Classic Thanksgiving Dinner Spread with Roast Turkey and Sides
This Thanksgiving dinner spread keeps the focus on the dishes most home cooks want on the table: roast turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, tart cranberry sauce, tender broccoli, savory stuffing, and simple sweet potatoes. The menu is built to come together without too much last-minute stress, with a separate stuffing dish for safer roasting and easy timing cues so everything lands on the table warm.
Recipe at a glance
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 3 hours 15 minutes to 4 hours 15 minutes
Total time: About 4 hours to 5 hours
Equipment: Roasting pan with rack, instant-read thermometer, large pot, medium saucepan, baking dish, sheet pan, potato masher or ricer, large serving platter
Ingredients
For the roast turkey
- 1 whole turkey, 12 to 14 pounds, thawed if frozen
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 onion, quartered
- 1 lemon, halved
- 4 sprigs parsley
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water, for the roasting pan
For the mashed potatoes
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for the cooking water
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup warm whole milk or half-and-half
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the cranberry sauce
- 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- Pinch of salt
For the broccoli
- 2 pounds broccoli crowns, cut into florets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional
For the stuffing baked separately
- 8 cups cubed day-old bread
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups warm chicken broth
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
For the sweet potatoes
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven and prep the turkey. Set the oven to 325°F. Remove the turkey from the fridge while you prepare the sides. Pat it dry with paper towels, then season the cavity and skin with salt, pepper, garlic powder, rosemary, and thyme. Rub the softened butter over the skin, then tuck the onion, lemon, and parsley inside the cavity.
- Roast the turkey. Set the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan and pour the broth or water into the bottom of the pan. Roast, basting once or twice if you like, until the thickest part of the breast and the thickest part of the thigh both reach 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Expect about 13 to 15 minutes per pound, but start checking early because ovens and turkey sizes vary.
- Make the stuffing while the turkey roasts. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the celery and onion until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Combine the bread cubes, cooked vegetables, broth, and egg in a baking dish. The mixture should be moist but not soggy. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden and the center feels hot and set.
- Cook the cranberry sauce. While the stuffing bakes, combine cranberries, sugar, water, orange zest, orange juice, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until the berries burst and the sauce thickens to a glossy spoon-coating consistency. It will thicken more as it cools.
- Prepare the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold salted water, and bring to a boil. Simmer until very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well, then mash with butter, warm milk, salt, and pepper until smooth and fluffy. Keep covered on low heat or in a warm oven until serving.
- Roast the sweet potatoes. Toss the sliced sweet potatoes with olive oil, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon if using. Spread on a sheet pan and roast at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping once, until tender at the edges and lightly browned.
- Cook the broccoli last. Steam the broccoli for 4 to 5 minutes, or roast it at 425°F for 15 to 18 minutes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. It should be bright green and tender-crisp, not mushy. Finish with a little lemon juice if desired.
- Rest, carve, and serve. When the turkey reaches temperature, transfer it to a carving board and rest for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing. That helps the juices settle so the meat stays moist. Carve the breast and legs, then arrange everything on a large platter with the mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, broccoli, stuffing, and sweet potatoes.
Tips, serving ideas, and simple swaps
For a faster holiday plan, make the cranberry sauce the day before and rewarm it gently. You can also peel and cube the potatoes ahead of time and keep them submerged in cold water in the refrigerator for a few hours before cooking.
If you want a simpler menu, use store-bought stuffing mix and doctor it with sautéed onion and celery. For the broccoli, a quick steam works well if the oven is crowded with the turkey and stuffing. If you prefer a different herb profile, swap the rosemary and thyme for sage.
For serving, build each plate with a slice of turkey, a scoop of mashed potatoes, a spoonful of cranberry sauce, a portion of stuffing, broccoli, and a few sweet potato rounds. A drizzle of warm turkey pan juices over the meat adds extra flavor.
Storage notes
Cool leftovers within 2 hours of serving. Store turkey, stuffing, potatoes, vegetables, and cranberry sauce in separate shallow containers in the refrigerator. The turkey and side dishes are best used within 3 to 4 days. Reheat turkey and stuffing to steaming hot, and add a splash of broth or milk to the potatoes if they seem thick after chilling.
For the best texture, rewarm broccoli and sweet potatoes just until hot. Cranberry sauce keeps well and can be served cold, room temperature, or gently warmed. If you have a lot of turkey left over, slice it before chilling so reheating is quicker and more even.
