These 40 Thanksgiving dinner ideas give you a full holiday menu in one place: glazed ham and short ribs for the main, easy sides, crowd friendly appetizers, dessert, and what to do with the leftovers. Plenty of them cook in the air fryer or in one pot, so you are not fighting over oven space all afternoon. Every recipe was developed and tested in my own kitchen.
Thanksgiving does not have to mean a 20 pound bird and three days of cooking. Some years it is a glazed ham. Some years it is short ribs. Some years it is steak for four. All of them count.
Use this list to build your menu from the main dish down, then come back for the leftover turkey section on Friday.
How Do You Plan an Easy Thanksgiving Menu?
Start with the main and build around it. Keep it simple and the day runs itself:
- Pick one main. Ham or short ribs for a crowd, roasted chicken or ribeye for a small table.
- Add 3 to 5 sides. One starch, one or two vegetables, one bread.
- Set out one or two appetizers. Keep them light so nobody fills up early.
- Make dessert ahead. Brownies and treats can be done the day before.
- Plan for leftovers. Sliders and pot pie are already waiting for you below.
Thanksgiving Main Dishes
Glazed ham, braised short ribs, roasted chicken and steak. Turkey is not the only way to do this.
Maple Bourbon Glazed Ham
A spiral ham lacquered in maple syrup, brown sugar, bourbon, lemon and ginger. Sweet, sticky, and a total showstopper of a centerpiece.
Key ingredients:
spiral ham
maple syrup
brown sugar
bourbon
ginger
Pineapple Honey Glazed Ham
Bone-in ham glazed with pineapple, honey, citrus and warm spices like cinnamon and star anise. Big enough to feed the whole crew.
Key ingredients:
bone-in ham
pineapple chunks
honey
oranges and lemons
cinnamon and star anise
Roasted Chicken and Potatoes
Juicy chicken thighs and potatoes roasted on one pan with peppers, onion and tomato paste. A smaller crowd main that skips the whole bird drama.
Key ingredients:
chicken thighs
white potatoes
red bell pepper
onion
tomato paste
Coca Cola Braised Short Ribs
Fall apart tender short ribs with a bottle of Coke doing the heavy lifting. A cozy main for anyone skipping turkey this year.
Key ingredients:
boneless beef short ribs
Coca Cola
onion
Beef and Pork Ragu
Ground beef and pork simmered low and slow with passata, white wine, rosemary and a parmesan rind. Pasta night, holiday edition.
Key ingredients:
ground beef
ground pork
passata
white wine
parmesan rind
Air Fryer Ribeye
Thick cut ribeye cooked in the air fryer and basted with butter. Perfect for a small Thanksgiving when a whole turkey is way too much. 18 minutes.
Key ingredients:
ribeye steaks
salted butter
neutral oil
salt and pepper
Cast Iron Chicken Thighs
Chicken thighs seasoned with garlic, onion and smoked paprika and seared in one skillet. Juicy, golden and done in 40 minutes.
Key ingredients:
chicken thighs
garlic powder
onion powder
smoked paprika
One Pot Ginger Chicken and Rice
Bone-in chicken and jasmine rice cooked in bone broth with ginger, garlic and fish sauce. One pot, 40 minutes, very little cleanup.
Key ingredients:
bone-in chicken
jasmine rice
bone broth
ginger
fish sauce
Lobster Fried Rice
Looks fancy, takes 20 minutes. Lobster tails, eggs and ginger fried with day old rice for a showstopper that is secretly easy.
Key ingredients:
lobster tails
day old rice
eggs
ginger
garlic
Asian Braised Chuck Roast
Chuck roast seared, then braised low and slow with onion and fresh ginger until it falls apart. Feeds 8 and makes the whole house smell amazing.
Key ingredients:
chuck roast
onion
fresh ginger
neutral oil
Maple Glazed Salmon
Salmon glazed with maple syrup, soy, Dijon and a little chili crisp. Elegant enough for the holiday table and done in 30 minutes.
Key ingredients:
salmon fillet
maple syrup
soy sauce
Dijon mustard
chili crisp
Air Fryer Rack of Lamb
Rack of lamb coated in garlic, rosemary, thyme, balsamic and Dijon, cooked in the air fryer in 30 minutes. Fancy enough for the holiday, easy enough for any night.
Key ingredients:
rack of lamb
garlic
rosemary and thyme
balsamic vinegar
Dijon mustard
Roasted Spatchcock Chicken
A whole chicken with the backbone cut out so it lies flat, rubbed with tomato paste, thyme and paprika, and roasted on a bed of veggies. Crispy brick red skin, juicy meat, one baking sheet. The easiest whole bird for a smaller Thanksgiving.
