35 Traditional Dishes You Need For The Ultimate Thanksgiving Menu

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Whether you're roasting your first bird for Thanksgiving or hosting for the 26th time, use this handy guide to roast the perfect holiday turkey. This foolproof method has been tested (and tested and tested) by the Delish kitchen—it's the best.

Quick: Name one thing better than creamy, buttery, steamy, perfect mashed potatoes! See? You can't! So put down the instant potatoes, grab your favorite spuds, a large pot, a masher, and let's get ready for comfort in a bowl.

For this recipe, we ditched the canned cream of mushroom soup and went for fresh instead. By sautéing mushrooms with thinly sliced onion in butter, you're building a base with some serious depth of flavor. Cook the mushrooms enough that they get a little caramelized, and you'll really be good to go.

Gravy is luscious and full of umami, one of our favorite food enhancers. What other sauce could be drizzled over all the different types of meats, veggies, and sides of your holiday meal? And we think that your Thanksgiving only deserves the best, which is why perfecting gravy is worth it—and so easy!

This sweet-tart sauce is almost as easy as opening up the canned stuff, and you know your Thanksgiving spread deserves better.

If you've never brined your Thanksgiving turkey—this is your year. If you want the juiciest, most flavorful turkey possible, you have to try this easy, simple, and delicious brine. Our version is filled with the best fall herbs for that cozy, holiday feel, plus two types of citrus for brightness.

When it comes to the big Thanksgiving feast, we consider the roast turkey and the sweet potato casserole as sides to the STUFFING. A good stuffing makes or breaks Thanksgiving dinner, and this one will absolutely make your holiday meal all the better.

Most sweet potato casseroles have only marshmallows or pecans. Don't even think about making this mistake. Topping with a pecan streusel and then marshmallows helps this casserole stand out above all the rest.

Is there anything more iconic to see on your Thanksgiving dessert spread than a beautiful pecan pie? The craggly top is filled with nuts that you know gives way to that delicious, rich interior. This recipe is the easiest way to get it on your holiday table (or any table for that matter, make it in June for all we care!).

For many, candied yams are an indispensable part of the Thanksgiving meal, along with mashed potatoes and homemade cranberry sauce. We agree! Though candied yams might be super-sweet on their own, they're the perfect complement to a plateful of savory dishes. Our version gets an added kick from bourbon—we think once you try them, you'll never want yams without it!

You might be wondering, as we did, what the real difference is between stuffing and dressing. Online research yielded unclear results—we couldn't find any notable disparities. Then, food editor Makinze told us that dressing is stuffing that is cooked separately (i.e., not stuffed into the carcass of the turkey).

Have a leftover baked potato? The only logical thing to do is to mash the insides and make dinner rolls. These are truly the Fluffiest. Dinner. Rolls. Ever. Fresh out of the oven, each roll has a crispy bottom, buttery top, and unbelievably soft center.

You know the only thing that may be better than mashed potatoes? Roasted garlic mashed potatoes! That extra savory flavor from melty, roasted garlic adds the perfect kick to classic mashed spuds (we also add a splash of tangy balsamic vinegar to kick them up a notch).

The hardest part of making these Brussels sprouts is leaving them alone. They're cooked until perfectly tender and golden brown, then glazed with a balsamic glaze that will change your life. If you're anything like us, you're going to be popping these in your mouth like they're popcorn.

Adding sweet potatoes to your Thanksgiving spread is an easy and delicious way to eat healthy during the holidays—the vegetable is a total superfood, packed with vitamin C and fiber. They're also totally versatile, but baking them whole in the oven is arguably the simplest way to prepare them, and they will be the perfect base for all types of toppings.

A Thanksgiving meal is not complete until the turkey is on the table. Turkeys are large, so we get it, but they don't have to be intimidating. The one thing you can do to ensure a bird that stays juicy and doesn't dry out in the oven:

Brine it! A proper brine will set you up for serious success. A dry brine takes a little bit of forethought (but not that too much), and you'll end up with a turkey that's juicy, flavorful, and has extra-crispy skin.

