Delish.com

You can’t beat the classics, and we have everything you need for a perfect traditional feast, from turkey to stuffing to allllll the potatoes.

Roast Ranch-Seasoned Turkey

Whether you’re roasting your first bird for Friendsgiving or hosting for the 26th time, use this handy guide to roast the perfect holiday turkey. This foolproof method has been tested (and tested and tested) by the Delish kitchen—it’s the best. Find our top tips below. Keep scrolling for the ranch-seasoned recipe!

Choose the right size turkey. 

Buy about 1 1/4 lb. turkey per person. We have an easy-to-read chart so you don’t have to read through an annoyingly long article while shopping for your turkey.

Adjust the cook time based on the size of your bird. 

A 12- to 14-lb. turkey needs 3 to 4 hours in the oven. But an 8-pounder will likely only need 2 hours 45 minute. The cook time depends on a number of things, including whether or not the bird is stuffed (this recipe isn’t), how big it is, and if it has been thawed. According to the USDA, a frozen turkey requires about fifty perfect more time in the oven than a fully thawed turkey. Find out exactly how long yours needs with our turkey cook time chart.

Bring the turkey to room temperature. 

While the oven is preheating, bring your bird to room temperature. This ensures even cooking.

Use a roasting rack.

Though you don’t technically need one, a roasting racks allows the air to circulate around the bottom of your turkey in the oven, which means that soggy skin is way less of a risk.

Start with a super hot oven, then reduce the temperature. 

We like to blast the turkey with extremely hot heat (450°) for the first 30 minutes to get the skin really crispy, then we drop the temp to 350º so that it doesn’t burn.

Use more butter than you feel comfortable with. 

Before the bird goes in the oven and while it roasts, add A LOT of butter. It’s key for crispy, flavorful, golden skin.

More: Here’s How Long You Should You Cook Your Turkey

How to make Roast Ranch-seasoned Turkey:

Roast Ranch-Seasoned Turkey only requires 2 sticks of butter and a 2 packets of ranch seasoning!

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325°. As it heats, drain any excess juices from turkey and pat it dry with paper towels, then set aside.
  2. Mix butter and ranch seasoning until it forms a paste. Spread butter under the skin of the turkey as much as you can, as well as on top of it.
  3. Place turkey breast-side up on a rack within the roasting pan. Stick an oven-safe meat thermometer into the lower thigh of the turkey, without touching the bone. Cover turkey lightly with tin foil, then take it off during the last half hour of cooking so the skin can brown.
  4. Cook for about 20 minutes per pound, or until the thermometer reads 180° in the thigh and 165° in breast meat. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes before carving.

Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole is the quintessential Thanksgiving side. Bizarrely, some never have it on their Thanksgiving table, but if you include it on this year’s menu, you are guaranteed to become obsessed.

For this recipe, we ditched the canned cream of mushroom soup and opted for a super-simple cream sauce and sautéed some fresh mushrooms instead.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb fresh or frozen green beans
  • 6 tbsp butter, divided
  • 1 onion, sliced into half moons
  • 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
  • Kosher salt (to taste)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1/4 c all-purpose flour
  • 3 c whole milk
  • 1 1/2 c French fried onions

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare an ice bath: In a large pot of boiling water, add green beans and cook until bright green, about 6 minutes. With a slotted spoon or tongs, quickly transfer green beans to ice bath to cool, then drain and transfer to a large bowl.
  2. In a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until mushrooms are golden, about 5 minutes more. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute, then transfer mixture to green bean bowl.
  3. In same skillet over medium heat, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Whisk in flour and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, then add green bean mixture and toss until even combined.
  4. Bake until warmed through and bubbling, about 30 minutes.
  5. Top with fried onions and bake 5 minutes more.

Below are some tips for the best outcome!

Fresh, frozen, or canned green beans work.

Green beans aren’t in season during November, so if you’re more into using frozen, do it! Frozen green beans have been preserved at their peak, so they taste very comparable to fresh. You can blanch frozen or fresh ones to get them tender. If you’re using canned green beans, it’s not our first choice, but no need to blanch them. 

Sauté onions and mushrooms. 

The biggest reason some don’t love the idea of canned cream of mushroom soup is that it doesn’t give a strong enough mushroom flavor. By sautéing mushrooms (you can choose whichever variety you like most!) with thinly sliced onion in butter, you’re building a base with some serious depth of flavor. Cook the mushrooms enough that they get a little caramelized and you’ll really be good to go.

Make your own cream sauce. 

This sounds fancy, but it’s seriously melting butter, whisking in a little flour, and pouring over milk. DONE. Let that mixture simmer—and thicken—on your stovetop and that’s the creamy element of green bean casserole you know and love, only no gloppy texture allowed.

Add cheese.  

Although not classic, some recipes call for mixing shredded cheddar into the green bean mixture. As a big time cheese lover, I can totally get behind this, though we don’t include in the recipe below. If you want to add cheese, don’t use more than a cup. Gruyère, Parmesan, or Monterey jack would all work. 

Never skip the fried onions. 

