Host the perfect Thanksgiving with this simple Thanksgiving dinner menu! With from-scratch dishes like sourdough stuffing and einkorn pumpkin pie, this menu is packed full of recipes the whole family will love. Keep your Thanksgiving dinner menu simple and homemade with these from-scratch, homestead-favorite recipes.
Host the perfect Thanksgiving with this simple Thanksgiving dinner menu! With from-scratch dishes like sourdough stuffing and einkorn pumpkin pie, this menu is packed full of recipes the whole family will love. Keep your Thanksgiving dinner menu simple and homemade with these from-scratch, homestead-favorite recipes.
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Watch: A Simple Thanksgiving Dinner Menu from Scratch
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Herb Roasted Turkey and Gravy
There is nothing quite like Thanksgiving turkey. Roasted in the oven with herbs, vegetables, and spices, this hits the spot on our simple Thanksgiving dinner menu.
Tools Needed
9×12 baking dish or turkey roasting pan
Chef’s knife (use code DUVALLHOMESTEAD for 20% off!)
Small bowl
Tin foil
Ingredients for a 10-12 Pound Turkey
In the roasting pan:
1 onion, chopped into large slices or chunks
3 celery sticks, chopped
6 garlic cloves
4 medium carrots, chopped
1/2 cup bone broth (or other chicken/vegetable stock of choice)
In the turkey cavity:
Half an orange
2 cloves garlic
Large handful of herbs – sage, rosemary, & thyme
On top of turkey:
2 tbsp butter or olive oil, rubbed onto turkey
2 tbsp of butter on top of turkey before putting in oven
Seasoning:
3 tsp each onion and garlic powder
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
How to Make Roast Turkey
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Prepare a 9×12 baking dish or turkey roasting pan by placing the the roasting pan ingredients inside.
Prepare the seasoning by adding seasoning ingredients together into a bowl and stirring.
Rub the turkey with homemade seasoning
Inside the turkey cavity, add the cavity ingredients.
Add a dollop of butter to the top.
Roast at 325 for 2.5 hours, adding a sheet of tin foil to the top for the last hour of baking. Check the temperature with a meat thermometer. The turkey is done when the thermometer reads 165 degrees F.
Note: An unstuffed, fresh turkey cooks at about 15 minutes per pound at 325 degrees F. My bird was 10 pounds, so it was done after 2.5 hours. If your bird is 12 pounds, it will take 3 hours.
Best Turkey Gravy Recipe with Pan Drippings (with or without turkey neck)
Ingredients
Raw turkey neck from turkey (optional)
3-4 cups Filtered water (optional)
2 cups bone broth
Drippings from turkey pan
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup flour
How to make classic turkey gravy with pan drippings
If You Have a Turkey Neck
If you have the raw turkey neck bone from the turkey, add it to a small-medium size stove top pot on low heat with the water. Simmer on low for 2-3 hours (we usually work on the rest of the Thanksgiving dinner while it simmers). Depending on how long it simmers, you may need to add more water or broth to keep it from drying out. You can also use bone broth instead of the water for even better flavor.
Note: This is an optional step for enhanced flavor and nutritional profile. The turkey bone adds nutrients to the gravy and exceptional flavor. If you don’t have one, start the process below.
Once you are done simmering the turkey neck, remove it and continue on with the below. You can store your turkey neck in a freezer bag and use it for homemade bone broth later on.
No Turkey Neck Option
After your turkey is done roasting, pour the drippings from the pan into a small-medium size stovetop pot. This is truly the best part of Thanksgiving turkey gravy. The drippings from the turkey pan already are flavored with onion, garlic, carrot, celery, orange, and herbs, so this is where all the delicious flavor comes from.
Add the bone broth, flour, and salt, and simmer on medium heat for about 30 minutes. Whisk the gravy with a fork every few minutes so that the flour dissolves into the broth. Keep simmering until the gravy reaches desired consistency. Be patient, as it’s worth the wait for that delicious thick and creamy gravy!
Once your gravy is nice and thick remove it from the heat and pour it into a gravy boat dish. If you’re not ready to eat it yet, cover it with foil and put it in a warm spot in your kitchen (or in the oven on “warm” setting if you have one). Pour over your Thanksgiving dinner and enjoy!
Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet potato marshmallow casserole is creamy, sweet, and decadent. It is our favorite Thanksgiving side dish, with chopped pecans, marshmallows, and delicious sweet potatoes, this is a must-have for a from-scratch Thanksgiving dinner.
Ingredients
Baking tray
Chef’s knife (use code DUVALLHOMESTEAD for 20% off!)
Casserole Ingredients
2-3 medium to large sweet potatoes
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (optional)
1/4 cup sugar
Half a stick of butter (1/4 cup)
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
Topping ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup marshmallows (these are our favorite natural, non-toxic marshmallows)
How to Make Sweet Potato Marshmallow Casserole
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Poke the sweet potatoes with a fork and then wrap them in tin foil. Place them on a baking tray and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until soft to the touch.
Remove from the oven and let cool. I like to leave them in the fridge overnight before Thanksgiving and continue the process on Thanksgiving day.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Coat a 9×9 square baking dish with butter or olive oil.
When cooled, cut the potatoes open and scoop out the potato meat into a large bowl. Add the skins to your compost bin. Then add the rest of the ingredients and combine with a handheld mixer. Note: the pumpkin puree is optional, but adds great flavor!
Pour the mixture into the dish (do not add the toppings yet)
Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes start to turn golden brown on top.
Remove from oven and sprinkle the pecans on top, then the marshmallows.
Place the pan on the top rack of the oven and bake 1-2 minutes, just until the marshmallows start to golden. Don’t overcook!
Serve and enjoy!
Green Beans and Bacon
One of my favorite side dishes on Thanksgiving is also one of the most simple: green beans and bacon. Buttery green beans topped with crisp, juicy bacon have been a favorite of ours for many years. It’s also a huge plus that this side dish is quick and easy to whip up and a crowd-pleaser for all.
Ingredients
1 pound or about 3 cups of green beans
1 pound or 6-8 strips of bacon
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
Water
Tools Needed
Chopping knife (use code DUVALLHOMESTEAD for 20% off!)
Cutting board
Cast iron or skillet of choice
The Process
Heat a cast iron on medium-high heat. Once hot, cook the bacon for about 4-5 minutes on each side or until browned. Transfer bacon to a plate when finished.
Meanwhile, place a steaming basket inside a medium-sized stovetop pot with 1-2 inches of water inside. Turn stove on medium heat.
Rinse green beans and chop both outer ends off. Place chopped green beans inside the steam basket and place the lid on the pot. Bring water to a boil and steam green beans, 7-10 minutes, or until they just start to break when touched.
Remove the green beans from the steamer and place in a bowl. Add butter, chopped into 3-4 chunks, over the top of the green beans. Tip: do this right away while the green beans are hot to melt the butter all over. Drizzle with salt and stir to combine.
Chop the bacon into small or large chunks depending on preference and drizzle on top of green beans. Cover with foil and place in a warm part of the kitchen until ready to serve, or store in the fridge and reheat in the oven for later. Enjoy!
Sourdough Stuffing
Stuffing is a Thanksgiving essential and it’s even better when made with sourdough bread! Sourdough skillet stuffing is crispy on top with juicy, decadent flavors of butter, herbs, mushrooms, celery, onion, and garlic inside. This is the perfect homestead stuffing recipe to use your sourdough bread and homemade bone broth.
Tools Needed
Baking tray
Chopping knife (use code DUVALLHOMESTEAD for 20% off!)
Ingredients
12-14 cups chopped sourdough bread (approximately 1 loaf of storebought or homemade sourdough bread)
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups mushroom, chopped
2 cups celery, chopped
6 tbsp chopped herbs (my favorite combination is rosemary, thyme, and sage)
1 cup bone broth
6 tbsp butter
2 eggs
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Note: if only using one cast iron skillet, cut the ingredients in half.
How to Make Sourdough Skillet Stuffing
Recipe note: this recipe uses two, 12” cast iron skillets. The above ingredients will be divided in half for each skillet.
If making homemade sourdough bread, start the bread 1-2 days before you want the stuffing. You could also use your favorite store-bought loaf here.
Once you have your loaf of bread and are ready to start the stuffing, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Chop up 1 whole loaf of sourdough bread into 1/2” – 1” bread cubes.
Chef’s note: my personal preference is smaller cubes! Yes, it takes longer to chop, but the result is a crisper stuffing that closely mimics what you would find in the grocery store boxed stuffing.
Sourdough Stuffing, Continued
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and add all the bread cubes to the tray. Drizzle the bread with olive oil and pinch a generous amount of salt over the bread. Use a second baking tray if the bread does not fit.
Place the baking tray with bread in the oven for 15 minutes. This is to toast the bread before it gets placed in the stuffing mixture.
