This Midwestern Thanksgiving menu spotlights traditional recipe ideas that are popular on the Thanksgiving dinner table in the Midwest! From roasted turkey to delectable side dishes, I have gathered a complete list of the tastiest Thanksgiving menu items! Any of these recipes will be a hit if you are hosting your family's Thanksgiving dinner!
Best Midwestern Thanksgiving Recipes
Don't let the stress of holiday meal planning overwhelm you, as I'm here to help you out no matter the style of dinner you want to serve! These Midwestern traditional recipes are dependable, delicious, holiday staple recipes!
Whether you are from the Midwest or want to try something new, you can't go wrong with these recipes! From roasted turkey to tater tot hotdish, it's all here!
Jump to:
- Best Midwestern Thanksgiving Recipes
- Thanksgiving Menu Ideas for a Midwestern Holiday Meal
- 1. Easy Stuffing
- 2. Roast Turkey
- 3. Turkey Gravy
- 4. Green Bean Casserole
- 5. Cranberry Sauce
- 6. Deviled Eggs
- 8. Corn Casserole
- 9. Sweet Potato Casserole
- 10. Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
- 11. Vegetable Casserole
- 12. Homemade Crescent Rolls
- 13. Scalloped Potatoes
- 14. Cranberry Fluff
- 15. Cheese Balls
- 16. Tater Tot Hotdish
- 17. Snickers Salad
- 🦃 More Thanksgiving Recipes
- 📖 Recipe Card
- Midwestern Thanksgiving Menu Ideas: Oven Roasted Turkey (+ Everything You Need!)
- Ingredients
- Instructions
- Notes
- 💬 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 Midwestern Holiday Meal
You've come to the right place if you are craving some Midwestern classics! No matter where you live, these Midwestern recipes will warm your heart!
1. Easy Stuffing
When it comes to Thanksgiving, no Midwest holiday meal is complete without stuffing! A light crust is formed on top, allowing the stuffing to be soft, buttery, and well-seasoned with herbs.
This Midwestern staple only takes 5 minutes to prepare. It features classic stuffing ingredients such as celery, onion, stuffing cubes, butter, and tasty herbs!
2. Roast Turkey
Roasting a turkey is one of the easiest ways to cook up a tender, moist, and super tasty main course bird! No dryness here, this roasted turkey cooks beautifully every time!
Impress your family with this juicy and tender roasted turkey on your next Thanksgiving dinner!
3. Turkey Gravy
A delicious homemade turkey gravy using drippings and giblets from a roasted turkey. It's rich, creamy, and perfect to top almost everything!
You'll be thankful that you made this Midwestern-style homemade gravy over buying store-bought! This gravy only takes minutes to prepare and it's simple to make!
4. Green Bean Casserole
A Midwestern classic side dish that you will see on everyone's Thanksgiving menu! This upgraded casserole features a cheese sauce, crispy pieces of bacon, and a crunchy breadcrumb topping.
Everyone will fight for seconds because this green bean casserole is that good!
5. Cranberry Sauce
Sweet, tangy, and juicy cranberry sauce is an absolute must for Thanksgiving dinner! This delicious festive treat is bound to be a new holiday favorite!
Fresh apple slices and apple cider are mixed in with tangy cranberries to create an elevated homemade cranberry sauce!
You might also like my Buffet Style Thanksgiving Dinner Menu Ideas!
6. Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs are always a hit at Midwestern Thanksgiving gatherings! They are easy to make, delicious, and healthy!
With this classic deviled egg recipe, you won't be disappointed! Make sure to prepare a big batch, everyone will be wanting seconds.
8. Corn Casserole
Corn Casserole is a versatile and delicious side dish perfect for Thanksgiving or any time of year! No need to worry if this cornbread will turn out dry, the sour cream and butter guarantee a moist outcome every time!
This cornbread casserole recipe is the ultimate Midwestern comfort food. You can't go wrong with a sweet and tasty side dish like this one!
9. Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet potato casserole is a Thanksgiving staple dessert dish topped with marshmallows and pecans! You can even prepare ahead of time before baking this dessert on the big day.
This sweet and savory casserole is always a fan-favorite in my house and I'm sure it will be in yours too!
10. Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
These cream cheese mashed potatoes are simple to make and absolutely delicious! Slather them on your plate then put some turkey and gravy on top!
The addition of cream cheese and a hint of garlic makes mashed potatoes the ultimate comfort food!
11. Vegetable Casserole
This vegetable casserole is a Midwestern classic side dish loaded with frozen veggies, Velveeta, and a Ritz cracker topping! This casserole can be assembled the day before to save you some stress on Thanksgiving!
With a cheesy center and a crunchy crumb topping, everyone will be wowed by how delicious this casserole is!
12. Homemade Crescent Rolls
Homemade crescent rolls are easily one of the first things gone at any holiday dinner! They are buttery, flaky, and chewy, perfect for sopping up turkey gravy on Thanksgiving!
