Save time and stress on Thanksgiving day by choosing a menu with several dishes that can be made well in advance. These holiday recipes all can be made several days ahead of time.
Comte or Emmentaler cheese, celeriac (also known as celery root), and tomatoes are combined with sliced potatoes and creme fraiche for this sumptuous gratin. This recipe is an adaptation of one in Patricia Wells’s cookbook Bistro Cooking (Ted Smart, 1999). See the recipe for Potato-Celeriac Gratin »See the RecipeBen Fink
Boiled Beets with Tarragon Butter
Fresh dill or mint may be substituted for tarragon. See the Boiled Beets with Tarragon Butter Recipe
These fragrant, skillet-roasted pecans get their earthy, spicy bite from rosemary, Spanish smoked paprika, and chili powder.
See the RecipeAndré Baranowski
Simple and delicious, this recipe brings out the sweet flavor of the apples. Three days before the feast, start prepping by making the pie dough for both pies, the cranberry sauce, and the mashed potatoes. Bring your bird home at least two days before Thanksgiving so you have ample time to presalt, a simple step that keeps the turkey juicy and intensifies its natural flavors.
Get the recipe for Classic Apple Pie »
When baked, these marinated cheeses are great spread on crusty bread or served with a tart, rustic salad. The marinade can be reused or whisked into a vinaigrette. See the Olive Oil Marinated Goat Cheese recipe »
This sophisticated take on cranberry sauce, laced with spices and plenty of fresh ginger, gets a boost from chopped celery and tart apples. Get the recipe for Cranberry-Ginger Chutney »
Don’t limit traditional pie spices—clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg—to the dessert table. In this cheesy, rich gratin, the spices take a savory note alongside kale, sweet potatoes, and sharp white cheddar.
