• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Bake It With Love

  • Grilling
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Cookbooks
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Grilling
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Cookbooks
  • Subscribe
×
Home » Recipes » Thanksgiving

Last Updated: Oct 9, 2022 by Angela Latimer · Leave a Comment

Buffet Thanksgiving Menu Ideas

Jump to Recipe
Buffet Thanksgiving dinner menu ideas pin for an easy holiday meal with friends and family.

These buffet Thanksgiving menu ideas are just what you need if you are having a large get-together and need to feed a crowd! Each of these dishes can be self-served so everyone can build the perfect Thanksgiving plate! There's roast turkey, side dishes, desserts, and anything else you could need!

Buffet Style Thanksgiving Recipes

Holiday get-togethers can often be stressful, especially if it's your year to host. Letting guests build their own plates will take a load of weight off your shoulders!

With these crowd-pleasing recipes, you don't have to worry about dietary restrictions or picky eaters. They can make their ideal Thanksgiving plate while you enjoy yours!

Buffet style Thanksgiving dinner menu ideas to feed a crowd easily.
Jump to:
  • Buffet Style Thanksgiving Recipes
  • Thanksgiving Menu Ideas For A Buffet Style Holiday Meal
  • 1. Roasted Turkey
  • 2. Mashed Potatoes
  • 3. Mashed Sweet Potatoes
  • 4. Crockpot Mac and Cheese
  • 5. Easy Stuffing
  • 6. Oat Rolls
  • 7. Green Bean Casserole
  • 8. Honey Glazed Carrots
  • 9. Jiffy Corn Casserole
  • 10. Candied Yams
  • 11. Pumpkin Pie
  • 12. Buttered Peas and Carrots
  • 13. Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese
  • 🦃 More Thanksgiving Recipes
  • 📖 Recipe Card
  • Buffet Thanksgiving Menu Ideas: Buttered Peas & Carrots (+More Great Recipes!)
  • 💬 Comments & Reviews

Whether you're a pro at hosting Thanksgiving dinner and holiday parties or giving it a try for the first time this year, you're sure to find my ultimate guide to planning Thanksgiving a help! Don't forget to safely thaw your holiday turkey early, too!

Thanksgiving Menu Ideas For A Buffet Style Holiday Meal

If you have a large family or you are the go-to house for friends on holidays, a buffet-style meal will make hosting so much easier. Let everyone serve themselves by using these recipes to create the perfect Thanksgiving spread!

1. Roasted Turkey

You can't go wrong with a classic and a whole roasted turkey can definitely feed a crowd! This recipe is pretty easy to follow and only requires a handful of ingredients.

The skin will get delightfully crispy in the oven while the meat inside stays tender and moist. This recipe calls for a 14-pound turkey which is enough to feed between 12 and 14 people!

Oven Roasted Turkey
Perfect oven-roasted turkey is easy to dish up for family meals and holidays with this easy, tried, and true roast turkey recipe! This is one of the easiest ways to ensure your holiday turkey turns out beautifully browned, tender, moist, and super tasty!
Check out this recipe
Best oven roasted turkey recipe for delightfully tasty turkey dinners every time.

2. Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are another easy dish that can go a long way! These red-skin mashed potatoes call for heavy cream and cream cheese for a super rich and creamy texture!

Don't worry if you prefer some lumps in your potatoes, there are still some chunks and bits of potato skin to enjoy. This recipe will serve 8 people with a hearty appetite, though you could easily double it!

Red Skin Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Red skin mashed potatoes with roasted garlic and cream cheese are a classic holiday side dish and a staple for great family meals! The smooth, rich potatoes still have a few lumps to enjoy all of the wonderful textures of your red potatoes. If you're feeling the need for delicious mashed potatoes, then this dish is your next obsession!
Check out this recipe
These delightfully creamy Garlic Red Skin Mashed Potatoes are loaded with roasted garlic and cream cheese for the ultimate silky texture with just enough lumps to let the red skin potato flavor shine!

3. Mashed Sweet Potatoes

No one will complain if you serve 2 types of potatoes! This sweet side dish is a nice contrast to the usual savory mashed potatoes.

It's a fairly quick and easy recipe. Though one batch serves about 6 people, you can easily double the ingredients to serve 12.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes
These mashed sweet potatoes are the perfect sweet side dish to accompany all of your favorite holiday meals! They are creamy, rich, and have just the right amount of added sweetness to make them completely irresistible! This is going to become your new favorite sweet potato side dish!
Check out this recipe
Square image of mashed sweet potatoes in a white bowl.

4. Crockpot Mac and Cheese

This recipe is a double winner because it not only serves a crowd, but it is practically hands-off! Just toss the cheese, milk, seasoning, and macaroni noodles in the crockpot in the morning and it will be ready by dinner time.

