Food and Recipes Dish 33 Crowd-Pleasing Thanksgiving Recipes By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on August 16, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox What better way to give thanks than to serve up a spectacular Thanksgiving spread? If the Southern Living Test Kitchen hosted Thanksgiving, it would look like this: a crowd-pleasing spread of our favorite family recipes, like Aunt Grace's Famous Cornbread, a few daring new additions, including Pumpkin-Spice Magic Cake, and almost everything make-ahead. We'd invite family, friends, and friends who feel like family—And of course, there would be pie—lots of pie. (Think a trusty trio of Old Faithfuls: Apple, Pumpkin, and Pecan.) From cooking shortcuts to genius hosting ideas, our editors dedicated every recipe below to help you prepare for Turkey Day so that you can enjoy it. Start with our homemade relish tray, and end with one of our four delicious variations on the Leftover Turkey Sandwich. This feast isn't just about the main event. We have many reasons to be grateful this year, and we're celebrating them all. Happy Thanksgiving! 01 of 33 Creamed Corn Recipe: Creamed Corn This creamed corn recipe is milky, creamy, and perfectly salty. Use fresh corn if it's in season, but frozen will also work. Add chives, whipping cream, and onion to flavor this vegetable—perfect for a Thanksgiving side dish. 02 of 33 Cream Cheese-and-Walnut Stuffed Celery Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Cream Cheese-and-Walnut Stuffed Celery Stir honey, toasted walnuts, and a touch of cinnamon into softened cream cheese. After combined, add the mixture into a Ziplock bag and pipe it into the celery stalks. This simple yet delicious appetizer is ideal before the big Thanksgiving feast. 03 of 33 Pickled Beets Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham Recipe: Pickled Beets Beets are better when flavored with dried oregano, thyme, and a tangy apple cider vinegar brine. These root vegetables need to simmer and chill in the refrigerator for at least four hours. Use them as a side or on top of another dish. 04 of 33 Spicy Pickled Carrots Photographer Greg DuPree, Food Stylist Torie Cox Prop Stylist Christine Keely Recipe: Spicy Pickled Carrots Make these carrots three to four weeks before the big Thanksgiving feast because they will stay fresh in the refrigerator. Using a vinegar brine consisting of vinegar, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, and oil, these flavorful carrots can "pickle" alongside other vegetables. Try this recipe on radishes, green beans, or even mini bell peppers. 05 of 33 Thanksgiving Punch Photo: Alison Gootee; Styling: Suzonne Stirling Recipe: Thanksgiving Rum Punch The base for holiday punch includes apple cider, cranberry juice, and ginger beer. Add spiced rum and flavor with cinnamon sticks, cloves, honey, and garnish. 06 of 33 Aunt Grace's Famous Cornbread Dressing Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Aunt Grace's Famous Cornbread Dressing Make this dressing recipe two days before Thanksgiving, giving it time to moisten. The various types of bread create a smoother texture in your dressing compared to other recipes. To break up the bread, try using the edge of a wooden spoon. 07 of 33 Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Leeks Linda Puglies; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Leeks Switch up your typical green bean casserole for this one with thin, crispy fried leeks as toppings. Separate leeks into different batches, frying each for about one to two minutes. Not only does this casserole taste great, but it looks great too. 08 of 33 Cheesy Potato Casserole Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Cheesy Potato Casserole This casserole is a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving and a recipe you'll want to make all year long. Allow egg yolks and cream to get to room temperature before blending them with the mashed potatoes. The white cheddar and Parmesan cheeses combine to create a perfect, cheesy side dish. 09 of 33 Corn Pudding Emily Laurae / Southern Living Recipe: Corn Pudding A classic Southern holiday staple, corn pudding casserole is a cheesy side dish that only requires around 20 minutes of hands-on time. This recipe uses fontina or Swiss cheese, but you can try substituting a different variety. Drain frozen corn, so it doesn't add extra water to your dish. 10 of 33 Broccoli-Cheese Casserole Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Broccoli-Cheese Casserole Use fresh steam-in-bag broccoli florets to help this side dish come together more quickly. The butter, cracker, and parsley topping combine to add a crunchy texture to this cheesy casserole. Freeze this dish for last-minute company, or bake it one day before your feast, so it only takes a few minutes to prepare before serving. 