These 50 Thanksgiving Classics Never Fail—Here's How To Perfect Them (2024)

Our love for crescent roll recipes is no secret. Why make dough from scratch when everyone loves the canned stuff?! These are a fan favorite every fall. They always disappear within minutes, probably because the combo of salty, creamy brie, sweet-tart cranberry sauce, and crunchy pecans is PERFECT.

Get the Cranberry Brie Bites recipe.

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!

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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!

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Mashed potato casserole is the ultimate holiday side dish we’ve all been waiting for. It's bound to find its way onto your holiday dinner table at some point during the season, but it makes a great side dish any time of the year. It's creamy, fluffy, and oh so cheesy.

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We'll take Brussels any which way, but we especially love giving them the traditional Thanksgiving treatment—with plenty of butter, cream, and cheese. This method upgrades even the most humble vegetables while still allowing them to be the star of the show—even skeptics will be asking for seconds.

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These are a great finger food to pile onto a platter for your Thanksgiving dinner or holiday celebration. You’ll be amazed at how easy they are to make and how impressed people will be when they eat one.

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Whether you’re drizzling it over your roast turkey, mashed potatoes, or flaky biscuits, homemade gravy is an absolute must-have during the holidays. Since it’s such a staple, it's gotta be perfect—THIS is the recipe you need.

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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 get ready for comfort in a bowl.

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Pull-apart bread reaches a whole new level, thanks to brie and cranberry sauce. Use your favorite homemade sauce recipes, but store-bought works too if you're short for time.

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Baby bella mushrooms stuffed with garlicky, herby bread crumbs and plenty of cheese... Honestly, what could be better? Stuff them ahead of time and bake them off when you're ready to serve!

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In our book, the perfect e recipe has to nail three things: be extra creamy, plenty cheesy, and paired with a golden, crunchy topping. This recipe nails all three with flying colors.

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This recipe made us wonder, Why don’t we roast carrotscarrot more often? When they roast, their flavor concentrates and sweetens. Pair that with copious amounts of umami-packed Parmesan and just a touch of lemon, and you’ve got a super-irresistible side.

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If you usually only roast your potatoes, you've got to try smashing them—it makes them super crispy while also having an unbelievably buttery, tender center. 😍

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When we want to incorporate this veggie into our Thanksgiving dinner, we turn to this fresh, seasonal salad. With toasted almonds, shaved Parmesan, and pomegranate seeds, this is the holiday side that will convert even the biggest Brussels sprout haters.

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To make this side dish, we treat orzo like risotto, then top it with crunchy herbed breadcrumbs for added texture. The orzo soaks up the cheese sauce, and you get an incredible sauce to pasta ratio with multitudes of creaminess in every bite.

Get the Cheesy Kale Orzo With Herbed Bread Crumbs recipe.

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.

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This sweet-tart sauce is almost as easy as opening up the canned stuff, and you know your Thanksgiving spread deserves better. This is one of the Thanksgiving dishes you can make up to a week in advance. (Bonus: The flavors will meld and deepen while it hangs out in the fridge.)

Get the Cranberry Sauce recipe.