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!
Table of Contents
Thanksgiving Menu:
Winter Green Salad with Pecorino Dressing
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Marshmallow Meringue or Bourbon Pecan Pie
I mean, is that not the most glorious Thanksgiving menus you've ever seen!!
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:
- Make the cranberry sauce and refrigerate until Thursday
- Brine the turkey if you're using my brine recipes
- Make the compound butter for the Turkey
- Make the vinaigrette for the Winter Green Salad
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.
Wednesday:
Wednesday:- Make the herb mixture for the Wild Mushroom Stuffing / refrigerate until tomorrow
- Prep ingredients for the Sautéed Brussels Sprouts
- Prep ingredients for the Spicy Garlic Green Beans
- Make the Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes but don't add the chives until tomorrow.
- Make the cheesecake portion of the Pumpkin Cheesecake with Marshmallow Meringue from start to finish. Let cool entirely and the place in the fridge overnight. Or if you're opting for the Pecan Pie, make it entirely.
- Make the the marshmallow meringue for the Pumpkin Cheesecake with Marshmallow Meringue. Don't top the cheesecake with the meringue yet, instead keep it in the fridge until Thursday. Place the meringue in the fridge, covered until Thursday.
- Make the Cheesy Creamed Kale or Spinach and let cool, store in an airtight container
- Set the table
Thursday:
Early Morning / 8am-ish
- Arrange all the ingredients for the Winter Greens Salad in a large salad bowl and cover with a damp paper towel and refrigerate. Remove from the fridge just before feasting time and drizzle the vinaigrette on before serving.
- Make the Mac and Cheese but don't bake yet
- Top the Pumpkin Cheesecake with Marshmallow Meringue with the marshmallow meringue topping and torch. Set aside until dessert
- Make the Apple Crisp but hold off on baking.
- Assemble the Thanksgiving Cheese Board and cover with a towel. Leave at room temperature.
- Roast the Acorn Squash and set aside.
- Prep the Herb Roasted Turkey and start roasting
Before the Feast
- Finish making the Sautéed Brussels Sprouts and Spicy Garlic Green Beans
- Combine the prepped bread and herb mixture for the Wild Mushroom Stuffing and finish following the recipe instructions.
- Reheat the Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes in a 350 degree oven until warm or in a slow cooker. Add the chives before serving.
- Bake off the Mac and Cheese
- Reheat the Acorn Squash and top with the Ricotta and Honey.
- Carve the Herb Roasted Turkey, reserve the drippings for gravy and place on an over-proof platter - pop back into a 200 degree oven to keep warm before serving.
- Make the Homemade Gravy
- KICK BACK AND RELAX!
- Bake the Apple Crisp just as you're sitting down to dinner - it will take about an hour so your house will smell like dessert by the time dinner is over.
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
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!!
yes but don't slice the apples until the day of! they will brown!! but crisp topping can def be prepped ahead
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?
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
I bought a heavy duty one from the hardware store! way cheaper, lasts longer and is stronger.
Wondering where the All Clad promotion is, the one you spoke about while cooking the stuffing? Thank you!
it's on instagram!! linked in my stories
Where is Thomas’ wine guide?
Thanks!!
right here! https://whatsgabycooking.com/what-wines-to-serve-at-thanksgiving/
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!!
You are amazing!! Thank you for your recipes and "to do" lists. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
For the cheeseboard - where do you get candied walnuts & spiced cashews? Do you make them or are they are Trader Joe’s?
either TJ's or Whole Foods!
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!
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.
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
Thank yo for this! All the recipes look delicious. I can't wait to try! 🙂
Everything sounds so good, thank you!
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?
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.
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!
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
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
here you go! brining 101 https://whatsgabycooking.com/easy-turkey-brine/