The only ingredient as essential to green bean casserole as green beans is French’s fried onions. They’re salty, crunchy—and absolutely mandatory.

Candied Yams

For many, candied yams are an indispensable part of the Thanksgiving meal, along with mashed potatoes and homemade cranberry sauce. We agree! Though candied yams might be super sweet on their own, they’re the perfect compliment to a plate full of savory dishes. Our version gets an added kick from bourbon—we think once you try them you’ll never want yams without it!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 c dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 c orange juice
  • 3 tbsp butter, plus more for pan
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 tbsp bourbon (optional)
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • Pinch of kosher salt
  • 5 medium sweet potatoes (about 3 lbs)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°. Butter a medium baking dish.
  2. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, combine sugar, orange juice, butter, cinnamon stick, bourbon if using, nutmeg, and salt. Stir to combine and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until it has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. When reduced, remove and discard cinnamon stick.
  3. Meanwhile, prep potatoes: Peel potatoes and slice into 1/2″ rounds, then layer in prepared baking dish. Pour thickened syrup over potatoes and cover dish with aluminum foil.
  4. Bake 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake about 50 minutes to 1 hour more, basting with sauce every 15 minutes.
  5. Let cool slightly before serving.

Perfect Mashed Potatoes

Quick!! Name one thing that is better than creamy, buttery, steamy, perfect mashed potatoes! See? You can’t! So, put down the instant potatoes!

Here are some important tips before we get to the recipe! These are things you need to know in order to make the absolute BEST mashed potatoes!

Go For a Mix of Potatoes

Russet potatoes (the classic brown-skinned ones used for baked potatoes) are the classic go-to for mashed potatoes, but you don’t have to stick to only those. We like using a mix of russet and Yukon gold, which have a super-creamy texture.

Peel—Or Don’t

This is the age-old debate: Should you peel your potatoes for mashed potatoes?! The Delish kitchen falls into the camp of people who happen to love the texture that the skin adds, so we don’t peel our potatoes, but it’s entirely up to you.

Use All The Butter

Our recipe calls for a whole stick, but real butter enthusiasts might even want to use another few tablespoons. We like to melt our butter with milk in a saucepan so the milk is warm when it hits the mashed spuds.

Use Full-Fat Everything

Starchy potatoes need serious fat to turn them creamy, so skip low-fat varieties for sour cream and milk, which will produce drier mashed potatoes.

Don’t Be Afraid of Going Heavy on Seasoning

Mashed potatoes are begging for salt and pepper. Potatoes need a lot of salt—go heavy! This will help bring out their buttery flavor and ensure they don’t taste lackluster.

Add All the Mix-ins

We’re obsessed with loaded mashed potatoes—who isn’t?!—so we totally encourage you to stir in shredded cheddar or Parmesan, cooked bacon bits, chives, the works, after you add the melted butter-milk mixture. Truly any fresh herb or cheese will only help mashed potatoes taste amazing.

Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs potatoes (4 large, combo of russet and Yukon gold)
  • Kosher salt (to taste)
  • 1 stick butter, plus 2 tbsp for garnish
  • 1/2 c milk
  • 1/2 c sour cream
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

  1. In a large pot, cover potatoes with water and add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until totally soft, 16 to 18 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to pot.
  2. Use a potato masher to mash potatoes until smooth.
  3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter and milk until warm.
  4. Pour over warm milk-butter mixture and stir until completely combined and creamy. Add sour cream and stir until combined.
  5. Season mashed potatoes generously with salt and pepper.
  6. Transfer potatoes to a serving bowl and top with remaining two tablespoons butter. Season with more pepper before serving.

Creamy Thanksgiving Gravy

Your Thanksgiving only deserves the best, which is why perfecting gravy is worth it—and so easy!

Ingredients:

  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 c. Turkey pan drippings
  • 2 c chicken broth
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp minced thyme
  • 1 tsp minced sage

Directions:

  1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook until golden, 1 minute, then whisk in pan drippings. (If you have more than a cup of drippings, use it and reduce the amount of broth!)
  2. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently until slightly thickened.
  3. Stir in fresh herbs, then whisk in 1 cup broth and return mixture to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Simmer 10 minutes, gradually adding more broth if gravy is too thick. Adjust seasoning.

How do I save turkey drippings?

The essential ingredient to perfect gravy? Fat! As your turkey bakes, it renders a ton of fat that’ll be left over in the roasting pan. Don’t—we repeat, don’t—pour that fat into the garbage! Those drippings are packed with flavor, all of which you want in your Thanksgiving gravy. After you take the turkey out of the roasting pan, set a colander or sieve over a large bowl or another pan. Pour the contents of the roasting pan through the colander—the drippings you want to keep will end up in the large bowl. You can discard the bits left in the colander.

Cornbread Stuffing

You might be wondering what the real difference is between stuffing and dressing. Online research yielded unclear results—however the only real difference is that dressing isn’t actually cooked IN the carcass of the turkey! So, nowadays, most “stuffing” is technically dressing.

Now that that’s cleared up, let’s get to the good part. Our dressing has got all the beloved, classic Thanksgiving flavors!