Take your pecan pie to the next level by turning it into a rich and nutty cheesecake! Extra creamy base + sweet and sticky pecan topping = best Thanksgiving dessert ever.

This classic Southern side is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. If you prefer, drained and rinsed canned corn can be used instead of frozen, and you could substitute more milk in for the heavy cream. The finished casserole won't be quite as decadent, but it will still be delicious.

We all love classic sweet potato casserole, but sometimes it feels like the marshmallows steal the spotlight. So this year, why not mix it up—literally—and try mashing them instead? Steamed 'til beautifully tender and then blended with plenty of butter and half-and-half, these easy mashed sweet potatoes are creamy and just sweet enough.

The dried cranberries and balsamic vinegar add some sweetness and tartness, while the pecans add a crunch to these holiday-worthy vegetables. We use Brussels sprouts and carrots, but feel free to add extra vegetables or swap in some of your favorites.

Every Thanksgiving dessert table needs pumpkin pie. It's basically the law. We've got tons of tips and tricks for how to bake your best pie ever. We're big fans of making our own pumpkin spice blend too!

Sweet baby carrots are the perfect match for this tangy balsamic glaze. Fancy enough for a holiday meal, but easy enough for a weeknight, this recipe is endlessly riffable and guaranteed to deliver crisp-tender carrots every time.

You don't need meat to make a stuffing everyone will love. This vegetarian option is filled with everyone's favorite Thanksgiving flavors—apples! cranberries! sage! thyme!—if anyone complains about meatless stuffing, just send them home without dessert.

A homemade apple pie that will even impress your grandma. We like to fill our homemade flaky, buttery, lattice crust with a combination of apples for an irresistibly sweet-tart filling. You’ll know the pie is ready to come out of the oven when the filling bubbles and the crust is golden.

Homemade macaroni and cheese is a process. But this slow-cooker mac & cheese makes cooking up the staple a breeze. Everything—including the pasta!—cooks in a slow-cooker. And in the end you have just ONE DISH to clean.

Drippings are obviously ideal, but they aren't totally necessary to make a really good gravy. What you do need: butter, onion, garlic, and all the favorite Thanksgiving herbs. Quick and easy, this is the perfect way to make gravy if you aren't cooking a whole roast turkey or chicken.

Sometimes, roasting a whole turkey is just too much of an undertaking. A roulade, though? It's surprisingly easy (we swear!), super-flavorful, and much easier to carve. Perfect served with a side of mashed potatoes and some tart cranberry sauce.

To make these, we stuff baby bella mushrooms with garlicky, herby bread crumbs and plenty of cheese. Stuff them ahead of time and bake them off when you're ready for an easy appetizer or simple side dish.

These are a holiday party MUST—even Brussels haters will love it. Not a fan of Fontina? Gruyère or white cheddar would also be delicious here!

This recipe is for everyone who hates marshmallows atop their sweet potato casserole—in their place is a buttery, brown sugar pecan topping that is still perfectly sweet and dessert-worthy.

This low-carb cauliflower stuffing proves that you don’t always need bread to make an amazing stuffing. Cauliflower is basically a sponge: It’ll soak up the flavor of whatever you cook it with, so we recommend going heavy on the herbs

This recipe is an amazing way top off a Thanksgiving dinner or a nice treat after a long week in October. We included a recipe for the pie crust, but to make it even easier, feel free to use store-bought!

Truth: Not everyone likes classic Thanksgiving stuffing. However, it’s hard to be mad at sweet, crunchy-yet-tender cornbread stuffing. We're okay with this. Also known as cornbread dressing, this dish is a classic in the South, where you’ll often find it mixed with sausage, bacon,

jalapeños, nuts, even chopped oysters. We kept ours simple with flavors you’d find in classic stuffing, but don't let us stop you from jazzing up your own version with extras.

