My All-Time Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes
Less than two weeks until Thanksgiving! Do you have your menu planned?
If not, stay tuned, because Monday I have a really fun FREE surprise for you (think: printable Thanksgiving menu planner!).
Even though I have tons of Thanksgiving-worthy recipes in the archives, in preparation for all things Thanksgiving dinner planning, today I wanted to share my personal favorites.
I chose my top two favorite recipes in all categories. This was VERY hard. I felt very stressed. I persevered. (I also have a few more new Thanksgiving recipes coming next week.)
I’d love to hear any must-have Thanksgiving favorites you are serving this year!
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I recently ‘found’ your website during covid shutdown and have been making your recipes almost daily for the past 9 months. Thanksgiving was no different! I decided to try your blender roll recipe, at first I thought it would be a total fail on my part because not even half of the flour fit in my blender and it was spurting white cliuds everywhere, but I poured it all out in a bowl mixed it by had (which was surprisingly easy). And let it rise in that same bowl. I was worried because of all the flour list in the ‘poof’ it would be much to sticky, but it surprised me and with a very floured surface rolled out just fine. They turned out AMAZING, and reminded me of my grandmothers who passed years ago. Thank you for all the work you do to share your talents with us all.
I would feel badly if I didn’t give you a big thanks! We were planning to fly to my sisters house and have thanksgiving dinner with family. Well my husband’s coworker tested positive Tuesday night. So on Wednesday we unpacked our suitcases and logged onto mels kitchen. I was able to get great recipes that I knew would be awesome and added our family favorites and thanksgiving saved! You’re the best! Thanks!
Texted my mom and sisters asking everyone what they’ll all be making (since we’re each doing our own thing this year). We’re all using several of your recipes because yours are the freaking best! Thanks for helping each of us feel like we can do this, sad Covid related adjustments and all. Happy Thanksgiving sweetest Mel!
Just thought I should say THANK YOU! For years now, I think rarely a week goes by where one of your recipes doesn’t make it to my table. You always post a lot of winners so I frequent your website a lot. Thanks for helping me feed my family for so many years 🙂
Hi Mel! I was wondering what you are planning to have for breakfast on Thanksgiving morning or if you have any suggestions?
Thank you!!!
I usually keep breakfast SUPER simple on Thanksgiving…something like Instant Pot steel cut oats or this overnight tater tot casserole.
Thank you!
Since we won’t be spending the holiday with family as we have in the past 25 plus years, my family has declared the sides are what they like, so I will make the traditional sides and probably go wild and cook lobster and steak! But seeing the slow cooker turkey recipe, I can still make turkey for leftovers!! Win win.
Mel, I just want to tell you that I love your blog, your recipes & you! Every time I make something of yours (& it’s often) I think I should leave a comment & let you know about it. I don’t. I’m not big on being active in social media. I sort of lurk around the sidelines….but I read your post on Instagram & I wanted you to know that I appreciate you & what you’re doing.
2020 has been a challenging year for so many of us. Keep deleting the haters. Pay them no mind.
Focus on the positive…& know that there are so many ‘silent’ fans. I have a Mel of my own, but my family knows when I say it’s one of ‘ Mel’s ‘ recipes it’s not my Mel’s it’s you & your recipe.
I’m grateful to have found you.
Thank you …& Happy Holidays!
Thank you so much for your heartfelt and kind comment, Debra! It honestly means so much to me. Thank you.
Mel, your response truly made my day! I’m making your chocolate chip pie for Thanksgiving this year….& I’ll (try) to be better about leaving my rave reviews & comments
I am in the exact boat as you, Debra. I am a “sideliner” when it comes to social media, etc. But your comment struck a chord with me because I feel the same! Ditto, ditto, ditto! We appreciate you, Mel. Keep it up:)
I came on here to pick and print out my Thanksgiving recipes, only to realize that I have already printed out all of these from your site. This site is my go-to for meals – holidays and otherwise. My mom and sisters got me onto this site many years ago. Now, instead of asking for recipes between us, we just ask, “Is it Mel’s?” and much of the time it is! We won’t be eating Thanksgiving altogether, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re cooking some of the same recipes! Thanks for all the tasty eats.