1 crockpot full of mac and cheese will make 8 hefty servings. If you need more, borrow a crockpot and make 2 batches (you can serve it warm right out of the crockpot, too)!

Crockpot Mac and Cheese
Crockpot mac and cheese is about to be your new favorite method of making macaroni and cheese. It's so easy, and there are no dishes. There's no boiling your macaroni noodles; just toss them in your slow cooker with the other ingredients and let it do all the cooking.
Check out this recipe
Closeup on the crockpot mac and cheese after dishing it up into a white pasta bowl.

5. Easy Stuffing

The name says it all: this stuffing is easy to make! It's a classic recipe that is really hard to mess up.

One 9x13 baking dish of this stuffing will serve a whopping 10 people! If you'd like to dress it up a little and make it go further, try mixing in some savory sausage!

Easy Stuffing Recipe
My easy stuffing recipe is a cornerstone for Thanksgiving dinner, holiday meals, and tasty family dinners all year. Classic ingredients including celery, onion, and ready-to-use stuffing cubes are combined with tasty herbs to complement all your favorite dishes. It only takes minutes to prep this classic Thanksgiving side dish staple that the whole family loves.
A single serving of this recipe is baked in an 8x8 dish and yields 10 side servings, or 6-8 heartier portions. It's also easy to 2x or 3x this recipe for larger gatherings.
Check out this recipe
Easy stuffing with tasty herbs served in glass dish with serving spoon.

6. Oat Rolls

Oat rolls are the perfect thing for sopping up mashed potatoes and gravy! They are soft and subtly sweet and pair wonderfully with turkey.

Best of all, one batch makes 20 rolls. It should be plenty to serve the whole family!

Oat Rolls
My oat rolls are soft, tender, fluffy, and just as perfect with any weeknight family meal as they are with a Thanksgiving turkey dinner! These delicious yeast rolls have ground oats & brown sugar, making them a perfect sweet snack or an awesome side for lunch or dinner! They are easy to make and can even be prepared in advance!
Check out this recipe
Wide image of the pulled apart oat rolls on wood grain background.

7. Green Bean Casserole

If you ask me, no Thanksgiving is complete without turkey and green bean casserole. This casserole is extra cheesy with bacon and a crispy parmesan breadcrumb topping that is to die for.

One green bean casserole will feed 8 people. Luckily, you can make it in advance if you want to keep an extra casserole as a backup.

Green Bean Casserole with Bacon
This incredibly tasty, cheesy green bean casserole with bacon combines cream cheese, cheddar, bacon, and a crunchy topping for an upgraded classic! It's a family favorite holiday side dish that never fails to wow every time!
Check out this recipe
Closeup square image of the baked green bean casserole with bacon.

8. Honey Glazed Carrots

Honey-glazed carrots are one of my favorite ways to eat veggies! The honey, brown sugar, and fresh herbs are the perfect combination of fall flavors.

2 pounds of carrots will make enough for 6. It's only a 25-minute recipe, though, so you can have some more popped in the oven and ready to eat in no time.

Honey Glazed Carrots
These oven roasted honey glazed carrots are the perfect easy vegetable side dish for any time of the year. They are sweet and fragrant and pair wonderfully with ham or turkey around the holidays. The winning combination of honey, brown sugar, and fresh herbs is what takes these tender honey glazed roasted carrots over the top.
Check out this recipe
Square image of roasted honey glazed carrots in a white baking dish.

9. Jiffy Corn Casserole

Using Jiffy baking mix makes this corn casserole extra easy! There are only 5 ingredients and none of them require any prep time.

The combination of soft cornbread, creamed corn, and juicy corn kernels is always a family favorite. One casserole feeds 8, but as with the others, you can always make 2!

Jiffy Corn Casserole
Jiffy corn casserole is a sweet and savory side dish with creamy corn mixed into every bite of the tender cornbread. Best of all, you only need 5 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep time to put it together. Whether you call it corn casserole, corn pudding, or spoon bread, it's a side that goes with practically anything!
Check out this recipe
Jiffy corn casserole square image plated piece with a forked bite pulled to the front.

10. Candied Yams

Is it a dessert or a side dish? Who cares! These tasty candied yams were always my favorite dish at Thanksgiving growing up. It's something about the ooey-gooey melted marshmallow topping.

This recipe is surprisingly simple because you use canned yams! It will serve 8 easily (unless you're like me and go for seconds...and thirds)!

Candied Yams With Marshmallows
These easy candied yams with marshmallows combine canned or fresh yams that are baked with butter, brown sugar, and marshmallows. They're exactly how my family and I have been making this classic holiday favorite for decades! This easy vegetable side dish is sure to be a winning holiday side dish your family loves too!
Check out this recipe
Wide closelup on the candied yams with marshmallows in serving spoon.

11. Pumpkin Pie

It should be no surprise that pumpkin pie is on this list! Leaving out the evaporated milk makes this recipe a slightly healthier alternative, and easier, too!

