Rock Turkey Day with This Basic Thanksgiving Menu Made Easy!

Traditional Thanksgiving Menu

So you’re hosting Thanksgiving (or Friendsgiving) this year, and you need help planning your menu. To be honest, you’re not even sure where to start. Don’t worry — I’ve totally got you covered. From appetizer to dessert, I’ve rounded up some of the best Thanksgiving recipes on the web, and I’ve made a basic Thanksgiving menu easy and fun — choose-your-own-adventure style! I’ve even included a Thanksgiving meal planner printable to help get you organized for the big day.

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Appetizer — Charcuterie Board!

Charcuterie boards are popular for a reason: they’re easy and fun. You hardly have to do any cooking, and yet everyone loves them because they can pick and choose what they want on their plate. Why cook one more thing for Thanksgiving day?

Try this Aldi Holiday Charcuterie Board or one of these 13 Charcuterie Board Ideas to keep things simple.

Turkey — Pick 1

Your turkey is the star of the show, and you need an easy recipe to make it shine. Pick one of these:

Spatchcock Turkey | Spend With Pennies — this method makes your turkey lay flat and cook faster.

Bourbon Maple Brined Roast Turkey | Garlic and Zest — a great, classic recipe using brining to flavor the bird.

Garlic Herbed Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast | Whitney Bond — a great option if you’re having a smaller crowd.

Stuffing/Dressing — Pick 1

What is turkey without some yummy dressing or stuffing on the side? Here are three great options for your turkey sidekick.

Sausage Stuffing with Apples and Cranberries  | The Welcoming Table is a delicious mix of sweet and savory.

Southern Cornbread Dressing | Miss in the Kitchen — a classic for a reason.

Wild Rice Dressing with Cranberries, Cherries, and Pecans | Urban Bliss Life kicks things up a notch!

Potatoes — Pick 1

Potatoes are the ultimate comfort food, and here are three delicious ways you can serve them.

Easy Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole | The Welcoming Table — combines cheesy potatoes with a crispy cornflake topping.

Baked Mashed Potatoes | Jeannie’s Tried and True Recipes — creamy potatoes with a special ingredient.

Potatoes au Gratin | Sweet Tea and Thyme — feels fancy but isn’t too hard to make.

Sweet Potatoes — Pick 1

Do you like your potatoes with marshmallows or without? Take your pick!

Easy Sweet Potato Casserole | The Welcoming Table — creamy mashed sweet potatoes with a brown sugar topping.

Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows | Cooked by Julie — your classic Southern sweet potato casserole.

Butter Pecan Sweet Potatoes | Foodal — lets sweet potatoes shine in their most natural state.

Green Beans — Pick 1

Green Bean Casserole has become a Thanksgiving staple, but sometimes you want something different than the cream of mushroom soup version. Here are three dishes to choose from:

Green Bean Casserole from Scratch | Kristine’s Kitchen Blog — the traditional casserole but without the canned soup.

Roasted Parmesan Green Beans | My Organized Chaos — will be the healthiest dish of your feast!

Cheesy Green Beans Au Gratin Bake | Apples for CJ looks decadent — a nice alternative but still creamy.

Veggie Sides — Pick 1-2

With all the carbs that go into a Thanksgiving menu, it’s nice to add another vegetable or two.

Southern Baked Squash Casserole | The Welcoming Table — will become your new favorite Thanksgiving side!

Creamed Corn Casserole | Homemade Interest — whether you call it corn pudding or corn casserole, it’s delicious.

Sweet Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots | The Welcoming Table — easy and can be reheated right at serving time.

Apple Pomegranate Harvest Salad | A Simple Palate — combines the best fruits of the season to make a beautiful salad.

Crispy Maple Roasted Brussel Sprouts | Dash of Jazz — you haven’t had brussel sprouts until you’ve had them roasted.

Southern Collard Greens | Grandbaby Cakes — add some green to your holiday spread with this yummy dish.

Cranberry Sauce 

Sure, you can just open up a can of cranberry sauce (and there’s nothing wrong with that!), but homemade is simple to make.

Homemade Cranberry Sauce | The Welcoming Table — so easy and flavorful.

Gravy — Pick 1

Again, you can open up a can of gravy or you can make your own — your choice!

Giblet Gravy | Platter Talk — your classic gravy using the giblets from the turkey.

Make Ahead Gravy Without Drippings | Zested Lemon — if you want to prep ahead, this gravy is a great choice.

Rolls — Pick 1

Personally, this is where I’d take a shortcut (hello, Sister Shubert’s!), but if you prefer homemade rolls, here are three great picks:

Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls | The Cozy Cook — if you love sweet Texas Roadhouse rolls, choose these.

Fluffy Homemade Dinner Rolls | Every Lil Crumb — light and simple to make. 

Gluten-Free Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls | My Gluten-Free Kitchen — a delicious option for our GF friends and family.

Pies — Pick 2-3

Pies are a classic Thanksgiving dessert, and there are so many different kinds. Pick 2-3 of your favorites here!

Pumpkin Pie | Live Well Bake Often — your traditional recipe that lets the pumpkin shine through.

Dreamy High Pumpkin Pie | Family Table Treasures — a kicked-up version with a whipped cream layer.

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie | Home and Plate — a fancy chocolate-y version.

Caramel Apple Pie | Taste and See — combines the delicious flavors of apple and caramel.

Dutch Apple Crumb Pie | Cupcake Project — this apple pie with a crumb topping is a great choice.

Coconut Cream Pie | Little Sweet Baker — a pie spread’s not complete with out coconut cream pie.

A Basic Thanksgiving Menu Made Easy

There you have it! A DIY Thanksgiving Menu simplified for you and yet giving you room to make your own choices. Make sure to download your Thanksgiving Menu Planner below — I’ll also send you a cooking schedule printable so you can plan out your time!

Make sure to pin this page so you can always find it! And while you’re there, follow me on Pinterest for more great recipes and inspiration for casual entertaining!

If you’re starting to think about Christmas, you may want like The Ultimate List of Christmas Party Themes for Adults and this post all about making Christmas parties easy!