10 Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving Recipes

These old-fashioned Thanksgiving recipes are tried-and-true classics for a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

An old-fashioned roast turkey on a white platter, with gravy in a boat beside it.
This old-fashioned roast turkey and gravy shows why covering turkey with cheesecloth while you roast it is the perfect trick to ensuring tender meat and shatteringly crisp skin. And there’s no need to stuff, truss, brine, or otherwise fuss with it.
Recipe
A person whisking gravy with a large metal balloon whisk in a metal roasting pan.
Everyone needs a classic, foolproof, go-to classic turkey gravy recipe. This is it. And all it takes is pan juices or drippings from your turkey, stock, butter, flour, and 20 minutes of your time.
Recipe
A skillet full of Ina Garten's caramelized shallots, garnished with parsley.
These caramelized shallots are made by roasting shallots low and slow in butter, sugar, and vinegar until softened and sweet and tangy. An exceptional and impressive side dish for any occasion.
Recipe
Cranberry and orange relish in a white bowl on a baking sheet
This cranberry and orange relish is made simply with cranberries, sugar, oranges, and water, and comes together in just 5 minutes of your time. Because we know you have other stuff to think about on Thanksgiving.
Recipe
A pot of smooth mashed potatoes--made with plenty of butter, cream--with a wooden spoon and pat of butter on top
Velvet mashed potatoes are no mere mash. The creamy potato purée owes its uber smoothness to luxurious amounts of butter and heavy cream and an easy, fail-proof technique that relies on a potato ricer.
Recipe
A white rectangular dish filled with herbed bread and celery stuffing with a fork and spoon next to it on a napkin.
This herbed bread and celery stuffing, made with celery, onion, thyme, basil, and parsley, is a sort of basic blank canvas of a stuffing that will satisfy you as-is or make a terrific foundation for your other embellishments. Lovely with chicken as well as turkey.
Recipe
A bowl lined with a napkin and filled with pull-apart rolls.
These buttery pull-apart rolls bake up crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and, yes, light as a feather through and through.
Recipe
A classic green bean casserole with mushrooms and topped with fried onion rings in a cast-iron skillet.
This classic green bean casserole, made with green beans, mushrooms, and a cream sauce, is a Thanksgiving tradition. Just say no to the can opener.
Recipe
Maple pumpkin pie slices on 3 plates, topped with whipping cream. Flanked by a napkin, a cup of coffee, and a bowl of whipping cream.
This maple pumpkin pie is just about as traditional as tradition can get. The crust is a flaky pâte brisée, and the filling is pumpkin purée, flavored with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and the twist of maple syrup.
Recipe
A classic apple pie with one-quarter missing, topped with a scoop of ice cream, and three forks in the empty pie spot.
This classic apple pie, made with two types of apples, nutmeg, cinnamon, and lemon piled high in a buttery, flaky pie crust is perhaps the best traditional, old-fashioned apple pie we’ve ever experienced. Award winning, we’d even venture to say.
Recipe

HUNGRY FOR MORE?

Have something to say?

Then tell us. Have a picture you'd like to add to your comment? Attach it below. And as always, please take a gander at our comment policy before posting.

Upload a picture of your dish