Our Best Thanksgiving Recipes Ever

We've gathered our best Thanksgiving recipes for a meal you'll never forget. Mix and match our top recipes for turkey, side dishes, pies, desserts, and more to create the ultimate Thanksgiving dinner.

Appetizers
Appetizers can buy you some time if you're a bit behind schedule — and if they're good, no one will mind waiting. Many of these recipes can easily be made ahead so they'll be ready to serve well before family members start snooping around the kitchen for snacks.

• Marinated Olives 
  

Soup
Thanksgiving is the time of year we go all out, so why not start the meal off with a first course of soup? These seasonal recipes work well for sit-down meals or can be served buffet-style from a big bowl or tureen.

• Roasted Brussels Sprout Soup with Hazelnut Pesto 
  
• Apple-Squash Soup

Turkey
The bird is usually the main event at Thanksgiving and we've got several recipes to make sure it comes out perfectly moist and tender.

• Roast Organic Turkey 

Stuffing
The age-old question is: Does the stuffing belong inside or outside the turkey? For novice cooks, we recommend baking outside the bird; it's easier and safer. There are endless ways you can put your own spin on stuffing; here are a few of our favorite recipes.

• Whole Grain Stuffing with Dried Fruit and Pecans 
• Sausage, Sage and Mushroom Stuffing

Potatoes
Many families feel that Thanksgiving isn't complete without some form of potato, whether regular or sweet, on the table. Go beyond plain old mashed potatoes with these creative recipes.

• Smashed Potatoes and Celery Root with Sour Cream 
• Untraditional Mashed Potatoes

More Side Dishes
Round out your Thanksgiving dinner with a few vegetable side dishes. The more the merrier!

• Late Harvest Corn Pudding
• Honey Soy Ginger Glazed Carrots
• Twice-Baked Acorn Squash

Cranberries
Don't resort to the canned stuff this year! Kick up this underrated side dish with one of our bright and tangy recipes.

• Cranberry Sauce with Grapefruit and Pecans 
• Southern Cranberry Sauce with Pecans, Dried Apricots and Bourbon
• Brown Sugar Cranberry Relish 
• Maple, Orange and Chile Cranberry Relish 
  

Pie
In most families, when it comes to Thanksgiving, there is pie and there is everything else. Here are a few recipes beyond the classic apple and pumpkin.

• Linda Lewis's Pumpkin-Coconut Pie
• Apple Mince Walnut Pie

Other Desserts

If your family prefers a smorgasboard of sweets at Thanksgiving, here are a few holiday-worthy desserts you can mix and match.

• Apple Pie Cake
• Pumpkin Creme Brulee

Planning a small, intimate gathering of just two or four? Check out our Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas for Four or just Two!

A version of this story originally appeared on iVillage.