Easy Thanksgiving Dishes
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Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to pump the brakes, switch off, and enjoy sharing an over-the-top meal that you and your loved ones will never forget. But with great holiday power comes great responsibility -- which is why a lot of home cooks really feel the heat when they’re trying to put together the perfect Thanksgiving dinner. Don’t stress. Plating up on Turkey Day doesn’t have to be difficult.
All you need is the right equipment, solid ingredients, a dash of holiday spirit, and a handful of easy Thanksgiving dishes you can knock out without breaking a sweat. Fortunately, you have plenty of choices when it comes to simple Thanksgiving recipes, and there are loads of seasonal classics you can serve to your hungry guests.
What Do You Serve With Thanksgiving Dinner?
Thanksgiving dinner revolves around turkey, but you should always have a few more choices on the table. That said, there are a handful of easy, foundational dishes no Thanksgiving dinner is complete without. Our recommendations are:
- Mashed potatoes
- Cranberry sauce
- Green bean casserole
- Pumpkin pie
- Stuffing
How Many Sides Should Thanksgiving Dinner Have?
Your classic Thanksgiving dinner should have a minimum of four sides. The total number of dishes you plate up alongside your smoked turkey depends on your appetite and how many people you’ve got coming over for the holiday.
But hey, don’t let volume stress you out. You’ve totally got this, and to help you get started our grill experts have rounded up some fool-proof Thanksgiving recipes that will have your family and friends scraping their plates and begging for more.
So, what are you waiting for? Fire up your Traeger. It’s time to conquer Thanksgiving the easy way.
Easy Thanksgiving Appetizers
Some super easy Thanksgiving appetizers are:
-
Smoked Deviled Eggs
-
Homemade Onion Dip
-
Prosciutto Wrapped Dates with Marcona Almonds
Smoked Deviled Eggs
The unique flavor comes from smoking cooked eggs on your Traeger. After that, just combine the traditional deviled egg flavors everyone already loves.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4-6
Difficulty Level: 2/5
Main Ingredients: Hard-boiled eggs
Pantry Ingredients: Mayonnaise, chives, brown mustard, apple cider vinegar, hot sauce, salt, pepper, bacon crumbles, paprika
Smoking wood: Hickory
See Smoked Deviled Eggs Recipe
Homemade Onion Dip
Caramelize onions on your Traeger with some savory flavors, then combine with sour cream. The result? A delectable, smoky dip that will keep your guests happy.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serves: 8-12
Difficulty Level: 1/5
Main Ingredients: Sweet onions, sour cream, cream cheese
Pantry Ingredients: Butter, vegetable oil, sugar, garlic salt, black pepper, thyme, beef bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, bourbon, chives
Smoking wood: Hickory
Prosciutto Wrapped Dates with Marcona Almonds
The flavor blast from salty prosciutto and sweet dates ticks all the boxes. A quick sear on the grill, plus lime zest and a few drops of honey, takes it to another level.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Serves: 8-12
Difficulty Level: 1/5
Main Ingredients: Medjool dates, prosciutto, Marcona almonds
Pantry Ingredients: Extra-virgin olive oil, limes, honey, flake salt
Smoking wood: Oak
Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Our top ideas for easy Thanksgiving side dishes are:
- Turkey Gravy
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Green Bean Casserole
- Stuffing
- Cranberry Sauce
These are your five foundational sides, and they’re all Thanksgiving plate essentials. You can knock all of these easy Thanksgiving sides out of the park with minimal prep and no fuss.
To spice things up, we’ve got a couple different options and flavors for you to play around with for all five basic sides.