Key ingredients:
whole chicken
tomato paste
fresh thyme
paprika
dry white wine
Easy Thanksgiving Sides
Pick three or four. Half of them cook in the air fryer, so the main dish gets the oven.
Gochujang Mac and Cheese
Creamy double cheddar mac and cheese with gochujang stirred into the sauce for a gentle kick. I genuinely think it is the best mac and cheese I have ever made.
Key ingredients:
macaroni
cheddar
white cheddar
milk
gochujang
Honey Roasted Carrots (Air Fryer)
Sticky, glossy carrots tossed in honey garlic butter and caramelized in the air fryer. 30 minutes, and your oven stays free for the turkey.
Key ingredients:
carrots
honey
butter
garlic
fresh parsley
4 Ingredient Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
Cubed sweet potatoes, avocado oil, salt and a pinch of cinnamon. Golden outside, soft inside, done in 30 minutes. The easiest side on this whole list.
Key ingredients:
sweet potatoes
avocado oil
salt
cinnamon
Sesame Braised Cabbage
A whole head of cabbage seared in butter, then braised in a honey soy sesame sauce until silky. Budget friendly and ready in 20 minutes.
Key ingredients:
cabbage
butter
oyster sauce
sesame oil
honey
Crispy Air Fryer Green Beans
Not your mom's mushy green beans. Coated in panko, parmesan and garlic and air fried until crunchy in 15 minutes.
Key ingredients:
green beans
panko bread crumbs
Parmesan
garlic
Parmesan Air Fryer Cauliflower
Crispy, cheesy cauliflower straight from the air fryer in 20 minutes. Proof that the vegetable side does not have to be the boring one.
Key ingredients:
cauliflower florets
Parmigiano Reggiano
olive oil
Air Fryer Zucchini Parmesan
Basically garlic bread without the bread. Zucchini topped with parmesan, garlic, butter and thyme, air fried in 20 minutes.
Key ingredients:
zucchini
Parmesan
garlic
butter
thyme
Air Fryer Garlic Bread
A baguette slathered in roasted garlic butter and air fried until golden and crunchy. Roasting the garlic is the secret, and it is worth every minute.
Key ingredients:
baguette
garlic
butter
olive oil
parsley
Teriyaki Salmon Sushi Cups
Crispy nori cups packed with sticky seasoned rice and teriyaki salmon, baked right in a muffin tin. 30 minutes. Gone in 60 seconds.
Key ingredients:
sushi rice
fresh salmon
teriyaki sauce
nori sheets
sriracha mayo
Crispy Miso Butter Mushrooms
Shiitakes seared crispy in miso garlic butter. 20 minutes, one pan, and suddenly everyone loves mushrooms.
Key ingredients:
shiitake mushrooms
unsalted butter
white miso
garlic
fresh parsley
Filipino Garlic Fried Rice (Sinangag)
Day old rice fried with plenty of garlic in butter. Sinangag is the side I make more than anything else, and it takes 10 minutes.
Key ingredients:
day old rice
garlic
butter
green onions
Sweet Potato Brulee
Dessert hiding inside a sweet potato. Roasted Japanese sweet potatoes blended into a silky vanilla custard, baked back in their skins and torched for a crackly sugar top. Serves 8. Make it the side everyone talks about.
Key ingredients:
Japanese sweet potatoes
heavy cream
egg yolks
vanilla bean paste
granulated sugar
Thanksgiving Appetizers
Something to keep everyone out of the kitchen while you finish dinner.
Caramelized Onion Dip
Packet onion dip had a good run. Three onions cooked down until jammy, then stirred into Greek yogurt and mayo. Set it out with chips while the turkey rests.
Key ingredients:
yellow onions
olive oil
Greek yogurt
mayonnaise
onion powder
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Tenders
Cornflake crusted chicken tenders tossed in garlic parmesan butter. The kids table will thank you. 35 minutes.
Key ingredients:
chicken breasts
cornflakes
eggs
garlic powder
Parmesan
Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings
Crispy wings tossed in a sweet and spicy honey sriracha glaze. The appetizer everyone hovers around.
Key ingredients:
chicken wings
cornstarch
baking powder
honey
sriracha
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
Chicken thigh skewers air fried and finished with garlic parmesan. A crowd friendly bite that is ready in 30 minutes.
