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The Ultimate Thanksgiving Recipe Guide

Stacey Pirtle

by Stacey Published: Nov 18, 2024

This post may contain affiliate links.

This is your ultimate Thanksgiving Menu Guide- all the Thanksgiving recipes you need in one, convenient place! Categorized with an easy table of contents that lets you browse side dishes, appetizers, main dishes, breads and butters, drinks, salads and desserts, everything you need to whip up and serve your Thanksgiving dinner has been organized and put right at your finger tips!

This is your ultimate Thanksgiving Menu Guide- all the Thanksgiving recipes you need in one, convenient place!  Categorized with an easy table of contents that lets you browse side dishes, appetizers, main dishes, breads and butters, drinks, salads and desserts, everything you need to whip up and serve your Thanksgiving dinner has been organized and put right at your finger tips!

Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner for the first time, the hundredth time or bringing a special side dish or dessert, this list of Thanksgiving recipes is your new best friend!

Be Thanksgiving Ready: How to Set An Inviting Buffet Table, Cozy Thanksgiving Table with Copper

Find all the Thanksgiving classics– like Chicken and Dressing, Sweet Potato Casseroles with Pecan or Marshmallow Toppings, Green Bean Casserole, even Ambrosia and Jello Salads, plus a few new dishes your friends and family are sure to enjoy- organized and ready to make your Thanksgiving preparations simple and convenient!

Table of Contents

  • Thanksgiving Appetizers
  • Thanksgiving Drinks
  • Thanksgiving Salads
  • Classic Thanksgiving Side Dishes
  • Thanksgiving Turkey + MORE!
  • Thanksgiving Breads & Butters
  • Thanksgiving Desserts

Thanksgiving Appetizers

TIP: No matter at what time you are serving your Thanksgiving meal, your family and friends will love a little bite or two to nibble as they wait. Nothing invites gathering ’round, settling in and catching up like a seasonal appetizer or two.

Consider that guests will eat 2-3 finger food servings before a meal. This will help you decide how many appetizers and how much of each you will need to make.

Whipped Ricotta Dip with Ricotta and Parmesan cheese with a jalapeno honey drizzle.

Whipped Ricotta Dip with Hot Honey Drizzle

Image for Favorite Southern Pimento Cheese Ball

Favorite Southern Pimento Cheese Ball

Honey spiced pecans title

Honey Spiced Pecans

This easy slow cooker recipe uses frozen meatballs, whole cranberry sauce, sweet chili sauce, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg to create a special holiday party finger food.

Best Crock Pot Cranberry Meatballs

Shrimp & crab stuffed deviled eggs are perfect for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, cookouts and parties.

Louisiana Shrimp & Crab Deviled Eggs

Deviled Eggs with Pickles & Bacon

Homestyle Deviled Eggs

8 natchitoches meat pies hot from the air fryer with easy thin, golden crust

Air Fryer Natchitoches Meat Pies

Easy Italian Marinated Olives

Easy Italian Marinated Olives

Sweet & spicy bread and butter pickles are a quick refrigerator pickle with a semi-homemade recipe that requires no canning.

Sweet Heat Bread & Butter Pickles

Whipped Feta Dip with honey

Whipped Feta with Honey Dip

fall whipped feta & honey dip full of seasonal flavors with apples, walnuts, bacon and thyme

Whipped Feta Dip with Apples, Honey & Walnuts

Classic Sausage Balls with green chiles on a wooden tray and a bowl of orange marmalade to show how to serve at a party.

Green Chile Sausage Balls

pro tips for making the best sausage ball appetizers

BEST Creole Sausage Balls

Apple Cheese Fondue Title

Fall Apple Cider Cheese Fondue

Served straight from the skillet, all warm and melty with a little kick and topped with those wonderfully red Christmas-time cranberries, Southern Cranberry & Cheddar Skillet Dip is a gorgeously easy must-have for your next holiday gathering.

Southern Cranberries & Cheddar Skillet Dip

Cheese Straws in a jar as a gift

Southern Cheese Straws

An easy cheese dip that can be served hot or cold being served with a triscuit.

Creamy Peppercorn Parmesan Cheese Dip

Thanksgiving Drinks

TIP: Having a signature drink for the day is one way to make this Thanksgiving stand out from all the rest. Serve these sippers with your apps or save the hot drinks for dessert! Either way, your guests will feel special.

