From stuffing and mashed potatoes to pies and gravy, these make-ahead Thanksgiving recipes create a full holiday spread without last-minute stress.
1/27
Green Bean Casserole
From the Recipe Creator:
This green bean casserole has always been one of my favorite dishes—it’s so easy to put together! You can make it before any guests arrive and keep it refrigerated until baking time. —Anna Baker, Blaine, Washington
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 163 calories, 11g fat (3g saturated fat), 5mg cholesterol, 485mg sodium, 14g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein.
This highly anticipated side dish casserole can be assembled and stored in the fridge for up to three days. Bake the casserole on the day you want to serve it, adding the french-fried onions just before putting it in the oven.
2/27
Make-Ahead Turkey and Gravy
From the Recipe Creator:
Ease the holiday time crunch with a make-ahead turkey recipe that's ready to serve when everyone is seated. It's a great choice for potlucks too. —Marie Parker, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
8 ounces cooked turkey with about 2-1/2 tablespoons gravy: 480 calories, 22g fat (7g saturated fat), 218mg cholesterol, 434mg sodium, 2g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 0 fiber), 64g protein.
Roast the turkey as much as three months ahead of time. Store the carved meat and cooking juices in the freezer, then reheat the juices with chicken broth to make an easy, flavorful gravy.
3/27
Pumpkin Pie
From the Recipe Creator:
Usually I prepare two different desserts for our holiday dinner, but one of them must be pumpkin pie—otherwise, it just wouldn't seem like Thanksgiving. My version calls for more eggs than most, making this pie's custard filling especially rich. —Gloria Warczak, Cedarburg, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
1 piece: 321 calories, 12g fat (4g saturated fat), 80mg cholesterol, 326mg sodium, 47g carbohydrate (32g sugars, 2g fiber), 7g protein.
Store a baked and cooled pumpkin pie in the fridge up to four days in advance or in the freezer for as long as three months. Move the frozen pie into the fridge to thaw the night before you want to serve it.
4/27
Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
From the Recipe Creator:
With five different dairy products, you know this make-ahead mashed potato casserole is going to be super rich and, of course, delicious. It gets even better topped with onions and bacon! —JoAnn Koerkenmeier, Damiansville, Illinois
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 354 calories, 20g fat (12g saturated fat), 56mg cholesterol, 400mg sodium, 40g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 5g fiber), 7g protein.
Once spread into a baking dish, the potatoes can be refrigerated up to two days in advance, or freeze them for as long as two months. Thawed potatoes are easy to reheat in the oven or microwave. Then, if you’d like, move the potatoes to a slow cooker to keep them warm. Cream cheese and sour cream keep the potatoes moist during reheating.
5/27
Creamy Macaroni and Cheese
From the Recipe Creator:
This is the ultimate creamy mac and cheese. It's saucy, thick and very rich, with a wonderful cheddar flavor. Once you taste it, you'll be hooked. —Cindy Hartley, Chesapeake, Virginia
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 653 calories, 46g fat (30g saturated fat), 143mg cholesterol, 1141mg sodium, 35g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 1g fiber), 25g protein.
Make this side dish early in the day and keep it warm in a slow cooker until dinner. Or, make the mac and cheese the day before and reheat it in the oven just before serving.
6/27
Sweet Potato Casserole
From the Recipe Creator:
Prepare this comforting side dish with the popular marshmallow topping or choose from streusel, fruit or crunchy toppings. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 282 calories, 8g fat (5g saturated fat), 43mg cholesterol, 227mg sodium, 50g carbohydrate (30g sugars, 4g fiber), 4g protein.
To really get ahead of the game, freeze the mashed and baked sweet potatoes up to three months in advance. Melt the marshmallows on top of the casserole the day you want to serve it.
7/27
Citrus Rainbow Carrots
From the Recipe Creator:
I grow lots of carrots, and I’m always experimenting with ways to serve them. The first time I made this citrusy recipe for my husband, he said it tasted like Christmas! Although he calls them my Christmas carrots, they're tasty any time. The recipe is easy to prepare and can easily be doubled to serve a large group. To save time, I sometimes cut up the carrots several days in advance. —Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
2/3 cup: 132 calories, 6g fat (4g saturated fat), 15mg cholesterol, 445mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate (12g sugars, 4g fiber), 2g protein.
Prep this easy veggie side in advance: Slice the carrots and store them in a sealed container with a damp paper towel up to three weeks ahead of time. Whisk the sauce ingredients together two to three days beforehand and then refrigerate.
