22 Easy-to-Make Complete Thanksgiving Menus To Help You BRING IT TO THE TABLE.

With these tempting menus, you whole Thanksgiving feast is covered from dinner to dessert.

1 A Retro Menu

Pull out the vintage china! We added a few fresh twists to time-tested staples, from green bean casserole to cranberry sauce, for a meal rooted in nostalgia.
Main Course:
Herb and Citrus Butter Roasted Turkey
Sides:
Apple-Walnut Stuffing
Maple Meringue Sweet Potato Casserole
Green Bean Casserole with Fried Shallots
Rosemary-Port Cranberry Sauce
Desserts:
Chocolate Brown Sugar Butter Cake with Spiced Pumpkin Frosting
Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Fudge Pie

2 A Rustic Menu

This down-home gathering with a hint of Texas twang (deep-fried turkey! cranberry salsa!) is perfect for the casual, potluck kind of crowd.
Main Course:
Fried Turkey
Sides:


Pickled Peach-and-Cranberry Salsa
Jalapeño-Green Chili Spoonbread
Baked Kale Gratin
Sorghum-Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Desserts:
Apple Crostata
Maple Granola Pecan Pie

3 An Elegant Menu

This spread celebrates the season's bounty with crowd favorites taken up a notch.
Main Course:
Pear-Thyme Brined Turkey
Sides:
Buttermilk-Boursin Mashed Potatoes
Roasted Acorn Squash with Maple Bacon Drizzle
French Green Beans with Garlicky Almond Breadcrumbs
Shaved Brussels Sprout-and-Chestnut Salad
Desserts:
Toffee Crunch Cake
Spiced Pumpkin Latte Cheesecake
Lemon-Coconut Tart

4 A Show-Stopping Feast

This tasty menu will guarantee every single guest experiences a post-dinner food coma.
Main Course:
Easiest Salt-and-Pepper Turkey
Rosemary and Bourbon Gravy
Sides:

Fresh Herb Spoon Rolls

Apricot-Wild Rice Stuffing

Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

Baked Two-Cheese Rigatoni

Desserts:
Pumpkin Pie with Oat-Pecan Crust
Mocha Cream Pie

5 Southern Flavor

South Carolina baker Carrie Morey doesn't hoard her family's best recipes. She spreads the love—and tweaks the traditional Thanksgiving favorites.
Appetizers:
Collard and Brussels-Sprout Salad
Main Course:
Sage-Butter Roasted Turkey
Sides:
Cornbread Dressing
Citrus-Cranberry Sauce
Caramelized-Onion Galette
Skillet Green Beans
Potato Gratin
Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Carrots
Buttermilk Biscuits
Dessert:
Pecan Pie

6 Full of Flavor

Cranberry sauce with a hint of exoctism, dressing with bay leaf and sage, and salad with slightly bitter chicory give this Thanksgiving menu huge bursts of flavor.



Main Course:
The Perfect Roast Turkey with Herbes-de-Provence Rub
Sides:


Spiced Cranberry Sauce with Orange Star Anise
Wild Rice and Basmati Dressing with Sausage and Sage
Edyth Newman's Matzo Stuffing
Ruby Red Grapefuit and Chicory Salad
Light and Fluffy Carrot Soufflé



Desserts:


B. Smith's Bourbon-Cranberry Bread Pudding
Chocolate-Chunk Pecan Pie

7 All-American Thanksgiving Menu

From grits to bacon, this menu is chock full of delicious comfort food.



Main Course:
Perfect Roast Turkey
Side Dishes:
Cheese Grits and Corn Pudding
Roasted Sweet Potato Casserole with Praline
Marvin Woods's Brussels Sprouts, Red Pepper, and Avocado Salad
Potato and Celery Root Gratin
Green Beans with Bacon
Cracked Pepper Dinner Rolls
Desserts:


All-American Apple Pie
Pumpkin Pie with Walnut Crust

8 Farm-to-Table Menu

A pioneer in California's farm-to table movement, chef Cindy Pawlcyn's menu offers a touch of exotic to tried-and-true recipes.
Starter:
Avocado-Papaya Salad
Main Course:
Roast Turkey with a Pipian Sauce of Tomatoes, Chiles, and Sesame Seeds
Side Dishes:
Cornbread Stuffing with Sweet Peppers, Onions, and Celery
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Goat Cheese and Scallions
Tangerine-Cranberry Jam

9 Chinese-Inspired Menu

Anita Lo, the owner and executive chef of Annisa in New York City, says that the Chinese have a classic hoisin-glazed duck dish that's stuffed with sticky rice. "With that as my inspiration," she says, "I prepared the rice stuffing on the stovetop to make sure it didn't overcook."