Key ingredients:
chicken thighs
garlic powder
Parmesan
avocado oil
Air Fryer Steak Bites with Cowboy Butter
Sirloin cubes air fried and drowned in a garlicky, herby cowboy butter. Put out toothpicks and watch them vanish. 25 minutes.
Key ingredients:
top sirloin
salted butter
garlic
shallot
Dijon mustard
Honey Garlic Chicken Meatballs
Sticky, garlicky meatballs in a honey, oyster sauce and lemon glaze. 20 minutes. Stick a toothpick in each one and watch the plate empty.
Key ingredients:
ground chicken
panko breadcrumbs
garlic
honey
oyster sauce
Crab Rangoon Dip
All the creamy, crabby goodness of crab rangoon with zero folding. Bake it, grab the wonton chips, guard your spot.
Key ingredients:
crab
cream cheese
sour cream
parmesan
garlic
Mayak Eggs
Jammy eggs soaked in a sweet soy garlic marinade. Make them the day before. Move over, deviled eggs.
Key ingredients:
eggs
soy sauce
honey
garlic
green onions
Spanish Garlic Prawns
Prawns sizzled in garlic butter, chili and smoked paprika. 20 minutes. Have bread ready for the sauce.
Key ingredients:
prawns
butter
garlic
Fresno chili
smoked paprika
Leftover Turkey Recipes
Day two is half the fun. These turn the leftover bird into a whole new meal.
Leftover Turkey Pot Pie with Puff Pastry
Turkey, carrots, celery and peas in a white wine cream sauce, all in one skillet, topped with puff pastry and baked at 425°F until deep golden.
Key ingredients:
leftover turkey
puff pastry
heavy cream
dry white wine
frozen peas
Turkey Cranberry Sliders
Hawaiian rolls stuffed with leftover turkey, cranberry sauce and white cheddar, brushed with butter and baked. Ready in 20 minutes.
Key ingredients:
Hawaiian rolls
leftover turkey
cranberry sauce
white cheddar
Dijon mustard
Turkey Grilled Cheese with Brie, Bacon and Cranberry
Sourdough loaded with shredded turkey, melty brie, crispy bacon and cranberry sauce, pan fried in butter until golden. 15 minutes.
Key ingredients:
sourdough bread
leftover turkey
brie
crispy bacon
cranberry sauce
Turkey Fried Rice
Cold rice, chopped turkey, frozen veggies and eggs fried in butter with soy sauce and oyster sauce. One pan, 15 minutes.
Key ingredients:
cooked white rice
leftover turkey
eggs
frozen mixed vegetables
soy sauce
Easy Thanksgiving Desserts
A couple of easy sweets to sit next to the pie.
Sweet Potato Brownies
Two cups of sweet potato, zero butter, zero oil, and still dense and chocolatey. A sneaky dessert for the holiday table.
Key ingredients:
sweet potato puree
sugar
eggs
espresso
vanilla bean paste
Black Sesame Rice Krispie Treats
Rice Krispie treats with toasted black sesame and sesame oil for a nutty twist. Ready in 15 minutes and a hit with the kids.
Key ingredients:
butter
black sesame seeds
toasted sesame oil
marshmallows
Rice Krispies
Classic Leche Flan
Silky, rich and topped with golden caramel. Make it the day before so it chills and your oven stays free.
Key ingredients:
egg yolks
condensed milk
evaporated milk
vanilla
sugar
White Chocolate Ube Cookies
Chewy, bright purple and loaded with white chocolate. The cookie everyone asks about.
Key ingredients:
ube extract
butter
brown sugar
flour
white chocolate chips
Cooking one of these for Thanksgiving? Leave a star rating on the recipe and tell me what made your menu.
Frequently Asked Questions About Thanksgiving Dinner
Glazed ham, braised short ribs, roasted chicken and ribeye all make great Thanksgiving mains. A maple bourbon glazed ham feeds a big crowd, while roasted chicken and potatoes or an air fryer ribeye is perfect for a smaller table.
One simple main and two or three quick sides is all a small group needs. Try roasted chicken and potatoes or air fryer ribeye with honey roasted carrots, crispy green beans and garlic bread.
Braises, sauces, dips and desserts can be made a day or two ahead. Short ribs and ragu reheat beautifully, so make them early and spend Thanksgiving afternoon on the quick sides instead.
Two or three light appetizers is plenty. Pick one dip and one or two bites so people have something to snack on without filling up before the main event.
Turn leftover turkey into a new meal like turkey cranberry sliders, a turkey grilled cheese or a turkey pot pie. The USDA says cooked leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge, so freeze anything you will not eat by then.
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