8/27
Cranberry Orange Relish
From the Recipe Creator:
With its festive color and refreshing citrus-cranberry flavor, this lovely cranberry orange relish works well at holiday gatherings. It’s also convenient because you can make it in advance. —Clara Honeyager, North Prairie, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
1/4 cup: 68 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 1mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate (14g sugars, 2g fiber), 0 protein.
Once the relish ingredients are chopped and blended in a food processor, transfer the mixture to an airtight container. The relish can be frozen for as long as three months, then thaw it in the fridge the night before you plan to serve it.
9/27
Parker House Rolls
From the Recipe Creator:
Mom is especially well-known for the delectable things she bakes, like these tender Parker house rolls. When the basket comes around the table, we each automatically take two—one is just never enough. —Sandra Melnychenko, Grandview, Manitoba
Nutrition Facts:
1 roll: 113 calories, 2g fat (0 saturated fat), 7mg cholesterol, 164mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.
Homemade dinner rolls are one of the best sides to make ahead of time. Seal the cooled rolls in an airtight container and freeze them for up to three months. Then just warm them in the oven right before dinner.
10/27
Stuffing
From the Recipe Creator:
This nicely seasoned stuffing is our favorite for holiday turkeys. It doesn't require a lot of prep time, which I like, and it tastes good whether stuffed in the bird or baked separately. —Denise Goedeken, Platte Center, Nebraska
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 249 calories, 10g fat (5g saturated fat), 20mg cholesterol, 1086mg sodium, 34g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 3g fiber), 7g protein.
Once baked, stuffing can be stashed in the freezer as long as one month before Thanksgiving dinner. Since it’s our family’s favorite side, we make two pans! A splash of chicken broth helps keep the stuffing moist during reheating.
11/27
Party Mashed Potatoes
From the Recipe Creator:
These creamy, tasty potatoes can be made the day before and stored in the refrigerator until you're ready to pop them in the oven (I often do that). The garlic powder and chives add zip, and the shredded cheese adds color. —Sharon Mensing, Greenfield, Iowa
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 207 calories, 13g fat (8g saturated fat), 43mg cholesterol, 305mg sodium, 16g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 0 fiber), 5g protein.
To make this recipe one or two days in advance, assemble the ingredients in a baking dish and cover it tightly with storage wrap before refrigerating. On the day you serve it, remove the wrap, then bake the potatoes for about an hour.
12/27
Heavenly Praline Cake
From the Recipe Creator:
A moist cake and generous frosting are filled with the fabulous flavor of caramel. The candied pecans are almost a dessert by themselves! —Jennifer Rodriguez, Midland, Texas
Nutrition Facts:
1 piece: 559 calories, 31g fat (17g saturated fat), 124mg cholesterol, 305mg sodium, 65g carbohydrate (48g sugars, 1g fiber), 6g protein.
Bake the cake and wrap it tightly the day before you want to serve it. The candied pecans that top this cake can be baked and stored at room temperature for up to a week.
13/27
Pumpkin Cheese Ball
From the Recipe Creator:
No one will guess that this make-ahead pumpkin cheese ball has pumpkin in it, but that subtle ingredient lends harvest color and added nutrition. —Linnea Rein, Topeka, Kansas
Nutrition Facts:
2 tablespoons: 85 calories, 6g fat (4g saturated fat), 21mg cholesterol, 174mg sodium, 3g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 0 fiber), 4g protein.
This cute and flavorful pumpkin-shaped appetizer will last for a few days in the fridge or up to two months in the freezer. You can slice and refrigerate the fresh veggie dippers ahead of time too.
14/27
Celery Gratin
From the Recipe Creator:
This celery gratin was a dish our family came to love. My grandmother knew how to create a dish out of just a few simple ingredients. —David Ross, Spokane Valley, Washington
Nutrition Facts:
2/3 cup: 331 calories, 27g fat (17g saturated fat), 77mg cholesterol, 390mg sodium, 16g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 1g fiber), 7g protein.
For this make-ahead Thanksgiving recipe, assemble the gratin and keep it wrapped in the fridge for up to three days. Bake it on the day you want to serve it, with a few extra minutes added to the oven time.
15/27
Sweet Potato Cheesecake Brownies
From the Recipe Creator:
If you're looking for something other than pumpkin, these sweet potato bars are a yummy alternative. Make them ahead—they're even better refrigerated overnight. —Debbie Glasscock, Conway, Arkansas
Nutrition Facts:
1 bar: 304 calories, 15g fat (7g saturated fat), 51mg cholesterol, 240mg sodium, 40g carbohydrate (27g sugars, 1g fiber), 5g protein.
