The big day is in 1 week and we’re all almost prepared with an arsenal of recipes that will get rave reviews from everyone! So, let’s pull everything together for the most epic Thanksgiving Menu and then talk prep and making things ahead of time!
Here’s the full Thanksgiving Menu:
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Marshmallow Meringue
I mean, is that not the most glorious Thanksgiving menus you’ve ever seen!! Gobble Gobble! Thomas and I are going to have leftovers for DAYS.
Here’s my basic schedule / prep plan for my Thanksgiving Menu:
Sunday:
- Clean out the fridge
- Stock up on beer and wine
- Make a grocery list
- Shop for all the ingredients
- If you buy a frozen turkey – make sure to put it in the fridge to start thawing out
- Reorganize fridge with all the ingredients
Monday:
- Make the cranberry sauce and refrigerate until Thursday
- Brine the turkey if you’re using my brine recipes
- Make the compound butter for the Turkey
- Make the vinaigrette for the Fall Farmers Market Salad
- Prep carrots for the Charred Carrots with Herbs, wash, trim and clean and refrigerate.
Tuesday
- Make the basil mint topping for the Charred Carrots with Herbs / refrigerate until Thursday
- Cut the bread into cubes for the Wild Mushroom Stuffing – let sit on the counter overnight to harden.
Wednesday:
Wednesday:- Make the herb mixture for the Wild Mushroom Stuffing / refrigerate until tomorrow
- Prep ingredients for the Sautéed Brussels Sprouts
- Prep ingredients for the Spicy Garlic Green Beans
- Make the Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes but don’t add the chives until tomorrow.
- Make the cheesecake portion of the Pumpkin Cheesecake with Marshmallow Meringue from start to finish. Let cool entirely and the place in the fridge overnight.
- Make the the marshmallow meringue for the Pumpkin Cheesecake with Marshmallow Meringue. Don’t top the cheesecake with the meringue yet, instead keep it in the fridge until Thursday. Place the meringue in the fridge, covered until Thursday.
- Make the Cheesy Creamed Kale and let cool, store in an airtight container
- Set the table
Thursday:
Early Morning / 8am-ish
- Arrange all the ingredients for the Fall Farmers Market Salad in a large salad bowl and cover with a damp paper towel and refrigerate. Remove from the fridge just before feasting time and drizzle the vinaigrette on before serving.
- Make the Mac and Cheese but don’t bake yet
- Top the Pumpkin Cheesecake with Marshmallow Meringue with the marshmallow meringue topping and torch. Set aside until dessert
- Make the Apple Crisp but hold off on baking.
- Assemble the Thanksgiving Cheese Board and cover with a towel. Leave at room temperature.
- Prep the Herb Roasted Turkey and start roasting
Before the Feast
- Finish making the Sautéed Brussels Sprouts, Spicy Garlic Green Beans and the Charred Carrots with Herbs which can be topped with the basil mint mixture
- Combine the prepped bread and herb mixture for the Wild Mushroom Stuffing and finish following the recipe instructions.
- Reheat the Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes in a 350 degree oven until warm or in a slow cooker. Add the chives before serving.
- Bake off the Mac and Cheese
- Carve the Herb Roasted Turkey, reserve the drippings for gravy and place on an over-proof platter – pop back into a 200 degree oven to keep warm before serving.
- Make the Homemade Gravy
- KICK BACK AND RELAX!
- Bake the Apple Crisp just as you’re sitting down to dinner – it will take about an hour so your house will smell like dessert by the time dinner is over.
Have any last minute questions about Thanksgiving, the prep schedule, my Thanksgiving Menu or prep timing…?? Shout them out in the comments below and I’ll respond ASAP!
PS – are you thinking of putting this on your Thanksgiving menu? Check out the full What’s Gaby Cooking menu here along with the master prep schedule to keep things organized and on track!
And if you need more Thanksgiving Ideas check out this roundup of 80+ Thanksgiving Recipes and Ideas
Photography by Matt Armendariz / Styling by Adam Pearson / Prop styling by Stephanie Hanes / Light Fixture by Serena and Lily/ Recipes by What’s Gaby Cooking
I want to sit at your dinner table! Happy Thanksgiving! xo
I can’t believe you made (okay PRE-MADE) all this food to post about it before Thanksgiving. You are amazing and that food, the styling, omg SO gorgeous! Pinned!