Serve cozy, seasonal Rosemary Apple Cider at you holiday parties

Sparkling Rosemary Apple Cider

caramel apple cider in the crock pot for a hot drink treat

Spiced Caramel Apple Cider in Your Crock Pot

Overhead view of 2 cups Grapefruit Punchof ruby

Ruby Grapefruit Punch

Apple Spice Iced Tea with Blackberries & Mint

Apple Spice Mint Tea with Blackberries

Pumpkin Mocha Latte Coffee Creamer in a karafe

Pumpkin Mocha Coffee Creamer

Thanksgiving Salads

TIP: No southern holiday meal is complete without a fruit salad. But don’t forget to throw in a green salad too. With all of the rich, starchier traditional holiday side dishes, your guests will welcome the balance!

best ambrosia salad with secret ingredient whipped cream dressing

Ambrosia Fruit Salad with Whipped Cream Dressing

A slice of old fashioned cranberry jello salad garnished with fresh cranberries.

Cranberry Jello Salad

Image for Apple,  Cheese, Celery Salad

Apple, Cheese, Celery Salad

Autumn pear salad in a wooden bowl.

Autumn Pear Salad with Figs & Ginger Molasses Vinaigrette

Aerial view of fruit salad.

Classic Fruit Salad with Old Fashioned Century Sauce

Layered strawberry salad with frozen strawberries, pineapple, bananas and a sour cream layer.

Strawberry Jello Salad: A Southern Tradition

Broccoli Slaw Title

Broccoli Slaw with Apples & Brussel Sprouts

An aerial view of Southern Macaroni Salad bursting with red bell pepper, celery, red onion, sweet pickles and eggs.

Southern Macaroni Salad

An overhead look at a classic potluck or cookout salad with crunchy broccoli and a tangy, creamy homemade dressing.

Crunchy Broccoli Salad with Strawberries

pomegranate-salad-ingredients

Apple, Pear, Pomegranate Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Southern black eyed pea salad made with bell peppers, onion and marinated in Italian dressing

Southern Black Eyed Pea Salad

Image for Crisp Apple Coleslaw with Homemade Buttermilk Dressing

Crisp Apple Coleslaw with Homemade Buttermilk Dressing

hot bacon dressing for spinach salad title

Hot Bacon Dressing for A Spinach Salad

Red & Green Fruit Salad Title

Red & Green Fruit Salad with Cinnamon Orange Dressing

Classic Thanksgiving Side Dishes

TIP: Whether you’re wanting to recreate a family favorite or looking for something special that will fit in with what your family expects, there’s always room for another side dish on the Thanksgiving table . To create a delicious meal, consider including different colors and textures when choosing side dishes.

Learn 3 Tips for Successfully Adding New Foods to You Holiday Meal here.

traditional chicken and dressing for a southern holiday meal

Southern Chicken and Dressing

Serving Squash Dressing for the holidays

Cornbread & Squash Dressing

A close up of oyster dressing on a plate with baked chicken served for dinner.

Southern Oyster Dressing

Sausage Apple Cranberry Dressing Title

Sausage Apple Cranberry Dressing

classic southern sweet potato casserole with a crisp brown sugar pecan topping

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping

Image for Fluffy Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Fluffy Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Stovetop candied sweet potatoes on a fork to show tenderness and texture after cooking.

Stovetop Candied Sweet Potatoes

A gratin. or au gratin potatoes, has layers of potatoes, cheese, a drizzle of cheese and a top crust

Sweet Potato Gratin with Rosemary Crust

classic sweet potato casserole with marshmallow topping for holidays or Sunday dinner side dish

Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows

Cheesy Broccoli rice casserole made from scratch with an easy mushroom and cheese sauce.

Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole (no canned soup)

A finished skillet of Dirty Rice.

Louisiana Dirty Rice

jalapeno cranberry sauce title

Homemade Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce

A title photo of a serving of au gratin brussel sprouts for Thanksgiving dinner.

Creamy Brussels Sprouts Au Gratin

A bowl full of brussel sprouts.

Parmesan Brussel Sprouts with Bacon

Slow cooker Black Eyed Peas makes an easy vegetable side dish

Southern Slow Cooker Black Eyed Peas & Ham

A spoonful of cornbread pudding, or corn casserole.

Southern Cornbread Pudding

an easy from scratch recipe for green bean casserole without canned soup or canned beans

Creamy Green Bean Casserole Without Soup

Image for Sauteed Green Beans with Bacon & Mushrooms

Sauteed Green Beans with Bacon & Mushrooms

skillet cinnamon apples

Fried Cinnamon Apples

Honey Glazed Garlic Butter Carrots

Garlic Honey Glazed Carrots

With the same great taste as the Picadilly recipe, a carrot souffle in a 2 quart casserole dish topped with powdered sugar and orange zest

Easy Carrot Soufflé- The Best Carrot Side Dish

pepper jack mac & cheese title

Ultimate Pepper Jack Mac & Cheese

A casserole dish of baked macaroni and cheese made with pimento cheese and a ritz cracker crust.