These unique brownies freeze very well, which means they can be prepared up to two months ahead of time. Wrap the bars well and stack them in an airtight container to protect their flavor.
16/27
Frozen Pumpkin Dessert
From the Recipe Creator:
This frozen pumpkin ice cream dessert can be prepared and frozen weeks in advance. I've found it has more mass appeal than traditional pumpkin pie. —Susan Bennett, Edmond, Oklahoma
Nutrition Facts:
1 piece: 181 calories, 9g fat (4g saturated fat), 23mg cholesterol, 102mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate (17g sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein.
Since this sweet treat needs to be frozen, you might as well make it in advance! When covered tightly, the dessert will last up to two months in the freezer.
17/27
Potato Rolls
From the Recipe Creator:
After I discovered this recipe, it became a mainstay for me. I make the dough ahead of time when company is coming, and I try to keep some in the refrigerator to bake for our ranch hands. Leftover mashed potatoes are almost sure to go into these rolls. —Jeanette McKinney, Belleview, Missouri
Nutrition Facts:
1 roll: 106 calories, 3g fat (1g saturated fat), 8mg cholesterol, 136mg sodium, 17g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein.
Always the best part of my family’s Thanksgivings, this recipe offers a lot of ways to get ahead. Freeze the potato rolls either before or after baking them. They can be frozen for up to three months. To make sure you have cooked potatoes available for the dough, stash whole baked potatoes in the freezer.
18/27
Creamed Pearl Onions
From the Recipe Creator:
When our children were small, we always celebrated Christmas at our house. This was one of many recipes I relied on that could be prepared a day in advance, which gave me more time to spend with guests. Everyone expected to see this vegetable dish on the table every year. —Barbara Caserman, Lake Havasu City, Arizona
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 151 calories, 10g fat (6g saturated fat), 33mg cholesterol, 440mg sodium, 12g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.
This recipe is refrigerated overnight after assembling, then baked the next day. If more time is needed, the dish can wait in the fridge for another day or two before baking.
19/27
No-Bake Pumpkin Pie
From the Recipe Creator:
This no-bake pumpkin pie includes a delicious cream cheese layer. It's a terrific make-ahead dessert because it needs to refrigerate a few hours. —Donna Freund, Dubuque, Iowa
Nutrition Facts:
1 piece: 370 calories, 16g fat (9g saturated fat), 18mg cholesterol, 336mg sodium, 51g carbohydrate (41g sugars, 2g fiber), 3g protein.
Since they need to be chilled after assembling, no-bake pies are make-ahead by design. Prepare and hold this pumpkin pie in the fridge up to two days before Thanksgiving.
20/27
Cranberry and Bacon Swiss Cheese Dip
From the Recipe Creator:
This warm, rich and creamy Swiss cheese dip is guaranteed to please family and friends alike. Served with thin, crunchy slices of French bread, it makes the perfect appetizer—especially since it can be prepared ahead, put in the fridge and then baked just before you want to serve it. —Jeanne Holt, Mendota Heights, Minnesota
Nutrition Facts:
1/4 cup: 266 calories, 22g fat (8g saturated fat), 30mg cholesterol, 222mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 1g fiber), 10g protein.
This dip should be served hot and bubbling from the oven, but the rest of the work can be done up to three days in advance. Blend the ingredients, then store them in a covered baking dish in the fridge.
21/27
Slow-Cooker Citrus Carrots
From the Recipe Creator:
These carrots are yummy and so simple to make. The recipe is from my mom, who tweaked it a bit to suit her taste. You can make the dish a day in advance and refrigerate it until needed—then just reheat it before serving! —Julie Puderbaugh, Berwick, Pennsylvania
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 136 calories, 4g fat (2g saturated fat), 8mg cholesterol, 208mg sodium, 25g carbohydrate (18g sugars, 5g fiber), 1g protein.
One of two ways this dish saves time is that it’s made in a slow cooker—hands-off and simmering away on the side while you get other things done. The finished carrots can also be refrigerated one or two days in advance, then reheated in time for the meal.
22/27
Cheesy Potatoes
From the Recipe Creator:
As a four-generation Idaho family, we love our potatoes and cook with them in every way possible. I have served these cheesy potatoes for weddings, family dinners and special occasions. They've become a favorite of many. —Karla Kimball, Emmett, Idaho
Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup: 358 calories, 24g fat (13g saturated fat), 67mg cholesterol, 764mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 3g fiber), 11g protein.
