Thanksgiving is hectic, but your meal doesn’t have to be. This collection of make-ahead Thanksgiving recipes, featuring favorites like Classic Green Bean Casserole, Candied Yams, Buttermilk-Pecan Pralines, and Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake, lets you prepare your holiday meal in advance so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time with loved ones. Enjoy a stress-free holiday feast filled with classic sides, seasonal desserts, and endless flavor.
Hannah Hufham; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray; Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong
Move over time-consuming mashed potatoes, this au gratin-style casserole that borrows flavors from a classic loaded baked potato is the new and only white potato side dish your Thanksgiving line up needs.
Rob Culpepper; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Assistant Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Prepare this classic Thanksgiving favorite up to three days in advance. Wait to add the crispy onions until right before you bake it. You can use frozen, canned, or fresh green beans in this recipe and it will still be delicious every time.
VICTOR PROTASIO; PROP STYLING: GINNY BRANCH STELLING; FOOD STYLING: EMILY NABORS HALL
You can’t go wrong with cornbread dressing on Thanksgiving. This recipe can be prepared up to a month in advance if stored in the freezer. For the best results, make your cornbread two days in advance to allow it to fully dry out.
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Torie Cox; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Is the marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole too sweet for you? Try our Savory Sweet Potato Casserole that can be prepped a day ahead and just thrown in the oven day of. Instead of marshmallows, this casserole is topped with a parmesan-streusel topping that’ll leave your guests wowed.
Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: Kellie Gerber Kelley
Enjoy these delicious, bite-size desserts that are no-bake, so they are easy to make whenever you have just 30 minutes. These sweet treats are the perfect gift to decorate the dessert table or deliver to your neighbors.
Courtney West
Let this scrumptious Corn Pudding Casserole chill in the refrigerator for up to two days before baking. This corn pudding is made with fontina or Swiss cheese to make it extra creamy. Your corn lovers will be begging for more.
Emily Laurae
A well-balanced and flavorful salad is the key to this great side dish or turkey-topper. Make this Classic Cranberry Salad and chill it for up to three days before serving. Fresh or frozen cranberries work for this yummy side.
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
Everything in this green bean casserole is homemade from the creamy mushroom sauce to the crispy shallots on top. Complete every step except for the toppings, wait to add those until right before you bake.
Emily Laurae/Southern Living
A form of these delectable treats came to New Orleans way back in the 1700s. Over the years they have formed into and ooey-gooey, nutty fall favorite for many Southern families. These can be made-ahead and stored for up to one week. Just make sure to individually wrap them so they don’t get too sticky!
Emily Laurae / Southern Living
This rich and soft side dish is the perfect complement to your holiday meal. Bake this casserole as directed, let it cool for up to two days, and then reheat it when you’re ready to dig in.
Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Prepare this cheesy and creamy potato casserole up to one day in advance. Richness and creaminess come together to create this show-stopping side dish. Pop it in the oven on Thanksgiving Day and be thankful you prepared it ahead of time.
Stacy K. Allen; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Good luck showing up to any gatherings without this in hand after you bring it once. The cheesy goodness is like a warm hug and your guests will be begging to get more. Throw everything together and keep it in your refrigerator for up to one day prior to baking.
Photo: Victor Protasi; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Torie Cox
This delicious fall dessert is an Appalachian staple to be shared with loved ones. In fact, this cake tastes even better if you wrap it in cheesecloth and plastic wrap and place it in your cupboard for two or three days. The flavors will meld together to create a sweet cake to share.
Antonis Achilleos, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Store this dish for up to four days before you serve it. This sweet delight toes the line between a side dish and dessert. For this recipe, everything is baked in one dish. Seal it up with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and keep it in the refrigerator after it has cooled.
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Ginny Branch
Elevate this classic Thanksgiving favorite by adding crispy broccoli to the mix. Cook the broccoli and pasta one day before and complete the rest day of. This huge time saver will keep your loved ones coming back for more.
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
These slice-and-bake cookies will be sure to please any pecan lover in your home. The dough can be made up to two days in advance. Coat the dough logs in sugar to give these yummy cookies an extra crunch on the outside.
Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Our Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy will set your plate apart from any other. Gravy is always last to the table and the stress of perfecting this sauce is unlike any other. This recipe allows you to make it up to three days in advance so all you need to do is reheat.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
These delicious cheesy snacks can be made up to three months in advance if frozen. The crispy, cheddar combo is unbeatable and you won’t be able to resist heading back for seconds.
Micah A. Leal
Combining two iconic desserts into one sounds like the best thing ever to me. Make the cheesecake days in advance if kept in the refrigerator, but you can make it months in advance if stored in the freezer. Just wait to brûlée until right before you serve!
Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Micah Morton, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner
Nearly three decades after this recipe was originally published in Southern Living, this recipe is still a favorite for our readers. Before you bake these soft, buttery rolls, let the dough rest overnight so you can pop them in the oven day of, or freeze the dough for up to three months before you bake.
Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors Hall; Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis
Make-Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole isn’t too sweet, so you’ll still be craving pie when its time for dessert. Our recipe features a brown sugar oat streusel and can be made days ahead. Your guests won’t even know the difference!
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Having a smaller celebration? Turkey breast could be the way to go! Prepare this turkey to soak in an overnight brine to completely enhance the turkey breast. Smoke your turkey breast when ready and enjoy the succulent flavors it brings.
Hector Manuel Sanchez
Try a delicious bite-sized sweet potato appetizer from the land of sweet potatoes itself, Vardaman, Mississippi. Local April McGregor brought us her recipe which features peppery Mexican-style chorizo and cheddar cheese that burst with savory flavor in your mouth.
Alison Gootee; Styling: Suzonne Stirling
Make these cake layers up to three days in advance and store them in the refrigerator. The moist pumpkin cake layers pair beautifully with the sweet caramel swirl frosting that will leave your tastebuds dancing with flavor.
Emily Laurae/Southern Living
Gravy can be a lot easier than you think. Our delicious herb-infused gravy only has four ingredients and can be made up to three days ahead is stored in the refrigerator. Freeze it and make it up to six months in advance!
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Broccoli-Cheddar Casserole is like a warm, comforting hug that feels like home. Make room for this creamy and delicious dish on your Thanksgiving table. Prepare this dish until right before you bake, then refrigerate until needed.
Antonis Achilleos; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn
Nothing beats warm and cheesy comfort food and these Cheese Dreams are no exception. Cheddar and dry mustard come together to form this appetizer that won’t stay on your table for long. Make one day in advance or freeze up to three weeks in advance.
Micah A. Leal
Pumpkin pie and cheesecake in one? Yes, please! You won’t be able to resist a second (or third… who’s counting?) slice. Since cheesecake needs plenty of time to chill, this can be prepared a day in advance to make it perfect when it is time to enjoy.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Preparing this Southern classic dish in a slow cooker will free up time for you to prepare other dishes. If you’re thinking, ‘I wish I could make this ahead of time…,’ you can! Make this dish and freeze it in airtight containers up to two weeks in advance.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Try a loaded baked potato in casserole form. This delicious casserole is a warm reminder of why cheesy potatoes are so impeccable. Bake this dish ahead and refrigerate or freeze. Reheat when ready to eat.
Alison Miksch; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Cream cheese frosting and moist layered pumpkin cake completely elevate this rich dessert. Fluffy cake layers and creamy semi-sweet frosting come together to make a sophisticated-looking dessert that tastes like fall. Prep this cake up to three days in advance and store it in the refrigerator.
Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
This hearty casserole includes sliced almonds and long-grain wild rice to give it a nutty flavor that will warm hearts and tummies. Chicken-and-Wild Rice Casserole could be a delicious addition to your holiday table. Prep this recipe ahead of time and freeze until ready to bake.
Greg DuPree
Pro tip: These swirled brownies are even better if you let them chill overnight so you get the perfect slice. Pumpkin-Chocolate Brownies will satisfy pumpkin and chocolate lovers alike. It also includes espresso which only amplifies the chocolatey goodness.
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
Some may think that you can’t make turkey stock until after you’ve made your turkey. Think again. With our recipe, you utilize the inside of the turkey that you will not need to make a delicious stock days in advance. Just store it in the refrigerator!
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Nothing beats a Classic Deviled Egg. This staple Thanksgiving appetizer is a fan favorite among guests. Make this recipe up to three days in advance to save time on your holiday so you can enjoy the day with your loved ones.
Greg DuPree; Prop Stylist: Mindi Shapiro; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
This rich soup is the perfect comforting dish that should grace your dinner table this Thanksgiving. Its deep flavors meld together beautifully to create a truly delicious mixture. Let this sit in the refrigerator for up to two days before you eat to let the flavors intertwine completely.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
We can’t think of a single Southern get-together where this tasty side dish isn’t welcome. Cheese-filled and crispy on top, Easy Squash Casserole will leave your guests begging for more. Make the filling up to two days in advance, but wait to add the crispy topping until just before you bake.
Stacy K. Allen; Props: Julia Bayless; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
Cauliflower is in and this time it is just like potatoes. Folding this softened cauliflower in with the cheese gives it a potato-like texture. Even better, this recipe has bacon on top! Make this recipe up to three days ahead of time and wait to add the bacon until just before you bake.