23 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 23 of the 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? They don’t. If you are lucky, guests will offer to 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 you can make several dishes ahead of time.

You want to be able to enjoy hosting your own Thanksgiving celebration.

These 23 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.

collection of Thanksgiving dishes that can be made ahead

Plan Your Whole Thanksgiving Menu

Use this collection of recipes for every course to make your menu choices easy.

My Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Timeline

When I taught cooking classes, I always told my students that the secret to a relaxed Thanksgiving isn’t working faster on the big day. It’s starting earlier and having a plan. Here’s the timeline I use to spread out the work so I can actually enjoy my guests. This timeline is just for the food preparation of your mean.

3 to 4 Weeks Ahead

Plan your menu and adjust each recipe to your guest count.
Order your turkey early, since shortages happen.
Make pie crust dough and freeze it.
Make freezer-friendly dishes, like the sweet potato casserole and pecan pie bars.

The Week Of

Move the turkey to the refrigerator to thaw. Allow about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds, so a 20-pound turkey needs 4 to 5 days.
Shop for groceries, saving the most perishable items for last.
Make the cranberry sauce or chutney. The flavor gets better as it sits.
Make the gravy and refrigerate it.
Make the freezer roll dough and freeze it.

The Day Before

Brine the turkey.
Assemble the dressing and casseroles, then cover and refrigerate them unbaked.
Make the mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes.
Make desserts that need to chill overnight, like tiramisu and cheesecake.
Slice the cheeses and prep the meats and fruit for your charcuterie board.
Assemble the breakfast casserole for the next morning.

Thanksgiving Day

Bake the breakfast casserole while you have your coffee.
Set the frozen rolls out to rise 5 to 6 hours before dinner.
Roast the turkey.
Take the casseroles out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking so they heat evenly.
While the turkey rests, bake the sides and reheat the gravy and potatoes.
Add crackers to the charcuterie board just before guests arrive.

MY TIP: Keep your mashed potatoes warm in a slow cooker on low. It frees up a burner when you need it the most.

NEED A CHECKLIST AND TIMELINE TO PREPARE FOR HOSTING YOUR THANKSGIVING DINNER? GET MY 23 STEPS TO GET READY TO HOST THANKSGIVING DINNER.

I’ve also included items for getting your turkey ready for the oven and the dinner table. This collection takes you through turkey prep to breakfast, appetizers, side dishes, and even dinner rolls and pie crust, and finishes with a few make-ahead desserts.

roasted Thanksgiving turkey on platter with sides around it.

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.

CHECK OUT THESE TIPS FOR PREPARING THANKSGIVING AHEAD OF THE DAY.

turkey on a wooden cutting board and how to brine a turkey graphic

Brining Your Turkey

I have been brining my turkey for years. I am a big proponent of brining a turkey because it adds moisture and tenderness to your turkey. Here is my step-by-step process. Try it, you’ll love it.

GET YOUR TIPS AND STEPS FOR BRINING YOUR TURKEY.

make-ahead Thanksgiving breakfast casserole

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 Addiction shares this delicious make-ahead breakfast casserole to get the day started right.

LOOK AT THIS MAKE-AHEAD BREAKFAST CASSEROLE.

make ahead French toast on white plate with fork

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.

GET THIS YUMMY FRENCH TOAST RECIPE.

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’s easily made a few days ahead and refrigerated before the big day. It has extra flavor going for it.

TRY THIS DELICIOUS CRANBERRY SAUCE VERSION.

make-ahead Thanksgiving mini-cheese balls with crackers

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.

CHECK OUT THIS CUTE WAY TO WHET YOUR GUESTS’ APPETITES.

make-ahead brie and cranberry appetizer with crackers on a charcuterie board

Make-Ahead Fall Harvest Charcuterie Board

Stephanie of Blue Bowl Recipes fills her fall board with soft and hard cheeses, prosciutto, Honeycrisp apples, pears, figs, candied pecans, and dark chocolate. She walks you through choosing each category so your board has a variety of flavors and textures. This isn’t a 100% make-ahead dish, but you get a head start by slicing the cheeses and arranging the meats and fruit up to a day ahead, then add the crackers just before guests arrive so they stay crisp.

TRY THIS FALL CHARCUTERIE BOARD.

Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad

Lucy of Southern Food and Fun tosses shaved Brussels sprouts and kale with a bright, tangy dressing for a crisp salad that balances the rich Thanksgiving dishes. Unlike delicate lettuce salads, these sturdy greens hold up well, so you can prep the salad ahead without it wilting.
TRY THIS BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND KALE SALAD.

TRY THIS BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND KALE SALAD.

make-ahead green bean casserole in a white baking dish

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.

GET THIS MAKE-AHEAD RECIPE FOR GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE.

Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash

Have you ever thought about combining two iconic fall vegetables? Denise of Sweet Peas and Saffron shares an easy-to-make-ahead gratin your guests will love.

CHECK OUT THIS MAKE-AHEAD BRUSSELS SPROUTS DISH.