A slow-cooker potato dish leaves the oven and stove free for other dishes. Make the cheese and potato mixture in advance and hold it in the fridge for a day or in the freezer for up to three months.
23/27
Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy
From the Recipe Creator:
My family loves gravy, so I can never have enough of this make-ahead turkey gravy recipe on hand for a holiday dinner. The base is prepared with turkey wings and can be prepped in advance. —Linda Fitzsimmons, Fort Edward, New York
Nutrition Facts:
3 tablespoons: 61 calories, 2g fat (1g saturated fat), 12mg cholesterol, 234mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 1g fiber), 5g protein.
One make-ahead aspect of this recipe is that the savory cooking liquid made from turkey wings can be refrigerated for up to two days before making the gravy. Or, make the gravy and freeze it (in bags or ice cube trays) for up to six months.
24/27
Turkey Potpie
From the Recipe Creator:
With a golden brown crust and scrumptious filling, these comforting potpies will warm you down to your toes. Because the recipe makes two, you can eat one now and freeze the other for later. They bake and cut beautifully. —Laurie Jensen, Cadillac, Michigan
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 287 calories, 15g fat (7g saturated fat), 78mg cholesterol, 542mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 2g fiber), 17g protein.
The assembled potpies can be wrapped and frozen for up to three months. After that, they need only 30 minutes to thaw before they go into the oven to bake.
25/27
Green Bean and Cauliflower Casserole
From the Recipe Creator:
I like to make my own savory cream sauce for the timeless green bean casserole. This time I also added another vegetable for a delicious twist that sets my casserole apart from the rest. You can omit the vermouth if you'd like by substituting another 1/2 cup of chicken broth. —Ann Sheehy, Lawrence, Massachusetts
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 217 calories, 13g fat (6g saturated fat), 19mg cholesterol, 539mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 3g fiber), 7g protein.
There’s no need to take shortcuts on the from-scratch sauce in this side dish. The recipe can be prepped and assembled one day in advance to save you time on Thanksgiving Day, then baked right before serving.
26/27
Cranberry Dip
From the Recipe Creator:
You can use a variety of salty crackers to scoop up helpings of this slightly sweet cranberry dip. The recipe yields a lot, so it's ideal for large gatherings. —Joy McQuaid, Darlington, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
1/4 cup: 157 calories, 11g fat (5g saturated fat), 25mg cholesterol, 62mg sodium, 14g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.
Don’t forget the Thanksgiving appetizers! Make this dip ahead of time, then store it in the fridge for up to two days. Just wait to add the almonds until right before serving so they stay crunchy.
27/27
Sweet Potato Salad
From the Recipe Creator:
Tender sweet potatoes are tossed with crunchy nuts and chewy dried cherries for a burst of flavors and textures. —Fran Fehling, Staten Island, New York
Nutrition Facts:
1/2 cup: 211 calories, 10g fat (1g saturated fat), 2mg cholesterol, 189mg sodium, 28g carbohydrate (12g sugars, 4g fiber), 3g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 fat.
Assemble the salad just before serving, but do some prep ahead of time. Make the dressing up to two days in advance, and roast the sweet potatoes the day before. Store everything in the fridge.
Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes FAQ
How far in advance can you prepare Thanksgiving sides?
Many Thanksgiving sides can be made a day or two ahead, while others hold up for weeks or even a month when frozen properly. Dishes like cranberry sauce, pies and casseroles are great candidates for early prep since they reheat well without losing flavor. Vegetable sides such as acorn squash slices and green beans with bacon are also good choices. When reheating stuffing recipes for Thanksgiving, add a little chicken or vegetable broth to keep them moist.
What side dishes can you make ahead and freeze for Thanksgiving?
Dinner rolls are one of the easiest make-ahead dishes to freeze, especially if you’re baking them from scratch. Freeze-and-bake rolls work perfectly. Make-ahead gravy is another smart dish to stash in the freezer; it saves you from juggling sauces while the just-roasted Thanksgiving turkey cools down. Desserts like pumpkin pie, fruit pies, cookies and even brownies are freezer-friendly and keep well for the big day.
What is the best way to reheat make-ahead Thanksgiving recipes?
The best way to reheat any make-ahead Thanksgiving recipes depends on the dish. Casseroles and stuffing warm well in the oven (after thawing if frozen), while creamy mashed potatoes keep their texture when gently stirred on the stovetop. The key is to choose the method that suits the dish so it tastes as fresh as when you first made it.
