Our Best Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes to Help You Stress Less on Turkey Day
Including a turkey you can prepare and roast entirely the day before. Day-of, just reheat with the pan juices for 30 minutes and eat!
These make-ahead Thanksgiving recipes will help you keep cool on the biggest cooking day of the year. Including make-ahead-and-freeze Thanksgiving recipes for casseroles and pies, day-before salads and rolls, and even make-ahead Thanksgiving recipes for turkey and gravy. Add some of these prep-early options to your menu and you’ll *actually* be able to enjoy your company this year.
Make-Ahead Mini Cheese Balls
With so many courses in the official Turkey Day dinner line-up, we typically don’t set out a huge spread of appetizers. Still, it’s a wise idea to offer a nibble or two for all to enjoy so they don’t sit down ravenous, especially if Thanksgiving brunch was several hours before dinnertime. Cheese balls are a crowd-pleasing option, and since you can customize the toppings of the make-ahead Thanksgiving recipe, you can create a new rendition—or mix of flavors—every time. If you like spice, try chopped fresh jalapeño chile peppers. For the sweets-lovers, consider dried cranberries and toasted pecans. And for the salt-craving crew, roll them in everything bagel seasoning or crushed cheese-flavor snacks.
Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Green Onion Vinaigrette
Our Test Kitchen experts swear by tossing together a salad to act as a crisp, refreshing side to balance out the creamy, rich casseroles on the holiday table. Since this make-ahead Thanksgiving recipe features sturdy shaved Brussels sprouts rather than more-tender leafy greens, it holds up well in the fridge. Toss it together entirely and refrigerate up to 4 hours early; the dressing will permeate the oranges and sprouts and every bite will be loaded with flavor.
Orange-Sage Sweet Potatoes with Bacon
Instead of, or in addition to, marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole (hey, we get it—that Thanksgiving side dish can be polarizing!), set-and-forget this slow cooker sweet potato recipe. There’s a high probability that you already have the ingredients necessary for this make-ahead Thanksgiving recipe in your pantry, fridge, or freezer. Besides dried sage, thyme, and salt, you just need brown sugar, frozen OJ concentrate, the sweet potatoes, butter, and bacon. Build it and slow cook on low for 2 ½ hours or on high for 5 hours for a side that’s so delightful, “everyone will want seconds,” one BHG reader says.
Autumn Potato Gratin
Another one of our unwritten Thanksgiving rules: There’s no such thing as too many potato recipes. While you could buy a mix at the supermarket for a semi-homemade, quick-fix option, we suggest that you think outside of the box this year. This fall casserole is full of much more color, thanks to butternut squash, and flavor, courtesy of leeks, sage, nutmeg, and fontina cheese. For easy assembly, slice the vegetables and store them separately in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Then on feast day, layer them together with the creamy casserole elements and spices, cover with foil, and the make-ahead Thanksgiving recipe is oven-ready.
Bacon-Topped Green Bean Casserole
No Thanksgiving menu feels quite complete without a green bean casserole, if you ask us, and we adore how this variation can be mostly-prepped 24 hours early. After getting a head start on Wednesday, simply store the green bean-mushroom mixture, sauce, and cooked bacon separately in the refrigerator. Half an hour or so before dinner, coat the bean blend in the sauce, bake in a casserole dish for 25 minutes, then top with bacon and cook for 5 minutes more. The finished product is a “fantastic ‘adult’ version of this classic dish,” according to one BHG fan who declares the make-ahead Thanksgiving recipe, “delicious!”
Justin's Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Turkey
We weren’t immediately convinced that chef Justin Wangler’s concept of pre-cooking a turkey could actually work. But tasting is believing! After we put this make-ahead Thanksgiving recipe through the paces in our Test Kitchen, we can confirm that yes, you can roast the bird the day before. Well, part of it, and this will give you enough pan drippings to make the gravy, too! Braise the turkey legs on Wednesday, then refrigerate them in a casserole dish with 1 cup of the braising liquid overnight. Use the pan drippings to get your gravy golden to reheat tomorrow, then on “game day,” follow his instructions to roast the breast, reheat the legs and gravy, and prepare for praise. (In case you missed it, here’s some trivia to share at the table: A food historian explains why we eat turkey on Thanksgiving.)