For me this year, its more a matter of what I won’t be having. After many years, the green bean casserole is not appealing this year. And sweet potatoes. I love the broccoli salad, but the family does not. We like the creamy corn with bacon dish, though. and the cranberry fluff salad. and the cornmeal dinner rolls. We love roasted cubes of butternut squash, and roasted brussel sprouts.
Would you happen to have a recipe for chicken a la king?
I don’t; sorry!
Hi Mel! A coworker turned me on to your website & now it’s the first place I go to look for delicious recipes! I am probably going to make my entire Thanksgiving dinner using your recipes, other than I have a soft spot in my heart for canned cranberry sauce–don’t ask me why, it just seems to be right.
Did want to mention one of my all-time favorites–really simple, maybe too simple for your website but the old standby, Five Cup Salad. One cup each of sour cream, mini marshmallows, mandarin oranges, diced pineapple, and coconut. Tastes better if it’s combined a couple hours before serving so the marshmallows can soften & blend in with the sour cream. Carries over to next day well but after that…gets runny. Delicious!
Amy! Your comment totally made my day. My goodness, thank you! I’m so happy your coworker got you here…and I’m super happy you are loving the recipe. That salad is definitely NOT too simple at all! I have a version way back in the archives and this is a good reminder I need to make it again. Thank you!!
I love your recipes and can’t wait to try the instapot mashed potatoes. The one recipe I never tweak or replace is the turkey recipe. I had actually given up on having turkey at Thanksgiving for several years. Too dry, too bland, too much work, so many recipes so much disappointment. I stumbled across Russ Parson’s dry brine technique based on the famous roast chicken from Zuni Cafe. I tried it, easiest recipe I ever tried, easily the best turkey EVER. I have made it 10 years running and my family would mutiny if I ever stop.
That turkey sounds amazing, Lisa! I LOVE hearing when people find “the one” recipe or method that they’ll never give up on. Why change something that works so well?? I’m going to look up that dry brine technique!
I have made your creamy spinach gratin and your Parker House rolls for the past few years, will make them this year and I’m pretty sure they will be permanent staples from now on ! A lot of your dishes have become staples over the years 🙂
I love hearing this. Thanks, Gigi!
We’re having a non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner this year which has upset a few people who won’t even be there…haha… but for sure making the cranberry apple pie.
Oh jeez. I think 2020 has brought out the strongest opinions in all of us! 🙂
Ooh, some of my very favorites. It all looks so good. We are just doing the four of us for the holiday – no big mixed family celebration sadly this year. But it will be nice. I am actually taking the holiday off from cooking and I ordered food from a restaurant in town that we love. It will be different, but will still be all the Thanksgiving dishes. I feel kind of lame, but I am going to enjoy the slowness of the day and fewer expectations, etc. Nice family time. Wishing you a wonderful holiday, Mel.
I hope your smaller, quieter Thanksgiving will be wonderful, Teresa (sounds like it will!). I love that you are taking it off and not cooking. We did that a couple years ago and it was seriously just what we (ok, I) needed.
Those instant pot mashed potatoes, as simple as they are, are the best mashed potatoes ever! Just the right texture, seasoning, everything – they are mashed potato perfection. Every time I eat someone else’s version I think to myself – not as good as Mel’s IP recipe (what a snob I am, but at least I’m not saying anything out loud).
Hahaha. I get it. Those are pretty much the only mashed potatoes I make anymore for all of those same reasons!
Love, love, LOVE this! As our Thanksgiving will look a little different this year, we usually host a bunch of family and friends, but not this year, I so appreciate this! Your confetti corn is always on our Thanksgiving dinner menu! Soooo good! Love all the desserts. I think I have made all of them before. Divine! Thanks for sharing!
Our Thanksgiving will be smaller, too, Jen! I hope you have a wonderful holiday!
Thank you so much for doing the agonizing work of deselecting for us. I can’t wait to try your garlic mashed potatoes. 🙂 Wishing you a blessed and joyous Thanksgiving!
Thanks, Jennifer! Same to you!
These look great! I’m thinking about making the fluffy blender rolls this year for post-Thanksgiving (my uncle looks forward to my cornbread this year). Your parmesan cream corn recipe you posted a few years ago has become a holiday staple at my house!
The fluffy dinner rolls make the best Thanksgiving leftovers!
