I am thrilled to share the annual HowSweetEats Thanksgiving series, along with my must-have Thanksgiving kitchen tools.
This year’s Thanksgiving theme: the CLASSICS.
I want the nostalgic, comforting flavors—the familiar favorites that make a Thanksgiving plate feel perfect. No trendy tweaks where they don’t belong: simple, classic recipes that taste like home (I may bend the rules when it comes to dessert!).
As always, I’ll publish a new recipe every day this week, culminating in a full menu and a detailed timeline for how and when to prepare each dish. The goal is to guide you through Thanksgiving week so it feels doable instead of overwhelming.
And yes—I know this year looks different for many people.
I know this year looks so different than the rest.
Lots of families will celebrate in new ways. Right now we’re planning to be with our parents since we live nearby, but plans can change quickly. Even if gatherings are smaller or spread out, I still plan to cook and deliver Thanksgiving dinners to family. Whether you celebrate within your household, with a quarantine pod, solo, or via a virtual party, I hear you—I’ve got options and tips to help.
For upcoming recipes, I’ll include notes in each recipe card on how to halve portions, stretch recipes, and make the most of leftovers. At the end of the series I’ll also share a few non-traditional meal ideas that aren’t roast-turkey dinners but are still special and worth cooking if you want something different. Consider that your backup plan if you don’t feel like handling a whole turkey.
But first: the essentials. The right tools make prepping a big meal so much easier. You don’t want to be hunting for something minutes before—or after—you need it. So here are my Thanksgiving kitchen essentials—items I use every year and can’t imagine cooking without.
My Thanksgiving Kitchen Essentials
Nearly everything in my kitchen gets used during Thanksgiving week, but the items below are the ones I truly can’t live without. These are tools I own and use regularly—tested in real holiday kitchens.
- Mackenzie-Childs roasting pan: a beautiful, functional pan I love—also great for making gravy on the stovetop.
- Stainless steel roasting pan: a high-quality, reliable alternative if bold patterns aren’t your style.
- Mixing bowls: indispensable for prepping and mixing multiple components.
- Kitchen shears: essential for prepping the turkey and trimming herbs or vegetables.
- Sharp knives: a must for any large meal; a good knife block or individual knives are worth the investment.
- Cheesecloth: perfect for techniques like basting or straining aromatics; I use it for my butter-and-wine drenched turkey.
- Kitchen twine: necessary for trussing the bird.
- Basting brushes: I keep several on hand for glazing and basting.
- Turkey baster: helpful for basting and keeping the bird moist.
- Meat thermometer: critical to ensure your turkey is safely and perfectly cooked.
- Turkey lifters: game-changing for moving a heavy bird in and out of the oven.
- Electric carving knife: speeds up carving and makes slicing multiple birds much easier.
- Carving board: a sturdy board with room for carving and collecting juices.
- Large platter: for serving the carved turkey.
- Fat separator cup: ideal for separating pan juices and making smooth gravy.
- Shaker bottle: helps when emulsifying or finishing gravies and sauces.
- Whisks: have at least two for gravy and sauce work.
- Gravy boat: a classic serving piece; one with a warming base is especially nice.
- Measuring cups and spoons: accurate measuring saves time and stress.
- Microplane: great for grating nutmeg, citrus zest, and hard cheeses.
- Stock pot: large enough for boiling potatoes and making turkey stock; useful all year round.
- Baking sheets: my favorites for roasting vegetables, toasting nuts, and baking sides.
- Multiple saucepans: handy for melting butter, making sauces, and simmering sides.
- Multiple casserole dishes: essential for sides and oven-baked dishes; a square dish is useful too.
- Hand mixer: excellent control for mashing potatoes or whipping sweet potatoes without overworking them.
- Potato masher (or ricer): I prefer a masher, but a ricer gives ultra-smooth texture if you prefer that.
- Large strainer: useful for draining potatoes and rinsing vegetables.
- Mandoline: ideal for uniformly slicing potatoes for scalloped potatoes or prepping other produce.
- Vegetable peeler: a reliable peeler makes prep faster.
- Heavy-duty pot holders: necessary for handling a heavy, hot turkey and roasting pans.
- Pie plate: my go-to for pies and it can double as a serving dish.
- Rolling pin: the only one I reach for when rolling pie dough and pastry.
- Drink dispenser: great for serving sangria or punch when entertaining; use as needed for smaller gatherings.
[note: some items listed may be linked in the original post; this guide is not sponsored]
I’ll update this list if I discover anything new or must-have as we test recipes through the week. Happy nearly-Thanksgiving—let’s get ready to cook the classics.