thanksgiving

24 Thanksgiving Recipes Our Editors Swear By

The Kitchn Editors
The Kitchn Editors
The Kitchn editors are home cooks living across the country. We obsess over all aspects of life in the kitchen: cooking, snacking, grocery shopping, cleaning and organizing (even renovating).
published Nov 19, 2022
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Sheet pan pasta with Brussels Sprouts.
Credit: Shelly Westerhausen

If you’re still choosing recipes for your Thanksgiving menu, don’t panic — you’re not alone. Finalizing your Thanksgiving menu can be challenging to say the very least. For such a big and celebratory feast, we often put unintentional pressure on each dish to be the best, and deciding something as simple as which pumpkin pie to bring to grandma’s house can feel downright overwhelming. But we’re here to help.

As food editors, we read and cook our way through hundreds of recipes throughout the year. To help you make the final call on what you’ll be cooking, we pulled together our official recommendations for your holiday table. This tried-and-true list include classics that we swear by as well as new and fun twists that are worth breaking tradition for. They’re the recipes we’ll be cooking and we hope you love them just as much as we do.

1 / 24
Cacio e Pepe Brussels Sprouts

Inspired by cacio e pepe, these crispy roasted Brussels sprouts have a creamy peppery sauce everyone is sure to appreciate.

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2 / 24
Sweet Potato Smash

Twice baked and tossed in miso brown butter, this dish, from chef Camilla Marcus of NYC's west~bourne, is an elevated take on the classic holiday dish we all know and love. It's also one of our Editor-in-Chief Faith's all-time favorite Kitchn recipes.

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3 / 24
Sheet Pan Mac and Cheese with Brussels Sprouts

This cheesy pasta gratin — which can be made with any roasted vegetable — boasts maximum crispiness in every bite. It's an excellent vegetarian option that everyone, turkey eaters included, will appreciate.

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4 / 24
Grilled Spatchcocked Turkey

A staff favorite among Kitchn editors, grilled turkey frees up valuable oven space, saves time and is much less messy.

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5 / 24
Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls

Looking for a dinner roll? Food Editor-at-Large Christine Gallary recommends these orange beauties which get their delicate sweetness from mashed sweet potatoes.

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6 / 24
Hibiscus Mezcal Pitcher Cocktail

When the tart, sweet flavor of hibiscus combines with the smokiness of mezcal, you get this irresistible cocktail from Associate Food Editor Nicole Rufus . It's the perfect match for holiday appetizers but pairs surprisingly well with roast turkey, too.

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7 / 24
Paris Mushroom Soup

Dorie Greenspan's Paris Mushroom Soup is Contributing Senior Food Editor Sheela Prakash's favorite way to kick off her Thanksgiving feast.

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8 / 24
Pumpkin Slab Pie with Ginger-Pecan Streusel Topping

Our favorite part of this recipe isn't that it easily feeds a couple dozen people (though that's pretty great, too!). It's the foolproof, incredibly delicious press-in crust that comes together quickly and easily in the food processor.

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9 / 24
Creamy Braised Brussels Sprouts
Using heavy cream as the braising liquid brings out Brussels sprouts' inherent sweetness, and the cream itself reduces into a thick, ivory-colored glaze that coats the sprouts.
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10 / 24
The Best Mashed Potatoes

Get all the information you could possibly need about mashed potatoes here. It's a recipe the whole Kitchn team stands proudly behind.

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11 / 24
Fennel, Carrot, and Leek Gratin

Fennel, carrots, and leeks are mixed with an aromatic Parmesan cream sauce and topped with pecan breadcrumbs for the ultimate veggie gratin.

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12 / 24
Thanksgiving Slaw

This crunchy and delicious slaw won’t wilt like other green salads and can sit out for a while, making it a great addition to the Thanksgiving buffet.

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13 / 24
Field Greens, Poached Pear, and Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
Featuring poached pears, black-eyed peas, and a citrus vinaigrette, this versatile salad is bursting with flavor.
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14 / 24
Jollof Rice

Jollof rice is a smoky, spicy tomato and pepper-based rice dish that's a staple throughout West Africa. It's Associate Food Editor Nicole Rufus' all-time favorite food.

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15 / 24
5-Ingredient Mini Pumpkin Pies

Contributing Senior Food Editor Kelli Foster had all but given up on pumpkin pie until she tried this recipe. Besides being mini and adorable, they're incredibly simple to pull off.

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16 / 24
Maple Pecan Pie Bars

Another one of Faith's favorites, these maple pecan pie bars bring you all the flavor of pecan pie, with none of the fuss.

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17 / 24
Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy

Food-Editor-at-Large Christine Gallary highly recommends saving time on the big day by making this classic turkey gravy ahead of time.

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18 / 24
Fig Cranberry Sauce

Another go-to for Contributing Senior Food Editor Sheela Prakash, cranberry sauce gets a simple and delicious upgrade with figs.

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19 / 24
Thanksgiving Jello Shots

Contributing Food Editor Patty Catalano can't wait to serve these festive jello shots this year. Low in alcohol, they bring cranberry and orange to the holiday table in a fun, new way.

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20 / 24
Pumpkin Pie Bars

Recipe Production Coordinator Justine Lee isn't much of a pie person, but these 5-ingredient bars (with a sugar cookie crust!) are her one exception.

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21 / 24
Slow-Cooker Mashed Potatoes

"Game changer" is all Contributing Food Editor Patty Catalano has to say about this recipe.

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22 / 24
Deep-Fried Turkey

Contributing Food Editor Patty Catalano can't wait to make this glorious deep-fried turkey (again) this year. Learn how to do it safely with this step-by-step guide. Once you try the crackling skin and extra-juicy meat, you'll never go back to roasting.

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23 / 24
Better-than-Starbucks Pumpkin Bread

Moist and tender, this quick bread is an easy make-ahead breakfast option for the long holiday weekend.

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24 / 24
Cranberry Orange Scones Recipe

Chock-full of juicy cranberries and zippy orange, these will be the baked good you'll want to make all fall and winter long.

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