The Ultimate 2025 Thanksgiving Make-Ahead Recipes Part Two
- greendoororganics
- Nov 20
- 15 min read
Advance planning and preparation is the key to hosting Thanksgiving dinner with minimal stress. Use our prep timeline to map out your plan of attack.
We appreciate the hard work of all the authors behind this week’s healthy recipes. We encourage you to visit their websites and give them your support. Thank you!
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The Weekend Before Thanksgiving
Make space in your fridge and freezer. Clean out unwanted items.
Make certain you give the turkey ample time to defrost but don't start too soon. Plan on one day for every 4 pounds of turkey, and finish defrosting the day before roasting (November 27th).
Complete the bulk of your shopping. Buy vegetables that store well: onions, garlic, potatoes, sweet potatoes, root vegetables, green beans, winter squash. (Wait until a few days longer before buying more delicate vegetables, greens, and herbs.)
Make cranberry sauce. Many will last up to seven days or even longer stored in the fridge.
Start making extra ice.
Purchase beverages and stock them in an accessible place (not the back of the fridge where food will get piled in front, making the drinks hard to reach).
Make and freeze any pureed soups you might have on the menu.
Soups
We'll start with a no-brainer. An easy appetizer to start the meal or to hold the crowd over while dinner comes together, soup is a cinch to make and freeze ahead. Make it a week or a few days in advance, freeze, and thaw the night before. Pro tip: Store your soups in zipped bags so you can lay them flat in your freezer to save on space.
Cranberry Orange Sauce
This simple cranberry orange sauce can simmer while the rest of the meal comes together.
Updated on November 18, 2024
Active Time:
15 mins
Cool Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
25 mins
Yield:
2 1/4 cups
Ingredients
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice (from 2-3 oranges)
1 (12-oz.) package fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained
2 cinnamon sticks
1 Tbsp. grated orange zest
1 tsp. grated ginger
Directions
Cook cranberries:
Combine sugar, orange juice, and cranberries in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil.
Add seasonings:
Add cinnamon sticks, orange zest, and ginger.
Simmer sauce:
Reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until 2/3 of the cranberries have burst. Stir occasionally to keep the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Let sauce cool:
Remove from burner. Allow sauce to come to room temperature or chill before serving. Remove cinnamon sticks before serving.
Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy Recipe
Gravy isn't difficult, but it has the reputation of being intimidating, perhaps because it's often the final thing to make and rush to the table moments before everyone gathers to eat. When hot pans, hungry guests, and the good dishes are zipping in and out of the kitchen, it's challenging for any cook to focus on getting the gravy just right. The smartest strategy is to make it ahead, in stages, as time allows. Knock out the turkey broth weeks in advance and make the gravy a few days ahead, so that the only thing left to do on the actual holiday is warm it up and stir in the finishing touches.
By Sheri Castle
Published on October 11, 2018
Active Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
45 mins
Yield:
4 1/2 cups
Ingredients
1/4 cup salted butter or bacon fat
1/4 cup quick-mixing flour (such as Wondra) or all-purpose flour
4 cups Rich Turkey Broth, warmed
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons (1 oz.) sherry, bourbon, or Madeira
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high until sizzling, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with flour, whisking until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 2 minutes. (Flour will brown as it cooks, but if it starts to scorch, reduce heat as needed.) Add warm broth in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking often, until gravy comes to a simmer and thickens, 6 to 9 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool 30 minutes. Pour into a bowl or jar; cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.
To serve, reheat gravy over low. Stir in cream, sherry, thyme, pepper, and salt.
Fresh Spinach Dip
Made with fresh baby spinach, this Fresh Spinach Dip is an easy and delicious appetizer recipe. Grab some fresh veggies or crackers and dig in!
Prep Time:15 minutes Cook Time:10 minutes Total Time:25 minutes Servings: 8
Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium carrot shredded
½ cup diced yellow onions
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
16 oz. fresh baby spinach
¼ cup chopped green onions
1 cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
1 8-oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp garlic powder
{For serving} crackers bread bowl, potato chips, pita chips, tortilla chips and/or carrot sticks, celery sticks and bell peppers
Instructions
Using a large skillet, add olive oil and place over medium-high heat.
Once hot, add shredded carrots and diced onions. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
Add garlic, salt and pepper; stir until well combined. Continue sauteing for 1-2 more minutes. Transfer mixture into a large bowl and set aside.