One recipe is for 2 9-inch pies which will serve 16! With a dollop of whipped cream on each slice, you will have one happy household.

Pumpkin Pie Without Evaporated Milk (Easy Dairy Free Version)
This pumpkin pie without evaporated milk is so incredibly delicious that no one will even know you left out an ingredient. Whether you don't have any on hand, want a healthier alternative, or have an allergy- you can completely skip the evaporated milk here. Don't worry, this pie is still just as creamy and flavorful as any classic pumpkin pie!
Check out this recipe
Square close up image of a whole pumpkin pie.

12. Buttered Peas and Carrots

You can make this easy veggie side dish in a skillet or in the microwave! They take practically no time at all.

This recipe serves 5, but because it takes no time to make you can easily make as much as you need! Just scale the ingredients up and work in batches, you'll have enough for everyone in no time.

Buttered Peas and Carrots
Tasty buttered peas & carrots are a classic vegetable side dish that can easily be made either on the stove or in the microwave. Sometimes the most simple recipes are the best, and this delicious combination of tender carrots and buttery sweet peas is one of those times!
Check out this recipe
Square image of a white bowl filled with peas and carrots.

13. Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese

If you prefer your mac and cheese baked with a slightly crispy top, then you may prefer this recipe to crockpot macaroni. It uses 3 different kinds of cheese and heavy cream for a perfectly gooey cheese sauce!

A single 9x13 dish of this mac and cheese will feed 10 people! Double up as needed or offer 2 kinds of macaroni: crockpot and baked (no one will complain).

If you are a fan of Southern cooking, try out some of our other Southern Thanksgiving recipes!

Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese
This Southern baked macaroni and cheese is a wonderfully creamy and extra cheesy side dish that everyone will love. Made with a minimum of three kinds of cheese to make the best mac and cheese that is sure to be a family favorite. You'll be bringing it along to every potluck, cookout, and holiday!
Check out this recipe
My easy to make Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese is the best creamy mac and cheese that your family is sure to love!!

These buffet Thanksgiving menu ideas will help you throw an unforgettable get-together! Tell us which recipes were a hit by commenting below!

🦃 More Thanksgiving Recipes

  • Microwave Acorn Squash - This quick and easy side dish is full of fall flavor and subtly sweet from a touch of brown sugar!
  • Herbes de Provence Roasted Turkey - This buttery roasted turkey packs extra flavor from herbes de provence seasoning.
  • Pumpkin Streusel Bread - Swap out pumpkin pie for this delightfully moist pumpkin bread with crumbly streusel topping!
  • Microwave Baked Sweet Potatoes - Save time and effort by making perfectly baked sweet potatoes right in the microwave!
  • Boiled Potatoes - These buttery-boiled potatoes are perfectly seasoned and incredibly easy to make!
  • Sour Cream Cornbread - Sour cream and buttermilk make this cornbread extra moist and fluffy!

See more Thanksgiving →

Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
Stay in touch with me through social media @ Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Subscribe to the newsletter today (no spam, I promise)! Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!

📖 Recipe Card

Buffet style Thanksgiving dinner menu ideas to feed a crowd easily.
Print Recipe Leave A Comment
Love This Recipe?Click On A Star To Rate It!
5 from 6 reviews

Buffet Thanksgiving Menu Ideas: Buttered Peas & Carrots (+More Great Recipes!)

These buffet Thanksgiving menu ideas are just what you need if you are having a large get-together and need to feed a crowd! Each of these dishes can be self-served so everyone can build the perfect Thanksgiving plate! There's roast turkey, side dishes, desserts, and anything else you could need!
Author | Angela Latimer
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 147kcal
Prep 5 minutes minutes
Cooking 10 minutes minutes
Total Time 15 minutes minutes
Pin Recipe Share on Facebook

Ingredients
 

Buttered Peas & Carrots

  • ¼ cup butter
  • ½ lb carrots (peeled and sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds)
  • 2 cups frozen sweet peas (1 10 to 12-ounce package)
  • ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)

Optional Additions

  • ½ cup pearl onions
  • 1 tablespoon chicken broth (or vegetable broth, just a splash)
  • 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon (chicken or vegetable base)
  • ½ teaspoon dried herbs (to taste, *see note)
  • 1 tablespoon honey (add up to ¼ cup, or 4 tablespoons, to taste)

(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)

Help Us Out!If you love a recipe, be sure to come back and share your ratings. This helps future users, and allows me to continue sharing free recipes! Angela

Instructions
 

Stovetop Instructions

  • To start, place the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted and bubbly, add the carrots (and optional pearl onions if using) and saute until tender, about 8-10 minutes
  • Once the carrots are tender, add the peas, salt & pepper, and any optional ingredients you are using (chicken broth, Better Than Bouillon, dried herbs, and/or honey). Stir to coat, and continue sauteing for about 5 minutes or until the peas are warmed through. Remove from heat, and serve immediately.