These delicious rolls are easier to make than you think, there is no need to pop open a premade package again!
13. Scalloped Potatoes
Traditional Midwestern layered creamy scalloped potatoes are a Thanksgiving favorite! Layered russet potato casserole is savory, cheesy, and rich!
Everyone will love this tender delicious side dish with a golden and crispy crust on your next holiday meal!
14. Cranberry Fluff
Cranberry fluff is a sweet and tangy fruit salad made with cranberries, apples, green grapes, nuts, and mini marsh mellows! It's the perfect light dessert that won't fill you up too much while you eat your turkey meal.
It's an easy-to-make fruit dish and especially great for when you need to make a delicious side in a hurry!
15. Cheese Balls
Cheese balls are the best appetizer to enjoy while watching your favorite football team during Thanksgiving, hands down! This traditional Midwestern snack is created with three different kinds of cheese, wrapped into a ball, and then dusted with crumbled bacon.
Serve with celery sticks, toasted baguette slices, or your favorite crackers!
16. Tater Tot Hotdish
This mouthwatering tater tot hotdish is a must-have for any Thanksgiving meal in the Midwest! Green beans (or sweet corn) and cream of mushroom soup are combined with ground meat before being topped with tater tots and cooked to perfection!
Whether you call it a casserole or a hotdish, it's guaranteed to be loved by your guests!
17. Snickers Salad
Snickers salad is a delicious and creamy dessert dish made with Snickers candy bars, cool whip, vanilla pudding, and Cool Whip! Top it with some caramel sauce and you have yourself a perfect year-round dessert that the family will love!
When you make this dessert to serve along your Thanksgiving feast and you won't be disappointed!
I hope these Midwestern Thanksgiving menu ideas helped you pull off the perfect holiday dinner! Let me know in the comments below which recipes you tried!
🦃 More Thanksgiving Recipes
- Loaded Baked Potato Salad- Loaded baked potato salad is a great savory appetizer or a wonderful side for any dinner!
- Apple Pie- Apple pie is a classic dessert made with granny apples and a homemade apple pie spice!
- Sour Cream Cornbread- This sour cream cornbread recipe turns out delicious and moist every time!
- Baked Mac and Cheese- A baked Southern mac and cheese recipe that the whole family will love!
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes- Mashed sweet potatoes make the best side to your favorite main meaty dish!
- Candied Yams- A traditional Thanksgiving dish that features brown sugar, butter, marshmallows, and yams!
See more Thanksgiving →
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📖 Recipe Card
Midwestern Thanksgiving Menu Ideas: Oven Roasted Turkey (+ Everything You Need!)
Ingredients
- 14 lb turkey (thawed)
- 1 c butter (1 stick, melted)
- 4 cubes chicken bullion
- ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 orange (optional - quartered)
- 4 sprigs thyme (optional - fresh)
- 2 c chicken broth
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C) and place a roasting rack or tray in your large roasting pan.
- Remove thawed turkey from packaging, as well as any packages in the cavity (neck, gizzards, heart, liver are usually inside - some turkeys also have a package of gravy base). Rinse turkey inside and out, place in the roasting pan breast side up, then pat dry.
- In a small bowl, combine melted butter with chicken bullion cubes and smoked paprika seasoning. Break apart the cubes to make a paste.
- Using the paste, coat the outside of the turkey as well as inside the body cavity (whether or not you will be stuffing the turkey, it adds sensational flavoring!) starting with massaging the paste into the breast and working over the legs, wings, back and then the remaining paste inside the turkey.
- Stuff your turkey (optional) with prepared stuffing. We do not cook our stuffing this way as the turkey cooks more evenly when left open.
- (optional) Place a quartered orange and fresh thyme herbs inside the cavity for aroma and flavoring.
- Pour 2 cups chicken broth into the bottom of the roasting pan (water will work too, water or broth will combine with the drippings from your roasting turkey and can be used for turkey gravy base).
- Leave your turkey uncovered and place the roasting pan with seasoned turkey into the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and cook for 13 minutes per pound (without stuffing) or 15 per pound (with stuffing).
- Every 45 minutes, remove the turkey from oven and baste with the drippings and then return to the oven and allow to continue cooking. Be sure to close the oven while basting, to keep your oven temperature steady for proper roasting time.
- *At the second basting interval is when I start checking the internal temperature of my turkey with a meat thermometer. **It is also when I evaluate the appearance of the skin, and I may choose to cover the cooking turkey loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil at this point to keep from over-cooking the skin and turkey breast.
- Remove your turkey from the oven when it reaches 155 - 160 degrees F (68-71 degrees C).
- Carefully transfer the cooked turkey to a cutting board or serving platter, cover loosely with aluminum foil, then save the drippings for gravy (if desired). Allow your turkey to rest for approximately half the roasting time (ex. 1 ½ hours resting time for a 3 hour roasting time).
Notes
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
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