Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes for a Less Stressful Holiday
I love Thanksgiving dinner. I could do without the twenty minutes right before it, when the potatoes need mashing, the gravy needs whisking, and someone asks where we keep the forks.
Every year I look at the stove and think, Surely one of these things could’ve happened yesterday.
Turns out, quite a few of them can. Cranberry sauce can be in the fridge by Tuesday. The pie can bake while you’re already in the kitchen Wednesday evening. And you can make a good pot of gravy before the turkey even goes in.
If you only have time to make two dishes ahead, I’d pick the gravy and mashed potatoes. Those are the two I’m happiest to have done when the turkey’s ready to carve and everyone starts wandering into the kitchen.
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1. Orange Cranberry Sauce
Make it Tuesday. Makes about 2 cups.
Homemade cranberry sauce takes about as long as digging through the cupboard for the little bowl you only use twice a year. A splash of orange juice and a bit of zest make it taste bright and fresh next to all those rich Thanksgiving sides.
What you’ll need
- 1 bag (12 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup orange juice
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
Bring the sugar, orange juice, and water to a simmer in a saucepan. Add the cranberries and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the berries pop. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the zest. Transfer the sauce to a shallow container and refrigerate. It’ll thicken as it chills.
On Thanksgiving: Spoon it into a little bowl and put it on the table. If there’s any left on Friday, try it on a turkey sandwich with cream cheese.
2. Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Make them Wednesday. Serves 6 to 8.
A little sour cream gives these potatoes some tang, which is especially good under a spoonful of gravy. Start with the smaller amount of milk. You can add another splash when you warm them up.
What you’ll need
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ to ¾ cup warm whole milk
- Garlic Powder, Dried or Fresh Herbs (Optional – thyme, parsley, oregano, rosemary)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Peel and chop the potatoes, cover them with cold salted water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until a fork slides through easily. Drain well. Mash with the butter and sour cream, then add the warm milk a little at a time. Season to taste and refrigerate in a shallow, covered dish.
On Thanksgiving: Warm the potatoes in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir often and add a splash of milk if they’re stiff. Heat to 165°F throughout, then put a pat of butter on top and let it melt down the sides.
A simple potato masher is all you need here. I like leaving a few little lumps.
3. Old-Fashioned Herb Stuffing
Prep it Wednesday. Bake it Thursday. Serves 8.
As soon as the onion, celery, and sage hit the butter, the kitchen starts to smell like Thanksgiving. I bake my stuffing in a wide dish so there’s plenty of golden top to go around. I’m still going for a corner piece.
What you’ll need
- 10 cups cubed sturdy bread
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 celery ribs, diced
- 1½ teaspoons rubbed sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 to 2½ cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth
- 2 large eggs
- Salt and pepper to taste
On Wednesday, spread the bread cubes on a sheet pan and toast at 300°F for 25 to 35 minutes, stirring once, until dry. Let them cool completely, then store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Sauté the onion and celery in butter until soft. Stir in the sage and thyme and refrigerate the vegetable mixture separately.
On Thanksgiving: Toss the bread with the vegetables. Whisk the eggs with 2 cups of broth and pour it over the bread. Add more broth a splash at a time if you still see dry spots. Season lightly and spoon into a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bake at 350°F, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is golden and the center reaches 165°F.
4. Brown Sugar Sweet Potatoes With Pecan Crumble
Make the filling and topping Wednesday. Bake Thursday. Serves 6 to 8.
A bite of these sweet potatoes next to salty stuffing is one of my favorite things on the Thanksgiving plate. Keep the crumble in its own container overnight so you can scatter it on just before baking.
For the sweet potatoes
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the pecan crumble
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
Boil the sweet potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash with the butter, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Spread in a shallow, greased 2-quart baking dish and refrigerate. In a separate bowl, mix the crumble ingredients together with a fork until you have little buttery clumps. Cover and refrigerate the topping separately.
