So by now many of you may already have your Thanksgiving menu planned. But if you haven’t — or if you’re someone who changes your mind a dozen times and still adds one more dish the morning of the party — this guide is for you.
Tell me what you’re making this year: the full menu from snacks and cocktails to the non-pumpkin pies. Let’s also talk snacks — what do you serve so guests can nibble without getting too full before the main course? Or do you not worry about that because, after all, it’s Thanksgiving and a little loosened waistband is part of the ritual?
Do you stick to a traditional turkey dinner or mix things up? Here are ideas and crowd-pleasing recipes to help you build a balanced, delicious spread.
Start with cocktails. For a mocktail option, a cranberry cider punch looks and tastes fancy — and you can always spike it with rum if you want. For wine-based choices, an apple cider sangria or a vanilla pomegranate sangria are seasonal favorites. If you want margaritas, consider an apple cider margarita, fresh cranberry-ginger-vanilla margaritas, or pomegranate margaritas. You can even set up a margarita bar so guests mix and match.
For warm beverages after dinner (or the day after), a hot cider nog offers a fun twist on classic eggnog. And when in doubt, a Nutella latte is always a cozy, indulgent hit.
For snacks, my go-to is a large, well-curated cheese plate. It’s flexible in size and timing: make it big if guests arrive early, or keep it smaller if dinner is soon. Consider a pomegranate-jeweled white cheddar and toasted almond cheeseball for something beautiful and savory, or goat cheese truffles for a pretty, bite-sized option.
If you prefer dips, a roasted butternut squash hummus or a warm honey-fig and blue cheese dip served with garlic pitas both pair beautifully with fall flavors.
What about salad? I think a little greenery balances out a table of comforting carbs. A crunchy cashew kale salad makes a great base for toppings, while a maple-bacon Brussels and pear salad adds sweet-salty depth. An autumn arugula salad is a favorite, and for something warm and savory, a Brussels Caesar with bacon and ciabatta croutons is exceptional.
Bread is a Thanksgiving staple. Grandma’s butter flake rolls are nostalgic and irresistible, perfect for mopping up mashed potatoes and gravy. If you want homemade options, brown butter herb garlic knots are a special choice, or stick with the classics: cloverleaf rolls or sweet potato dinner rolls. For a flakier bite, sage butter biscuits or cranberry buttermilk biscuits are lovely. For ambitious bakers, mini cream cheese and chive biscuits are a standout.
For a smaller, sit-down dinner, start with soup. A roasted garlic potato soup with crispy Brussels or a smoky Gruyère butternut soup both make elegant starters and set a cozy tone.
For the main, a classic roasted turkey remains the centerpiece for many families. One flavorful option is an applewood smoked turkey with cider-bourbon gravy. A great gravy is worth its weight in gold — smooth, rich, and easy to reheat — and variations like caramelized shallot and bacon gravy add extra decadence.
Now the best part: sides. Stuffing is a personal favorite and can be made many ways — from pretzel-and-quinoa combinations to cornbread and sourdough mixes. Potatoes are essential: try a lightened-up sweet potato casserole, cinnamon-sugar hasselback sweet potatoes with an oatmeal cookie-like crumble, buttermilk bacon-blue smashed potatoes, or garlic goat cheese mashed potatoes for something indulgent. If you prefer simplicity, mashed potatoes finished with brown butter are always satisfying.
If you love loaded sweet potato bites, they offer all the cozy flavors of a casserole in a convenient, shareable form.
Brussels sprouts are a divisive but delicious side — try them fried and crispy with a smoky honey aioli, roasted and finished with that same aioli, or pan-roasted with brown butter and toasted pecans. You can even use them in a baked lasagna for a creative twist.
Green beans work many ways: a lightened-up green bean casserole, loaded skillet-toasted green beans, bacon-wrapped green bean bundles, or bacon-caramelized sesame asparagus. For roasted root vegetables, pomegranate-roasted carrots finished with brown butter are a bright, flavorful choice.
Some less traditional but quickly beloved options include a roasted butternut and sweet potato whole-wheat lasagna, roasted sweet potato risotto, and spicy roasted squash with feta and herbs — all great ways to bring seasonal produce to the table.
Dessert — the final highlight. I always need at least a bite of pumpkin pie, but chocolate often wins for me, so salted chocolate pecan pie bars are perfect. If you want no-chocolate pecan options, pecan pie no-bake cheesecakes are elegant and easy. Pumpkin lovers can enjoy pumpkin s’mores cupcakes, a pumpkin s’mores tart, or fudge-striped pumpkin peanut butter cookies.
If you prefer apples, consider an amaretto apple crisp, bourbon-baked apples, or a cider-bourbon apple pie with an oatmeal cookie crumble. For something lighter that doubles as a weekend snack, caramelized upside-down pear bread is a lovely choice.
And a final idea: for Thanksgiving morning, serve a comforting breakfast like bacon cinnamon rolls, slow-cooker apple cinnamon steel-cut oats with whipped maple cream, or pumpkin spice waffles with a bacon-butternut syrup.
Reading this list makes me feel like I just ate a five-course meal — in a very good way. Whatever you choose, plan a mix of familiar favorites and a couple of surprises, and enjoy the day.