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If you’ve ever cooked Thanksgiving dinner from scratch, you know just how stressful (and crowded) the kitchen can get. While there will always be some chaos around the stove in the lead-up to Turkey Day dinner, one of the best ways to minimize it is to prepare some dishes ahead of time.
Whether you’re a seasoned home cook or hosting your first Thanksgiving, pulling off made-ahead recipes that still taste freshly prepared can be a tall order. To help, I asked a caterer to share her top make-ahead Thanksgiving dishes, allowing you to enjoy the holiday that much more.
The 4 Dishes You Should Make Ahead of Thanksgiving
1. Cranberry Sauce
Simply Recipes / Brent Hofacker
When it comes to preparing for the big day, it’s important to clock how many hot and cold recipes you’re whipping up. “Be mindful of how many hot dishes you’re serving. You may not have enough oven or stovetop space to cook everything at once,” says Amy Aversa, founder and CEO of Sweet Basil Catering.
And while homemade cranberry sauce requires some stove time, it’s often served cold or at room temperature—perfect for making several days ahead. “You can make this sauce up to a week in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator,” Aversa explains. Then, when it’s time to serve, simply transfer it to a beautiful serving dish and set it on the table.
2. Stuffing
Simply Recipes / Brent Hofacker
Stuffing is an absolute must on Thanksgiving day, but the number of ingredients it requires and the time it takes to prepare makes for an arduous dish to cook the day of. However, it’s an ideal option to whip up in the days leading up to the holiday, and it still maintains the same savory flavor and soft yet crunchy texture we all love at the table.
You can prepare this dish in its entirety a day or two before and reheat it before dinner, but Aversa offers another option for those who really like to get ahead of the game. “Prepare your stuffing recipe all the way up until it’s time to bake. Then, transfer the uncooked stuffing to freezer bags (flat pack) and freeze for up to three months. Allow the frozen uncooked stuffing to thaw in the refrigerator for one to two days, then cook at 350°F for about an hour,” she explains.
3. Mashed Potatoes
Simply Recipes / Brent Hofacker
No Thanksgiving table would be complete without a heaping dish of steaming mashed potatoes, and thankfully, these can be prepped ahead of time as well! Aversa advises preparing your favorite recipe as normal and storing it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. “To reheat, place the mashed potatoes in a baking dish, pour some whole milk over the top, cover with tin foil, and reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through,” she says. The added milk ensures that your potatoes stay perfectly moist.
4. Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
Simply Recipes / Brent Hofacker
To round things out, a shaved Brussels sprout salad is a tasty way to include some greenery in your festive spread without adding another hot dish to your to-do list. Who has time to delicately shave sprouts on Thanksgiving day? Not me. However, Aversa assures me that you don’t have to!
Her go-to Brussels sprout salad features cranberries, walnuts, grated Parmesan, and a simple dressing of lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, olive oil, salt, and pepper. She shares that the dressing can be made up to a week in advance, the sprouts shaved two to three days ahead, and the salad assembled the day before (minus the walnuts, which should be added just before serving).
You can make this salad even easier on yourself by buying pre-shaved sprouts and pre-grated Parm. “Don’t be afraid to simplify your menu by using store-bought items. It’s okay if not everything is homemade,” Aversa affirms.