I usually just pick something new from your website to try. It’s never boring. As far as turkey goes, I gave up trying to make one. Mainly because I got tired of trying to find a decent small turkey or just the breast. Slow cookers cook so hot and fast now it’s really hard to get the hang of it when you cook one turkey a year and I got tired of under and over-estimating how long it takes. We’ve been loyal smoked turkey people from our favorite BBQ place for 3 years now (which is rare in the PNW). I will never go back to making my own. Nothing goes to waste. I mean nothing. I usually end up making your turkey rice soup or something with the last bits. I think I’ve tried all of your cranberry concoctions, so it’s Eeny meeny miney moe because they’re all good! I pick it up the day before. It SMELLS SO FREAKING GOOD on the way home I feel like a wild animal circling it’s prey. (that scene with the Hyenas from The Lion King always comes to mind) LOL It’s a lot less stressful just heating it back up and making a couple of new sides from your recipes. lol Your French dinner rolls are my new favorite roll. I’ve started mixing red and gold potatoes for mashed potatoes and it’s been the most exciting change since I don’t know what. It’s been a very long year.
Haha, you made me laugh, Andrea! Also, I think your system of picking up a smoked turkey from a local BBQ place is BRILLIANT. Seriously. I love smoked turkey SO much. I’m kind of jealous! 🙂
Fellow pacific northwester here!! Just curious what’s the bbq place you love. I’m really really hoping it’s near Seattle. Cause that sounds AMAZING!!
Jill,
It’s Branks BBQ in Sumner. Aside from traffic, it’s very accessible. I highly recommend it! It’s in the light industrial area, exit off of 167 south. It’s not a small place either. It’s such an odd place to have a full grown BBQ spot tucked into all that light industrial area. But I think it works well for them. It’s seriously the best BBQ I’ve ever had. all of their sides are excellent too. I’m originally from the Kansas City area, where BBQ places are as common as Starbuck’s and Teriyaki out here in the PNW. lol
Hey! ALSO a PNW (Oregon) and we have loved a smoked turkey in the past. Sadly, our favorite BBQ place closed its doors a couple years back. I think there’s one other place that does them… but this is not the year for that, sadly.
I have been following you long enough that ALL my favorites and what my family expects to have for Thanksgiving appear on this list !! Many a family food tradition at our house has been born thanks to you!! Can’t wait to make and eat all the faves !! Getting especially excited about confetti corn and chocolate chip cookie pie
Thank you, Helen! So glad you’re still here after all this time. XOXO
I’m always in charge of making your Overnight Crescent rolls. They are much loved! Personally I get so excited about mashed potatoes. (When I first typed that I did masked instead of mashed. Must be 2020. hehe)
Those are much loved around here, too, Jennifer! Haha, your masked “error” made me laugh
I’m risking my reputation and trying a new method for the turkey…we’re deep frying but with an oil free air fryer ♀️ & ya know if it’s a complete flop we’ll just chalk to up to 2020 & move straight to the pie!
Haha. That’s the thing…any disasters on Thanksgiving will all be attributed to it being 2020. I had no idea there was such a thing as an oil free turkey air fryer. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
I am so excited about the menu planner you have to share with us on Monday!!
Yay! I am too! It’s simple but hopefully really helpful!
I never liked cranberry sauce but your fresh cranberry chutney changed my life. No joke. It is so darn good! This year we’re smoking a turkey breast and a brisket on the Traeger!
I agree, that chutney is amazing!! My BIL is smoking a turkey and I’m so excited I don’t have to (smoked turkey is the best)
Thanks for being so awesome! We’re coming from GA to your neck of the woods to be with all our kids this year! My #1 must have for thanksgiving is family! Another thing we love and always have is strawberry pretzel salad! After living in Georgia we have also picked up the tradition of macaroni and cheese!
I love your #1, Kristen!! I think I need to start adding macaroni and cheese to my Thanksgiving list (and my husband LOVES that pretzel “salad”!)
Over the last few years, your Cranberry Relish (the one with the apples and oranges) has become one of my favorite things on the Thanksgiving table (a few of our family members feel the same). Wonderful list, thanks!
THAT’S what was missing from my list! I forgot about cranberries! Just added. I agree that relish is so, so good!
It’s a must-have for us! I’ve already made my third batch this cranberry season. We basically eat it like fruit salad…life-changing!