The Ultimate Thanksgiving Menu and Prep Schedule

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!

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!!

 

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:

• 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