11 of 33 Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Shallots Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Shallots Add bacon to something, and it becomes an instant crowd-pleaser. You can use compact brussels sprouts for a milder flavoring. After topping it with panko breadcrumbs, your golden brown side dish is ready to serve—just give it 10 minutes to cool. 12 of 33 Hasselback Sweet Potato Casserole Photo: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Hasselback Sweet Potato Casserole Add a Thanksgiving twist to a traditional Hasselback potato casserole using sweet potatoes instead. The creamy sauce and chopped hazelnuts add an instant fall-flavor profile to this dish. Bake until crispy on the outside and potatoes are tender on the inside. 13 of 33 Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Make-Ahead Gravy Making gravy ahead of time means you'll have a great start to your Thanksgiving preparations. Start the mixture and store it covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. When it's time to serve, reheat the gravy and flavor by stirring in cream, sherry, thyme, salt, and pepper. 14 of 33 Herb-Rubbed Smoked Turkey Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Herb-Rubbed Smoked Turkey Use an herb rub to dry-brine the turkey. Buy some in-store or make your own with dark brown sugar, thyme, rosemary, sage, black pepper, garlic powder, and kosher salt. Add butter underneath the loosened turkey skin for a full-flavored dish. 15 of 33 Cajun Smoked Turkey Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Cajun Smoked Turkey Cayenne pepper and paprika add a spicy flavoring to this recipe. This dry rub mixture is an easy way to transform your traditional Thanksgiving meal into something memorable for the entire family to enjoy. Dry-brine the turkey the day before you plan to serve it and refrigerate it overnight—This helps the herbs to soak into the meat. 16 of 33 Smoked Turkey Herb Rub Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Smoked Turkey Herb Rub Everyone has their preferred method of cooking a turkey on Thanksgiving, but regardless of the method, a dry herb rub adds incredible flavoring to your main course. Try this turkey rub to add a smokey taste. 17 of 33 French Onion Puff Pastry Squares Alison Gootee; Styling: Suzonne Stirling Recipe: French Onion Puff Pastry Squares Only six ingredients are needed to create these flakey biscuits. Store-bought pastry puff sheets transform into this easy-to-make side dish, ideal for large gatherings or simple get-togethers. Top the biscuits with swiss cheese, onions, and thyme for a beautiful and savory presentation. 18 of 33 Apple and Goat Cheese Salad with Candied Pecans Recipe Sheri Giblin Recipe: Apple and Goat Cheese Salad with Candied Pecans Recipe Candied pecans and homemade vinaigrette make this salad special. Winter greens, goat cheese, and apples add a hearty and earthy quality to this fall-inspired dish. 19 of 33 Southern Cornbread Dressing Photo: Peter Frank Edwards; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Micah A. Leal Recipe: Southern Cornbread Dressing You can't have a Southern Thanksgiving without cornbread dressing. This recipe uses cornbread crumble, which adds a sweetness to the dressing, probably because of the sugar. Blended with celery, onions, and sage, you'll have a dressing everyone wants on their plate. 20 of 33 Mashed Potato Bar Alison Gootee; Styling: Suzonne Stirling Recipe: Mashed Potato Bar Invite your guests to customize their Thanksgiving meal by setting up a mashed potato bar. Not only is this a fun idea, but it encourages some unique potato creations. Start with a delicious mashed potato base, and the toppings are endless. 21 of 33 Creamy Turkey Pot Pie Bites via Campbell's Kitchen Recipe: Creamy Turkey Pot Pie Bites Try these mini creamy turkey pot pies if you are entertaining a smaller crowd or want something new this year. Condensed creamy soups and frozen vegetables combine to make a single-dish meal. Top them with traditional pot pie ingredients, and you are ready to serve. 22 of 33 Pumpkin Layer Cake with Caramel-Cream Cheese Frosting Alison Gootee; Styling: Suzonne Stirling Recipe: Pumpkin Layer Cake with Caramel-Cream Cheese Frosting Prepare this delicious and beautiful layered cake up to three days before Thanksgiving. A homemade caramel sauce swirling through the frosting adds extra sweetness to this pumpkin spice cake. Remember to chill cake layers before frosting. 