Ingredients:

  • 1 pan of cornbread, chopped into 2” pieces
  • 2 tbsp butter, plus more for baking dish
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 3 celery stalks, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp thyme leaves
  • 2 tsp sage, minced
  • Kosher salt
  • Ground black pepper
  • 3/4 c chicken broth
  • 1/4 c milk
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • Freshly chopped parsley

Directions:

  1. Grease a 9” square baking dish with butter. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Cook sausage, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until golden and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
  2. To the same skillet, add butter, onion, and celery and cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add thyme and sage, then season with salt and pepper. Add broth to deglaze, scraping up brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, then transfer to bowl with sausage.
  3. Add cornbread pieces, then stir in milk and eggs. Season generously with salt and pepper and stir, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until everything is well incorporated and cornbread pieces are a mixture of smaller chunks and crumbs.
  4. Add mixture to prepared baking dish and bake until golden and crispy on top and set in the center, 30 minutes.
  5. Garnish with parsley before serving.

Southern Pecan Pie

Is there anything more iconic to see on your Thanksgiving dessert spread than a beautiful Pecan Pie? The craggly top filled with nuts that you know gives way to that delicious, rich interior. This recipe is the easiest way to get it on your holiday table (or any table for that matter, make it in June for all we care!).

Ingredients:

  • Cooking spray, for dish
  • Frozen pie crust
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3/4 c packed light brown sugar
  • 1 c light corn syrup
  • 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 c pecan halves
  • Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425º and lightly grease a 9″-x-1.5″ pie dish with cooking spray.
  2. Meanwhile, on a lightly floured surface, roll out dough. Drape over pie dish and gently press to fit, making sure there are no air bubbles. Trim edge to 1” and tuck overhang under itself. With a fork, lightly prick bottom of crust and decoratively score edges. Refrigerate 30 minutes or freeze 10 minutes.
  3. Line crust with parchment paper and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake 10 minutes, then remove parchment and weights. Reduce heat to 350º.
  4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Whisk in brown sugar until smooth and remove from heat. Whisk in corn syrup, vanilla, salt, and beaten eggs.
  5. Scatter pecan halves into pie crust and pour over sugar mixture. Mix gently with a spoon to coat nuts and evenly disperse.
  6. Lightly place foil over top of pie and bake 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake until filling is puffed, only slightly wobbly, and crust is golden, 35 minutes more.
  7. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
  8. Serve topped with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on top!

Traditional Pumpkin Pie

Every Thanksgiving dessert table needs pumpkin pie, right? Here’s everything you need to remember:

Use cold (really cold!) butter.

For any pie-baking newbies, cold butter = flaky crust. When mixing the dough in the food processor, you’re looking for pea-size (or a bit larger) clumps of butter. If you over-mix the dough, you risk a crust that comes out tough, and no one wants that.Apple cider vinegar is the secret ingredientJust a little bit of vinegar in the dough helps make your crust more tender and the dough easier to work with. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, distilled white vinegar, vodka, or lemon juice will work too. Chill the pie crust before bakingAfter draping the pie crust into the pie plate and crimping the sides, it’s important to chill the dough to keep the crust from slumping in the oven. Place the whole thing in the fridge for 30 minutes or the freezer for 10 minutes.

Par-bake the pie crust.

Partially baking the crust before you add filling—especially custardy fillings like pumpkin—will help prevent the bottom from turning into mush. As Mary Berrywould say, “no soggy bottoms!”

Brown sugar is best for pumpkin pie. 

Though granulated will work too, the toasty, caramel-y notes in brown sugar make it the perfect sweetener for pumpkin pie, which is packed with warm spices. You don’t actually have to buy pumpkin pie spice.We’re big fans of making our own pumpkin spice blend—but you don’t even need to do that. Instead you can just add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, and ¼ teaspoon each of ground cloves and ground nutmeg. 

Cool it like you would cheesecake.

Pumpkin pie is ready when it’s still slightly jiggly in the center—just like cheesecake. You should cool it the same way you would a classic cheesecake, in a turned off oven with the door propped open for an hour. This helps prevent the pie from cracking. But if that does happen, don’t worry, you can just cover each slice with a big plop of whipped cream.

Ingredients:

  • 1 frozen pie crust
  • 15 oz can pumpkin purée
  • 1 1/4 c heavy cream
  • 3/4 c packed brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Whipped cream, for serving

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425º and lightly grease a 9”-x-1.5” pie dish with cooking spray.
  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough. Drape over pie dish and gently press to fit (don’t stretch). Prick bottom with a fork, trim edge to 1”, tuck overhang under itself, and crimp. Refrigerate 30 minutes or freeze 10 minutes.
  3. Line crust with parchment and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake 10 minutes, then remove parchment and weights. Reduce heat to 350º.
  4. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, cream, brown sugar, beaten eggs, flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and vanilla until smooth.
  5. Pour pumpkin mixture into par-baked crust. Bake until filling is slightly jiggly in the middle and crust is golden, 55 to 60 minutes. Cool in turned off oven with door propped open for 1 hour, then cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
  6. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.