21 Best Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes
Cooking for Thanksgiving dinner is a huge endeavor. Anything we can do to make the day more enjoyable and less stressful is a good thing. I’ve found 21 best make-ahead Thanksgiving recipes to help you have a wonderful holiday meal.
Do you think that every dish on your Thanksgiving menu has to be made the day of Thanksgiving? If you are lucky, guests will bring a side dish or dessert. Or family members may offer to help prepare the meal.
Ideally, you are able to plan your meal preparations so that you can make several dishes ahead of time.
You want to be able to enjoy hosting your own Thanksgiving celebration.
These 21 make-ahead Thanksgiving recipes are a mixture of appetizers, side dishes, vegetables, potatoes, condiments, and a make-ahead pie crust. Don’t miss my instructions for brining your turkey ahead of time.
Do you need some ideas for ideas for Thanksgiving recipes that you can make ahead? Then join me as I show you great recipes to celebrate our most iconic holiday.
Welcome to 10 Fabulous Finds at Bluesky Browsing #111.
In case you are new to Bluesky at Home, what fabulous finds do I share at Bluesky Browsing?
- ideas to help you in your home decor efforts
- fun holiday decoration ideas
- ideas for better organization and efficiency
- a yummy recipe or cocktail
- fun DIY projects
- the latest trends in home decor
- a quirky new find or two
Focusing on finding new projects, resources, tips, new ideas, and inspiration for you is my main task. I’m constantly discovering fabulous finds to inspire us. My goal is to help you find ideas for your home decor, your crafting, your home organization, and anything about home.
Thanksgiving Make-Ahead Recipes
These make-ahead Thanksgiving recipes come from my search on Pinterest. You can see more holiday ideas on these Pinterest Boards:
Enjoy them all.
Foods to Prepare Ahead for Thanksgiving
Let’s start with a list of tips that you can use to prepare ahead of time from The Kitchn.
Brining Your Turkey
I have been brining my turkey for years. I am a big proponent of brining a turkey for the way it adds moisture and tenderness to your turkey. Here is my step-by-step process. Try it, you’ll love it.
Breakfast Casserole to Make Ahead for Thanksgiving Breakfast
Thanksgiving dinner isn’t the only meal of the day. Breakfast for guests is important, too. Sally of Sally’s Baking Addition shares this delicious make-ahead breakfast casserole to get the day started right.
Yummy French Toast
Make this decadent French toast the day before for guests to enjoy in the morning. Lynn of Fresh April Flours shares this make-ahead breakfast dish.
Pretty Little Mini-Cheeseballs
Before sitting down to turkey and all the fixin’s, have some simple bites for your company. This variety of pretty little cheeseballs from BH & G is the perfect little bite to whet everyone’s appetite.
Charcuterie Board with Cranberries and Brie
The sweet and creamy combination is not only delicious but also such a pretty spread before the Thanksgiving feast begins. Sam and Dan of A Family Thyme shares how to make this fall charcuterie board
Lucilious Pumpkin-Filled Ravioli with
I included one of my favorite make-ahead appetizers at Bluesky at Home. These pillows of soft ravioli hold a wonderful hint of pumpkin that can be served anytime prior to Thanksgiving dinner.
Pumpkin Risotto Bites
These little bites of pumpkin flavor have a crunchy texture on the outside and creamy on the inside. You can make batch weeks before Thanksgiving and freeze them, then finish for guests to snack on while the turkey is roasting.
Homemade Make-Ahead Green Bean Casserole
Kimberly of the Daring Gourmet shows you how to make this classic Thanksgiving vegetable dish ahead so you can concentrate on other meal preparation tasks.
Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash
Have you ever thought about combining two iconic fall vegetables? Denise of Sweet Pea and Saffron shares a easy-to-make-ahead gratin your guests will love.
Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Feta
You can easily prep this creative dish ahead. It’s a lighter version of a casserole. Be Centsational shares this roasted dish with creamy butternut squash and creamy feta with tart cranberries.
Brown Sugar Sweet Potatoes
What would Thanksgiving be without a sweet potato dish? Ang of Juggling Act Mama shares this brown sugar version.
Make-Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole
Tiffany of Peanut Blossom has a make-ahead sweet potato dish that sounds delicious.
Corn Casserole to Make Ahead
Have a lot of corn left over from summer? Use it to make this easy corn casserole from Kathleen of The Fresh Cooky.
Mulled Cranberry Sauce
My kids demand homemade cranberry sauce. This version from Pam of Sidewalk Shoes may be the one they get this year. It has extra flavor going for it.
Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are a Thanksgiving must-have, but they do take a lot of time to prepare. I’ve never thought about making them ahead. Jessica of Good Cheap Eats shows you how really easy it is to make them ahead of Thanksgiving.
Dressing or Stuffing? Make it Ahead.
Here in the south we call it dressing and make it in a casserole dish. Gina of Intentional Hospitality shares how to make this classic dish ahead.
Mom’s Baked Mac ‘n Cheese
Tracey of The Kitchen is My Playground shares not only how to make this classic dish ahead, but also how easy it is to give it two different textures.
Make-Ahead Gravy
You can’t have Thanksgiving without gravy. Turkey, dressing, and mashed potatoes, and gravy are the perfect pairing. Usually, we wait until the turkey is done to make gravy. Southern Living shares how to make a delicious version ahead of the turkey.
Homemade Make-Ahead Pie Crust
Most people are hesitant to make homemade pie crust. These days most people use pre-made pie crust. What if you had a super easy way to make a wonderful pie crust homemade pie crust ahead of time for your favorite Thanksgiving pie.
Let me know what you think of these Thanksgiving make-ahead recipes. I think that even one or two will make your Thanksgiving preparations easier.
Check out all these Thanksgiving recipes that can be made ahead:
- Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter.
- Best Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes with Nutella Frosting.
- Pumpkin Risotto Bites.
- Creamy Southwestern Pumpkin Soup.
I’d love to know what subjects you are most curious about. Let me know in the comments and I’ll search browse for them. Be sure to PIN to keep these ideas handy.
In between writing posts, listening to podcasts, reading, doing various blogging tasks, and walking Nola, I’ll be browsing away.
