Thanksgiving Recipes: Turkey, Stuffing, Pumpkin Pie

Thanksgiving is celebrated the fourth Thursday in November in the United States. It's a remembrance of the first Pilgrim feast in 1621 where they gave thanks for a bountiful harvest.

Traditional Thanksgiving food (not to be confused with the food served at the original feast, only some of which is still served today) consists of a roasted turkey, gravy, stuffing (dressing), mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin or pecan pie. Of course, many variations are common in different parts of the country and every family has developed their own traditions.

Canadian Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday in October (same as Columbus Day in the U.S.). Many of the same foods are eaten on both holidays.

Every few years a new trendy fad develops to put a new spin on the traditional fare. For example, deep frying a turkey in place of roasting has become popular over the last few years as has brining the bird before cooking it.

This is also one holiday that warrants nearly as many recipes for leftovers as it does the meal itself. In fact, many people claim that the leftovers are their favorite part of the holiday!

the turkey

The centerpiece, the star of the show, the main attraction. Follow our turkey cooking tips for the perfect Thanksgiving dinner every time. We have recipes for both stuffed and unstuffed turkeys, traditional versions, and some more unusual ones as well!

Try recipes like Baked Turkey With Traditional Cornbread Dressing, Turducken, or Cajun Deep Fried Turkey.

View the thanksgiving turkey recipes

side dishes

Be sure to plan several side dishes for your Thanksgiving feast. It will help extend the turkey (or other main dish) and offers a variety of flavors and textures to complement the meal.

Try recipes like Oven-Baked Candied Sweet Potatoes, Gorgonzola Mashed Potatoes, Apple and Sage Stuffing, or Best Ever Green Bean Casserole.

View the thanksgiving side dish recipes

festive desserts

Everyone has their favorite dessert at Thanksgiving. To change things up try serving an old favorite like pecan pie alongside something new like a pumpkin cheesecake.

Try recipes like Jack Daniel's Pecan Pie, Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie, Cranberry Cake, or Sweet Potato Pie Topped with Rum Whipped Cream.

View the thanksgiving dessert recipes

leftovers

It's the day after Thanksgiving and you're already tired of turkey sandwiches. No problem, we've got ideas for delicious ways to use up all your leftovers - from turkey to cranberry sauce.

Try recipes like Easy Turkey a la King, Mom's Left-Over Mashed Potato Casserole, or Day After Thanksgiving Turkey Soup.

View the recipes for leftovers

everything else

This section is for the recipes that you often forget about until the last minute. Maybe you ran out of pumpkin pie spice or are making gravy from scratch for the first time. We've got you covered. We've also got some yummy Thanksgiving cocktails and appetizers listed here.

Try recipes like Pumpkin Pie Martini, Basic Giblet Gravy, Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice, or Port Wine Cranberry Sauce.

View the miscellaneous thanksgiving recipes

thanksgiving help

• gravy basics
  Lose the lumps, brown your flour, and other handy gravy tips
• cooking the turkey
  Tips for a perfectly juicy and tasty turkey every time
• buying a turkey
  Determine what size turkey you need so you have enough for your guests (and some leftovers!)
• thawing the turkey
  Learn how to safely thaw a frozen turkey, and tips for how to speed up the process when in a pinch.

• brining
  Soaking the turkey in a brine will increase juiciness and flavor. Find out how!
• stuffing the bird
  Stuffing the turkey is a matter of preference and a matter of safety.
• mashing the potatoes
  Learn the tricks of the trade for keeping your potatoes lump free and preventing them from turning gluey
• leftover storage
  A handy guide on how long to safely store those leftovers.

from our experts

• It's Turkey-Day Week
  Pam offers ideas to put your slow cooker to work this Thanksgiving
• Ten Tips For Leftover Turkey
  Christine has some kid-friendly suggestions for leftover turkey.
• Three Cheers For Thanksgiving
  Tasty reminders for enjoying the holiday.
• A Simplified Thanksgiving Plan
  Great suggestions on how to survive the holiday with your sanity intact.
• Thanksgiving: It's All In The Presentation
  You've got your dinner all planned... now, how are you going to serve it?