17 Make Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes

The most important feast of the year just got easier with these Make Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes. Make the turkey ahead, make it all ahead, make your life easier with these great recipes!

 

Meggan’s notes

Don’t let this holiday stress you out; knock out the main course and all the trimmings well ahead of Thursday. You won’t need a dozen ovens to do it, either! By the time the big day arrives, youre Thanksgiving Menu will be ready and you’ll actually have time to be thankful. 

This menu includes make-ahead Thanksgiving recipes for roast turkey with make-ahead turkey gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, and more! Some recipes, like roast turkey and cranberry sauce, lend themselves naturally to freezing and don’t need any tweaks (but I break down a lot of the helpful specifics for you, anyway).

Other recipes, like mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, need a little wizardry to make the magic happen. And you don’t have to make it all ahead, either. Pick some make-ahead recipes that make the most sense for you, and leave the rest. Even just doing some prep work in advance will make the big day easier!

Classic Make Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes

Make Ahead Thanksgiving Turkey

Of all the easy turkey recipes out there, this is the one to make. Well before guests arrive (days! weeks! months!), you can get all the carving out of the way, make the turkey gravy, and make broth with the turkey carcass. Then you’ll be fully prepared to deal with whatever else happens on Thanksgiving Day.

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

This Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes recipe has a few tricks up its sleeve to make sure that fluffy, creamy, and decadent mashed potatoes can be made ahead and still be absolutely fabulous. In fact, this recipe has enough fat to protect the potatoes in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Make Ahead Stuffing

This classic stuffing is my mom’s recipe and my favorite part about Thanksgiving. Add in the advantages of make-ahead convenience and you’re officially out of excuses not to make it.

Make Ahead Cranberry Sauce

If you only make one holiday recipe in advance, choose cranberry sauce. This easy Make Ahead Cranberry Sauce recipe gives you all the information you need: a great recipe to make, and all my best strategies for packing it away for the future.

Make Ahead Pumpkin Pie

Once you assemble this Make Ahead Pumpkin Pie, you can freeze it for up to 2 weeks. But you can also make it the day you need it. And as long as you’re working with a pre-baked crust, it doesn’t take up any prime real estate in the oven.

Make Ahead Thanksgiving Sides

Make Ahead Mac and Cheese

This Make Ahead Mac and Cheese recipe helps you get ahead on dinners, parties, and more, crafting a batch up to 3 days in advance. A mix of cheddar and Gruyère makes the best sauce. For maximum crunch, save the garlic butter crumb topping until you’re ready to bake.

Vegetable Casserole

Made with frozen veggies, Velveeta, and buttery cracker crumbs, this Vegetable Casserole is always the first side dish to disappear.Cook the veggies and assemble the casserole up to 2 days in advance.

Soft Yeast Dinner Rolls

When nothing but homemade bread will do, try these easy Soft Yeast Dinner Rolls. You can easily make and bake them in advance and pack in the freezer until Thanksgiving.

Green Bean Casserole

Prep the mushroom sauce, blanch the green beans, and assemble the casserole in advance. Canned green beans suffer in the freezer, but my version is made with fresh beans so they will freeze much better. I suggest saving the crunchy topping until you’re ready to bake the casserole, too.

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

 The assembled casserole (loaded with bacon, cheese, and scallions) can be covered and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance. Add the rest of the bacon and cheese before baking, and bake as directed in the recipe.

Homemade Crescent Rolls

Even the fussiest eaters (hello, children!) can’t resist these Homemade Crescent Rolls. If they eat nothing else on the table, they’ll eat these! Bake them a month in advance, cool, and freeze until the big day. Thaw at room temperature or warm in the oven before serving. Make a double batch if you want to enjoy some right away (you definitely want to).

Cauliflower Gratin

This easy vegetable casserole features a creamy garlic Alfredo sauce that will convince even picky eaters to enjoy eating vegetables. Make and assemble Cauliflower Gratin up to 2 days in advance without the bread crumb topping. Add the crumbs just before baking.

Cranberry Apple Sauce

Update your Cranberry Sauce with apples for a simple and sweet twist on the classic Thanksgiving side. Tasty without getting too crazy! Make and freeze cranberry sauce up to 3 months in advance.

Popovers

Whether you own an actual popover pan or want to make them in a standard muffin pan, popovers are easy and delicious, no yeast required. Make and bake them up to 2 months in advance and store them in the freezer until Thanksgiving. Thaw at room temperature.

Sweet Potato Casserole

The Sweet Potato Casserole filling can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before adding the marshmallows and baking according to the recipe directions. Or, prepare the filling and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw completely before spreading in a baking dish and topping with marshmallows.

Buttermilk Biscuits

Tall, fluffy buttermilk biscuits can be wrapped in plastic and stored in a freezer-safe bag, labeled, and frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature. To reheat, bake in a 350-degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes or until warmed through.

Cranberry Relish

This 3-ingredient, 5-minute raw Cranberry Relish is the easiest side dish you’ll make this Thanksgiving. Make it ahead and freeze it up to 3 months.