This Basic Thanksgiving Menu Is the Only One You’ll Ever Need

Introduction

When it comes to hosting Thanksgiving, the last thing anyone wants is complicated recipes or an overwhelming menu. This Basic Thanksgiving Menu is designed with simplicity, classic flavors, and stress-free hosting in mind. It’s a crowd-pleaser that delivers all the cozy, nostalgic dishes you expect—without fuss. Whether you’re a first-time host or a seasoned pro seeking a streamlined plan, this menu is your answer to a memorable, delicious holiday.

Why This Thanksgiving Menu Shines

This menu brings together the ultimate comfort foods in their best forms: a perfectly roasted turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, fluffy stuffing, classic cranberry sauce, savory green beans, and a decadent pumpkin pie. By focusing on the essentials and using reliable, straightforward recipes, you guarantee a feast that impresses without requiring professional chef skills.

Your All-in-One Thanksgiving Dinner Plan

The beauty of this menu lies in its balance: each dish complements the others, and all can be prepared ahead or scheduled for fuss-free orchestrating on Thanksgiving Day. From moist turkey buttered with fresh herbs, to airy mashed potatoes and homemade gravy, every plate is brimming with nostalgic flavors that evoke gratitude and togetherness.

Thanksgiving Menu Essentials: The Basics

Here’s what you’ll be preparing:

• Herb-Roasted Turkey with Pan Gravy
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes
• Classic Bread Stuffing
• Fresh Green Beans with Butter and Garlic
• Sweet-Tart Cranberry Sauce
• Homemade Pumpkin Pie

💡Meal Planning Tip: Save this menu with CookifyAI to create an organized shopping list for every dish—automatically grouped by store section for the most efficient grocery trip. You’ll save time and avoid last-minute dashes for forgotten ingredients!

Instructions

1. Herb-Roasted Turkey: Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove giblets from the turkey cavity. Pat turkey dry; rub with 4 tbsp softened butter, salt, pepper, and 1 bunch thyme inside and out. Fill cavity with onions and lemon. Tuck wings under, tie legs. Roast breast side up on a rack in a large roasting pan, basting occasionally, 3–3.5 hours or until a thermometer reads 165°F at thickest part. Rest 20 minutes before carving. For pan gravy, skim fat from drippings, whisk with 2 tbsp flour and 2 cups broth over medium heat until thickened.
2. Creamy Mashed Potatoes: Peel and cut potatoes into chunks. Cover with water, add salt, boil until fork-tender, 15–18 minutes. Drain and mash with 4 tbsp butter and milk, seasoning to taste.
3. Classic Bread Stuffing: Melt butter in a large skillet, add onion and celery, cooking until soft. Stir in sage and thyme. Toss with bread cubes in a large bowl. Gradually add broth just to moisten. Season, place in a buttered baking dish, cover and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake 20 minutes more until golden.
4. Green Beans: Boil green beans until crisp-tender, 4–5 minutes. Drain. Sauté garlic in butter, toss beans to coat and season to taste.
5. Cranberry Sauce: Simmer cranberries, sugar, orange juice, and water until berries burst and sauce thickens, 12–15 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
6. Pumpkin Pie: Preheat oven to 425°F. Roll out crust into a 9-inch pie plate. In a bowl, whisk pumpkin, sugar, spice, eggs, and evaporated milk. Pour into crust. Bake 15 minutes, reduce heat to 350°F and bake 40–50 minutes more until set. Cool before slicing.

Weekly Meal Planning

Holiday menus benefit greatly from smart planning! Save and schedule this full Thanksgiving menu on CookifyAI to organize prep timelines and create smart shopping lists.

Planning Benefits:

• Automatically totals ingredients across all dishes
• Organizes lists by supermarket aisle
• Reduces duplicate buys and last-minute store runs
• Makes prepping a complex holiday meal manageable and enjoyable

Pro Tip: When planning multiple meals for the week (leftovers, for example!), schedule all recipes together. CookifyAI will show you overlapping ingredients, calculate precise amounts, and even suggest timing for each recipe, taking the guesswork out of organizing a multi-day celebration!

Cook and Prep Times

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 4 hours (across all dishes; can overlap timelines)
Total Time: 5 hours

This Thanksgiving Menu Is the Only One You’ll Ever Need (Recap)

This essential Thanksgiving menu covers all the bases: tradition, comfort, and simplicity. It’s everything you need for a memorable holiday—without the stress. With organized planning and classic flavors, your guests will remember this feast for years to come.