Obviously Thanksgiving is our Super Bowl 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 Thanksgiving Menu spread of recipes that are award winning! 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!
Thanksgiving Menu and Prep Schedule at a Glance
- What’s included: A full menu: cheese board, turkey with gravy, cranberry sauce, salad, stuffing, vegetables, mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, sides, and two dessert options (pumpkin cheesecake or bourbon pecan pie).
- Prep schedule: A 5-day timeline (Sunday through Thursday) with tasks like cleaning the fridge, making sauces ahead, prepping veggies, and on-day cooking steps.
- Perfect for: Hosting a full holiday dinner (whether family or friends), wanting stress-free planning, and aiming for delicious and memorable.
- Core promise: Enjoy the meal, don’t just cook it. Meals that feel special, and a plan that keeps you relaxed and in control.
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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 easy brine recipe
- 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:
- 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
Love your cooking style and all your recipes are a hit. Just a ? I’m making a 20 lb prime rib for dinner tonight. I’ll have to cut it in half as some like very rare some like med. thoughts ? Help!
This guide is the best, so helpful. Thanks for taking the time to make it. Will def save it for years to come.
The guide, the recipes, THE TURKEY! They were all a hit tonight!! And the guide made it a stress-free day (until I realized I left the turkey butter at home and had to fight with an ancient blender to make a second batch)!! On our menu- the brined turkey, marscapone potatoes, garlicy spicy green beans, charred carrots with basil mint sauce, and zesty cranberry sauce. Aaannnnndddd it was my 1st turkey to ever cook- Gaby made it so easy and delicious!
Tuesday 12:30p. It is going to be a Gaby Thanksgiving here. I have made the dry brine and. plan to cook the turkey beginning about 9:00 on Thursday. When should I brine the bird? Wednesday morning? Tuesday night?
I love everything you do!
if you're doing a wet brine - start now. dry brine, you could start tomorrow morning.
I love everything about this-Thank You!! Happy Thanksgiving 🙂
Hi! Can I make the brussel sprouts the day before and reheat? Also, would you suggest sautee them in a cast iron skillet or non-stick?
you can - and cast iron
Your recipes are amazing! You mentioned a while back a couple of meat thermometers that you liked...I meant to right them down! Could you let me know your recommendations again. Thanks!
they are here: https://whatsgabycooking.com/12-must-thanksgiving-kitchen-tools/
Thank you for this! If I'm making a butternut squash risotto, do I make it earlier in the day and reheat before serving or make it before and sit down to eat immediately? I know you said something about par-boiling it but I can't remember what that means oops.
Hey Gaby! I remember you saying your man did thanksgiving recommendations for wine.... can you point me to them. Thank you!
https://whatsgabycooking.com/what-wines-to-serve-at-thanksgiving/
This schedule is seriously a life-saver, thank you! What are your thoughts on par-baking/roasting the carrots the day before?
fully endorse that!
Did you roast the carrots the day before? How did they come out? How did you re-heat them on Thanksgiving?? I made these carrots last year and LOVED them! I'm hoping to save a little oven space/time and wondering if I could make these ahead without sacrificing flavor...
Can’t wait to try some of these delicious things! Thanks for sharing them‼️
First timer as far as cooking thanksgiving dinner...eeek! I just bought a 6 pound turkey breast(not frozen) and I’m wondering if I should leave it in the fridge until Thursday or freeze it and then thaw it out
Put it in the fridge today, start brining it on Monday and then cook Thursday
All your recipes look amazing! What’s the best way to reheat the cheesy creamed kale if I make it on Wednesday?
skillet or crock pot with a touch of extra liquid
What kind of wine do you recommend pairing with the meal?
there's a post for that! https://whatsgabycooking.com/what-wines-to-serve-at-thanksgiving/
What is your philosophy about leaving food at room temp while preparing the rest of a meal. Lots of Thanksgiving & general entertaining guides I see online suggest prepping lots of dishes, veggies, appetizers etc. in the am - long before they'll be served. I'm always conscious of keeping things out for only 2 hours. Is this too hyper? Only applicable to dairy? Meat? Help...
dairy and meat - I won't leave out for more than 2-3 hours. Vegetables - fair game to leave out for much longer