The sweet, squashy and slightly earthy flavor that comes from a butternut squash makes it our go-to choice when it comes to whipping up a warming, fall soup. The added creaminess from the blended potatoes plus the savory herbs make this a more than welcome addition to your Thanksgiving menu, and one of our favorite ways to utilize the fall gourd.

Have you ever seen a cake so adorable? Impress your in-laws with this super-easy, super-cute Thanksgiving dessert! The feathers are made by brushing white chocolate onto parchment paper and then chilled until hardened. Use your favorite cake mix or use boxed to keep it simple like we did.

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35 Traditional Dishes You Need For The Ultimate Thanksgiving Menu

Whether you're roasting your first bird for Thanksgiving or hosting for the 26th time, use this handy guide to roast the perfect holiday turkey. This foolproof method has been tested (and tested and tested) by the Delish kitchen—it's the best.

Roast Turkey

Quick: Name one thing better than creamy, buttery, steamy, perfect mashed potatoes! See? You can't! So put down the instant potatoes, grab your favorite spuds, a large pot, a masher, and let's get ready for comfort in a bowl.

Perfect Mashed Potatoes

Green Bean Casserole

Perfect Gravy

This sweet-tart sauce is almost as easy as opening up the canned stuff, and you know your Thanksgiving spread deserves better.

Cranberry Sauce

If you've never brined your Thanksgiving turkey—this is your year. If you want the juiciest, most flavorful turkey possible, you have to try this easy, simple, and delicious brine. Our version is filled with the best fall herbs for that cozy, holiday feel, plus two types of citrus for brightness.

Best Turkey Brine

When it comes to the big Thanksgiving feast, we consider the roast turkey and the sweet potato casserole as sides to the STUFFING. A good stuffing makes or breaks Thanksgiving dinner, and this one will absolutely make your holiday meal all the better.

Classic Stuffing

Most sweet potato casseroles have only marshmallows or pecans. Don't even think about making this mistake. Topping with a pecan streusel and then marshmallows helps this casserole stand out above all the rest.

Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows

Pecan Pie

Candied Yams

Cornbread Dressing

Have a leftover baked potato? The only logical thing to do is to mash the insides and make dinner rolls. These are truly the Fluffiest. Dinner. Rolls. Ever. Fresh out of the oven, each roll has a crispy bottom, buttery top, and unbelievably soft center.

Fluffy Potato Rolls

You know the only thing that may be better than mashed potatoes? Roasted garlic mashed potatoes! That extra savory flavor from melty, roasted garlic adds the perfect kick to classic mashed spuds (we also add a splash of tangy balsamic vinegar to kick them up a notch).

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

The hardest part of making these Brussels sprouts is leaving them alone. They're cooked until perfectly tender and golden brown, then glazed with a balsamic glaze that will change your life. If you're anything like us, you're going to be popping these in your mouth like they're popcorn.

Honey Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Baked Sweet Potato

A Thanksgiving meal is not complete until the turkey is on the table. Turkeys are large, so we get it, but they don't have to be intimidating. The one thing you can do to ensure a bird that stays juicy and doesn't dry out in the oven:

Dry Brined Turkey

Brine it! A proper brine will set you up for serious success. A dry brine takes a little bit of forethought (but not that too much), and you'll end up with a turkey that's juicy, flavorful, and has extra-crispy skin.

Dry Brined Turkey

Take your pecan pie to the next level by turning it into a rich and nutty cheesecake! Extra creamy base + sweet and sticky pecan topping = best Thanksgiving dessert ever.

Pecan Pie Cheesecake

This classic Southern side is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. If you prefer, drained and rinsed canned corn can be used instead of frozen, and you could substitute more milk in for the heavy cream. The finished casserole won't be quite as decadent, but it will still be delicious.

