Tis the season to be thankful. You thought I’m going to refer to the Yuletide season, right? Well, the other important season leading to that actually. Thanksgiving is such a big thing. College kids drive for miles to come home and celebrate. Moms break their backs for a couple of days to put together a feast. And don’t get me started about coming up with the ultimate shopping game plan for Black Friday sale!
Anyway, let’s get to the main gist of a Thanksgiving dinner. Plain and simple: it takes hours to prepare. Who has that much time on their hands? Plus, who would want to be dead tired because of all the prepping instead of truly enjoying the celebration?
The secret: Thanksgiving dinner ideas that are easy and quick to prepare. Okay, so, it’s impossible to cook a turkey in less than 60 minutes. But, it is possible to cook side dishes and dessert under that amount of time! Here’s a great list we’ve come up with!
Gingered Carrot Soup with Crème Fraîche
Prep Time: 30 Mins
The very color of fall and it only takes 30 minutes to prep and make! It’s creamy, rich and bursting with complementing flavors! Get the recipe here!
Pan Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
Prep Time: 25 Mins
Many people don’t like Brussel sprouts. But, everyone loves bacon. So, it’s kind of a possible equation if you ask me! Recipe here!
Sauteed Spinach with Crisp Pancetta
Prep Time: 20 Mins
As what Martha Stewart said:
“Thanksgiving may be the most lavish meal you prepare all year, but every dish doesn’t have to require an epic effort.”
Spinach is super easy to cook and it’s a family favorite! You must, I repeat, you must have this simple dish in your Thanksgiving dinner menu. Recipe by Martha Stewart here.
Parmesan Butternut Squash
Prep Time: 25 Mins
There’s no denying that squash is one of the most common side dish on your Thanksgiving table. And it’s only understandable because of how good it taste and how easy it is to prepare. It has so much flavor by itself so there’s not much to do to make it even better!
A dash of parmesan cheese takes it to a whole other notch! Learn to make it here!
Sriracha-and-Wasabi Deviled Eggs
Prep Time: 30 Mins (marinating time: 4hrs)
Although deviled eggs may not be a staple appetizer for a Thanksgiving feast, you can certainly change things up so your menu is not the same traditional thing every year. Give it a try. If it doesn’t work, then go back to your default menu next year. If it does, then you’ll have an impressed family! Get this spiced up recipe here!
Oven-Roasted Grape Tomatoes with Chives
Prep Time:20 Mins
I’ve always loved the taste of chicken and tomatoes together. Turkey doesn’t taste that much different so it only makes sense that it would taste great with tomatoes, too! Get the full recipe here.
Rosemary Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
Prep Time: 20 Mins
If you ever get tired of the typical mashed potato, here’s an alternative for you. You can make it just as creamy. One thing I really like about mashed cauliflower is the texture. It’s not starchy like potatoes and healthier, too! Grab the recipe here.
Red, White and Blue Mashed Potatoes
Prep Time: 30 Mins
But, if you love the traditional mashed potatoes, you can definitely stick to it. Or, you can make it interesting by using differnt colored potatoes! Plain and simple recipe right here!
GARLIC AND SUN-DRIED TOMATO CORN MUFFINS
Prep Time: 25 Mins
Corn bread is a great option for another carb on your Thanksgiving dinner menu. It’s fairly filling so you don’t need to make as many portions. They also have quite the shelf life which means you can freeze them and bake when needed. Check out the full recipe here.
Creamy Broccoli Soup with Cheddar Crisps
Prep Time: 30 Mins
Ah. Yes. By this time of the year, it would already be pretty chilly as we get ready for the winter season. And, what better way to warm up than with a bowl of creamy soup, right? Get the recipe here.
Orange Maple Cranberry Sauce
Prep Time: 25 Mins
The cranberry sauce is part of the “BIG THREE” on your thanksgiving dinner menu. Along with the turkey and stuffing, the meal isn’t complete without a great cranberry sauce. Don’t settle for the canned sauces. This takes less than 30 minutes to make!
Get the recipe here.
Port-Cranberry Sauce
Prep Time: 30 Mins
Here’s another version of cranberry sauce. Add half a cup of ruby port wine and you got yourself a traditional sauce with one heck of a twist!
Recipe here.
Green Beans with Olives
Prep Time: 20 Mins
Although the traditional buttered beans are good, adding savory green olives to the mix is a pretty good idea. You can skip the pinch of salt and let the pickled saltiness of the olives flavor the entire dish.
Learn to make it here.
Artichoke Gratinata
Prep Time: 25 Mins
Artichokes are superb vegetables. They have a unique texture that gets you hooked. Add some breadcrumbs for an extra crunch! Full recipe here.
Gnocchi with Wild Mushrooms
Prep Time: 30 Mins
I will never say no to mushrooms. So, it’s only fitting that it is included in my thanksgiving dinner menu. And, I might actually make this dish a regular! Get this aweseom recipe here.
Sauteed Mushrooms
Prep Time: 20 Mins
Perhaps you fancy something more basic but still equally delicious? Yes. I second the motion. Grab the recipe here.
Marshmallow Pumpkin Pie
Prep Time: 20 Mins
Add a twist to your traditional pumpkin pie by including melted marshmallows to it. You’ll finally get all your kids to eat the pie! Full recipe here.
Dulce de Leche Bread Pudding
Prep Time: 30 Mins
Gooey and decadent warm bread pudding with caramel dulce de leche. Yes, please! I’ll need about 3 servings just to satisfy my craving! Grab the full recipe here!
Rustic Apple Tart
Prep Time: 20 Mins (baking time: 35 Mins)
Come on. You got to have apple pie or some dessert with apples on thanksgiving. This would be the perfect and lighter option. If you don’t care about the calories, then top it off with vanilla ice cream! Learn how to here!
Corn Cakes and Spiced Cranberries
Prep Time: 30 Mins
Cranberries for dessert too? Why not? Recipe here!
Quick Chocolate Meringue Pie
Prep Time: 30 Mins
Meringue pie is the go-to dessert on thanksgiving aside from pumpkin pie. Whether it is lemon or chocolate, it’s sure to be gone by the end of the night. Click here for the full recipe.
Happy Thanksgiving!
So, get your pen and paper ready and start planning out your Thanksgiving dinner menu. We’ve listed down the easiest, quickest and most liked side dishes and desserts.
It’s not all about the feast you have on your table or how many guests you have. It’s about being thankful for the simplest things in life and celebrating it with the people you love most.
But, food does bring people together so why not go all out, right? In any case, we hope you enjoy your holidays. Happy Thanksgiving!
Featured image source
You’re most welcome! We try our best to give you all great and helpful content to enjoy!