23 of 33 Ultimate Apple Pie from Buxton Hall Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Ultimate Apple Pie from Buxton Hall Fresh and dried fruit makes this apple pie unlikely anything you've ever tasted. Try making homemade apple butter for an extra special treat. You can add whatever variety of apples you want, but the recipe calls for a mix including Winesap, Mutsu, Granny Smith, and Honeycrisp. 24 of 33 Oxbow Bakery Pecan Pie Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Oxbow Bakery Pecan Pie This expertly crafted recipe starts with preparing the pie crust. Add salt to the water, stir to dissolve, and let this mixture chill for 30 minutes. The cold-water mixture should be drizzled over the flour mixture, helping form this light and airy crust. 25 of 33 Back in the Day Bakery Southern Pumpkin Pie Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Southern Pumpkin Pie by Back in the Day Bakery For a professional baking tip, this recipe calls for adding a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to the pie crust, which creates a super flaky crust. The 30-minute hands-on time makes this a great go-to pumpkin pie recipe for the holiday season. Plenty of spices sprinkle the filling mixture for this classic fall treat. 26 of 33 Butterscotch-Spice Trifle Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Butterscotch-Spice Trifle Take a break from baking pies this fall, and opt for a butterscotch-spice trifle, which will delight your guest. Remember to refrigerate the trifle for at least four hours, allowing enough time for the cake and custard layers to meld together. Leave the whipped cream topping for just before serving. 27 of 33 Pumpkin Spice Cake Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Magic Cake This cake is for the pumpkin spice fans. This spice cake, combined with a buttery caramel sauce, is a moist treat inspired by a Mexican dessert called "impossible flan." The Test Kitchen recommends a light-colored Bundt pan as the dark-colored pans can get too hot and overbake the cake. 28 of 33 Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake with Caramel Buttercream Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake with Caramel Buttercream This fudge cake is easy to make and highly decadent. Taking the time for the ganache to set in the freezer allows the buttercream to spread over the cake layers quickly. This is more than a Thanksgiving day recipe—you'll want to bake it year-round. 29 of 33 Turkey, Apple, and Brie Sandwich Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Turkey, Apple, and Brie Sandwich Leftover turkey is great for sandwiches. Elevate your post-turkey day meal by making this crisp apple and brie sandwich. It's an easy dish to prepare and something you can make with only a few extra ingredients. 30 of 33 Turkey, Caramelized Onion, and Gruyère Grilled Cheese Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Turkey, Caramelized Onion, and Gruyère Grilled Cheese Everyone loves a gooey grilled cheese sandwich. Use some leftover turkey and combine it with caramelized onions and gruyere cheese for a unique spin on this traditional favorite. 31 of 33 Turkey and Pimiento Cheese Club Sandwich Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Turkey and Pimiento Cheese Club Sandwich Use thinly sliced turkey layered between two thick slices of Texas toast to pair with bacon and pimiento cheese for a flavorful Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich. Add tomato, lettuce, and condiments based on your preferences. 32 of 33 Turkey, Pesto, and Fresh Mozzarella Sandwich Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Turkey, Pesto, and Fresh Mozzarella Sandwich Your typical turkey sandwich gets upgraded when added to a baguette and layered with fresh mozzarella and pesto sauce. Top with fresh arugula and thin radish slices to complete the dish. 33 of 33 Slow Cooker Turkey Chili Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Slow-Cooker White Chili with Turkey After the big turkey feast and countless turkey sandwiches, you might want a change of scenery from the kitchen, which means it's time to use the slow-cooker. This chili recipe that uses leftover turkey makes enough to feed a large crowd, including family who may still be visiting for the holidays. Add your ingredients, let it cook for seven hours, and enjoy your warm, comforting dish. Was this page helpful? 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