The Ultimate Thanksgiving Menu and Prep Schedule

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Thanksgiving is a big deal here on What's Gaby Cooking. Always has been, always will be. It's my favorite time of year to bring everyone together around a table and share a beautiful afternoon/evening of food and conversation. This year is no different. Below you will find an incredible spread of recipes that are award winning across the country! I know many of you come back year after year for these recipes and I will forever be so appreciative of that. Having WGC recipes on your holiday table is the best feeling in the world. So, without further ado, let's pull everything together for the most epic Thanksgiving Menu and then talk prep and schedule!



 

If you want to be extra extra this year, I partnered with Finish to bring you the Ultimate Thanksgiving Timer! You can sign up to recieve push notifications on when to start shopping, a reminder to clean your dishes and set the table and so much more! Ok here we go...

Thanksgiving Menu + Prep Schedule from www.whatsgabycooking.com (@Whatsgabycookin)

Thanksgiving Menu:

Thanksgiving Cheese Board

Herb Roasted Turkey

Homemade Gravy

Zesty Cranberry Sauce

Winter Green Salad with Pecorino Dressing

Wild Mushroom Stuffing

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

Spicy Garlic Green Beans

Roasted Acorn Squash

Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes

Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese

Creamed Kale or Spinach

Apple Crisp

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Marshmallow Meringue or Bourbon Pecan Pie

I mean, is that not the most glorious Thanksgiving menus you've ever seen!!

Thanksgiving Menu + Prep Schedule from www.whatsgabycooking.com (@Whatsgabycookin)

 

Pre schedule for Thanksgiving Week:

Sunday:

  • Clean out the fridge
  • Stock up on beer and wine
  • Make a grocery list
  • Shop for all the ingredients
  • If you buy a frozen turkey - make sure to put it in the fridge to start thawing out
  • Reorganize fridge with all the ingredients

Monday:

Tuesday

  • Prep the Pomegranates for the Winter Green Salad if you're buying whole pomegranates. Store in an air tight container in the fridge.
  • Cut the bread into cubes for the Wild Mushroom Stuffing - let sit on the counter overnight to harden.

Thanksgiving Menu + Prep Schedule from www.whatsgabycooking.com (@Whatsgabycookin)Wednesday:

Thursday:

Early Morning / 8am-ish

Before the Feast

Thanksgiving Menu + Prep Schedule from www.whatsgabycooking.com (@Whatsgabycookin)

Have any last minute questions about Thanksgiving, the prep schedule, my Thanksgiving Menu or prep timing...?? Shout them out in the comments below and I'll respond ASAP!

PS – are you thinking of putting this on your Thanksgiving menu? Check out the full What’s Gaby Cooking menu here along with the master prep schedule to keep things organized and on track!

And if you need more Thanksgiving Ideas check out this roundup of 80+ Thanksgiving Recipes and Ideas

Photography by Matt Armendariz / Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipes by What’s Gaby Cooking

188 Comments

  1. Hi Gaby,
    I am super excited to follow your Thanksgiving guide! I wanted to ask you, is it ok to make the top crust for the apple crisp dessert the day before and refrigerate it. Thank you!!

    1. yes but don't slice the apples until the day of! they will brown!! but crisp topping can def be prepped ahead

  2. Hi Gaby,

    I'm putting together my grocery list. I am making your green beans and roast turkey. The turkey calls for lemon zest and 2 lemons, the green beans also call for lemon zest. Could I be frugal and buy 2 lemons and get the zest from each one and set it aside or is the lemon zest on the lemon needed for in the turkey cavity?

  3. My question about kitchen torch, I find that it doesn't do the trick all that well. Could you recommend
    a good one. I have been on the fence about buying one a small blow torch. Before you freak out I am
    capable of using but not sure if it is food safe. Thanks

  4. Thank you for this! I recently found you on Instagram and I'm in love with you since them hahaha

    I'm from Brazil and I'm living in Australia at the moment and neither Brazil nor Australia does Thanksgiving. But I have a friend from America here and she's missing her family and I thought making a Friendsgiving will cheer her up! I'll try to make some of your recipes! They look so amazing!!

  5. For the cheeseboard - where do you get candied walnuts & spiced cashews? Do you make them or are they are Trader Joe’s?

  6. Hello from Chicago! Can you make a shopping list for this menu? My daughters and I plan to make it all. We have a 30 day stay at home advisory starting Nov. 16th, so this gives us plenty to do. Everything sounds delish!

  7. Thank you! For the Mac and cheese that you assemble morning of - do you refrigerate until it goes in the oven? And with the mashed potatoes if you put them in a crockpot to rewarm from the fridge, do you add anything so they don’t get gummy? As you can tell I’m making basically everything on this menu.

    1. i would just leave it on the counter for a few hours before making.

      and mashed potatoes in the crock pot, you should be good to go. Sometimes i add a little extra cream or stock to loosen it up if need be

  8. What is the best way to keep Turkey warm and moist after you carve if you want to do ahead like Gaby showed? Does it dry out?

    1. I would carve it, plate it, pour a tiny amount of turkey stock on top and wrap in tin foil... then keep in a 200 degree oven until it's time to serve.

  9. Hi Gaby,
    I’m so excited to make the pumpkin cheesecake! It looks like the most delicious, show stopper dessert of all time! I have a couple questions...I’ll be traveling an hour and a half away and I plan to make both cheesecake and meringue the day before(refrigerated of course)
    Does the cheesecake need to be covered in the refrigerator?
    Can I stick both in an ice chest for the drive up?
    If I arrive at 2pm can I put it together, then stick in fridge and take out an hour before dessert?
    Sorry so many questions I just want it to look perfect!! Thank you so much! Happy thanksgiving!

    1. yes - make them both the day ahead.
      you can cover the cheesecake for sure
      you can stick them in an ice chest but I worry about the cheesecake sliding around
      and yes, you can assemble upon arrival and then pop into the fridge before serving

  10. Hey Gaby! Can you please add to this post when to brine the turkey so everything is in one post pls. Im so confused if I should star to brine on Tuesday or Wednesday! Thank you

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