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I'll admit I don't much use a slow cooker. But one time that I find it particularly useful is around the holidays. Less for its cooking function, and more as a means to reheat already cooked foods in a place that is anywhere other than my already crowded kitchen. All I need is an electrical outlet and Thanksgiving sides can be reheated anywhere--in the bathroom for all I care.
In the last minute jockey to finish Thanksgiving dinner, every machine and open space in the kitchen is repurposed to do double duty. Microwaves become gravy warmers. Toaster ovens transform into nut roasters. And even the top of the refrigerator might become a holding ground for some dish of sweet potatoes, green beans, or stuffing waiting its turn in the oven.
I really prefer to skip over all that chaos and make as much as I can ahead of time, reheating it the day of. And nothing reheats with the portability of a slow cooker.
Not every traditional Thanksgiving side does well with cooking ahead. That bread stuffing, for instance, is going to taste best right out of the oven drenched in turkey drippings. But there are scores of other dishes from candied yams to creamed spinach to a starter soup that make no difference if you make one or even three days in advance, then bring it up to temperature on Thanksgiving with the heat of a slow cooker.
Potatoes, number one accompaniment for that turkey and gravy, actually do quite well made ahead and reheated. Mashed potatoes don't need a crusty top, so no need to take up oven space. One day ahead, make as you normally would; peel potatoes, boil potatoes, mix in milk, cream, or butter to taste. To reheat in the slow cooker, just add a little more of the liquid you were working with before--vegetable stock, milk, even sour cream all work. Just stir occasionally in the slow cooker until the silky potatoes come back to life.
Sweet potatoes and yams really do taste better when roasted. But if kept whole or mashed, there is no reason they can't be reheated low and slow in the cooker on Turkey Day far away from the kitchen. The high sugar content means they need a more watchful eye and frequent stirring than starchy mashed potatoes. But having one more side done and ready before time is worth a few more turns of the wooden spoon.
Instead of roasting squash to serve on the plate, I've always liked the idea of a squash soup to get the meal off to an elegant and festive start. The best part about making a soup starter is rather than competing for oven space, the whole soup can be cooked a couple of days before and reheated in a slow cooker minutes before a meal.
Butternut, kabocha, and sugar pumpkins all work great for this kind of soup. I like to make it a just a little different but not too wild by adding in a tart apple to simmer with the sweet squash pieces. Some herbs and chicken stock later, the soup is ready to be blended and set aside until dinner is ready.
Last week I discussed sides that eat well at room temperature, this week I covered cooking ahead and using the slow cooker to reheat. Next week I’ll take a look at no cook salads that take the place of traditional sides. Even if the potatoes are reheating in a slow cooker in the bathroom, anything that keeps kitchen chaos to a minimum on Thanksgiving Day is a good thing.
©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/amy-powell/1203-make-ahead-thanksgiving/
The Miracle of Making Ahead for Thanksgiving
I'll admit I don't much use a slow cooker. But one time that I find it particularly useful is around the holidays. Less for its cooking function, and more as a means to reheat already cooked foods in a place that is anywhere other than my already crowded kitchen. All I need is an electrical outlet and Thanksgiving sides can be reheated anywhere--in the bathroom for all I care.
In the last minute jockey to finish Thanksgiving dinner, every machine and open space in the kitchen is repurposed to do double duty. Microwaves become gravy warmers. Toaster ovens transform into nut roasters. And even the top of the refrigerator might become a holding ground for some dish of sweet potatoes, green beans, or stuffing waiting its turn in the oven.
I really prefer to skip over all that chaos and make as much as I can ahead of time, reheating it the day of. And nothing reheats with the portability of a slow cooker.
Not every traditional Thanksgiving side does well with cooking ahead. That bread stuffing, for instance, is going to taste best right out of the oven drenched in turkey drippings. But there are scores of other dishes from candied yams to creamed spinach to a starter soup that make no difference if you make one or even three days in advance, then bring it up to temperature on Thanksgiving with the heat of a slow cooker.
Potatoes, number one accompaniment for that turkey and gravy, actually do quite well made ahead and reheated. Mashed potatoes don't need a crusty top, so no need to take up oven space. One day ahead, make as you normally would; peel potatoes, boil potatoes, mix in milk, cream, or butter to taste. To reheat in the slow cooker, just add a little more of the liquid you were working with before--vegetable stock, milk, even sour cream all work. Just stir occasionally in the slow cooker until the silky potatoes come back to life.
Sweet potatoes and yams really do taste better when roasted. But if kept whole or mashed, there is no reason they can't be reheated low and slow in the cooker on Turkey Day far away from the kitchen. The high sugar content means they need a more watchful eye and frequent stirring than starchy mashed potatoes. But having one more side done and ready before time is worth a few more turns of the wooden spoon.
Instead of roasting squash to serve on the plate, I've always liked the idea of a squash soup to get the meal off to an elegant and festive start. The best part about making a soup starter is rather than competing for oven space, the whole soup can be cooked a couple of days before and reheated in a slow cooker minutes before a meal.
Butternut, kabocha, and sugar pumpkins all work great for this kind of soup. I like to make it a just a little different but not too wild by adding in a tart apple to simmer with the sweet squash pieces. Some herbs and chicken stock later, the soup is ready to be blended and set aside until dinner is ready.
Last week I discussed sides that eat well at room temperature, this week I covered cooking ahead and using the slow cooker to reheat. Next week I’ll take a look at no cook salads that take the place of traditional sides. Even if the potatoes are reheating in a slow cooker in the bathroom, anything that keeps kitchen chaos to a minimum on Thanksgiving Day is a good thing.
Butternut Squash and Apple Soup With Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Made with pumpkin seeds, heavy cream, salt and pepper, butter, onion, butternut squash, tart apples, sage, vegetable or chicken broth
Made with pumpkin seeds, heavy cream, salt and pepper, butter, onion, butternut squash, tart apples, sage, vegetable or chicken broth
Serves/Makes: 8
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 large onion
- 1 large butternut squash
- 2 medium tart apples
- 6 sage leaves
- 10 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
- toasted pumpkin seeds
Heat butter over a medium flame in a large soup pot. Mince onion and add to the butter.
While onion is softened (about 5 minutes total), remove seeds, peel and dice butternut squash. Peel and dice apples. Mince sage.
Add apples and squash to the onions along with the sage. Pour in vegetable or chicken broth. Put a lid on the mixture and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until squash is soft.
Remove soup from heat. Blend in the pot with a hand blender or transfer to a standing blender and puree until smooth. Return soup to pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in optional heavy cream. Bring back to a simmer before serving. Garnish with optional pumpkin seeds.
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©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/amy-powell/1203-make-ahead-thanksgiving/