Corn Casserole

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

The dried cranberries and balsamic vinegar add some sweetness and tartness, while the pecans add a crunch to these holiday-worthy vegetables. We use Brussels sprouts and carrots, but feel free to add extra vegetables or swap in some of your favorites.

Holiday Roasted Vegetables

Every Thanksgiving dessert table needs pumpkin pie. It's basically the law. We've got tons of tips and tricks for how to bake your best pie ever. We're big fans of making our own pumpkin spice blend too!

Easy Pumpkin Pie

Sweet baby carrots are the perfect match for this tangy balsamic glaze. Fancy enough for a holiday meal, but easy enough for a weeknight, this recipe is endlessly riffable and guaranteed to deliver crisp-tender carrots every time.

Balsamic Roasted Baby Carrots

You don't need meat to make a stuffing everyone will love. This vegetarian option is filled with everyone's favorite Thanksgiving flavors—apples! cranberries! sage! thyme!—if anyone complains about meatless stuffing, just send them home without dessert.

Easy Cranberry Stuffing

A homemade apple pie that will even impress your grandma. We like to fill our homemade flaky, buttery, lattice crust with a combination of apples for an irresistibly sweet-tart filling. You’ll know the pie is ready to come out of the oven when the filling bubbles and the crust is golden.

Apple Pie

Homemade macaroni and cheese is a process. But this slow-cooker mac & cheese makes cooking up the staple a breeze. Everything—including the pasta!—cooks in a slow-cooker. And in the end you have just ONE DISH to clean.

Crockpot Mac & Cheese

Drippings are obviously ideal, but they aren't totally necessary to make a really good gravy. What you do need: butter, onion, garlic, and all the favorite Thanksgiving herbs. Quick and easy, this is the perfect way to make gravy if you aren't cooking a whole roast turkey or chicken.

Gravy Without Drippings

Sometimes, roasting a whole turkey is just too much of an undertaking. A roulade, though? It's surprisingly easy (we swear!), super-flavorful, and much easier to carve. Perfect served with a side of mashed potatoes and some tart cranberry sauce.

Turkey Roulade

To make these, we stuff baby bella mushrooms with garlicky, herby bread crumbs and plenty of cheese. Stuff them ahead of time and bake them off when you're ready for an easy appetizer or simple side dish.

Stuffed Mushrooms

These are a holiday party MUST—even Brussels haters will love it. Not a fan of Fontina? Gruyère or white cheddar would also be delicious here!

Creamed Brussels Sprouts

This recipe is for everyone who hates marshmallows atop their sweet potato casserole—in their place is a buttery, brown sugar pecan topping that is still perfectly sweet and dessert-worthy.

Sweet Potato Casserole

This low-carb cauliflower stuffing proves that you don’t always need bread to make an amazing stuffing. Cauliflower is basically a sponge: It’ll soak up the flavor of whatever you cook it with, so we recommend going heavy on the herbs

Cauliflower Stuffing

This recipe is an amazing way top off a Thanksgiving dinner or a nice treat after a long week in October. We included a recipe for the pie crust, but to make it even easier, feel free to use store-bought!

Sweet Potato Pie

Truth: Not everyone likes classic Thanksgiving stuffing. However, it’s hard to be mad at sweet, crunchy-yet-tender cornbread stuffing. We're okay with this. Also known as cornbread dressing, this dish is a classic in the South, where you’ll often find it mixed with sausage, bacon,

Cornbread Stuffing

jalapeños, nuts, even chopped oysters. We kept ours simple with flavors you’d find in classic stuffing, but don't let us stop you from jazzing up your own version with extras.

Cornbread Stuffing

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Have you ever seen a cake so adorable? Impress your in-laws with this super-easy, super-cute Thanksgiving dessert! The feathers are made by brushing white chocolate onto parchment paper and then chilled until hardened. Use your favorite cake mix or use boxed to keep it simple like we did.

Turkey Cake

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