Make Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes

I’m sharing my 🍁🦃⏰ Make Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes to help you feel less stressed, more organized, and to give you more time with your friends and family on the big day! Storage and reheating info is provided for everything so you can rest easy that everything will be perfect for the big holiday meal!

A bowl of mashed potatoes topped with gravy, surrounded by cranberry sauce, sliced turkey, and stuffing.

Make Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes

  • I’m all about doing things bit by bit, little by little, and doing what I can in advance so that when the big day comes, I’ve got less to worry about and think though.
  • All of these recipes can be made 1 to 4-5 days in advance, store in your refrigerator, and when Thanksgiving comes, you’re set.
  • I reheat gravy in my microwave, potatoes in a casserole dish in the oven, cranberries and the side salads or appetizers can be served at room temp, soup on the stove or in a Crock-Pot, desserts at room temp and so forth.
  • When you click over to each individual recipe, reheating instructions are listed in the Notes section of the recipe card.

Thanksgiving Make Ahead Recipes

🧡🙌🎉 No turkey or pan drippings to make gravy? No problem! Make try this QUICK and Easy Chicken Broth Gravy recipe instead! It uses store bought chicken broth (or turkey broth) and turns out wonderfully smooth, rich, buttery, and FLAVORFUL every time! Perfect for holiday meals like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter or make it for family dinners throughout the year to serve over chicken, turkey, and of course mashed potatoes!

A ladle dips into a gravy boat filled with thick, brown gravy. Surrounding it are bowls of mashed potatoes and stuffing, garnished with parsley.

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I made a Reel of myself making this gravy. Please follow me and check it out!

🥔⏰🙌🏻 Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes make your life easier by preparing your mashed potatoes in advance! This is an EASY recipe that uses just 5 ingredients, meaning it’s great for holiday dinners and busy weeknights alike! Learn all my tips and tricks for preparing CREAMY mashed potatoes up to three days in advance, plus how to reheat them so they stay PERFECT! 

A bowl of mashed potatoes with butter on top, surrounded by bowls of cranberry sauce and gravy, with salt and pepper shakers in the background.

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🫐🍷Move over boring cranberry sauce and make Red Wine Cranberry Sauce instead! Cranberries are so much better with blueberries and wine! Make your own fresh cranberry and blueberry sauce in 30 minutes. It’s so EASY, and everyone LOVES it! Every single year, people write to me and tell me this was the best thing on their Thanksgiving table and they’re making it next year!

A mason jar full of cabernet cranberry and blueberry sauce.

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I also made a Reel of the Cranberry Sauce! Please follow me and check it out!

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping 🍠🙌🧡 is the BEST sweet potato casserole ever!! The sweet potatoes are tender and creamy, while the streusel topping adds a delightful buttery crunch thanks to the pecans! Fully assemble it, refrigerate it for up to 3-4 days, and on Thanksgiving let it come to room temp for about 45 minutes on your countertop, and then bake it off as directed.

overhead view of sweet potato casserole with pecan topping in white baking dish

🍂🧡🥗 Roasted Brussel Sprout Salad is a HEARTY salad that celebrates the flavors of fall including roasted Brussels sprouts and dried cranberries along with quinoa, chickpeas, spinach, and goat cheese! Perfect for lunch, a meatless main, or a HEALTHY side dish on your holiday table!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad.

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Easy 30-Minute Pumpkin Soup Recipe  🎃🙌🎉 is silky smooth, has rich pumpkin flavor, and accidentally healthy! Amazing depth of flavor for a FAST and EASY soup that’s hearty and comforting without being heavy! You can even reheat it in a slow cooker if that’s easier to keep it warm.

A bowl of creamy pumpkin soup with two spoons on the side.

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🌽😋💛 This Creamed Corn Casserole is the EASIEST holiday side dish you’ll ever make! A simple, stir-and-bake affair, it’s great to make in advance, and the texture is a cross between a souffle and cornbread. Slightly gooey and slightly firm, it pairs perfectly with your favorite Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter dishes!   

Creamed Corn Casserole in a white casserole dish.

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A harvest celebration of ingredients come together in this easy 🍁🍠🍂 Fall Quinoa Salad complete with roasted sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, cranberries, chickpeas and more! A light maple syrup and apple cider vinegar vinaigrette coats everything to perfection! Extremely flexible and customizable based on what you have on hand and enjoy.

A bowl of quinoa salad with roasted sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, chickpeas, dried cranberries, feta cheese, and fresh herbs on a marble surface.

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A delectable 🎊🎁 Holiday Cheese Ball Wreath features cheese that’s rolled in festive and colorful toppings and arranged into a wreath! A show-stopping presentation of wonderful cheese bites for your holiday parties and entertaining tables! EASY to make and can be made IN ADVANCE! No one can resist the allure of cheese!

Christmas Cheese Ball Wreath — A delectable cheese ball mixture rolled in festive and colorful toppings and arranged into a wreath! A show-stopping presentation of wonderful cheese bites for your holiday parties and entertaining tables! EASY to make and can be made IN ADVANCE! No one can resist the allure of cheese!

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Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars 🥮🤎🧡 combine a crispy graham cracker crust, a tangy cheesecake filling, and a gooey caramel-like pecan topping in this marriage of cheesecake + pecan pie! Easy to make and a lovely holiday entertaining or Thanksgiving dessert recipe that keeps well in the fridge so you make them beforehand!

Three caramel cheesecake bars with a graham cracker crust are stacked on top of each other, with caramel sauce dripping down the sides.

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