Here's what to serve with Thanksgiving turkey so you can have the best Thanksgiving dinner menu lineup possible. From easy side dishes to classic appetizers and everything in between, this will be your best Thanksgiving yet! Go ahead and choose one (or two, or three) recipes, and your family is bound to love them.
Make sure you check out my complete roundup of Thanksgiving side dishes, appetizers, and desserts to complete your meal.
Jump to:
- 1. Thanksgiving Turkey
- 2. Easy Stuffing
- 3. Candied Yams
- 4. Campbell's Green Bean Casserole
- 5. Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- 6. Classic Turkey Gravy
- 7. Butter Herb Rhodes Rolls
- 8. Cranberry Cider Sauce
- 9. Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
- 10. Antipasto Skewers
- 11. Charcuterie Board
- 12. French Onion Dip
- 13. Bacon Cheddar Green Bean Casserole
- 14. Crockpot Scalloped Potatoes
- 15. Slow Cooker Candied Yams
- 16. Oat Rolls
- 17. Dauphinoise Potatoes
- 💭 Tips For Choosing What To Serve With Thanksgiving Turkey
- 📖 Recipe Card
- What To Serve With Thanksgiving Turkey (17+ Delicious Thanksgiving Recipes)
- 💬 Comments & Reviews
Thanksgiving is easily one of my favorite holidays (tied with Christmas, of course). Getting to share a cozy meal with those I love is my definition of quality time.
I've set up tons of guides to help you navigate this special day, from the top 10 Thanksgiving recipes to buffet Thanksgiving ideas and so much more! Today, we are going over the best accompaniments to complement your perfectly cooked turkey.
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!
1. Thanksgiving Turkey
There's no better place to start than with the turkey itself! This Thanksgiving turkey recipe is completely foolproof and perfect for beginners and seasoned cooks!
Spreading butter under the skin adds tons of extra flavor. If you have any meat left over, use them for an amazing leftover turkey recipe!
Check out how to safely thaw your turkey in time here!
2. Easy Stuffing
Is there a more perfect side dish for turkey than stuffing (or is it dressing)? This easy stuffing is a classic, but you can try tons of other Thanksgiving stuffing recipes, too!
Enjoy a unique twist with this cornbread stuffing, or add some extra protein to this sausage stuffing!
3. Candied Yams
Yams are a classic Thanksgiving side dish, and there are so many ways you can enjoy them, too! You can top them with some marshmallows for a dessert-like flavor, or leave them with some crumbled bacon for a more savory side!
4. Campbell's Green Bean Casserole
Green bean casserole holds a permanent spot on pretty much every Thanksgiving table. This Campbell's version uses canned green beans and only a few ingredients for an extra simple side dish.
If you want to go the extra mile, you can make it from scratch with fresh green beans! Check out my post on how to make green bean casserole for bonus tips!
5. Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Of all the Thanksgiving potato recipes out there, mashed potatoes are easily a must-have. These potatoes are rich, creamy, and loaded with garlic flavor.
Personally, I like to dip my Thanksgiving turkey in the potatoes themselves, but they taste great strictly on the side, too.
6. Classic Turkey Gravy
You can't enjoy Thanksgiving turkey without some homemade turkey gravy right beside it! Make sure you save the drippings from your turkey so you can whip up this savory gravy in no time!
7. Butter Herb Rhodes Rolls
These buttery rolls are perfect for Thanksgiving since they only need a few minutes of prep work! You can easily save tons of time, especially since you have so many other recipes to prepare!
8. Cranberry Cider Sauce
I can't argue that there is something special about the can-shaped store-bought cranberry sauce. However, this homemade cranberry sauce incorporates apple cider for an extra decadent condiment (or side).
Go ahead and serve this as well as the canned variety, and let your guests decide!
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9. Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
These bite-sized cheese-filled mushrooms are great for any party, even Thanksgiving! They taste amazing on your plate right alongside the turkey or can be snacked on while waiting for the rest of the food to finish cooking.
They are an ideal Thanksgiving appetizer!
10. Antipasto Skewers
These antipasto skewers can easily be made in advance or even at the last minute. They are the perfect appetizer for carrying around while you mingle with all of your friends and family.
You could also try an antipasto platter or even an antipasto salad!
11. Charcuterie Board
Charcuterie boards are one of my favorite appetizers for serving a crowd because everyone can pick and choose what they want! There is no need to adjust them to everyone's individual preferences, as there is something for everyone already!
This is definitely one of the easiest Thanksgiving menu ideas.
12. French Onion Dip
As far as dips and appetizers go, French onion dip is a universally loved option. You could serve it next to some sour cream chip dip for variety or leave it all on its own.
13. Bacon Cheddar Green Bean Casserole
This easy green bean casserole adds tons of bacon and cheddar cheese for the ultimate budget side dish! If you aren't into all the cheese, you can try this green bean casserole with bacon.