Now I need to find my pants with the elastic waist! This looks like Thanksgiving dream! Next year I want to come to your house!!!!
Happy Thanksgiving! It is indeed a glorious feast. xo
This is the most gorgeous Thanksgiving feast!
This menu is begging for sweatpants. I love it- i wish I was at your pad this year 🙂
Omg!! This spread is an absolute stunner!! Can I come over Thursday?!
YES!
Fabulous job on the blog Gaby! I’m loving all these recipes – especially the wild mushroom stuffing MMMM!
Wow that looks just incredible!!!! Beautiful picture and spread!
i will never understand why you and others continue to show this lovely feast serving those boring, store bought nasty dinner rolls.
homemade rolls are not rocket science.
Hi Linda – I’m so sorry if the rolls offended you! Homemade rolls are certainly not rocket science, you are right! But I take a helping hand from the store every now and then especially when I’m making the entire dinner by myself! Hope you have a great Thanksgiving and enjoy a delicious homemade roll for me please 🙂 xx
This looks perfectly marvelous! I get help from the store as well. I happen to really enjoy some of the things from our market!! My pumpkin pie is always store bought!!!
Gaby! This is a fabulous Thanksgiving menu. Incorporating a few of these into our traditions – thank you!! Love all of your recipes and the Friday snapchats… Keep it up! Happy Thanksgiving to you!
how many people does this feed?
8-10!
How far in advance (the morning of) can you
make the potatoes to then reheat at 350?
first thing in the am!
You always do such a great job breaking things down to make them feel more manageable!! I love it when people provide the tools/plan so that readers feel confident taking on an undertaking like Thanksgiving! It makes me grateful that my family approaches the holiday potluck style, but I recall the years we spent making all the fixings for our friends-giving when my husband’s military buddies would come over – having a plan was the only way! Ha!
Hey! What is the mac n cheese recipe you used! I have little kids to please 🙂 Thanks in advance love your blog!
Here you go! https://dev.afterhoursagency.com/wgc/creamy-macaroni-and-cheese/
What about the mac and cheese? You said it was the best ever!
THIS!! https://dev.afterhoursagency.com/wgc/creamy-macaroni-and-cheese/
Give me all of it!!! What a lovely dinner. Appreciate the step by step approach, too!
Please come over and spend the week making EVERYTHING on this menu!!!! Delish!
But wait I swear you made Mac and Cheese in your snapchat story!!! Do you have the link for that for me? That is my responsibility for my “Friendsgiving” this weekend.
oxox
here you go!! https://dev.afterhoursagency.com/wgc/creamy-macaroni-and-cheese/ xoxox
In the picture there looks to be an acorn and delicato squash dish, I’m not able to tell which recipe it is?
Noelle
it’s this: https://dev.afterhoursagency.com/wgc/roasted-heirloom-pumpkin-and-squash-with-ricotta-salata-and-pomegranate-seeds/
Thank you! Adding it to my menu.
Hi Gaby! I am just now getting a chance to look at this post. Do you think it would be okay if I made the stuffing filling on Monday and then combined with the bread on Thursday? Or could I even cook it ahead of time? It’s my thanksgiving contribution but with my 12 hr nurse shifts on Tuesday and Wednesday I won’t have time to make it either of those days. Thank you in advance 🙂 Also I would just like to say that I am a new follower and could not be more obsessed- you’re awesome and make me want to be a better cook!!
Hey!! Yes, you can make the stuffing filling on Monday and combine Thurs for sure!! and THANK YOU!!!
Amazing! On what heat and how much time should I reheat my turkey?
350 F, cover the turkey in foil, and for about 15-20 mins!
This is just perfect Gaby!!! Gorgeous!
Hi gaby, looking for the printable menu as I’m going to do this amazing menu for Christmas Eve dinner….but I can’t find where you posted the printable menu…? Can you please reshare or advise where I can find?? Thanks!!!
here you go! https://dev.afterhoursagency.com/wgc/last-minute-tips-tricks-perfect-thanksgiving/
How do you prepare meringue beforehand?