My Southern Thanksgiving Menu is filled with classic recipes everyone looks forward to all year long! Each dish is simple to make, bursting with flavor, and crafted with love for the people who mean the most to me. From timeless favorites to a few special touches, this menu is everything you need to make your holiday meal unforgettable.
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When it comes to Thanksgiving, there’s something undeniably special about a classic Southern menu. It’s a celebration of tradition, flavor, and warm hospitality that has been passed down through generations.
That’s why I am so excited to share my menu with you! It’s full of time-honored recipes that my family loves. Many of these dishes can be made ahead of time, saving me time in the kitchen on the big day, which is something to really be thankful for.
My Secrets To A Easy and Enjoyable Thanksgiving
- Plan and Prep Ahead: Thanksgiving is all about timing, so take advantage of make-ahead recipes. Desserts, casseroles, and even side dishes like Southern dressing or gravy can be prepped the day before.
- Plan Your Serving Dishes and Set The Table: Before the big day, match each dish to its serving piece and set them aside with a sticky note. Next, I the table the night before that way I have one less thing to worry about. Plus it put me in a happy festive mood!
- Taste and Season: Flavor is everything, so don’t forget to taste-test everything as you cook! Use fresh herbs like rosemary, sage, and thyme for earthy, aromatic depth, plus they can double as garnish. A final sprinkle of salt or squeeze of lemon juice can elevate a dish from good to unforgettable.
Thanksgiving Menu Recipes
Pepper Jelly Cheese Dip With Bacon
Made with just 5 ingredients, this Pepper Jelly Cheese With Bacon is the perfect appetizer! It's the perfect blend of creamy, spicy, and a little bit salty, making for an irresistible bite. It only takes a few minutes to put together this flavorful spread, making it a guest and home cook favorite.
Outrageously Good Stuffed Celery
Celery sticks stuffed with cream cheese, bacon, herbs and cheddar cheese are outrageously good! Served as an appetizer or snack, this recipe will surely become a favorite at parties, cookouts and family gatherings.
Creamy Southern Deviled Eggs
Extra creamy deviled eggs are a classic, crowd pleasing appetizer and a must for any southern holiday celebration. This deviled egg recipe is simple to make with no-frills or fancy extras. They are the perfect finger food for holidays, parties and gatherings anytime of the year.
Easy Crock Pot Turkey Breast
Perfectly seasoned with butter, herbs, onions, and garlic, this juicy, tender turkey breast is easy to make in the slow cooker. Crock Pot Turkey Breast is the perfect recipe when you don't want to make a whole turkey, and no oven space is needed!
How To Make Turkey Gravy
Impress everyone at the Thanksgiving table with delicious, homemade gravy that takes just minutes to make! This foolproof recipe is easy to master and will have you making perfect gravy every single time.
Brown Sugar Mustard Baked Ham
Get ready to fall in love with this scrumptious Brown Sugar Mustard Baked Ham! Trust me, after just 15 minutes of prep, you'll have a mouthwatering dish featuring a heavenly combo of whole grain and Dijon mustard, along with the sweetness of Coca-Cola.
Best Creamed Spinach Recipe: Fresh and Easy
Creamed Spinach is a quick, comforting, and absolutely delicious homemade side dish. It's easy to make with simple ingredients, whether pulling together a last-minute weeknight meal or hosting unexpected guests. This recipe brings out the classic, rich flavors of creamed spinach in a lighter, fresher way and is perfect for adding a little extra flair to any meal!
Southern Candied Yams
Candied yams are a classic holiday side dish that's an outstanding addition to Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, but they are also terrific to serve year-round. Sweet potatoes cooked with brown sugar, butter, and warm spices are the star of the show and downright irresistible!
Southern Cornbread Dressing
Southern Cornbread Dressing with celery, onions and just the right amount of seasoning is a tradition during the holidays. Served alongside turkey and drizzled with gravy, this classic dish will be gobbled up by everyone around the table!
Orange Cranberry Sauce
Easy to make Orange Cranberry Sauce is bursting with bold, bright flavors! Fresh cranberries sweetened with honey and maple syrup make this an outstanding no-sugar recipe to serve with turkey or ham.
Southern Pineapple Casserole
Pineapple Casserole is a classic, Southern dish, that's sweet, savory, and has a buttery topping that makes it totally addictive! Served as a side dish for the holidays or as a dessert, this surprising recipe brings together contrasting flavors and textures, making it incredibly delicious.
Southern Style Green Beans
Get ready to dive into the heart of comfort food with this simple Southern Green Beans recipe. Tender, flavorful, and steeped in tradition, green beans Southern style are a down-home delight you won't want to miss! Fresh green beans cooked with bacon and just the right amount of seasoning is the perfect side dish for any meal.
Brown Butter Butternut Squash Casserole
Brown Butter Butternut Squash Casserole with caramelized onions and a buttery cracker crust is a fall recipe that's absolutely incredible! It's perfect for Thanksgiving but it's so good you'll want to make it all year long.
Eggnog Pound Cake
Celebrate the holidays with Eggnog Pound Cake, flavored with rich eggnog and warm spices of cinnamon and nutmeg. There's just something special about homemade pound cake, and this one is an outstanding addition to any holiday celebration.
Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie
Decadent Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie is pure perfection and so easy to make! This no corn syrup recipe combines rich maple syrup with smokey bourbon and pecans to make a pie that's sure to be the star of any holiday gathering.
Easy Ambrosia Salad
Ambrosia Salad is a classic recipe that's hard to resist. Make with pineapple, cherries, oranges, coconut, pecans and grapes all wrapped up in fresh whipped cream and marshmallows, is a fruit salad that dreams are made of!
Grandma’s Apple Crisp
This old-fashioned recipe for Grandma's Apple Crisp is loaded with tender apples and a buttery topping that is crispy and sweet. Serve it warm with a scoop of ice cream for a heavenly comfort food dessert.
What Makes This A Show Stopping Thanksgiving Menu
- Flavorful Traditions: most of these recipes were handed down from my Mother and Grandmother, preserving the flavors and techniques that make these dishes so special.
- Balance of Flavors: in classic Southern style, this menu strikes a harmonious balance between sweet, savory, and smoky flavors, that are incredibly delicious.
- Comfort Food: my Southern Thanksgiving dishes are the epitome of comfort food, providing a sense of warmth and bringing back good memories.
- Local Ingredients: I use as many seasonal ingredients as possible from farmer’s markets and local vendors to give each recipe the best flavor and texture.
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