You can still have a festive homemade feast without slaving away for hours (or days) preparing the spread; this menu–featuring a simple broken-down turkey roasted over root vegetables, a crunchy raw brussels sprouts and kale salad, and more recipes with easy-to-find ingredients, little prep work, and quick cooking times—lets you focus on enjoying yourself and the company of your loved ones. Want additional quick and easy options for your menu? See our gallery of last-minute Thanksgiving recipes. Fresh salads are an often-overlooked Thanksgiving side option, but they come together more quickly—and are just as delicious—as their oven-cooked counterparts. Make any one of these twelve holiday salads for satisfying sides with minimal preparation.
Summer dessert doesn’t get easier than grilled bread spread with milky ricotta and drizzled with sweet, earthy honey. If you want to take it a step further, add a few slices of shaved melon. Get the recipe for Ricotta Crostini with Chestnut Honey »
Roasting turkey wings, legs, and breasts over root vegetables, butternut squash, and herbs not only lends the meat a sweet and vegetal flavor but also allows you to treat each piece like a mini roast that can be taken out of the oven as soon as it’s cooked to the correct temperature. The turkey takes just under two hours to fully cook (much faster than a whole bird would), so get the turkey started first, then the remainder of the menu can be completely finished within those two hours. Keep checking the temperature of each piece of turkey while it cooks, some pieces will be done before others and should be removed so they won’t get dry. Get the recipe for Roast Turkey with Root Vegetables and Gravy »
Served warm, this spicy reinterpretation of a traditional pumpkin pie will wow guests while still satisfying Thanksgiving traditionalists. Get the recipe for Bourbon Pumpkin Mousse »
