My favorite holiday of all holidays is Thanksgiving. I love that there is no pressure for presents. I love that I don’t have to wrap said presents because wrapping presents is not within my skill set. And I love that it’s focused on two wonderful things–gratitude and food. I mean, how can you go wrong with those two headlining the whole shebang?
The answer is you can’t.
So, in the interest of helping make the second part of that Thanksgiving duo even better than you ever imagined it could be, I thought I would pull together The Best Thanksgiving Recipes Roundup known to man.* Or, at the very least, the best Thanksgiving Recipes Roundup on BFBT. In this post I’ve got all the goodies that fit into your Thanksgiving Day feast, some expected (hello sweet potato casserole), some not. Either way, this is the one-stop shop you need for Turkey Day dishes to make your crowd ooohhh and aaahhhh–especially if you’re not known as the “cook” in the fam.
So take a peek and let me know your favorite Thanksgiving Day recipes!
The Best Thanksgiving Recipes Roundup
Creamy Curried Butternut Squash Soup: Ok, so maybe soup falls a bit outside of your Thanksgiving Day menu. But hear me out, ok? This soup is like fall in a bowl. It’s creamy, warm, and comforting and has an unexpected kick of curry that I can’t get enough of. If you have a non-traditional Thanksgiving or if you just want to add a kick of something new to your usual, I can’t recommend this recipe enough. It’s easy (use frozen butternut squash cubes to make it even easier), you can make it ahead and reheat it the day of, and it’s so unique and fun. As a bonus, this post has great tips for setting a beautiful fall table from my sweet friend Michelle of Bedient Design Co. She’s amazing and you should totally be following her.
Sweet Potato Casserole: If you only make one thing from this round-up ever in your entire life, this is what you need to make. While I can’t take credit for creating this Sweet Potato Casserole recipe (that goes to Cooking Light), I can tell you that this is one of the only recipes on the blog that I did not change at all from its original, it’s just perfect from start to finish and need nothing from me. I now make two pans of this every year because one just isn’t quite enough. It’s amazing as leftovers and can be served straight out of the oven or cooled. I typically make it a day ahead and bake it the day of to save time. do yourself a favor, make this one. It’s so dang good everyone will love it.
Jeff’s Pumpkin Pie: Every year I share this recipe and can never quite capture the words to express how good it is. Like, all pumpkin pie is good so how can this one be any better? Trust me. It is. First things first, there is a secret ingredient and it’s a game-changer. I mean, most pumpkin pies are made with sweetened evaporated milk or sweetened condensed milk. Not this one. This one is made with (wait for it)….melted vanilla ice cream instead. Yeah. If that doesn’t bring you on over to team Jeff, I don’t know what will. But, really, this is one heck of a pie. Even people who don’t love pie love this one (me, it’s me). I highly recommend giving this one a try. The recipe will make two, so take one and keep one for yourself. Or do whatever. Just make it. You will be so glad you did.
Bloody Mary Mocktail: What could possibly be better on Thanksgiving morning than a spicy, tangy bloody mary cocktail? Nothing. Nothing I tell you. This mocktail version, created by my friend The Artist Behind The Bar, is the best bloody mary I’ve ever had. Want it spiked? There are instructions for that too. Either way, this tasty drink is a palate cleanser, a whole serving of vegetables on a day that is lacking in that department and is so stinking good. I’m working with him on creating some more incredible cocktails for all of your holiday gatherings, but in the meantime, this post has four mocktails (with instructions for how to “un-mock” them) you can choose from for your Thanksgiving Day gathering.
Apple Cider Cake: Some of us don’t like pie. I know. I know. It’s hard to imagine. But there are humans out there who wouldn’t choose smashed-up fruit in a crust for dessert. I am one of those humans. For me, cake is where it’s at. And while I love my pumpkin cake recipe and would choose it over pie any day, I don’t think that’s fair to the pie lovers out there. It’s like double-dipping. So I’m going to go with my Apple Cider Cake with Frosted Maple Buttercream as the ultimate Thanksgiving cake recipe. It’s so good, y’all. While it’s a little more labor intensive than a dump-and-bake cake like the pumpkin one, it’s so worth it, even if just for the buttercream alone. Check out the recipe HERE and become the hero of non-pie-lovers everywhere!
Honorable Mention Recipes
Don’t see something you love on this list? Here are a few honorable mention recipes worth a look:
Kale Salad with Cranberries and Almonds
Pumpkin French Toast Casserole (caution: I’m working on refining this recipe, courtesy of my amazing friend Danielle, so if you make it, add about 1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar in the mix. We’re thinking that’s the ticket to take this one from good to GREAT)
You might have noticed I don’t have a recipe for turkey, green bean casserole, or stuffing on this list. That is because 1) Jeff fries the turkey 2) everyone should make green bean casserole from the recipe on the box the way God intended it to be and 3) I can’t do stuffing. Just can’t. But I’m sure out there in this great wide world of the internet, you will find amazing recipes just like these to help fill your holiday table with goodness.
And, for the other part of this holiday I love so much, you have my gratitude today and every day for sticking with this girl and her dream to have a blog and write and connect with people. Without your continued and faithful support, I would have folded years ago. I am humbled and honored every time you show up. Thank you.
Peace, love, and Turkey Day recipes,
Meg
Welcome to BurntToast! My name is Meaghan, and this is my safe space, a place where we can share stories, share recipes and share life. It’s my dream that you can come here, kick your shoes off and pour yourself a glass of wine while you read, laugh, and maybe even hop into the kitchen. This is my heart, for all of you to see. And ALL are welcome here.