Classic Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

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This customizable Thanksgiving dinner menu covers all the essentials from the crispy-skinned turkey to creamy mashed potatoes and nostalgic sweet potato casserole. You’ll find a full menu collection you can save, edit, and personalize using the meal-planning tools on our website.

You can keep the full menu as-is or swap in your own favorites. There’s also a section below with alternate ideas if you’d like to mix things up.

Log in or sign up to swap meals and customize your plan.

Collage of classic Thanksgiving dishes with text: “Classic Thanksgiving Dinner menu plan.”.

This menu serves about 8 to 10 people. You can adjust the servings for each recipe to suit your group, but keep in mind that larger or smaller batches may need a different pan size or cooking time.

If you want a scaled down menu, check out our Thanksgiving dinner menu for a small gathering.

How to Use This Menu

After you log in, look for the Save button below (it’s the small box with a downward arrow icon). Once you click it, the full menu will be added to your collections where you can swap recipes, adjust servings, or print your shopping list.

Want even more Thanksgiving options? Visit our Thanksgiving Recipe Resource Center for side dishes, desserts, and make-ahead ideas you can plug into your custom menu.

In This Dinner Menu

Here’s what’s included in the classic Thanksgiving menu. Click any recipe to view it, or use the collection link above to save the full plan.

Starters:

Deviled eggs

Main Course:

Sides:

Dessert:

Spatchcock Turkey

Overhead photo of a bowl of buttermilk ranch mashed potatoes.

Instant Pot Buttermilk Ranch Mashed Potatoes

Broccoli Casserole with Cream Cheese

A wooden bowl filled with broccoli and kale salad.

Broccoli Kale Salad

Scalloped sweet potato casserole in a casserole dish showing the layers of potato and cheese.

Savory Sweet Potato Casserole

Deep Dish Apple Pie

Prep Tip

Chafing dishes are my favorite way to keep Thanksgiving sides warm while the turkey finishes. They free up the oven and keep food hot without scorching the bottoms.

If the turkey finishes earlier than expected, I carve it and keep it warm in a chafing dish while I finish the sides. The moist heat from chafing dishes helps prevent the food from drying out.

Make-Ahead Plan

A little preparation ahead of time leaves fewer dishes to juggle on Thanksgiving Day. This plan follows the recipes in the menu above.

Several days before

Plan for the turkey. If it’s frozen, allow time for it to thaw in the refrigerator before dry brining. A whole turkey takes approximately 24 hours per 4 to 5 pounds to thaw. Once thawed, plan to cook it within 1 to 2 days, including the time it spends in the dry brine and drying in the refrigerator.
Check your serving dishes and oven space. Make sure the sweet potato and green bean casseroles will fit in the oven together. If you have chafing dishes or warming trays, decide which sides you’ll keep warm in them.

One to two days before

Make the mashed potatoes. Refrigerate them in a covered baking dish for up to 2 days.
Prepare the sweet potato casserole. Make the filling, including the eggs, and spread it in the baking dish. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake the next day. Add the marshmallows during baking as directed.
Bake the pumpkin slab pie. Let it cool, then refrigerate it so it has time to chill and set.
Prepare the deviled eggs. Cook the eggs and prepare the filling ahead. Keep refrigerated until ready to assemble.
Make the mini apple Bundt cakes. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Make the gravy. When you prepare the turkey for brining, reserve the neck and use it to make the gravy. Refrigerate the gravy until you’re ready to reheat it.

The day before

Assemble the green bean casserole. Cover and refrigerate it without the fried onion topping.
Prepare the stuffing. Assemble, cover, and refrigerate it until ready to bake.
Make the salad dressing. Prepare the salad ingredients you can ahead of time, keeping the greens refrigerated. Assemble the salad closer to serving.
Set out your serving dishes. Label them if that helps you remember what goes where.

Thanksgiving Day

Bake the stuffing. Bake it before the turkey goes into the oven. Keep it warm in a preheated chafing dish if it’s ready well before dinner.
Roast the turkey. Allow time for roasting and at least a 30-minute rest. Use a thermometer to check for doneness.
Bake the casseroles. When the turkey comes out of the oven, increase the oven temperature to 350°F. Bake the sweet potato and green bean casseroles together, following the individual recipes. Chilled casseroles may need extra time.
Reheat the mashed potatoes and gravy. Warm the potatoes in the microwave while the casseroles bake, and heat the gravy on the stove. Use a chafing dish to keep the potatoes warm if they’re ready early.
Finish the meal. Add the final fried onions to the green bean casserole, assemble the salad, and set out the deviled eggs. Carve the turkey and serve.

Before you shop

This menu is designed for about 8 to 10 people, with a generous assortment of sides and two desserts. There may be leftovers, especially from the pumpkin slab pie, which makes 24 servings.

Adjust the salad: The arugula apple salad makes 4 servings. Increase the servings in the collection before making your shopping list if you’d like more.
Check the other portions: You can adjust each recipe to fit your group and their appetites. Larger or smaller batches may need a different pan size or cooking time.
Save the turkey neck: Set it aside when you prepare the turkey and use it to make the gravy. If your turkey doesn’t come with a neck, you’ll need to purchase one separately or choose another gravy recipe.
Choose your desserts: The menu includes both pumpkin slab pie and mini apple Bundt cakes. The pie serves a crowd, and the cake recipe makes 6 mini cakes. Keep both for a generous dessert table, or adjust the menu to suit your guests.

Sample Thanksgiving Day Schedule

This schedule assumes a 12- to 15-pound turkey, one oven, and enough oven space for both casseroles. The stuffing and casseroles should be prepared ahead and refrigerated. Times are estimates, so use a thermometer for the turkey and allow extra baking time for chilled dishes.

If the turkey finishes early, carve it and keep it warm in a chafing dish while you finish the sides. Keep hot food at 140°F or above, checking it with a food thermometer.

Time	What to do
9:45 a.m.	Preheat the oven to 400°F. Set up a chafing dish for the stuffing.
10:00 a.m.	Bake the stuffing according to the recipe. It takes about 50 minutes; allow extra time if needed.
10:30 a.m.	Take the turkey out of the refrigerator and prepare it for roasting while the stuffing bakes.
Around 11:00 a.m.	When the stuffing is done, transfer it to a preheated chafing dish and cover. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F.
11:30 a.m.	Put the turkey in the oven. After 30 minutes, reduce the temperature to 325°F and continue roasting.
Around 2:00–2:30 p.m.	Check the turkey for doneness. When it’s done, take it out to rest and increase the oven temperature to 350°F.
Around 2:45 p.m	Once the oven reaches 350°F: Put the prepared sweet potato casserole in the oven. Allow extra time for the chilled casserole, then add and toast the marshmallows as directed.
Around 3:00 p.m.	Put the green bean casserole in the oven. It generally needs less time than the sweet potatoes; allow a few extra minutes if it’s chilled.
Around 3:15 p.m.	Reheat the mashed potatoes in the microwave and the gravy on the stove. Assemble the salad and finish the deviled eggs. After the turkey has rested for at least 30 minutes, carve it.
Before serving	Add the final fried onions to the green bean casserole. Let the sweet potato casserole rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then bring everything to the table.
4:00 p.m.	Serve dinner.