Southern Pimento Mac and Cheese

Serve Seafood Macaroni and Cheese with a salad for a whole meal or with steak for a surf and turf dinner.

Creamy Seafood Mac and Cheese

Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole

Easy, Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole (no canned soup)

Image for Horseradish Mashed Potatoes with Cream Cheese & Garlic

Horseradish Mashed Potatoes with Cream Cheese & Garlic

Rich cream sauce and a topping of cheese make a delicious scalloped potatoes side dish.

Ultimate Scalloped Potatoes

Thanksgiving Turkey + MORE!

Tip: A bone-in turkey breast or pork tenderloin is a great option for small gatherings or when you need extra but not enough to cook a 2nd ham or turkey.

How much turkey per person? Consider whether or not leftovers are a part of your Thanksgiving plan. Provide 1 ½ lbs turkey per person if you’d like leftovers. 1 lb per person if leftovers aren’t on the menu.

Sliced stuffed pork tenderloin on a holiday platter

Cranberry Bacon Walnut Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Collard Greens

Sliced creole roasted turkey breast title

Creole Roasted Turkey Breast

Easy Southern Pecan Crusted Ham sliced

Southern Pecan Crusted Ham

Image for Holiday Prime Rib

Holiday Prime Rib

Image for Pineapple Mustard Glazed Ham

Pineapple Mustard Glazed Ham

Thanksgiving Breads & Butters

TIP: A little extra special touch here is another one of those details that can really set this year apart from others! Want to bring a fun hostess gift? Make one of these easy whipped butters. They make a wonderful, thoughtful surprise!

Cranberry Compound Butter Title

Cranberry Holiday Butter

Compound pumpkin honey butter with cinnamon and honey drizzle

Whipped Pumpkin Honey Butter

Sweet Potato Cornbread recipe with brown sugar and molasses

Easy Sweet Potato Cornbread

Rosemary Cheddar Biscuits Title

Savory Rosemary Cheddar Biscuits

Shortcut pull apart rolls title

Shortcut Pull Apart Rolls

Thanksgiving Desserts

TIP: My go-to dessert rule is to serve something that’s easy to pick up and nibble, like cookies, bars or a candy, along with the main dessert, like a cake or a pie.

This is a great option for kids and for that someone who just wants “a little something sweet,” but not a whole serving of dessert. Also, as the evening wears on, everyone loves a grab a little sweet treat to snack on!

A delicious take on the traditional southern dessert - caramel cake. Perfect holiday dessert or Thanksgiving dessert.

Southern Salted Caramel Cake

Three no bake pumpkin pie bites in phyllo cups for Thanksgiving and holiday parties

No Bake Pumpkin Pie Bites

pecan pie bars turn traditional pie into an easy dessert

Best Ever Pecan Pie Bars

no bake pumpkin cheesecake trifle title

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifles

Chocolate Pecan Pie with bourbon is perfect for Thanksgiving, Kentucky Derby, holidays.

Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie with Molasses Bourbon Whipped Cream

an overhead photo of a serving of apple pear crisp showing the texture of the topping and the cooked sliced apples.

Cozy Apple Pear Crisp

pralines are a traditional Christmas candy

Classic Louisiana Pralines

Pumpkin Dip

Pumpkin Butterscotch Dip

A view of the Hello Dolly's Layers

Hello Dolly Magic Cookie Bars

Side view of Old fashioned Coconut Pie with a high browned meringue

Old Fashioned Coconut Cream Pie

Old Fashioned Chocolate Meringue Pie made with a stove top dark chocolate pudding

Old Fashioned Chocolate Meringue Pie

Soft, chewy, moist oatmeal raisin cookies will loads of traditional flavor.

Best Ever Cinnamon Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Fresh Apple Cake with chunks of apples and walnuts

Mamaw's Old Fashioned Fresh Apple Cake

A gooey pecan pie brownie on a white place with coffee cups in the background

Gooey Black Bottom Pecan Pie Brownies

A slice of pumpkin chocolate delight

Pumpkin Chocolate Delight with Pretzel Crust

Buttery-rich peanut butter cookies and milk make a great after school snack or dessert.

Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

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Filed Under: Holidays, Recipe Collections Tagged With: Thanksgiving

Meet Stacey

Southern Discourse is a place where you can find southern family dishes, along with special recipes & table settings. Bringing connection & friendship back to the table by wrapping everything in the faith & grace from which true hospitality springs! Read More

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Meet Stacey

Southern Discourse is a place where you can find southern family dishes, along with special recipes & table settings. Bringing connection & friendship back to the table by wrapping everything in the faith & grace from which true hospitality springs! Read More

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