Make Ahead Turkey Gravy Recipes
Some time-saving ways to make turkey gravy ahead of time are:
- Homemade Turkey Gravy
- Ultimate Scratch Gravy
Homemade Turkey Gravy
Featuring roasted turkey neck and veggies as the base for rich, wood-fired flavor, it only takes 20 minutes to prep and three hours to cook.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 3 hours
Serves: 8-12
Difficulty Level: 3/5
Main Ingredients: Turkey neck, chicken stock
Pantry Ingredients: Onions, carrots, celery, thyme, garlic, flour, butter, kosher salt, cracked black pepper
Smoking wood: Apple
See Homemade Turkey Gravy Recipe
Ultimate Scratch Gravy
It’s got everything a stellar gravy needs – from roasted vegetables, garlic, and bay leaves, to peppercorns, parsley, and thyme. But we’re only talking about 20 minutes of actual work.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 hours
Serves: 8-12
Difficulty Level: 4/5
Main Ingredients: Turkey bones, chicken bones, chicken feet
Pantry Ingredients: Olive oil, carrots, onion, garlic, celery, bay leaves, black peppercorns, cider vinegar, parsley, thyme
Smoking wood: Pecan
See Ultimate Scratch Gravy Recipe
Easy Sweet Potato Casserole
Our best recipes for easy sweet potato casserole are:
- Sweet Potato Marshmallow Casserole
- Smoked Sweet Potato Soufflé
Sweet Potato Marshmallow Casserole
One of the easiest Thanksgiving side dishes in terms of prep. This take on traditional candied yams calls for just 10 minutes of actual work
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 65 minutes
Serves: 6-8
Difficulty Level: 2/5
Main Ingredients: Sweet potatoes, mini marshmallows
Pantry Ingredients: Butter, brown sugar, vanilla, kosher salt, black pepper
Smoking wood: Pecan
See Sweet Potato Marshmallow Casserole Recipe
Smoked Sweet Potato Soufflé
Takes a bit more mixing, but still just 30 minutes of prep. The final product is light as air, and you can add toasted pecans and a few fresh sprigs of thyme for a flavor boost.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 90 minutes
Serves: 4-6
Difficulty Level: 3/5
Main Ingredients: Sweet potatoes
Pantry Ingredients: Brown sugar, Traeger Smoked Simple Syrup, heavy cream, vanilla extract, thyme, Traeger Chicken Rub, butter, eggs, pecans, light brown sugar, flour,salt, bourbon.
Smoking wood: Hickory
See Smoked Sweet Potato Soufflé Recipe
Easy Green Bean Casserole
Two quick and easy green bean casserole recipes are:
- Bacon Green Bean Casserole
- Green Bean Casserole Circa 1955
Bacon Green Bean Casserole
A spoonful of bacon makes the vegetables go down smoother, and we’re literally only talking about 5 minutes of prep, here.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serves: 6-8
Difficulty Level: 2/5
Main Ingredients: Green beans, French fried onions, red bell pepper, bacon
Pantry Ingredients: Cream of mushroom soup, milk, Worcestershire sauce, ground black pepper
Smoking wood: Pecan
See Bacon Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Green Bean Casserole Circa 1955
The classic 1950s version, using canned green beans and cream of mushroom soup, meets the 21st century technology of your Traeger. A 30-minute blast of alder smoke adds a special touch.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6-8
Difficulty Level: 1/5
Main Ingredients: Green beans, cream of mushroom soup, French fried onions, bell pepper
Pantry Ingredients: Milk, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ground black pepper,
Smoking wood: Alder
See Green Bean Casserole Circa 1955 Recipe
Easy Stuffing Recipe
Winning ideas for easy stuffing recipes are:
- Traditional Stuffing
- Sage & Sausage Stuffing
Traditional Stuffing
Has everything from butter and celery stalks, to onion, thyme, sage, and parsley – and it only takes 10 minutes of mixing. Then 40 minutes in your Traeger adds natural cherry wood flavor.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Serves: 8-12
Difficulty Level: 2/5
Main Ingredients: White bread, celery, onion
Pantry Ingredients: Thyme, salt, ground black pepper, sage, chicken broth, parsley
Smoking wood: Cherry
See Traditional Stuffing Recipe
Sage & Sausage Stuffing
This recipe calls for the boxed stuffing packages at the supermarket, so there's no need to break out the bread knife. Just a little bit of chopping and this is ready for the Traeger.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4-6
Difficulty Level: 2/5
Main Ingredients: Sage-flavored sausage, celery, onion, herb-seasoned stuffing
Pantry Ingredients: Sage, thyme, dried sweetened cranberries, chicken broth, butter
Smoking wood: Maple
See Sage & Sausage Stuffing Recipe
Easy Cranberry Sauce
Our top recipes for easy cranberry sauce are:
- Roasted Cranberry Orange Sauce
- Roasted Cranberry Sauce with Red Wine & Cinnamon
Roasted Cranberry Orange Sauce
Combines two fruits that perfectly complement a smoked bird: deep, juicy cranberry and zesty oranges. Best of all, it takes just 5 minutes to prep.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4-6
Difficulty Level: 2/5
Main Ingredients: Fresh cranberries, orange
Pantry Ingredients: Cane sugar, Traeger Simple Syrup, star anise, cinnamon
Smoking wood: Pecan
See Roasted Cranberry Orange Sauce Recipe
Best of all, this sauce keeps in the fridge for up to three days. That gives you the freedom to make your cranberry sauce a couple days before Thanksgiving and then dish out later.
