Top-Rated Thanksgiving Recipes
Can't decide which recipes to make for your feast? Choose from Cooking Channel's most popular, highest-rated recipes for crowd-pleasing picks.
Photo By: Matt Armendariz ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.
Photo By: Tara Donne ©2009, Tara Donne
Photo By: Matt Armendariz ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.
Photo By: Ed Anderson ©2011, Television Food Network, G.P.
Photo By: Matt Armendariz ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.
©2012, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reseverved
Photo By: Adrian Mueller ©2012, Adrian Mueller / AMueller.com, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Photo By: Tara Donne
©2012, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.
Photo By: Armando Rafael Moutela ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved. 2014, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Photo By: Adrian Mueller ©2012, Adrian Mueller / AMueller.com, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Photo By: Ed Anderson ©2011, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.
Photo By: Ed Anderson ©2011, Television Food Network, G.P.
Photo By: Adrian Mueller ©2012, Adrian Mueller / AMueller.com, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Photo By: Tara Donne
Photo By: Kathryn Cooper
Photo By: Adrian Mueller ©2012, Adrian Mueller / AMueller.com, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Photo By: Adrian Mueller ©2012, Adrian Mueller - www.amueller.com, Cooking Channel, LLC All Rights Reserved
©2009, Jeremiah Alley
Photo By: Tara Donne
Photo By: Adrian Mueller ©2012, Adrian Mueller / AMueller.com, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Photo By: Kathryn Cooper
Best-Ever Green Bean Casserole
Forget about the canned recipes that may still haunt your holiday memories. This comforting recipe is made with only fresh ingredients (and absolutely no onion soup mix).
Get the Recipe: Best Ever Green Bean Casserole
Turkey
Michael Symon cloaks his turkey in butter-soaked cheesecloth while it's roasting to keep in moisture and add unbeatable richness to the meat. Stuffed with aromatics like garlic, fennel and fresh herbs, this top-notch turkey is brimming with comforting fall flavors.
Get the Recipe: Turkey
Cranberry Sauce with Bourbon and Vanilla Bean and Orange
Tart cranberries are given a hint of zing thanks to a shot of bourbon and a shaving on orange zest. Michael Symon opts for vanilla beans over extract to produce a cleaner, mildy sweet flavor.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Sauce with Bourbon and Vanilla Bean and Orange
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with a Bacon, Mustard and Walnut Vinaigrette
Michael Symon infuses these sprouts with subtle smokiness by whisking bacon fat into his tangy honey mustard vinaigrette.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with a Bacon, Mustard and Walnut Vinaigrette
Green Bean Casserole
Though green beans take first billing in this recipe's title, the homemade croutons — infused with thyme, rosemary and chives, and crusted with Parmesan cheese — are the real stars.
Get the Recipe: Green Bean Casserole
Caramel Apple Cheesecake
The toasted walnut and graham cracker crust on which Bobby Flay builds his vanilla bean cheesecake is just the start of this decadent dessert. An apple brandy-boosted caramel oozes over the top, while a pile of pretty apple slices gives this dessert showstopping status.
Get the Recipe: Caramel Apple Cheesecake
Good Eats Roast Turkey
Alton Brown's recipe for the perfect turkey calls for a flavorful brine containing allspice berries, candied ginger and peppercorns — and for the cavity to be filled with herbs, fruits, veggies and spice.
Get the Recipe: Good Eats Roast Turkey
Cornbread and Wild Rice Dressing with Pine Nuts
The base of this dressing is a moist cornbread that's boosted by bacon grease and buttermilk. For well-developed flavors, let the creamy parsley-flecked custard soak into the cornbread overnight before baking.
Get the Recipe: Cornbread and Wild Rice Dressing with Pine Nuts and Parsley
Cranberry Salad
Kelsey Nixon's Thanksgiving-inspired spin on ambrosia salad is the ultimate make-ahead side. Blended cranberries tint the sweet mixture of pineapple, marshmallows and whipped cream, giving the salad vibrant color as it chills. Top with pomegranate arils for a final tangy punch.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Salad
Chive and Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Tyler's chunky garlic-flavored mashed potatoes are balanced out by just a few sprigs of fresh thyme and a couple spoonfuls of chives.
Get the Recipe: Chive and Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Deviled Eggs with Candied Bacon
Crowd-pleasing deviled eggs become salty, sweet and indulgent with the addition of crunchy candied bacon.