Overnight Refrigerator Rolls
Beyond being about to mix and get the dough through its first rise the day before (leaving just shaping, one more rise, and baking for the holiday), you can also make this make-ahead Thanksgiving recipe your own in terms of the flavor. We explain how to dress up the yeast bread for cinnamon-sugar, Parmesan-herb, salt-and-pepper, and whole-wheat variations. Even the classic will be a hit, according to one BHG home cook who says this is a “wonderful recipe. I have made these rolls for Thanksgiving for the last several years, and they always get rave reviews!”
Caramelized Onion and Carrot Stuffing
As a reminder, for food safety reasons, our Test Kitchen pros advise against actually cooking the stuffing inside the turkey. But depending on where you live or where you were raised, you might call this bread- or rice-based dish either or—yes, even if it’s cooked in a separate pan. But whether you call it stuffing or dressing, you’ll certainly call this cozy side dish one that’s full of holiday nostalgia. While grandma’s recipe was terrific in its own right, we’re particularly fond of this make-ahead Thanksgiving recipe that’s infused with rich, jammy flavor from caramelized onions and earthy notes from the carrots. Saute the aromatics and build it up to 24 hours early, then refrigerate until an hour before dinner. Then you’re all set to bake, scoop, and savor.
Rustic Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Gravy’s BFF gets a glow-up in this, the most popular mashed potato recipe in the BHG archives. What makes it such a hit? The fact that this slow cooker side dish practically prepares itself in the countertop appliance. First, use the slow cooker to “roast” the cubed potatoes and garlic cloves in bay leaf-spiked broth. Then drain, mash, and mix those garlicky potatoes with milk, butter, salt, and pepper. Serve as-is, or transfer the potatoes back to the slow cooker to keep warm for up to 2 hours.
Corn Pudding Casserole
After trusting this make-ahead Thanksgiving recipe for many years, one BHG fan says “it was a winner then, and is a winner now. If you love cornbread recipes, this is wonderful Rich but wonderful.” This Southern Thanksgiving side dish features both frozen corn and cornmeal for double the summer flavor, and sun-dried tomatoes and shredded zucchini lend even more warm-weather energy. You can get it going the day before, then refrigerate the pudding and corn mixture separately for up to 24 hours before mixing them together and baking for 50 minutes.
Autumn Fruit and Ginger Chutney
Curious about what makes a chutney different from a sauce or salsa? A generous dose of vinegar, and we’re here for that welcome dose of tang. The acidity in this easy make-ahead Thanksgiving recipe helps cut through the cream and cheese in many of the other dishes, and pairs nicely with the savory centerpiece. Apples, cinnamon, ginger, orange marmalade, and dried apricots—oh yes, plus cranberries—help this side dish shine. Make a big batch, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to one week.
Pumpkin Pie with Marshmallow Meringue
Because the meringue needs to be added to a fully-cooled base, this is one pumpkin pie that’s actually best made the day before. Build and bake the squash custard-stuffed crust, cool to room temp on the counter, then chill overnight. On Thanksgiving, all that’s left to do is whip and toast the meringue.
Frosted Apple Slab Pie
This make-ahead-and-freeze Thanksgiving recipe is our go-to apple dessert when we need to feed a crowd. Scaled to serve 32(!), this sheet-pan dessert recipe can be fully made, baked, and frosted in advance. Slice into squares, store in an airtight container between layers of waxed or parchment paper, and the choice is yours from there to refrigerate (for up to 3 days) or freeze (for up to 3 months).
Erin’s Pumpkin-Pecan Pie
No need to choose between pumpkin or pecan pie. And no need to fuss over either the day of your big meal. The crust itself is a make-ahead-and-freeze Thanksgiving recipe idea, which you can store in the freezer for up to 3 months. But our preferred method is baking the entire pie the day before, allowing it to cool to room temperature, then refrigerating for up to 24 hours before serving.