Main Course:
Roast Turkey with Hoisin Gravy
Side Dishes:
Sticky Rice Dressing with Chinese Sausage, Edamame and Chestnuts
Pureed Yams with Ginger, Star Anise, and Cinnamon
Cranberry Sauce with Dried Orange Peel
Dessert:
Pecan Pie with Salted Egg Yolks

10 Sweet and Savory

What is Joan Nathan's favorite part of Thanksgiving? "I love planning and cooking with my family," says the author of Quiches, Kugels, and Couscous: My Search for Jewish Cooking in France.



Main Course:
Brined and Roasted Turkey with Pan Gravy
Side Dishes:
Challah Stuffing with Chestnuts and Dried Fruit
Sweet Potato, Onion, and Almond Cassolita
Zesty Orange-Cranberry Sauce
Sweet Fennel Rolls

11 A Traditional Feast

When it comes to his Thanksgiving menu, Joe Randall—the coauthor of A Taste of Heritage: The New African-American Cuisine in Savannah—doesn't mess with tradition.



Main Course:
Butter-Roasted Turkey with Giblet Pan Gravy
Side Dishes:
Cornbread Dressing with Sage and Pork Sausage
Mom Pan's Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Sun-Dried Cranberry Salsa
Southern-Style Green Beans
Drink:
Valley of the Moon Pinot Blanc 2008

12 A Spicy Twist

Tim Love, the owner and executive chef of Lonesome Dove Western Bistro and Love Shack, both in Fort Worth, Texas, gives his turkey flavor from the outside in by using a spicy game rub, then covering the bird in prosciutto.



Main Course:
Spice-Rubbed Turkey Wrapped in Prosciutto
Side Dishes:
French-Bread Stuffing with Oysters, Bacon, and Chipotle
Fried Sugar-Poached New Potatoes
Chile-Spiked Cranberry Relish
Roasted Wild Mushrooms with Garlic and Shallots

13 Classic New England Thanksgiving Menu

A juicy, flavorful turkey is almost guaranteed if you soak or "brine" the bird in a saltwater bath before roasting, like the turkey featured on this festive menu.



Starters:
Peppered Goat Cheese with Citrus-Carrot Marmalade
Holiday Oyster Stew
Kenyon Johnnycakes
Main Course:
Roasted Apple Turkey with Apple Brandy Gravy
Side Dishes:
Cranberry-Pear Wild-Rice Stuffing
Triple Cranberry Sauce
Whipped Root Vegetables and Potatoes
Sauteed Brussels Sprouts
Winter Squash and Sage Dinner Rolls
Desserts:
Maple Indian Pudding
Apple-Cheddar Crumble Pie
Drink:
Block Island Fog

14 The Beekman Boys' Thanksgiving Menu

Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell take old family recipes in a decadent new direction with their fresh approach to Thanksgiving.



Side Dishes:
Buttermilk Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage
Leek and Potato Gratin
Green Bean Salad with Red Onions
Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Roasted Chestnuts
Sweet Potatoes with Ancho-Maple Glaze
Cranberry and Dried-Cherry Sauce
Pumpkin Cheese Bread
Desserts:
Apple Pie with Rosemary and Honey
Sour Cream-Sweet Potato Pie
Pumpkin Goat Cheese Cheesecake

15 A Fresh Spin on the Thanksgiving Menu

In their hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, cookbook authors (and brothers) Matt and Ted Lee serve up an annual holiday menu that remains true to tradition while putting a fresh spin on classic recipes.



Starter:
Buttermilk Fresh Cheese with Spiced Figs, Pickled Fennel, and Pistachio Crust
Main Course:
Smoked-Paprika-Rubbed Turkey with Madeira and Shallot Gravy
Side Dishes:
Lemon-Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Corn Bread and Sausage Stuffing
Pimento-Cheese Potato Gratin
Cold Brussels Sprout Slaw with Toasted Benne Seeds
Cranberry-Ginger Sauce
Dessert:
Sweet-Potato Pie with Buttermilk Ice Cream
Drink:
Low Country Pousse-Rapière

16 Autumnal Abundance Menu

This old-fashioned menu features earthy potatoes and turnips with smoky bacon and rosemary as an appetizing alternative to mashed potatoes.