Get the Recipe: Deviled Eggs with Candied Bacon
Sweet Potato Casserole
A rich, nicely spiced sweet potato filling is topped with a crunchy brown sugar streusel for an irresistible side dish that makes it on Nealey Dozier's family's table every year.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Casserole
Apple Pie
Michael Symon uses lard to achieve a super flaky crust and fills his pie with tart Granny Smith apples as well as a touch of heavy cream and butter to thicken the mixture.
Get the Recipe: Apple Pie
Rapid Rolls
Think you don't possibly have the time that baking fresh bread requires? Kelsey's rapid rolls take less than an hour to prepare and will use up only 20 minutes of your oven time.
Get the Recipe: Rapid Rolls
Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
Serve this bite-size savory appetizer and start your Thanksgiving feast off on the right note. Mushroom caps are generously topped with a sausage, breadcrumb and cream cheese mixture.
Get the Recipe: Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Sherry-Dijon Vinaigrette
Never a fan of Brussels sprouts as a child, Michael Voltaggio adds bacon and cooks the vegetables until they caramelize to create a fantastic side dish that even he loves.
Get the Recipe: Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Sherry-Dijon Vinaigrette
Four and Twenty Blackbirds Salted Caramel Apple Pie
This dessert from Unique Eats is an irresistible salty-sweet twist on classic apple pie.
Get the Recipe: Four and Twenty Blackbirds Salted Caramel Apple Pie
Maple Pecan Baked Brie
Start off with savory-sweet Brie baked to perfection and smothered with a spicy pecan praline sauce. Coarsely ground black pepper gives this dish an additional spicy edge.
Get the Recipe: Maple Pecan Baked Brie
Better-Than-the-Box Stuffing
Packaged stuffing mix becomes a special standout with some added texture and fresh herbs.
Get the Recipe: Better Than the Box Stuffing
Easy Herb Roasted Turkey
Kelsey’s simple three-hour turkey recipe calls for the bird to be slathered with herbed butter and its cavity filled with more butter, fresh herbs and vegetables. Her timesaving tip that'll guarantee you even moister meat? Buy a pre-brined turkey.
Get the Recipe: Easy Herb Roasted Turkey
Maple Pecan Pie
What's better than Mom's pie? This take on pecan pie comes from Chuck's mom and is sure to have guests coming back for seconds.
Get the Recipe: Maple Pecan Pie
Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Bananas
Surprise guests and satisfy lovers of the sweet with a mash containing sweet potatoes and bananas. The fruit adds an unusual sweetness, perfectly matched by a brown sugar and crumbled pecan crust.
Get the Recipe: Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Bananas with Honey
Fried Turkey
In addition to freeing up your oven and shortening your turkey cook time, frying your bird creates a ridiculously crisp exterior while allowing all of the juices to remain inside the turkey. This guarantees that every single bite is moist and tender. So why would you ever want to roast a turkey?
Get the Recipe: Fried Turkey
Baked Apple Pear Stuffing
Sweet meets savory in Kelsey's easy stuffing recipe loaded with apples, pears, raisins and sweet Italian sausage.
Get the Recipe: Baked Apple Pear Stuffing
Kelsey's Skillet Bacon Mac and Cheese
This mac and cheese, topped with crispy bacon and fresh parsley, is cooked in a cast-iron skillet for an all-over crispy crust and an oozing, cheesy center.
Get the Recipe: Skillet Bacon Mac and Cheese
Classic Pumpkin Pie
Thanksgiving wouldn't be complete without a slice of perfectly spiced pumpkin pie.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Pie
Southern-Style Candied Yams with Gingersnap Crunch
Sweet and sticky — the way indulgent holiday sides should be — these candied yams are topped with crunchy, spicy gingersnap cookies, full of wintry flavor.
Get the Recipe: Southern Style Candied Yams with Gingersnap Crunch
Veggieducken (aka Squashleekotato Roast)
The Turducken? So last year. This year it's all about the Veggieducken — a masterpiece composed of concentric layers of banana squash, leeks, sweet potatoes and lots of stuffing. Vegetarians of the world, you're welcome.
Get the Recipe: Veggieducken (aka Squashleekotato Roast)
Laura Calder's French Potatoes
Laura Calder makes flavor magic, combining a few simple ingredients and slow-cooking them to perfection for an impressive side dish.
Get the Recipe: Pommes De Terre a la Boulangere: Potatoes a la Bakery
Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes
Alton Brown's recipe for Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes is easy to make and loaded with flavor. You'll love the spicy and sweet combo too.