Make-Ahead Crunchy Broccoli Casserole

Casseroles are always a favorite at Thanksgiving. Michelle of Brown Eyed Baker has a delicious casserole you can make ahead.

TRY THIS MAKE-AHEAD CRUNCHY BROCCOLI CASSEROLE.

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 butternut squash and creamy feta with tart cranberries.

TRY MAKE-AHEAD BUTTER SQUASH FOR A CREAMY TASTE.

make-ahead sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving

Make-Ahead Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar

Ang of Juggling Act Mama keeps it simple with just five ingredients: roasted sweet potatoes mashed with butter, brown sugar, milk, and a little salt and pepper. Make them a day or two ahead, then reheat covered at 350°F for about 30 minutes. If your oven is full on Thanksgiving, Ang also includes a slow cooker method. Her tip for the fluffiest texture: use a hand masher, never a mixer, so the potatoes don’t turn gluey.

TRY THESE BROWN SUGAR SWEET POTATOES.

sweet potato casserole with crunchy pecan topping in a baking dish

Make-Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole

Tiffany of Peanut Blossom has a clever trick for smaller families: split this sweet potato casserole into two 8×8 pans. Bake one for Thanksgiving and freeze the other for Christmas! A crunchy butter pecan streusel replaces the usual marshmallows. You can assemble it the day before, or freeze it unbaked for up to six months.

THIS MAKE-AHEAD SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE IS A WINNER.

baked corn casserole in a glass baking dish

Corn Casserole to Make Ahead

Do you have a lot of corn left over from summer? Use it to make this easy corn casserole from Kathleen of The Fresh Cooky.

TRY THIS EASY TO ASSEMBLE AND PREPARE AHEAD CORN CASSEROLE.

mashed potatoes in a white baking pan with a spoon

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.

TRY THESE DELICIOUS MAKE-AHEAD MASHED POTATOES.

make ahead dressing for Thanksgiving in an oval white baking pan on a striped dish towl

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.

GET THIS RECIPE FOR MAKE-AHEAD THANKSGIVING DRESSING.

baked mac and cheese in a glass baking pan

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 THIS MAKE-AHEAD BAKED MAC ‘N CHEESE.

homemade gravy in a white gravy boat on a kitchen counter

Make-Ahead Gravy

You can’t have Thanksgiving without gravy. Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, and gravy are the perfect pairing. Usually, we wait until the turkey is done and resting to make gravy. Southern Living shares how to make a delicious version ahead of the turkey.

PUT THIS MAKE-AHEAD GRAVY ON YOUR THANKSGIVING LIST.

make-ahead pie crust in a pie pie with a rolling pin

Homemade Make-Ahead Pie Crust

Many 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 homemade pie crust ahead of time for your favorite Thanksgiving pie? You can thank Martha Stewart.

CHECK OUT THIS EASY-TO-MAKE-AHEAD PIE CRUST.

golden homemade dinner rolls brushed with butter in a baking dish

Make-Ahead Freezer Rolls

Homemade rolls without the last-minute stress! Monica of The Yummy Life mixes soft, buttery dinner roll dough, shapes it into balls, and freezes them for up to two weeks. Her secret ingredients, instant potato flakes and powdered milk, make the rolls extra soft and fluffy. On Thanksgiving, just let the frozen dough balls rise for five to six hours, then bake.
TRY THESE MAKE-AHEAD FREEZER ROLLS.

TRY THESE MAKE-AHEAD FREEZER ROLLS.

pecan pie bars cut into squares on parchment paper

Make-Ahead Pecan Bars

All the flavor of pecan pie in easy-to-serve bars! Kristyn of Lil’ Luna pours a gooey caramelized pecan filling over a buttery shortbread crust. One 9×13 pan makes 12 to 20 bars. Make them a day or two ahead and refrigerate the whole slab, then cut into squares just before serving. They also freeze for up to six months.

TRY THESE PECAN PIE BARS.

slice of make ahead pumpkin spice tiramisu dusted with cocoa powder

Pumpkin Tiramisu

Joy the Baker, a fellow Texan, puts a fall spin on tiramisu with a no-bake dessert of ladyfingers soaked in strong coffee spiked with bourbon, layered with a pumpkin-spiced mascarpone cream. It needs to rest in the refrigerator for at least six hours or overnight, so it’s a naturally make-ahead dessert. Dust it with cocoa just before serving.
TRY THIS PUMPKIN SPICE TIRAMISU.

TRY THIS PUMPKIN SPICE TIRAMISU.

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Thanksgiving Make-Ahead Recipes

These make-ahead Thanksgiving recipes come from my search on Pinterest and Google. You can see more holiday ideas on these Pinterest Boards:

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.

collage of a group of Thanksgiving recipes that can be made ahead

In between writing posts, listening to podcasts, reading, doing various blogging tasks, and walking Nola, I’ll be browsing away.

23 Best Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes

Plan Your Whole Thanksgiving Menu