Place skillet back over medium heat and add half of the spinach. Saute, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes, or until spinach begins to wilt. Add remaining spinach and continue sauteing, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 more minutes, or until spinach is completely wilted.
Transfer spinach into a colander. Using paper towels, press as much excess moisture as possible from the spinach.
Chop spinach finely and transfer into the bowl with onions and carrots.
Add the green onions, sour cream, mayonnaise, chopped water chestnuts, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, onion powder, paprika and garlic powder; stir until well combined.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until chilled. (Note: This dip tastes even better if you refrigerate it overnight!)
{For serving} Serve in a bowl with crackers, baguette slices, chips and/or chopped carrots/celery sticks. For a fun presentation, you can also serve this in a hollowed-out bread bowl.
Make Ahead Corn Casserole
Prep Time:20 mins Cook Time:1 hr Total Time:1 hr 20 mins Yield:5 servings
Ingredients.
·6 ears fresh corn, husked (husk and cut kernels from cobs the day before. Keep covered in refrigerator until use)
1 ½ eggs
½ cup milk
½ teaspoon white sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces, or more to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Mix corn and eggs together in a bowl; add milk, sugar, salt, and pepper and mix well. Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish and dot with butter.
If making ahead advance, tightly wrap baking dish with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight, or store in freezer up to 6 months. Transfer frozen casserole to refrigerator until thawed, about 24 hours. Unwrap baking dish; stir mixture until smooth and creamy.
Bake in the preheated oven 350 degrees F until bubbling, about 1 hour.
Old-School Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Active Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 50 mins
Yield: 10 serves
Ingredients
1 lb fresh green beans,
½ cup salted butter, divided
1 - 2 . sliced fresh Portabella mushroom, roughly chopped
1 large shallot, chopped (or onion)
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded (about 1 1⁄2 cups)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 (8-oz.) can diced water chestnuts, drained
1 cup crispy fried onions or shallots (about 2 oz.)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Add mushrooms and shallot, and cook, stirring often, until mixture is deeply browned and caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a plate, and without wiping out Dutch oven, add remaining 6 tablespoons butter to Dutch oven.
Melt butter over medium-high; whisk in flour, and cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually add milk, whisking until smooth. Cook, whisking, until thickened and bubbly, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and whisk in Parmesan cheese, kosher salt, and black pepper until melted and smooth. Stir in green beans, mushroom mixture, and water chestnuts; spoon into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch (3-quart) baking dish.
Bake in preheated oven until bubbly around edges, 15 minutes. Remove from oven; top with fried onions or shallots. Return to oven; bake until topping is golden brown, 15 minutes.
Tips
Make It Ahead: Prepare recipe through Step 3 up to 3 days in advance; cover and refrigerate. On the day of, add toppings and bake; add 10 minutes to the initial bake time if using a refrigerated casserole.
Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Yields:8 servings Prep Time:15 mins Total Time:55 mins
Ingredients
Cooking spray
8 portobello mushrooms, washed and stems and gills removed
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 (8-oz.) block cream cheese, softened
1 (10-oz.package) spinach, washed, chopped and squeezed dry
1 cup shredded mozzarella
6 strips bacon, cooked and roughly chopped
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
4 Tbsp. melted butter
Freshly chopped parsley, for serving
Directions
Preheat oven to 400° and grease a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Place mushrooms, stem side down on pan and brush with oil.
Bake for 10 minutes or until they start to soften. Soak up any excess water in the pan with paper towels.
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, spinach, mozzarella, bacon, tomatoes, garlic, and oregano. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
In a medium bowl combine panko, Parmesan, and melted butter.
Flip mushroom caps over and stuff with cream cheese mixture. Top with panko mixture.
Bake until cheese is melty and tops are golden, 15 minutes.
Garnish with parsley before serving.
Classic Bread Stuffing With Onions, Celery, and Herbs
Ready In:1hr 45mins Yields:10 cups
Ingredients
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
1⁄2 cup chopped celery leaves (from inner celery ribs)
1 lb firm white bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and dried overnight (or in the oven)
1⁄4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 1⁄2 – 2 cups turkey broth or 1 1/2-2 cups chicken broth, as needed
Directions
In a big skillet, melt the butter over medium heat; add onions, celery, and celery leaves.
Cook, stirring often, until the onions are golden, about 8 minutes.
Scrape the vegetable mixture into a big bowl; mix in the bread cubes, parsley, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Gradually stir in about 1 ½ cups of broth, until the stuffing is evenly moistened but not soggy.
