.

Weekly Meal Planning

This Thanksgiving menu makes meal planning for the holidays a breeze. Save and schedule this menu to streamline your timeline—plan when to prep each dish and instantly generate a smart shopping list for the entire holiday feast.

Planning Benefits:

• Automatically calculates total ingredient quantities for big gatherings
• Organizes your shopping list by grocery store sections
• Prevents forgetting crucial holiday ingredients
• Simplifies holiday grocery runs and stress-free prep

Pro tip: Planning multiple recipes like these? Schedule everything and CookifyAI will consolidate overlapping ingredients (like eggs or milk), so you buy just what you need—no more midweek panic runs or wasted groceries.

Cook and Prep Times

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 4 hours (timings overlap for sides & dessert)
Total Time: 5 hours (for full meal; some steps done in advance)

With this foolproof, flavor-packed lineup, your holiday meal is guaranteed to hit every note—deliciously and efficiently. Happy Thanksgiving!