| Trish Clasen Marsanico, The Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen |
At Good Housekeeping, the holidays — especially Thanksgiving — are our Super Bowl. Every year, the editors and experts in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen and Innovation Labs dedicate months to perfecting Thanksgiving recipes, evaluating which turkey roasting equipment to buy and experimenting with new cooking techniques and shortcuts. This ensures that when it’s time for you to think about what you’re cooking and eating on the big day, we’ve got you covered.
This guide compiles our tried-and-tested recipes, along with top strategies, tailored to two scenarios: you’ve ambitiously decided to tackle the entire meal solo or you’re planning to bring a dish to a potluck-style feast.
The benefit of handling (almost) all of the cooking? You get to determine what food you’re serving when — that makes it easier to plan ahead and maximize your kitchen space. With the right menu and by utilizing the stove, slow cooker, air fryer and microwave, in addition to the oven (a hot commodity!), you can make hosting as stress-free as possible.
The Strategy
Let’s Eat!
Warm Welcome
Have some sips and snacks set out for everyone to enjoy as they arrive — that way you won’t have to stress heating up appetizers or playing bartender. In terms of Thanksgiving cocktails and mocktails, plan to make a big-batch drink and then offer an assortment of juices, sodas and liquors for people to make their own. An hour or so before, assemble a platter of meats and cheeses.
Simple Starter
If you cannot imagine a sit-down feast without a first course, consider serving up a cozy bowl of soup that can simmer on the stove as you’re running around finishing up the remainder of your holiday cooking (read: mashing potatoes, tossing together a salad). Stressed? Feel free to skip this!
The Main Event
Be sure to get that turkey in the oven at least 4 hours before you plan on having everyone sit down to eat. Your turkey will take time to cook and shouldn’t be carved into immediately — and no one wants to serve (or consume!) a raw bird…or be forced to wait for dinner because of poor planning.
Alternatively, consider serving up a vegetarian main that stands in as a showstopper, like this stunning stuffed squash.
Sauces and Gravy
Cranberry sauces and gravy elevate every dish on the table — from the turkey to mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts. This is a place where you can definitely plan ahead, too. Our make-ahead turkey gravy can be stashed in the freezer, then thawed overnight and reheated the day of.
P.S. Expecting vegetarian or vegan guests? Make a batch of mushroom-based gravy.
The Bread Basket
You will want to make sure there is something for everyone to sop up extra gravy with. (Or simply enjoy with a spread of good-quality butter). You can take the DIY route for this, baking up a batch of Parker House Rolls or making cheesy, apple-studded biscuits. Instead, you can pick up a loaf of crusty bread from the bakery or bake-and-serve rolls from the store.
Stress-Free Stuffing
When selecting which sides to make, you’ll want to account for oven space and temperatures. Since we have tons of stuffing recipes to choose from, you can always save this decision for last, based off everything else you’re planning for that day. One way to minimize day-of anxiety: Prepare and assemble the stuffing a day in advance (do not bake), then pop it in the oven on Thanksgiving.
Perfect Mashed Potatoes
The one side everyone can agree on? Creamy, buttery mashed potatoes. Your mashed potatoes will taste best — with the most ideal texture — if you wait to make them until right before serving your feast. That said, you can still get a head start by peeling and prepping your spuds in the morning. Store in a bowl with water in the fridge until you’re ready to make your mash.
The Must-Make Mainstay
Is there a traditional Thanksgiving side dish (not included here) your family expects to find at the table? Don’t forget about it! Whether it’s a melty mac and cheese casserole, a cranberry-studded rice pilaf, or a sweet potato pasta bake that stands in as a vegetarian main, be sure to include it on your menu.
Produce Picks
Pie, Please!
The beauty of this classic Thanksgiving dessert is that they can be prepped and ready to eat whenever you are. Bring to room temp immediately after dinner if you’re planning to give everyone a second or two to breathe (or digest) before the sweets course. Heat up your oven if you want to warm up pies before serving à la mode.
Q: How much food should I make?
Thanksgiving is one of those occasions where you want to make sure you cook enough food for everyone at the table to be happy and full, and have some extras to send home with guests. First, figure out what size turkey to buy. Plan on about one pound of turkey per person (or 1/2 pound per person for a boneless turkey breast). For sides, variety is key. You’ll want a minimum of three sides for four people (if stuffing and mashed potatoes are family favorites, make sure that third side is a green veg). Then, add a few extra options as desired. Because this holiday centers on the food, I’ll always make a few extra dishes to serve so people can pick their favorites.
To figure out how much of a side to make, I use a medium Yukon Gold potato as a visual reference. Figure on about three potato-size amounts per person — say, a handful or Brussels sprouts or a nice spoonful of dressing. For cranberry sauce and gravy, figure on at least 1/4 cup per serving. If you are baking rolls, play it safe with 1 1/2 rolls per person.
Invited to Friendsgiving or a Thanksgiving gathering where everyone is expected to bring a dish? No stress! Be the MVP guest by bringing the most delicious and popular dish to the celebration.
The Strategy
Let’s Eat!
Drink Duty
Bringing a bottle or two of wine or booze is a great low-lift option, especially if you’re traveling far (so much easier to transport than a casserole!). Feeling more ambitious? Stir together a punch.
All-Star Apps and Snacks
Volunteer to bring an appetizer only if you plan to be punctual. Otherwise, you’ll be walking (late) into a room full of very hangry guests. Room temperature options, like sriracha mixed nuts or marinated olives, are easy to transport. If you want to pop something in the oven, coordinate with the host ahead of time.
Standout Sides
With so many delicious Thanksgiving side dishes to choose from, select something that’s tried-and-true and easy to transport. While typical mashed spuds may clump up the longer they sit, our Mashed Potato Casserole is meant to be assembled in advance and reheated. Most stuffings will hold up well on a car ride, as well.
Light(er) Bites
Take a look at what everyone’s bringing and if it’s looking really hearty (read: tons of rich casseroles and starchy sides), bring something lighter to round out the assortment. Think: a shaved Brussels sprout salad, simple blanched green beans or bright cranberry sauce.
Shareable Sweets
Q: What is the best strategy for bringing food to a potluck?
It really depends on what you’re bringing. For an easy, mess-free approach, I typically like to pack up food in containers that seal well and double as a serving vessel. If you want to heat something up once you arrive (get an OK from the host first!), it’s best to transport foods in an oven-safe container. The glass containers in Rubbermaid’s Brilliance line are great because they come in many different sizes, proved to be leak-proof in our Lab tests and you can heat food up in them. Prefer to bring food in a Dutch oven? (They do a great job at keeping food warm and can be used to reheat easily.) I love this gadget that wraps around pots to keep the lid in place.
Another option: Transport food in an insulated container. Coolers can keep food cold or hot. If you’re opting for the cold route, make sure your cooler is at an ideal temperature before using and allow food to cool to room temp before popping into the container. The cooler your cooler and your ingredients are at the start, the longer they’ll stay that way.
SHOP: The Best Food Storage Containers, Tested by Experts
Photographs: Getty Images (oven mitt and drink tray). Illustrations: Getty Images.
Trish (she/her) is the deputy food editor at Good Housekeeping, where she covers all things food, from cooking trends and delicious recipes to top-tested kitchen products and grocery finds. She has more than a decade of experience writing about food for GH, Women’s Health, Prevention, Redbook, Woman’s Day, The Daily Meal and Food Network. When she’s not at the supermarket or trying out a new recipe, you can find her at the beach, in her backyard or on the couch — typically with a glass of wine in hand.