Transfer stuffing to a lightly buttered casserole dish; drizzle with ½ cup broth, cover, and bake in a preheated 350° oven for 30-45 minutes (if you like crusty stuffing, remove foil the last 15 minutes of baking).
Transfer stuffing to a lightly buttered casserole dish; drizzle with ½ cup broth, cover, and bake in a preheated 350° oven for 30-45 minutes (if you like crusty stuffing, remove foil the last 15 minutes of baking).
This simple recipe can be made up to a month ahead if stored in the freezer.
Savory Sweet Potato Casserole
To Make this casserole ahead, prepare through Step 3, then cover and chill overnight. When ready to bake, let the baking dish sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. Proceed with the recipe as directed in Step 4, increasing the bake time to about 45 minutes.
Ingredients
5 lbs. sweet potatoes (5 to 6 large potatoes)
1 large (1 1/2 oz.) shallot, grated (1 1/2 Tbsp.)
1/3 cup whole milk
2 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh sage
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup unsalted butter, melted, divided
2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 1/4 tsp. black pepper, divided
1 1/2 cups pecan halves, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups coarsely ground day-old sourdough breadcrumbs (2 1/2 oz.)
2 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)
1 tsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions
Bake sweet potatoes:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place potatoes on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until very tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 1/2 hours. Cool 30 minutes. Peel and discard potato skins.
Make casserole filling:
Stir together potatoes, shallot, milk, eggs, sage, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the melted butter, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1 teaspoon of the pepper with a fork until mostly smooth. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
Add topping to casserole:
Combine pecans, breadcrumbs, cheese, and remaining 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Sprinkle pecan mixture in an even layer over potato mixture.
Bake sweet potato casserole:
Bake, uncovered, at 350°F until topping is golden brown, 28 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.
Fresh Green Bean and Mushroom Casserole
This recipe calls for fresh green beans and mushrooms. Although a little more work than traditional green bean casseroles it is well worth the extra effort. It is also lower in fats and sodium as the fried onion rings are replaced by whole wheat topper. It is also great for people on diabetic diets. You can substitute wheat breadcrumbs for the panko breadcrumbs, if desired.
Prep Time: 25 mins Cook Time:50 mins Total Time:1 hr 15 mins Servings:6
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ranch dressing mix
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
1 ½ cups fat-free milk
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook uncovered until tender but still firm to the bite, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain.
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; whisk flour, ranch dressing mix, and white pepper into butter until a paste-like consistency is reached. Pour milk into butter mixture; cook, whisking constantly, until sauce is thick and bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes.
Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Cook and stir onion and garlic in hot skillet until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Transfer 1/2 of the onion mixture to a plate and return skillet to heat.
Stir mushrooms into skillet with remaining onion mixture; cook and stir until mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir mushroom mixture, green beans, and sauce together in a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Stir reserved onion mixture and breadcrumbs together in a bowl, sprinkle over green bean mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven until hot and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes.
Granny Smith Apple Pie
This homey apple pie may look traditional, but it has a game-changing secret ingredient: roasted Granny Smith apples. Cooking the apples in the oven beforehand makes the filling tender and gives the fruit a deep, caramelized flavor. Plus, you can roast the apples a day or two ahead (and prepare the pie dough, too) and store them in the refrigerator, saving you prep time.
Ingredients
Classic Crust:
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, sliced
5 1/2 Tbsp. cold vegetable shortening, sliced
1 1/2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
6 to 8 Tbsp. ice-cold water
Roasted Apple Filling:
5 lbs. Granny Smith apples, peeled, sliced into 1/2-inch wedges
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Additional Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg
Directions
Prepare the crust:
Pulse first 5 ingredients in a food processor until mixture resembles coarse meal, 5 to 6 times. While pulsing, gradually add ice-cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing just until dough begins to come together. Divide dough in half; shape into 2 flat disks. Wrap each in plastic wrap; chill 2 hours or up to 2 days.
Prepare the filling:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss together apples, granulated sugar, and 2 tablespoons of the flour in a bowl until well coated. Divide apples between 2 large parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheets. Bake until just tender, about 30 minutes, rotating baking sheets between top and bottom racks halfway through baking time. Cool 30 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Fold in brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and remaining 2 tablespoons flour until combined. Chill 1 hour.
Prepare lattice strips:
Unwrap 1 dough disk. Roll out on a lightly floured surface into a 1/4- to 1/8-inch thickness. Fit into a lightly greased (with cooking spray) 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Repeat rolling procedure with remaining disk. Cut 6 (1 1/4-inch-wide) strips, and set aside. Cut 3 (3/4-inch-wide) strips from remaining dough. Braid thinner strips.
