Recipes Holidays and Events Recipes Thanksgiving A Traditional American Thanksgiving Dinner Menu By Kimberly Holland Updated on October 18, 2023 Close Photo: mrs.americanhorse There's something comforting and nostalgic, perhaps, about sticking to a traditional Thanksgiving dinner menu, if that's what your family prefers. Chances are, this means your spread will include time-honored staples like green bean casserole and cornbread dressing. And if that's what your crowd prefers, this collection of classic Thanksgiving recipes includes everything you'd expect. These essential recipes hit the highlights of all the essential dishes your family has come to love over the years. No bells and whistles here — this is a menu that will satisfy everyone at the table. 01 of 12 A Simply Perfect Roast Turkey View Recipe mrs.americanhorse Syd's Simply Perfect Roast Turkey tastes precisely as good as you remember your grandma's Thanksgiving turkey. The seasoning is simple — just salt and pepper — which really lets the poultry's flavor shine. It also makes rich drippings for gravy. How to Cook a Turkey 02 of 12 The Best Turkey Gravy View Recipe JULZBROWN A classic turkey gravy can make or break your Thanksgiving dinner, so you can rely on this recipe to not let you down. Gravy requires a little bit of attention and hands-on whisking, but it's the crown jewel of your meal. Recipe creator JULZBROWN keeps things simple so you don't have to fuss with unnecessary steps or ingredients. Just be sure to save your turkey's drippings; you'll need almost two cups for this gravy. 3 Easy Ways to Take Your Gravy From Good to Great 03 of 12 Grandma's Cornbread Dressing View Recipe SusanR Feel at home again with this traditional cornbread dressing, which gets its flavor from aromatics like celery, onion, and dried sage. The additional ingredients are all purposeful — they highlight the cornbread's naturally nutty but warm flavor — but they won't overwhelm the turkey or gravy. Reviewers suggest you can make it a bit more rich by using leftover pan drippings for some of the stock, if you have any left after making your gravy. Get More Recipes for Stuffing and Dressing 04 of 12 Baked Ham View Recipe Baked Ham studded with cloves | Photo by Meredith. Meredith While turkey gets all the attention on Thanksgiving, ham is a strong second main. In fact, many families can't imagine their holiday meal without baked ham. Auntie KK's recipe can be made the day before — it does require the oven for several hours and hands-on work — but it can easily be heated up just before dinner time. Chilled ham is delicious, too, especially for sandwiches the next day. Watch the video. 05 of 12 Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes View Recipe bobagirl Pam Reed's candied sweet potatoes are a happy medium between a sweet potato casserole and roasted sweet potatoes, two beloved traditional Thanksgiving side dishes. The potato rounds are cooked until just tender in a bath of butter and sugar, soaking up a bit of sweetness. It's a welcome contrast to the heavily savory plate you'll be putting together. Watch the video. 20 Sweet Potato Side Dishes for Thanksgiving 06 of 12 Best Green Bean Casserole View Recipe Cynthia Ross A Thanksgiving dinner without a green bean casserole isn't a Thanksgiving dinner you want to attend. This variation from Jan is a bit different from the classic version — it uses french-fried onions and Cheddar cheese — but it retains all that's great about this holiday dish: creamy dressing and crisp, juicy green beans. Watch the video. Get More Green Bean Casserole Recipes 07 of 12 Creamy au Gratin Potatoes View Recipe lutzflcat Smashed, casseroled, or baked — the potato dish at your family's Thanksgiving meal is quite important to the entire spread. Here, Cathy Martin's recipe lets potato rounds and onion rings tenderize in a cheesy, creamy sauce. Are the onions a bit unusual for your diners? Leave them out. They won't be missed. Watch the video. 08 of 12 Cranberry Sauce Extraordinaire View Recipe Photo by Elizabeth. Canned or homemade? It's a timeless Thanksgiving question, but once you try Leeza's homemade cranberry sauce, you will never set foot near the canned kind again. Though it's called cranberry sauce, this relish features several fruits, including pears, apples, and dried fruit. Warm spices round out those sweet-tart flavors. Reviewers suggest it's so good you might want to eat it by the spoonful. 09 of 12 Soft Dinner Rolls View Recipe Lourdes Delgado Fluffy and light, these dinner rolls are the final addition to your traditional Thanksgiving plate. The cooking time is brief, but you'll want to plan for rising time so they bloom and turn into cloud-like bites of bread. Serve with lemon herb butter so guests can sop up every last delicious bit of gravy and sauce. Watch the video. 10 of 12 Chef John's Pumpkin Pie View Recipe Pictured: Chef John's Pumpkin Pie. Vanessa Greaves Look no further than Chef John's Pumpkin Pie to complete your traditional Thanksgiving menu. The rich, custard-like filling is delicately sweet and warmly spiced. We call this the Perfect Pumpkin Pie for a reason — you're not going to mess it up. Watch the video. 11 of 12 Pecan Pie Without Corn Syrup View Recipe jasperwoman It's nice to have some options for dessert, so naturally we decided to include classic pecan pie in addition to pumpkin. What makes this particular recipe stand out? It's made without corn syrup. Watch the video. 12 of 12 Related: Crystal Sing/EyeEm/Getty Images Here's What America Actually Cooks on Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas for Four 15 Dump Recipes for a Hassle-Free Thanksgiving Browse our entire collection of Thanksgiving Recipes. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit