The Best Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes For A Crowd: Simple & Delicious

Introduction

Hosting Thanksgiving dinner for a crowd doesn’t need to be overwhelming. With the right recipes, you can create a festive feast that’s both simple to prepare and absolutely delicious. These crowd-pleasing Thanksgiving recipes maximize flavor, minimize stress, and ensure everyone at your table leaves satisfied. Whether you’re feeding a big family or a gathering of friends, these dishes are time-tested classics with easy twists to make serving a group effortless and enjoyable.

Why These Thanksgiving Recipes Are Perfect for a Crowd

These recipes are selected for their bold flavors, reliable results, and easy-to-multiply instructions. Each dish is a classic Thanksgiving favorite—think juicy roast turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, and savory stuffing—that’s designed to scale up for larger groups. The best part? The preparation steps are streamlined so you can enjoy the company of your guests instead of being stuck in the kitchen.

Flavorful Centerpiece: Oversized Herb Roasted Turkey

A golden herb-roasted turkey is the anchor of any Thanksgiving dinner. By dry brining and roasting with aromatics like rosemary, thyme, and citrus, you get a moist, flavorful bird that’s easy to carve and serve. Plan on 1 to 1.5 pounds of turkey per guest to ensure plenty for everyone, with delicious leftovers for next-day sandwiches.

Essential Sides: Generous Make-Ahead Classics

Creamy mashed potatoes and savory stuffing can be made in large batches and held warm until serving time. Roasted vegetables like brussels sprouts and glazed carrots get amazing flavor from herbs and butter and can easily be scaled up. Even homemade cranberry sauce and fluffy dinner rolls are simple to prepare ahead and serve family-style or buffet-style for big gatherings.

Foolproof Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes for a Crowd

Here’s a sample menu that’s both manageable and sure to impress:

– Herb-Brined Roast Turkey (feeds 12–16)
– Make-Ahead Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
– Classic Sausage & Herb Stuffing
– Roasted Maple-Glazed Carrots
– Garlic Butter Green Beans
– Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce
– Fluffy Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls
– Pumpkin Pie Bars (for easy serving)

Nutritional Information and Serving Size

These recipes yield ample servings for 12–16 guests. Typical per-person calorie counts will vary by serving size and dish, but with plenty of vegetables and lean roasted turkey, even a feast for a crowd can strike a balance between indulgence and nutrition.

💡Meal Planning Tip: Save this holiday menu to automatically generate a detailed shopping list organized by grocery aisle—the easiest way to handle big gatherings and busy store runs!

Instructions

1. Turkey: Dry-brine the turkey overnight with salt and brown sugar. Stuff the cavity with herbs, citrus, and garlic before roasting at 325°F for 13–15 minutes per pound. Baste occasionally with butter for a crispy, golden skin.
2. Mashed Potatoes: Boil potatoes until tender, then mash with cream cheese, butter, sour cream, and milk. Season generously. Keep warm in a slow cooker or covered casserole.
3. Stuffing: Toast bread cubes. Sauté sausage until browned, then add butter, celery, onions, and herbs. Mix with bread and broth. Spread in a large baking dish; bake covered at 350°F for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 10 more.
4. Carrots: Toss carrots with olive oil, maple syrup, and thyme. Roast on a sheet pan at 425°F for 20–25 minutes, tossing halfway.
5. Green Beans: Blanch beans until bright green; drain. Sauté garlic in melted butter, toss with beans, and serve immediately.
6. Cranberry Sauce: Simmer cranberries, sugar, water, and orange zest/juice until the berries burst. Chill until ready to serve.
7. Dinner Rolls: Mix warm milk, yeast, and sugar. Add in butter, eggs, then flour to form dough. Let rise, shape into rolls, let rise again, then bake at 375°F for 15–18 minutes.
8. Pumpkin Pie Bars: Mix pumpkin, sugar, eggs, pumpkin spice, and milk. Pour into a baking pan, sprinkle cake mix on top, drizzle with butter, and sprinkle pecans. Bake at 350°F for 45–50 minutes, cool and cut into squares.

Weekly Meal Planning

Planning Thanksgiving for a crowd is much easier when you organize your recipes in advance. Save and schedule this entire menu in CookifyAI to instantly create comprehensive shopping lists (no more duplicate items!), coordinate your prepping timeline, and see exactly which ingredients overlap across different dishes.

Planning Benefits:

• Scales recipes for any group size
• Draws up a single, consolidated shopping list by store section
• Helps batch tasks like veggie chopping across recipes
• Reduces food waste by tracking total quantities

Pro tip: When you use CookifyAI’s meal planning tools, you’ll always have a clear view of what’s been prepped, cooked, and what’s left to serve—ideal for hosting holidays or weekend gatherings with ease.

Cook and Prep Times

Prep Time: 1–2 hours (can be split over two days)
Cook Time: 3–4 hours (depending on turkey size and batch cooking sides)
Total Time: 5–6 hours (for the full menu, hands-on time can be much less with make-ahead steps)

With these simple and delicious Thanksgiving recipes, you’ll have everything you need to create a memorable feast everyone will love—without the stress. Happy hosting!