Add dough strips:
Spoon filling into prepared pie plate, smoothing to form an even surface; dot with butter. Arrange 1 1/4-inch-wide dough strips and the braid in a lattice design over filling. Trim excess dough from edges; fold dough under to create a clean edge. Chill pie 30 minutes.
Apple egg wash:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon water until well blended. Brush entire pie with egg wash.
Bake pie:
Bake on lowest oven rack until crust is golden and filling is bubbly, 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes, shielding pie with aluminum foil after 50 minutes, if needed. Cool on a wire rack 2 hours before serving
Orange Muffins
Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Total Time: 30 mins 12 muffins
This easy recipe for Orange Muffins is perfect if you love the bright and tangy flavor of fresh orange juice and zest. It’s also super simple to bake.
Ingredients
▢2 large eggs at room temperature
▢½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil you can also use melted butter if you like
▢½ cup (125 g) plain yogurt natural or Greek, can substitute with milk or sour cream instead
▢¼ cup (60 ml) orange juice
▢1 tablespoon orange zest
▢1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
▢½ teaspoon orange extract optional
▢2 cups + 2 tablespoons (270 g) all purpose flour
▢½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar these are not overly sweet, the glaze is sweet though. If you like sweet muffins, add more
▢2 teaspoons baking power
▢½ teaspoon salt
For the glaze
▢1 cup (120 ml) powdered sugar
▢1 tablespoon (15 ml) orange juice
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C, and line a muffin pan with muffin liners. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk then add the oil, yogurt, orange juice and zest, and vanilla extract (and orange extract if using). Whisk to combine.
Add flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. And whisk until just combined.
Divide the batter between 12 muffins cups, I use a cookie scoop. And bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the muffin. Allow to cool completely.
To make the glaze, mix the powdered sugar and orange juice. Adjust the consistency to your liking by adding more orange juice. Drizzle over the cooled muffins, and garnish with orange zest
Notes:
Don’t Overmix the Batter: to get light and fluffy muffins, you should resist the urge to stir the batter past the point where the dry ingredients are moistened. Too much mixing will create dense muffins.
Use Fresh Oranges: If you have access to fresh, juicy oranges, juice them to make this recipe. If you can’t get good oranges, it’s okay to use bottled orange juice too.
To Zest the Oranges: The best tool for zesting citrus is a very fine grater, also called a Microplane. This too allows you to remove just the dark orange outer layer of the orange and leaves the bitter white pith behind. It’s easier to zest your oranges before you juice them.
Orange Extract is Optional: This orange extract is quite delicious to bake with, and is handy to keep in the kitchen as it can be used as a replacement for the flavor of orange zest. In this recipe, we’re using the zest and the extract to get the best flavor. You can also add more zest to the batter for extra flavor.
Pro Tip for Extra Orange Flavor: Infuse the sugar with the orange zest. Instead of just adding the zest into the dough at the end, use your fingers to blend the zest with the granulated sugar first. The orange flavor will be more pronounced this way!
Storing: These muffins will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 4 days. Keep them covered tightly. You can also freeze orange muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 months. I suggest wrapping them individually with plastic wrap for best results.
Variation: To Make Orange-Cranberry Muffins: Add at least a cup of fresh or frozen and thawed cranberries to the batter for a delicious variation on this orange muffin recipe. If you add cranberries, you’ll end up with a few more muffins too.
Apple Orange Cake Recipe
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup grated apple (about 2 medium apples)
Zest of 1 orange
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the orange juice. Stir in the grated apple, orange zest, and vanilla extract until everything is well combined.
Pour the batter into a greased cake pan and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the best results, make sure to measure your ingredients accurately. You can enhance the flavor by adding a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the batter, which pairs beautifully with the apples and oranges.
If you want to elevate your cake further, consider topping it with a light glaze made from powdered sugar and orange juice or serving it with whipped cream. Enjoy your baking experience!
Make-Ahead and Storage
If you want to enjoy your Apple Orange Cake at a later time, it's easy to make ahead and store.
Start by baking your cake and allowing it to cool completely. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.
For freezer tips, consider slicing the cake before freezing; it'll make it easier to grab a piece whenever you crave a slice. Using proper preparation techniques guarantees your cake stays moist and flavorful.
When you're ready to enjoy, simply thaw it at room temperature or warm it in the oven for a delightful treat!
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