Roasted Cranberry Sauce with Red Wine & Cinnamon
Another quick-prep recipe. This version combines sugar, cinnamon, and a splash of red wine to give your cranberry sauce a sweet and sour tang.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 60 minutes
Serves: 4-6
Difficulty Level: 2/5
Main Ingredients: Dried cranberries, fresh cranberries
Pantry Ingredients: Red wine, cinnamon, water, sugar
Smoking wood: Cherry
Easy Thanksgiving Desserts
Our favorite recipes for easy Thanksgiving desserts are:
- Pumpkin Pie
- Apple Pie
Easy Pumpkin Pie
The classic pumpkin pie you remember from Thanksgivings past. This recipe takes less than an hour to cook on your Traeger.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Serves: 6-8
Difficulty Level: 2/5
Main Ingredients: Pumpkin puree, cream cheese, frozen pie crust
Pantry Ingredients: Heavy cream, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, eggs
Smoking wood: Apple
Easy Apple Pie
A smoky, Traeger twist on a great American classic. Your apple pie gets an extra flavor boost from baking in the warm embrace of apple wood smoke.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4-6
Difficulty Level: 3/5
Main Ingredients: Apples, peach preserves, refrigerated pie crust
Pantry Ingredients: Sugar, cornstarch
Smoking wood: Apple
Easy Leftover Turkey Recipes
Our recommendations for easy leftover turkey recipes are:
Don’t know what to do with your fridge full of leftovers? There are loads of easy leftover turkey recipes you can try from stuffing balls and Tex-Mex classics, to legendary and fully-loaded leftover sandwiches. Trust us: If you follow these recipes, your leftovers won’t stick around for long.
And if you have extra turkey, the best place to start is our Turkey Stuffing Bacon Balls.
Turkey Stuffing Bacon Balls
These bites incorporate leftover turkey, stuffing, and that one can of cranberry sauce you didn't open. Mix them up, then crisp them up on your grill for some hearty snacking.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Serves: 8-12
Difficulty Level: 2/5
Main Ingredients: Leftover turkey, leftover stuffing, bacon, cranberry sauce, jalapeño
Smoking wood: Apple
See Turkey Stuffing Bacon Balls Recipe
Baked Turkey Enchiladas
Takes your turkey south of the border, combining Traeger-roasted veggies, turkey, cheese, and chilies to create a creamy, melty dish that’ll impress any lingering house guests.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 60 minutes
Serves: 6-8
Difficulty Level: 3/5
Main Ingredients: Leftover turkey, cojita cheese, monterey jack cheese, flour tortillas
Pantry Ingredients: Canned tomatoes, carrots, celery, dried chile de arbol, dried New Mexico chiles, black pepper, kosher salt, cumin, oregano, cilantro, sour cream
Smoking wood: Cherry
See Baked Turkey Enchiladas Recipe
Ultimate Traeger Thanksgiving Sandwich
This no-cook meal lets you combine just about everything left in the fridge into a sandwich.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 0 minutes
Serves: 2-4
Difficulty Level: 1/5
Main Ingredients: French bread, leftover turkey gravy, leftover turkey, white cheddar cheese, leftover stuffing, cranberry sauce
Pantry Ingredients: Mayonnaise, Dijon mustard
Smoking wood: N/A
See Ultimate Traeger Thanksgiving Sandwich Recipe
Ready, Set, Smoke!
Ok, so that’s all your bases covered. By following this blueprint, you should be all set to create a Thanksgiving feast with five basic sides, at least three pies, and some tips on how to decimate your leftovers.
But this is only the tip of the iceberg. We’ve got literally hundreds more Thanksgiving recipes ready for action. So if you feel like branching out and trying something new, check out our Thanksgiving guides.
Smoked Green Bean Casserole
by Traeger Kitchen
Prep Time
5 Min
Cook Time
25 Min
Serves
6
Pellets
Pecan
Kick your homemade green bean casserole up a notch this Thanksgiving. Make epic smoked green bean casserole on the pellet grill topped with crispy fried onions.
Ingredients
main
| 4 Tablespoon | butter |
| 1 Small | yellow onion, chopped |
| 1/2 Cup | sliced button mushrooms |
| 4 | 14.5-oz cans of green beans, drained |
| 2 Can | 10.5-oz cans of cream of mushroom soup |
| 1 Teaspoon | Lawry's Seasoned Salt |
| As Needed | Pepper |
| 1 | 6-oz can French's Crispy Fried Onions |
| 1 Cup | grated sharp cheddar cheese |
1
When ready to cook, set Traeger temperature to 375°F and preheat, lid closed for 15 minutes.
2
Melt butter in a cast iron skillet and add onions and mushrooms, stirring occasionally until softened.
3
Add drained green beans and cream of mushroom soup and stir gently to combine.
4
Season with seasoned salt and pepper and sprinkle the top with grated cheddar cheese and fried onions.
5
Bake for 25 minutes. Serve warm, enjoy!
