The Best Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes For A Crowd: Simple & Delicious

Introduction

Planning Thanksgiving dinner for a crowd doesn’t have to be stressful—especially when you have a curated set of simple, delicious recipes that are easy to scale up. With vibrant sides, a succulent turkey, and rich desserts, this dinner ensures everyone leaves the table satisfied. Whether you’re hosting family, friends, or neighbors, these crowd-pleasing recipes make the holiday memorable and manageable.

Why These Thanksgiving Recipes Are Crowd Favorites

The key to Thanksgiving for a crowd is choosing dishes with big flavors and straightforward prep that can be made ahead or assembled easily on the day. This meal plan features time-tested classics and smart twists, offering something for everyone—meaty mains, hearty sides, and a showstopping dessert—designed for minimal fuss and maximum flavor.

Main Course: Foolproof Roast Turkey

A juicy, golden roast turkey is the star of the feast. With a simple seasoned butter rub and a bed of aromatic vegetables, the turkey stays moist and flavorful, producing plenty of rich pan drippings for gravy.

Crowd-Pleasing Sides

– **Garlic Mashed Potatoes**: Creamy, smooth potatoes perked up with roasted garlic—always the first bowl to empty.
– **Classic Sage Stuffing**: Soft inside, golden-crisp on top, and loaded with celery, onions, and fresh herbs.
– **Green Bean Almondine**: Blanched green beans tossed in a lemony brown butter sauce with crunchy almonds.
– **Maple Glazed Carrots**: Roasted until caramelized and tender, these add color and sweetness to every plate.

Dessert: Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Forget fiddly pies—this easy-to-slice sheet cake delivers all the nostalgic flavor of pumpkin pie in a format perfect for feeding a large group.

💡 Meal Planning Tip: Save this full Thanksgiving menu to instantly generate an organized shopping list with all the ingredients sorted by grocery store section. This feature takes the guesswork out of holiday shopping and ensures nothing gets left behind.

Instructions

1. Roast Turkey: Preheat oven to 325°F. Pat turkey dry and rub all over with softened butter mixed with salt, pepper, thyme, and paprika. Stuff the cavity with onion. Arrange carrots and celery in roasting pan, set turkey on top. Roast, basting occasionally, 13–15 minutes per pound, until a thermometer in the thigh reads 165°F. Let rest at least 30 minutes before carving.
2. Garlic Mashed Potatoes: Boil potatoes and garlic cloves together in salted water until tender. Drain, mash with butter, warmed milk, salt, and pepper until fluffy. Cover to keep warm.
3. Classic Sage Stuffing: Sauté onions and celery in butter until soft. Toss with bread cubes, herbs, and broth until moist but not soggy. Transfer to a greased baking dish, cover with foil, and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 more minutes for a crisp top.
4. Green Bean Almondine: Blanch green beans in salted water for 3–4 mins, then drain. Sauté almonds in butter until golden, add beans and toss with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
5. Maple Glazed Carrots: Toss carrots with oil, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Spread on a sheet pan and roast at 425°F for 25–30 minutes, tossing halfway, until caramelized and tender.
6. Pumpkin Sheet Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13×9″ pan. Whisk together flour, spices, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix pumpkin, sugars, oil, and eggs. Combine wet and dry ingredients until smooth. Spread in pan and bake 30–35 mins. Cool completely.
7. Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth, then slowly add powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread over cooled cake. Slice and serve!

Weekly Meal Planning

Holiday meals can be tricky—but not when they’re prepped in advance! Save and schedule this Thanksgiving menu with CookifyAI to plan prep timelines, coordinate oven use, and generate consolidated ingredient lists that simplify shopping and cooking.

Planning Benefits:

– Calculates total ingredient amounts if you double or triple recipes—perfect for large gatherings
– Automatically organizes shopping lists by store section and required quantities
– Prevents duplicate purchases and overlooked items, even across complex menus
– Keeps your holiday organized so you can enjoy more time with your guests

Pro tip: When planning multiple Thanksgiving recipes, schedule them together to ensure ingredients like butter, eggs, or broth are consolidated—saving money and reducing holiday kitchen stress.

Cook and Prep Times

Prep Time: About 1 hour (varies by recipe; some can be done ahead)
Cook Time: 3–4 hours (depending on turkey size)
Total Time: 4–5 hours (with make-ahead options for sides and dessert)

With this collection of simple and delicious Thanksgiving dinner recipes for a crowd, you’ll spend less time fussing and more time making memories around the table!