This easy Thanksgiving meal plan is a done-for-you guide including recipes and a shopping list.
Planning Thanksgiving dinner can be overwhelming. What side dishes should I cook? What size turkey should I buy? When do I thaw the turkey? How do I juggle multiple side dishes with a turkey in the oven and only so much room on the stove top? Sit back and relax because I’ve answered those questions for you with this comprehensive Thanksgiving meal plan guide, including recipes and a shopping list.
Thanksgiving Meal Plan Menu Links
Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Dressing
Cranberry Sauce Bonus Recipe at the bottom of this page
Hawaiian Rolls (prepackaged)
Thanksgiving Leftovers Turkey Salad
Tools Needed For Your Thanksgiving Meal Plan
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Roasting Pan with Lid or Disposable Roasting Pan with Aluminum Foil
Apple Spiralizer (optional, but helpful)
Meat Grinder (totally optional)
Thanksgiving Meal Plan Shopping List
What Size Thanksgiving Turkey Do I Need?
You will need 1 lb of turkey per guest. I usually buy a turkey a little bigger than what I think I’ll need because everyone loves Thanksgiving leftovers, especially with this Thanksgiving leftovers turkey salad recipe!
When Do I Thaw My Thanksgiving Turkey?
1-6 days before Thanksgiving, start thawing your turkey in the refrigerator based on the size of your turkey using the following guide:
All Those Timers!
While cooking Thanksgiving dinner, it can be confusing and overwhelming to have multiple timers going at once.
When I have multiple timers going, I find it helpful to ask Alexa to set my timers using my Echo Dot. You can say, “Alexa, set a 45 minute pecan pie timer,” “Alexa, set a 65 minute apple pie timer,” and “Alexa, set a 30 minute turkey basting timer.” When the time is up, Alexa will let you know which timer is going off. This is extremely helpful when you forget which timer was set for which dish. If you don’t have an Alexa or Google Home, you can also set alarms on your phone with different names.
The Day Before Thanksgiving
Apple Pie
Pecan Pie
Instant Pot Deviled Eggs
Candied Carrots
Prep Sweet Potato Casserole
Bonus Cranberry Sauce Recipe
The day before Thanksgiving you’re going to want to make any sides that need to be refrigerated and mash your sweet potatoes for your casserole.
Bake your Swedish Apple Pie and Pecan Pies.
For the pecan pie, mix 1 cup white corn syrup, 1 cup dark brown sugar, 1/3 teaspoon salt, 1/3 cup melted butter, and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract in a medium to large mixing bowl. Mix well. Add 3 slightly beaten eggs and mix. Pour your filling into a 9″ unbaked pie shell. Arrange pecans on the top of the your filling.
To make the Swedish Apple Pie, peel, core, and slice 3 Granny Smith Apples. Fill a 9″ uncooked pie shell with the sliced apples. Sprinkle the apples with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of sugar. In a separate bowl, mix 1 cup sugar with 3/4 cup melted butter and 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts. Add 1 cup of flour, 1 slightly beaten egg, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Mix well and spread over the apples.
Bake your pecan pie at 350 degrees for approximately 45-55 minutes. Bake your Swedish apple pie at 350 degrees for 65 minutes or until golden brown. Pies can be baked side by side in the oven.
Sides to Make the Day Before
While your pies are baking, start your deviled eggs in the Instant Pot. Place the steamer insert in the bottom of your pot. Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot. Arrange 12 eggs on top of the steamer insert. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
While pies are baking and Instant Pot is hard boiling your eggs, cook your candied carrots on the stovetop. Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 32 oz of baby carrots to your melted butter in the skillet. Spread 4 Tablespoons of packed dark brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg over the top of your carrots. Cover your skillet with a lid and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes or until carrots can easily be pierced with a fork. Once carrots are fork tender, mix and put them in the refrigerator once cooled.
When your Instant Pot goes off, put your hard boiled eggs in a large bowl filled with cold water to cool. Start working on your mashed sweet potatoes.
Peel and slice 6-8 sweet potatoes and add them to a large stock pot. Cover your sweet potatoes with water and boil for 15 minutes or until tender. Once your sweet potatoes are tender, drain the water and mash them with a potato masher.
Once your sweet potatoes are mashed, place them in a bowl in the refrigerator to finish tomorrow. Finish making your deviled eggs.
Peel the shells off your hard boiled eggs. Slice hard boiled eggs in half length wise. Scoop the yolks into a bowl. Add 6 Tablespoons of homemade mayonnaise (or mayonnaise of your choice) and 2 Tablespoon dijon mustard to your egg yolks. Mix. Fill egg halves with the yolk mixture. Sprinkle the tops of the deviled eggs with paprika. Cover your eggs and refrigerate.
After finishing your deviled eggs, make your cranberry sauce using the bonus recipe at the bottom of this post. Combine 12 oz of fresh cranberries, 1 cup of orange juice, and 1 cup of sugar in a saucepan over medium high heat. Cook, stirring frequently until mixture starts to boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool, and store in the refrigerator until time to serve.
Your pies can stay covered on the counter overnight. Keep your deviled eggs, candied carrots, and cranberry sauce in the fridge overnight. Don’t forget to pull them out before dinner.