On Thanksgiving: Scatter the crumble over the potatoes and bake at 350°F for 30 to 45 minutes, until the topping is golden and the center reaches 165°F. If both pans fit, these can go into the oven alongside the stuffing.
5. Make-Ahead Gravy
Make it Wednesday. Makes about 2½ cups.
Making gravy while everyone’s waiting to eat is my least favorite Thanksgiving sport. With a pot of gravy already in the fridge, you can warm it up while someone carves the turkey. If you have good drippings, stir a little in at the end.
What you’ll need
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2½ cups low-sodium turkey or chicken stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
Melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until it smells a little nutty. Slowly whisk in the stock. Simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, until the gravy coats the back of a spoon. Season to taste.
Pour it into a shallow food storage container with a lid and refrigerate. I’d put a piece of tape on the lid marked “Wednesday gravy” so nobody has to open three containers to find it.
On Thanksgiving: Whisk the gravy as it heats and bring it to a boil. Add a splash of stock if it’s too thick. If you’re using turkey drippings, skim off the fat, whisk a little of the remaining liquid into the gravy, and bring it back to a boil. Taste before adding any more salt.
6. Classic Pumpkin Pie
Bake it Wednesday. Makes one 9-inch deep-dish pie.
I’m happy to use a store-bought crust when there’s already enough going on in the kitchen. Bake the pie Wednesday and on Thursday all you need is a knife, some whipped cream, and somebody willing to take the first slightly mangled slice.
What you’ll need
- 1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie crust
- 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin purée
- 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
Heat the oven to 425°F. Whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, sugar, spice, and salt, then whisk in the evaporated milk. Pour into the crust and bake for 15 minutes. Lower the temperature to 350°F and bake for another 40 to 50 minutes, until the edges are set and the center has a slight wobble. If the crust browns too quickly, cover the edges with foil.
Cool on a rack and refrigerate within two hours of baking. Cover once chilled.
On Thanksgiving: Keep the pie chilled until dessert and put the whipped cream on the table so everyone can help themselves.
A Simple Thanksgiving Prep Timeline
Tuesday: Make the cranberry sauce. While it simmers, clear a shelf in the fridge. You’ll be glad to have somewhere to set the pie when it comes out of the oven tomorrow.
Wednesday: Get the pie in the oven first if you’re making one. Make the gravy and mashed potatoes while you’re already in the kitchen. If you still have time, toast the stuffing bread, sauté the vegetables, and prep the sweet potatoes and crumble. A pot of gravy and a pie is a perfectly good place to call it a night.
Thursday: Bake the stuffing and sweet potatoes. Warm the gravy and mash on the stove. Put the cranberry sauce in its serving bowl and leave the pie in the fridge until dessert. If you’re sharing one oven with the turkey, check which pans fit together and work backward from when you want to eat.
My favorite little hosting trick: Set out your serving dishes Wednesday night and stick a note in each one with what goes in it. Put the serving spoon beside it. When somebody asks what they can do, you can hand them the potatoes and point.
Refrigerate perishable dishes within two hours and keep your fridge at 40°F or below. Use refrigerated cooked dishes within three to four days of when you first made them, or freeze them for longer storage. Reheat cooked sides to 165°F and bring the gravy to a boil.
Save this for Thanksgiving week. It’s a lot easier to decide what to make on Wednesday when you’re sitting down with a cup of coffee than when you’re standing in front of the fridge trying to make room for a turkey.
If you’re still figuring out the menu, my How to Make an Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving Dinner on a Budget post has ideas for keeping the grocery bill down. And if the menu is settled but the table is still bare, here’s how I’d put together An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving Table on a Budget with everyday dishes, a few candles, and whatever’s in the fruit bowl.
What’s one dish you always make before Thanksgiving Day? Tell me in the comments. I’m especially curious who bakes the pie a day early and who has to hide it to make sure it lasts until Thursday.
