Want to skip some of the stress this Thanksgiving? Try these make-ahead Thanksgiving recipes that are delicious and will make your life so much easier.
There are so many things to do around Thanksgiving. There are so many dishes to make and so little time. Having at least a few that you can make ahead of time can save you so much time.
I love to make as many side dishes ahead of time as I can so I mostly just need to reheat things and cook the main dish. It means I can sleep in a bit longer and I actually get to watch some of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!
It’s much better than when I used to get up at 6 a.m. and rush around to cook everything. I was so tired and stressed by mealtime it was rather hard to actually enjoy it.
Between making things simpler, making more dishes ahead of time, and using my Thanksgiving planner I get to actually enjoy Thanksgiving now. It’s rather amazing.
You can even see my actual Thanksgiving menu if you’d like some inspiration. For my Thanksgiving meal, I make cranberry sauce, rolls, and generally a dessert ahead of time. I also like to prep by making the bacon for the green bean casserole ahead of time and also having cheese grated for the casserole. These simple steps make my life so much easier!
Want more ideas of what you can make ahead of time for Thanksgiving? This list of make-ahead Thanksgiving recipes can help. Plus they all look amazing, what could be better?
Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes
Thanksgiving can be overwhelming and trying to make a big meal all at once can be basically impossible. It's so much easier when you have some make-ahead Thanksgiving recipes so you can spread out some of the work.
Traditional homemade vegetarian bread stuffing with sweet blueberries added in! This bread stuffing recipe works so well as a make-ahead dish. You can assemble this whole recipe, cover it with foil, and place it in the fridge for up to 8 hours before you plan to bake it.
Delicious sweet potato casserole that's different than the old yams with marshmallows on top. Crunchy, buttery and delicious!
This cranberry sauce is simple to make and is best when made ahead of time so it can chill and set up. You can even freeze it so you can make it even earlier or save some for Christmas dinner.
Green Bean Salad is delicious made ahead. Great served warm or cold.
Crockpot stuffing can be assembled ahead of time and saves oven space.
These creamy whipped sweet potatoes are made with some simple ingredients and on the table in about 30 minutes! Super easy to reheat when ready to enjoy!
You can make this Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip up to three days ahead and bake it day-of.
Southern baked macaroni and cheese, also called soul food mac and cheese, is the ultimate in comfort food. Creamy, rich, ooey-gooey, super cheesy, with those crispy browned cheese edges…no one can resist perfectly baked mac and cheese.
You can make and freeze mashed potatoes so you can have them done way in advance. They are still delicious and it's very simple.
This vegan orzo pasta salad is great for kids and adults, so it is always a favorite on a buffet table.
Skip the can and make these adorable whipped cream flowers the day ahead. Since they are stabilized they won't drip all over those desserts you've spent so much time making perfect!
Company Mashed Potatoes are incredibly creamy and can be prepped a day ahead and then baked in the oven when you’re ready for them to be served. They’re the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving Day or any other special occasion!
This Cranberry Salad is a must for holiday dinners! It is packed with fresh cranberries, oranges, apples, pomegranate, and pineapple. It goes perfectly with turkey or ham and is a delightful side to add to your holiday spread.
The perfect make-ahead holiday side dish. Creamy, cheesy and full of rosemary flavor with a crispy topping.
A simple white wine sangria recipe featuring cozy & colorful fall ingredients like apple cider, Honeycrisp apples, oranges & cinnamon sticks. The fresh fruit soaks up all the sweet cider & warm cinnamon flavors, which makes it taste and smell heavenly.
The classic jello salad gets a festive holiday update with cranberries! serve as a side with your holiday meal or as a dessert option.
This creamy macaroni and cheese can be made ahead and baked the next day. An easy and delicious classic side dish.
With chicken wings and root vegetables, you have the ability to make a delicious gravy that you can freeze for the big day!
This popular Sweet Potato Casserole is topped with marshmallows and brown sugar streusel. Use the make-ahead instructions to keep your Thanksgiving stress free.
This cornbread sausage stuffing recipe is the perfect sweet and savory dressing for your Thanksgiving feast.
Utilizing fresh ingredients really makes this green bean casserole from scratch a star on the Thanksgiving table! Topped with crispy fried shallots!
This French silk pie is a decadent, smooth chocolate pie that everyone will devour! Bonus: it can be made 1-2 days in advance.
Homemade Dinner Rolls, quick and easy Italian Parmesan roll recipe that is ready in one hour! These one-hour dinner rolls come out soft and fluffy for the best homemade dinner rolls ever and can even be made ahead.
This Spinach Apple Salad is simple to prepare and perfect to be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge.
Instant Pot Beets Salad is a super flavorful and versatile dish that is truly quick and easy to prepare ahead of time. Cooking beets in Instant Pot is so simple, you'll never want to make them any other way!
Apple chutney is like a chunky apple sauce with the warming flavors of curry, ginger, and cinnamon. It can be eaten warm or cold straight out of the refrigerator. It's a great alternative to cranberry sauce.
Delicious, melt-in-your-mouth cheesy potatoes combined with bacon for the ultimate potato casserole experience! So easy and no peeling of potatoes required!
This dinner roll recipe is a staple at Thanksgiving dinner and pretty much every other special occasion where dinner rolls are appropriate. As delicious as they are fresh from the oven, the freeze beautifully, so you can make them weeks in advance.
This Swedish apple pie is similar to a crisp and great made a few days ahead!
This delicious apple sausage stuffing can be made a day or two ahead of time and just reheated in the oven on the big day.
This retro dish needs to make a comeback. It's delicious and simple to make ahead of time.
Cranberry hot wassail is a unique twist on my mom’s classic sugar-free wassail recipe. In my opinion, the cranberry kicks things up a notch and turns your wassail a gorgeous festive red.
It’s easy to prep this gluten-free stuffing ahead of time. Just follow the stovetop directions and then store it ready-to-go in a baking dish in the fridge or freezer.
It’s all about the gravy on Thanksgiving, and this easy and delicious Southern Homemade Turkey Gravy recipe is foolproof. This make-ahead gravy recipe is also a perfect base for giblet gravy, and you can substitute chicken stock for turkey stock to make chicken gravy.
If you want a bit of a retro feel at your Thanksgiving dinner this jello dish is the perfect fit!
Lisa Huff says
Thanks for including my recipe! Such a great list for Thanksgiving! Pinning now…
Lois Christensen says
Thank you for including my Company Mashed Potatoes recipe with this great roundup! Always looking for more ideas to help make the Thanksgiving meal easier.
giulia lombardo says
PERFECT RECIPES AND NOT ONLY FOR THANKSGIVING!
b says
Ooh I love make-ahead recipes and see some great vegan ones I want to try here. Thank you for including my spinach artichoke dip!
Janette - Culinary Ginger says
They would all make a delicious holiday feast, thank you for including my mashed potato casserole.
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Love this round up! So perfect for this time of year! Thanks a bunch for including my whipped sweet potatoes – much appreciated 🙂