Microwave Instructions

  • To start, place the carrots (and onions if using) in a glass microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl of carrots with fitted lid or a plate and microwave on high for 3 minutes.
  • Remove the carrots from the microwave (carefully as the bowl will be hot) and stir in the peas. Season to taste with salt & pepper, and microwave uncovered for 2 more minutes.
  • Cover the bowl and tilt it carefully over the sink to drain any excess water from the frozen peas. Then, stir in the butter and any remaining optional ingredients you would like to use (chicken broth, dried herbs, and/or honey). Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Carrots should be cut so they are roughly the same size to cook evenly.
  • The sauteing carrots can be covered with a lid between occasionally stirring to trap steam and cook them quickly.
  • Thyme, marjoram, oregano, tarragon, chives, dill, or rosemary are all herbs that would taste great here.
  • Nutritional information is calculated on base recipe ingredients only.

Nutrition

Calories: 147kcal (7%) | Carbohydrates: 13g (4%) | Protein: 4g (8%) | Fat: 10g (15%) | Saturated Fat: 6g (38%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg (8%) | Sodium: 348mg (15%) | Potassium: 289mg (8%) | Fiber: 4g (17%) | Sugar: 5g (6%) | Vitamin A: 8305IU (166%) | Vitamin C: 26mg (32%) | Calcium: 32mg (3%) | Iron: 1mg (6%)
Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can’t wait to see your results! Mention @bake_it_with_love or tag #bake_it_with_love!
Course Side Dish, Thanksgiving
Cuisine American

« Budget Thanksgiving Menu Ideas
Midwestern Thanksgiving Menu Ideas »

Share This Recipe!

  • Share
  • X
  • Flipboard
  • Threads
  • WhatsApp
  • Email

Reader Interactions

Comments

No Comments

5 from 6 votes (6 ratings without comment)

Thanks for coming! Ask anything - or let me know what you think: Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Author bio photo with cake.

Hi there, I'm Angela

I am an avid vintage cookbook collector, cook, baker, and total foodie. I love sharing new, fun, creative recipes and great classic recipes, just like my Grandma used to make! Every recipe on BIWL is tested to ensure that cooks of any experience level can succeed.

Welcome to Bake It With Love. Enjoy!

More About Me ->

Grilling Recipes

  • Tasty, easy cookout food ideas to make and feed a crowd this summer.
    Easy Cookout Food Ideas: Best Dishes To Bring To A Cookout
  • Square image of sliced Arrachera steak on a cutting board.
    Arrachera (Mexican Steak for Tacos)
  • Square image of sliced Denver steak on a cutting board.
    Denver Steak
  • Square image of grilled ostrich steaks.
    Grilled Ostrich Steaks
  • Square image of grilled pineapple.
    Grilled Pineapple
  • Square image of sliced grilled skirt steak.
    Grilled Skirt Steak
See more Grilled →

Tasty Dinner Ideas

  • A square image showing tender wok-fried strips of chicken breast with peppers (firecracker chicken) in a black bowl over white rice with a set of chopsticks.
    Panda Express Firecracker Chicken Breast
  • A square collage of four images showing easy summer crockpot meals including tender London broil pot roast, green beans and potatoes, grape jelly meatballs, and pork carnitas tacos.
    Summer Crockpot Meal Ideas
  • Panda Express honey sesame chicken copycat recipe plated with rice and garnished with more white sesame seeds.
    Panda Express Honey Sesame Chicken
  • A square image showing a bowl of tender wok fried marinated chicken with celery, onions, and black pepper sauce.
    Panda Express Black Pepper Chicken
  • Best leftover lobster recipes page image featuring four favorite dishes in a square collage.
    Leftover Lobster Recipes
  • Square collage image featuring 4 tasty recipes using leftover hard boiled eggs.
    Leftover Hard Boiled Eggs Recipes
See more Main Dish →

Footer

As Seen On

As seen on these popular sites: Mashed, Tasting Table, Parade, MSN, Yahoo, Delish, The Pioneer Woman, Today, Taste of Home, and more.

↑ back to top

About

  • Meet The Team
  • Photo Sharing
  • Privacy Policy
  • Work With Me
  • Accessibility Statement

Recipes

  • Dinners
  • Desserts
  • Breakfasts
  • Cookies & Bars
  • Videos
  • Articles

AI-Free

Everything on Bake It With Love is created by me, where I share my experiences, with help from my team members and family.

I promise that BIWL is 100% free of AI content.

Get Social

Visit us on your favorite social media platforms!

Copyright © 2016-2025 Bake It With Love

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

This worked exactly as written, thanks!
My family loved this!
Thank you for sharing this recipe

Or write in your own words:

A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.