Get the Recipe: Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes
Traditional Roasted Turkey
Bryan Voltaggio opts for a classic roast turkey to be the centerpiece of his Thanksgiving meal. His secret ingredient? Homemade mayonnaise as a marinade. The egg yolks help the oil adhere to the skin, creating a golden-brown, crispy skin.
Get the Recipe: Traditional Roasted Turkey
Sweet Pumpkin Strudel
Michael Symon's flaky phyllo strudel features a pumpkin filling that's made extra rich with cream cheese, brown sugar and warm spices. Top the golden rolls with turbinado sugar and chopped pecans for crunch.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Pumpkin Strudel
Chestnut and Chanterelle Dressing with Chive Biscuits
Chive biscuits are the base of Bryan Voltaggio's Chestnut and Chanterelle Dressing, giving the dish intense flavor and texture. Meaty chanterelle mushrooms add their unique woody flavor, balancing out the biscuits' sweetness.
Get the Recipe: Chestnut and Chanterelle Dressing with Chive Biscuits
Artichoke Gratinata
Though it sounds fancy, this dish consists of artichokes baked with breadcrumbs and a melted grated cheese topping: a comforting casserole that cooks in only 10 minutes.
Get the Recipe: Artichoke Gratinata
Sweet Corn Bread Pudding
This sweet, moist skillet bread pudding turns savory with the addition of Parmesan cheese and fragrant thyme and rosemary.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Corn Bread Pudding
Sweet Potato Pie
Leave it to Alton to take tradition in a new direction, with steamed sweet potatoes (not roasted) blended with yogurt (instead of cream) for a fluffy, not-too-sweet filling.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Pie
Roasted Cauliflower
Cumin seeds and panko breadcrumbs give roasted cauliflower exotic spice and crunchy texture.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Cauliflower
Apple Tarte Tatin
Guests will flip for Kelsey's inverted tarte Tatin, which puts the focus on the beautiful apple slices nestled into billowing puff pastry.
Get the Recipe: Apple Tarte Tatin
Broccoli Casserole
Packaged Ramen gives this casserole a touch of crunch and just enough seasoning to transform broccoli into something decadent.
Get the Recipe: Broccoli Casserole
Pecan Pumpkin Crunch
Aida Mollenkamp's easy pecan-topped pumpkin cake makes a great take-along treat. To ensure freshness (and impress your friends), make the bourbon whipped cream on-site as a finishing touch.
Get the Recipe: Pecan Pumpkin Crunch
Kelsey's Roasted Vegetables
Add a healthy and colorful dish to your Thanksgiving table with a seasonal assortment of veggies that, when sliced thinly enough, require only about 10 minutes in the oven.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Vegetables
Bruschetta with Sauteed Mushrooms
Why save mushrooms for the main course when you can quickly saute them with oil and some herbs for a bruschetta topping?
Get the Recipe: Bruschetta with Sauteed Mushrooms
Turkey Roast Dip with Melted Gruyere
Kelsey's turkey sandwich pairs leftover holiday meat with melted Gruyere cheese and a buttery French baguette.
Get the Recipe: Turkey Roast Dip with Melted Gruyere
caramelized onion and cornbread stuffing
Cornmeal, butter and heavy cream produce a stuffing that's as rich as it is moist. Tyler adds a handful of earthy sage to this 30-minute side dish.
Get the Recipe: Caramelized Onion and Cornbread Stuffing
Pecan Pumpkin Crunch
The sticky crunchiness of a pecan pie combines with the flavorfu springiness of a pumpkin pie join in this recipe to make one epic dessert. Don't be intimidated by the laundry list of ingredients –– most of them are already in your pantry.
Get the Recipe: Pecan Pumpkin Crunch
White Beans and Rosemary Crostini
Velvety white beans make the need for cream unnecessary in this smoky, robust hors d'ouvres. This recipe calls for a fireplace, but is just as good when made on a stovetop.
Get the Recipe: White Beans and Rosemary Crostini
Haricot Verts Almondine
Kelsey explains that it's important to salt the water you blanch your green beans in, as it imparts flavor and helps to keep the string beans crisp.
Get the Recipe: Haricots Verts Almondine
Apple Bread pudding with caramel dessert sauce
Tastier than pie and far easier to bake, this rich fall treat is what you'll want on your spoon after your finish your main course. Trust us.
Get the Recipe: Apple Bread Pudding with Caramel Dessert Sauce