5-7 Hours Before Dinner
Simple Thanksgiving Turkey
You’ll want to pull your thawed turkey out of the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking.
Give yourself time to prep your turkey before it needs to go in the oven. You’ll need to rinse your turkey under cold water and dig out the lungs and giblets before cooking. Place your turkey in your roasting pan. Rub 1 stick of butter inside the turkey cavity. Slice another stick of butter and place over the top of the turkey. Cook using the guidelines below and take your turkey out of the oven every 30 minutes to baste. Get a step by step guide for prepping and cooking your Thanksgiving turkey here.
Your turkey will need to rest after it’s cooked for 30 minutes before carving and serving, so make sure you account for this time when you start your turkey.
How Long Do I Cook My Thanksgiving Turkey?
After prepping your turkey, use the guidelines below based on the size of your turkey:
How To Tell When Your Turkey Is Done
The times above are helpful guidelines, but you’ll still need to take your turkey’s temperature to ensure doneness. Unfortunately the pop up thermometers that come with many turkeys can be faulty and may not pop up until your turkey is overcooked. You’ll want to use a meat thermometer to ensure your turkey has reached the correct temperature without overcooking. Make sure your turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. You can check the temperature of your turkey by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh.
4 Hours 15 Minutes Before Dinner
Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Dressing
A little more than 4 hours before dinner you’re going to want to start your Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Dressing in your Crock Pot. Mix 24 oz of Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing Mix (in the blue bag) with 8 cups of bone broth, 1 cup of chopped walnuts, and 1 cup of chopped celery. Cook on low for 4 hours.
45 Minutes Before Dinner
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Prep Sweet Potato Casserole
Prep Fried Apples
45 minutes before dinner you’ll start your Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes. Dump 5 lbs of petite red potatoes, 2 Tablespoons minced garlic, 1 cup of bone broth, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 2 teaspoons of pepper into your Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. It will take an additional 15 minutes for your Instant Pot to come to pressure, which is why you’ll plan to start the potatoes 45 minutes before dinner. When the Instant Pot goes off, quick release the pressure. Add 2 sticks of butter and 16 oz of cream cheese on top of the potatoes in the Instant Pot and replace the lid. Let sit for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove the lid and mash with a potato masher.
While your Instant Pot comes to pressure and cooks your mashed potatoes, start prepping your Sweet Potato Casserole and Fried Apples.
For your Sweet Potato Casserole: Lightly oil a 9″ round casserole dish. Prep your topping by whisking together 1 cup of packed dark brown sugar, 1/2 cup of all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 cup of melted butter in a medium bowl. Set aside. Pull your mashed sweet potatoes out of the fridge from the day before and add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut, 2 lightly beaten eggs, 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream and mix into the sweet potatoes. Pour sweet potato filling into your prepared casserole dish. Spread brown sugar topping on top of the sweet potatoes and set aside.
Fried Apples: Peel, core, and slice 6-8 medium Granny Smith Apples for your fried apples. We love using our apple spiralizer for this. It makes the work so much faster. Set your apples aside.
30 Minutes Before Dinner
Sweet Potato Casserole
Fried Apples
Pull your turkey out of the oven 30 minutes before cutting to rest. While your turkey rests, put your prepped sweet potato casserole in the oven to bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or topping is browned.
While your sweet potatoes bake, cook your fried apples. Melt 4 Tablespoons of butter in a medium pan. Once butter has melted, add your prepped Granny Smith Apples to the pan. Fry over medium heat until your apples are tender, about 15 minutes. Pull tender apples off the heat. Stir 1/2 cup of packed dark brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon into your fried apples.
Right Before Dinner
Right before dinner, pull your deviled eggs and candied carrots out of the refrigerator. Put your deviled eggs on the table. Briefly heat up your carrots on the stovetop or in the microwave and place on the table. Pull your sweet potato casserole out of the oven. Plate all your side dishes and place them on the table. Carve your turkey. Pull your Hawaiian Rolls out of the package and put them in a basket. Place extra butter on a butter dish for the Hawaiian Rolls. Enjoy the fruits of your labor!
1-3 Days After Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Leftovers Turkey Salad
Need help finishing off those Thanksgiving leftovers? Make this Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Salad using 2 lbs of leftover turkey, leftover celery from your Thanksgiving dressing, relish, and mayonnaise.
Feedback
Did you follow this Easy Thanksgiving Meal Plan? What was your favorite recipe? Let me know in the comments below!
Thanksgiving Meal Plan Recipe List
Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Dressing
Cranberry Sauce Bonus Recipe (below)
Hawaiian Rolls (prepackaged)
Thanksgiving Leftovers Turkey Salad
Pin It For Later
Bonus Recipe
Enjoy this bonus recipe for homemade cranberry sauce. This cranberry sauce can be made ahead the day before Thanksgiving and kept in the refrigerator until time to serve. You’ll never eat canned cranberry sauce again!
Easy Thanksgiving Meal Plan Done For You
Description
This bonus cranberry sauce recipe is quick and easy and can be made the day before and kept in the fridge until time to serve.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Combine cranberries, orange juice, and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture begins to boil.
- Reduce heat to low and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and place in fridge until time to serve.
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