14. Crockpot Scalloped Potatoes
If you want to mix up your Thanksgiving potato side dish from just plain mashed potatoes, give these scalloped potatoes a try! After slicing and layering the potatoes, just leave them to cook in your crockpot while you work on other things!
15. Slow Cooker Candied Yams
While yams are a must-have for the holidays, that doesn't mean you have to put a ton of work into them! This crockpot version makes them essentially effortless without having to sacrifice any of the flavors!
16. Oat Rolls
If you want a tender and flavorful made-from-scratch dinner roll, then these oat rolls are fantastic. They make a perfect Thanksgiving roll and aren't difficult to make at all.
17. Dauphinoise Potatoes
If you want a more elegant Thanksgiving dinner, then these rich and indulgent dauphinoise potatoes are perfect! They are thinly sliced, creamy, loaded with cheese, and use fresh thyme for the ultimate flavor boost.
💭 Tips For Choosing What To Serve With Thanksgiving Turkey
The possibilities are endless when choosing what to serve with Thanksgiving turkey! Keep these things in mind to help you choose some recipes.
- Traditional Favorites. Include classic Thanksgiving sides like mashed potatoes, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. Of course, these dishes pair perfectly with turkey, but they are also traditional and popular.
- Bread or Rolls. Freshly baked rolls (or other varieties of bread) are always a hit at Thanksgiving.
- Gravy and Sauces. Gravy is a fantastic condiment for turkey.
- Prep Ahead. Avoid added stress on Thanksgiving morning by choosing recipes that can be made ahead of time!
These recipes are sure to be a hit with both small and large Thanksgiving gatherings. Leave a comment down below and let me know your family's favorite dishes!
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.
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📖 Recipe Card
What To Serve With Thanksgiving Turkey (17+ Delicious Thanksgiving Recipes)
Ingredients
- 16 lb turkey (thawed)
- ½ cup butter (softened, at room temperature, divided)
- 1 medium yellow onion (peeled, halved, and quartered)
- 1 large lemon (washed, halved, and quartered)
- 1 large orange (washed, halved, and quartered)
- 1 head garlic (peeled and cloves crushed)
- ¼ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning (optional)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- 30 minutes before you begin, remove the turkey from the fridge so that it can come to room temperature. This is also a good time to take out the butter so it can soften.
- Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) and place a roasting rack or tray into a large roasting pan.
- Remove the turkey from its packaging as well as the contents of the cavity (neck, gizzards, heart, liver, and sometimes a gravy packet). Rinse both the inside and outside of your turkey and then pat it dry using paper towels.
- Transfer it to your roasting rack and generously season the interior of the turkey with salt and pepper. Then, fill the cavity with the onion, garlic cloves, orange, and lemon.
- In a small mixing bowl, add softened butter, salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme, and optional poultry seasoning if using. Mix until well combined.
- Gently loosen the skin of the turkey with your fingertips and spread half of the herb butter under the skin, covering the breast and legs.
- Tuck the wing tips under and use butcher twine to hold the legs together. Spread the remaining herb butter all over the entire outside of the turkey, including all sides.
- Leave your turkey uncovered and place it in the preheated oven. Then, reduce the temperature of the oven to 350°F (175°C) and cook for 13 minutes per pound (with no stuffing) or 15 minutes per pound (with stuffing).
- Remove your turkey from the oven and baste it using the drippings from the pan every 45 minutes. Keep your oven closed while you are basting the turkey so that the temperature stays steady.
- Remove your turkey from the oven when it reaches 155-160°F (68-71°C).
- Carefully transfer the cooked turkey to a cutting board or your serving platter, then cover loosely with aluminum foil. Save the drippings for gravy (if desired). Allow your turkey to rest for about 1 hour before carving and serving.
Notes
- Take a look at my guide for how to safely thaw turkey for some tips and tricks!
- Allowing your turkey to come to room temperature will help it to cook evenly and minimize shrinkage.
- An unstuffed turkey cooks at about 13 minutes per pound. However, since the cavity is stuffed with oranges, lemons, onions, and garlic, it will take slightly longer to cook at about 15 minutes per pound.
- Turkey should never be cooked at a temperature that is lower than 325°F (163°C) due to safety.
- If the presentation of your turkey is not vital, you can achieve an incredibly moist turkey breast by cooking the bird with the breast side facing down.
- The hardest spot to get to cook evenly with your turkey is the thigh joint, to help with this don't tie the legs together, and you can even use a sharp knife to cut deeper into the joint. This will cook your turkey evenly, quickly, and perfectly.
- To store: Remove the meat from the turkey and transfer it to an airtight container. Keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: You can place your meat into zip-top freezer bags and freeze them for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: Place your meat into a baking dish with some chicken broth and butter then cover with aluminum foil. Bake in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until heated all the way through.
Nutrition
Originally published November 15, 2023
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