Meanwhile, heat two 12” cast iron skillets on medium heat. Add the butter, then sauté the onions, garlic, mushroom, celery, and half the herbs (note: the ingredient list should be cut in half for each cast iron. For example, 2 cloves of garlic for each skillet). Sauté for about 10 minutes until veggies are mostly cooked.
Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk with a fork.
Add the toasted bread to the skillets. Then pour in the bone broth and eggs, dividing in half for each skillet. Sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper and the remaining herbs. Stir to combine.
Place the cast iron skillets in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Serve with a spatula and enjoy!
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Einkorn Pie Crust with Pumpkin Pie and Whipped Cream
There’s nothing sweeter than pumpkin pie, especially when it’s made from scratch with a sugar pie pumpkin. This recipe combines the natural flavors of farm fresh pumpkin with sweet notes of maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Made with a crispy, homemade sourdough einkorn pie crust, may just become a staple fall dessert recipe in your home all season long.
Tools Needed for Pie Crust
Cheese grater
Large mixing bowl
Food processor (optional)
Rolling pin
Sourdough Einkorn Pie Crust Ingredients
3/4 cup active sourdough starter
2 cups einkorn all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup honey
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, grated with a cheese grater
6 tbsp ice water
How to Make Sourdough Einkorn Pie Crust
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sourdough starter, flour, and salt. Use a fork to lightly whisk together.
Next use a cheese grater to grate 2 sticks of frozen butter. Alternatively, you could chop up the butter with a knife into small pieces.
Using a food processor or your hands, add the honey and grated butter to the flour mixture. Combine, and slowly add the ice water until a consistent dough is formed.
Using a sharp knife or dough cutter, slice the dough in half so you have two equal sized dough balls.
Loosely wrap them in plastic, so they have some room to grow, and place them in the refrigerator overnight.
The next day, pull the dough out of the fridge whenever you’re ready to make the pie.
Note: for this pumpkin pie, we will use one half the of the pie crust dough for the bottom, and the other half will be used for sugar pie crust toppers. Or, freeze the other half to make another pumpkin pie later!
From Scratch Pumpkin Pie Filling Ingredients
1 medium-sized sugar pie pumpkin (or about 2 cups, or 15 ounces, of pumpkin puree)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (or evaporated milk or coconut milk)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 eggs
1/2 tsp each of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg*
½ tsp salt
*Note: alternatively, you can use 1 1/2 tsp of pumpkin spice
Tools needed
Large chopping knife (use code DUVALLHOMESTEAD for 20% off!)
Cutting board
Baking tray
Parchment paper
Large spoon
Medium-large mixing bowl
Hand beaters or stand up mixer
How to Make Best From-Scratch Pumpkin Pie
If making pumpkin puree from scratch, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Chop the stem off of the pumpkin, then chop it in half down the center. Use a large spoon to remove the seeds and guts. Then, drizzle each half with olive oil and some salt, then roast it at 375 for 20-30 minutes, or until pumpkin is soft to the touch.
When finished, let cool, and then use a spoon to scrap all the pumpkin out, leaving the skins behind. Add the cooked pumpkin to food processor and pulse until well blended and smooth, about 1 minute. Store homemade pumpkin puree in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer to pull out for future recipes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a medium to large mixing bowl, add all of the pumpkin pie filling ingredients and mix with a hand mixer. Note: to save time on Thanksgiving day, prepare the filling the day before and store in the fridge until ready to bake!
If making homemade pie, roll out of the of pie crust doughs on a floured, clean countertop. You may have to handle the dough with your hands quite a bit to warm it up and loosen it up, if the dough is still cold from the fridge. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a circle about 1/4 inch thick. Gently place the pie dough into the bottom of a pie dish.
Pour the pumpkin pie mixture into pie crust.
From Scratch Pumpkin Pie, Cont.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for 45 more minutes. When done, pie center will jiggle ever so slightly when given a gentle shake. Too jiggly means cook for 5 minutes more, and check again. You can also insert a knife in the center and it should come out clean. The pie will set more as it sits out over time.
You may save the other half of the pie crust dough in the freezer for later, or use it to make sugared pie crust leaf decorations:
Next, roll the second pie crust dough out until it is 1/2 inch thick. Use pie cutter leaves to make little pie crust cookies. Spread them out on a baking dish lined with parchment paper. Then sprinkle sugar over the top, and bake at 375 for about 10 minutes, or until they become mostly firm. Place on top of the finished pie for a beautiful and delicious decoration.
Easy Homemade Whipped Cream Recipe
Add the following to a mixer and mix on high for 5-10 minutes until a thick cream forms.
1/2 C heavy whipping cream
1-2 tsp sugar, to taste
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
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