Want to enjoy your Thanksgiving meal without worrying about all the food preparations on turkey day? Get ahead of your holiday meal with these delicious and easy make-ahead Thanksgiving side dishes.
This article is written by Lindsey Cover
For more on this topic, check out the full Celebrate Thanksgiving collection
5 SIMPLE MAKE-AHEAD THANKSGIVING SIDE DISHES
Each recipe below can be prepared in less than 20 minutes, and simply reheated on Thanksgiving day. (The fresh cranberry sauce can simply sit on the counter to come to room temperature before serving.)
- Easy Fresh Cranberry Sauce
- Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
- Easy Honey Glazed Carrots
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Sourdough Stuffing with Sausage, Cranberries and Apples
KEEPING FOOD WARM
If you’re concerned about running out of oven space, consider using a slow cooker, Instant Pot (on warm or slow cook setting), a serving dish with an insulated carrier, or a buffet server or chafing dish.
Easy Fresh Cranberry Sauce (Naturally Sweetened)
Easy Fresh Cranberry Sauce (Naturally Sweetened)
quick and easy to make, and healthier than other versions. Save time by
preparing the sauce a day or two in advance.
Ingredients
- 12 oz Fresh Cranberries
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1/2 cup Honey
- 1 tsp Orange Zest optional
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until berries pop and sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.
- Cool completely and refrigerate. Serve at room temperature.
Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
to prepare. Save time by making them in advance and freezing.
Ingredients
- 8 Russet Potatoes peeled and quartered
- 8 oz Cream Cheese cut into cubes
- 1/4 cup Butter cut into cubes
Instructions
- Place potatoes in a large stockpot, and add cold water to cover. Bring to a boil. Simmer the potatoes until tender, then drain the water.
- Mash potatoes with a potato masher or hand mixer. Once smooth, mix in cream cheese and butter. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, or allow to cool before freezing.
- To serve from frozen, bake in 350° oven for about 45 minutes or until hot through. Fluff with a fork before serving. (If necessary, stir in a little milk to keep them creamy if the potatoes seem dry.)
- Optional toppings for serving: chopped green onions, cheese, chopped bacon, etc.
Easy Honey Glazed Carrots
Easy Honey Glazed Carrots
for special holiday dinners or quick, everyday meals.
Ingredients
- 2 cup Cold Water
- 1 lb Baby Carrots
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 2 tbsp Honey
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1/4 cup Flat-Leaf Parsley chopped
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil and add a dash of salt. Add carrots and cook until tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Drain the carrots and add back to pan with butter, honey and lemon juice. Cook until a glaze coats the carrots, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 tsp Garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Pepper
- 3 lbs Brussels Sprouts halved
- 1 tsp Lemon Zest grated
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Heat oven to 500ºF. Mix oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a large ziptop bag. Add Brussels sprouts, seal and turn to coat.
- Spread mixture on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Roast 15 minutes, or until crisp-tender when pierced.
- Sprinkle with lemon zest and juice and toss before serving.
Sourdough Stuffing with Sausage, Cranberries, and Apples
Sourdough Stuffing with Sausage, Cranberries and Apples
apples, dried cranberries, and fresh herbs to create a delicious, not-so-traditional stuffing this Thanksgiving. It's practically a meal all by itself!
Ingredients
- 3/4 lb Sourdough Bread cut into bite-sized cubes
- 12 oz Italian Sausage
- 6 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 2 medium Onions
- 2 Granny Smith Apples peeled, cored, and diced
- 1 cup Dried Cranberries
- 1 cup Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley
- 1/4 cup Fresh Sage
- 2 tbsp Fresh Thyme Leaves
- 2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 2 cups Turkey Broth or chicken broth
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Divide the bread cubes between 2 rimmed baking sheets and bake, tossing once, until lightly toasted, about 15 minutes; transfer to a large bowl.
- Meanwhile, cook sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the bowl of bread.
- Wipe out the skillet and melt the butter over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Add apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and apples are crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes more; stir in the cranberries, parsley, sage, thyme, salt and pepper. Transfer the onion mixture to the bowl of bread. Gradually add the broth to the
bowl, tossing, to moisten. - Spoon the bread mixture into a greased 3 1/2-qt baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top is golden brown, about 15 minutes.
- Refrigerate the stuffing for up to 2 days. Reheat, covered, at 375ºF until heated through, 25 to 30 minutes.
FREE PRINTABLE RECIPE CARDS
Click the recipes below to view, save, or print the recipe for your use! Simply save the PDF file(s) to your phone or computer to reference when cooking and save them for future use. Enjoy!
This Thanksgiving, spend more time with your loved ones, and worry less about the food! If you do try one of these make-ahead Thanksgiving recipes, please let us know what you think 🙂
For more on this topic, check out the full Celebrate Thanksgiving collection
Featured Contributor: Lindsey Cover
Lindsey Cover is a work-at-home wife and mom of two young boys, Jadon and Owen. She blogs about affordable healthy living, money-saving methods, simple recipes, and more at SimpleSaverWife.com
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