Starter:
Butternut Squash Soup
Main Course:
Butter-Basted Roast Turkey with Mushroom Gravy

Side Dishes:
Pickled Vegetables
Potato Clover Dinner Rolls
Creamed Pearl Onions
Roasted Potatoes and Turnips
Sourdough Mushroom Stuffing
Spiced Baked Sweet Potatoes
Spiced Cranberry Sauce with Orange

Desserts:
Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie
Red Wine Poached Pears

17 Make-Ahead Menu

Chef Tom Valenti's strategy for this menu? The stuffing can be made in advance, as well as the soup, the compote, and the desserts.



Starters:
Artisanal cheese plate, olive bread, French baguette
Roasted Parsnip Soup
Main Course:
Roast Capon
Side Dishes:
Chestnut and Sausage Stuffing
Spiced Apricot, Cranberry, and Golden Raisin Compote
Tom's Perfect Mashed Potatoes
Sauteed Kale with Garlic and Red Onions
Desserts:
Roasted Pear and Maple Cream Trifle
Pumpkin-Goat Cheese Cheesecake
Assorted chocolates

18 No-Stress Southern Thanksgiving Menu

Serving a sumptuous Thanksgiving feast can be an exciting prospect, especially with a menu like this one that includes country-inspired dishes.



Starters:
Cheese Grits and Corn Pudding
Shrimp Bisque with Bourbon
Main Course:
Roast Turkey with White Wine and Rosemary
Side Dishes:
Wild-Rice, Corn Bread, and Pecan Stuffing
Honey-Glazed Ham
Southern Vegetable Saute
Candied Yams with Apples
Dessert:
Pumpkin Cream Tarts with Candied Raspberries

19 Napa Valley Thanksgiving Menu

For celebrated chef and cookbook author Michael Chiarello, Thanksgiving is a way to honor his Italian and California heritage by cooking with seasonal organic products featured in this menu.



Starters:
Olives, salami, cheese
Main Course:
Spice-Rubbed Whole-Roasted Turkey with Cranberry Gravy
Side Dishes:
Panettone Stuffing
Cauliflower alla Parmigiana
Pumpkin Risotto with Pumpkin Butter
Honey-Roasted Applesauce
Cranberry Citrus Relish
Desserts:
Harvest Focaccia
Assorted Pies

20 A Family Thanksgiving Menu

This menu puts an emphasis on tradition, using simple and classic recipes.



Starters:
Cheese plate with nuts and dried fruits
Main Course:
Rosemary-Sage Roast Turkey
Side Dishes:
Cornbread and Apple Dressing
Cranberry Sauce
Fresh Green Bean Casserole
Glazed Pearl Onions and Shallots
Oven-Roasted Beets
Desserts:
Pumpkin Mousse
Cinnamon and Vanilla Fruit Compote
Assorted Pies and Cakes
Coffee and chocolates

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21 Country Farmhouse Thanksgiving Menu

The lush color and rich harvest of autumn fruit—persimmons, pomegranates, and quinces—are incorporated in this menu.



Starters:
Roasted Lemon Dip
Main Course:
Roast Turkey with Pomegranate Sauce
Side Dishes:
Cornbread, Quince, and Pecan Stuffing
Double-Stuffed Potatoes
Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin
Creamy Brussels Sprouts
Desserts:
Hot Pomegranate-Apple Cider
Quince Mince Pie
Persimmon Crème Brûleé
Drink:
Pomegranate-Champagne Cocktails

22 Trisha Yearwood's Family Thanksgiving Menu

Country singer Trisha Yearwood fills her Thanksgiving menu with Southern comfort foods, like pecan pie and buttermilk cornbread.



Starter:
Cheese Straws
Main Course:
No Baste, No Bother Roasted Turkey
Side Dishes:
Grandma Lizzie's Cornbread Dressing
Buttermilk Cornbread
Daddy's Biscuits

Dessert:
Pecan Pie