Here are a bunch of traditional Thanksgiving recipes for holiday favorites like super easy no-fail turkey, sweet potato casserole, homemade stuffing, turkey gravy and homemade pies all in one place! You can make this Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people for under $25!
If you’re gluten free, check out our Dairy Free Gluten Free Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes!
Traditional Thanksgiving Recipes – Dinner For 10 People For Less Than $25!
We’ve included all of the traditional Thanksgiving recipes below, but here’s a breakdown of the costs to prepare this Thanksgiving Dinner For 10. Most of these recipes are from volume 1 of our Dining On A Dime Cookbook.
- Turkey – .69/lb. 15 lbs. $7 ($10.35 for the entire turkey. You won’t use the entire turkey)
- Stuffing – .50
- Gravy – $.25
- Dinner Rolls Homemade – .50 Store bought $2.00
- Mashed Potatoes $1.50
- Broccoli Salad – $2.00
- Deviled Eggs – $1.00
- Jello Salad – $1.50
- Sweet Potato Casserole – $2.00
- Chocolate Pie Homemade – $2.00
- Pumpkin Pie Homemade – $2.00
- Iced Tea – .25
How to Save on Thanksgiving Dinner
- Keep Thanksgiving Dinner Simple! You don’t need a ton of food.
- Don’t make a lot of side dishes. Just 2 or 3 will be fine.
- Save bread heels, bread that’s going stale, cornbread pieces, hot dog buns and hamburger buns for your stuffing.
- Make less expensive desserts like chocolate and pumpkin pies instead of pecan pie.
- One container of whipped topping with work for 2 pies.
- Cut small slices of desserts and dish out food for kids. They can come back and get more but then food isn’t wasted and thrown away.
- If others are coming, have them help with dinner and bring some dishes.
- Make it yourself. Homemade tastes so much better and it really is fairly quick and easy.
- Don’t use elaborate recipes with expensive spices.
- Make the table look nice and decorated. Then the food looks great even if it’s not a lot of food.
- Don’t drink soda, cider and other expensive drinks. Just have iced tea, coffee and water.
- Stock up now for your Christmas baking while sugar, flour, etc. are cheap.
Traditional Thanksgiving Recipes
Here’s an easy recipe and tips for how to roast a turkey! This is the best roast turkey recipe ever and everyone raves about how moist and delicious it is!
Traditional Thanksgiving – How To Roast A Turkey
Turkey isn’t expensive at all so stock up now. I got two turkeys today for .39/lb. I had the butcher cut them in half just like last year and the year before! If you know how to roast a turkey, you can stock up during the holidays, serve turkey in place of chicken and save a bundle on your food bill! Tawra
Thawing
Sometimes turkeys do not cook properly because they don’t get thawed. You need to allow 1 day of thawing time for every 4 lbs. of turkey plus you can keep a thawed turkey in the fridge for at least 3-4 days. Thaw your turkey with the breast side down so the juices will run into the breast.
No-Fail Turkey Recipe – Super Easy!
This easy no-fail turkey recipe makes the best turkey you will ever eat! It is super tasty, moist and tender! The meat will just fall off the bones so you will have to serve it already carved. It will be very juicy and moist.
Ingredients
1 turkey, 20-22 lbs.
1 stick butter or margarine
Instructions
- Defrost frozen turkey for several days in the refrigerator according to the directions on the package.
- Preheat oven to 250°.
- Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil.
- Remove the insides of the turkey and save for giblet gravy or for fried livers and gizzards.
- Lay turkey, breast side down, in the pan.
- Place the stick of butter on the inside.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake at 250° for 1 hour.
- Reduce heat to 200° and roast for 10-15 hours. Cooking time can be longer to fit your schedule. Test with a meat thermometer to make sure the temperature in the thigh is 180°.
Notes
If I have a 20-22 lb. turkey, I put it in the oven one hour before I go to bed (that way I can turn it down to 200° and sometimes I go down to 180° before I go to bed.) It will be done by noon the next day. Because it cooks at such a low temperature, if you aren’t going to eat until 1-2 PM, it will stay just fine in the oven until then.
If I have a smaller 10 lb. turkey, I put it in the oven early on Thanksgiving morning (about 6 or 7 AM in order to eat at noon. You don’t need to worry too much about it getting done. An hour or two before the meal, check it and see how it is doing. If it isn’t cooking quickly enough, you can always raise the temperature to 350°.
If you use a smaller 10 -12 lb turkey, you only need to use half of a stick (about 4 Tbsp.) of butter. You can also place it in a large crockpot on low.
The BEST Homemade Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
5 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
Instructions
In a large saucepan, place potatoes and enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender (about 10-15 minutes depending on your altitude). Drain. Transfer potatoes to a mixing bowl and mash. I use a hand mixer for this but you can use a potato masher. Add butter, milk, sugar and salt. Beat until smooth. Serves 5-6.
For Garlic Mashed Potatoes: Add 15 cloves garlic, peeled and halved, to the potatoes when boiling.
Classic Green Bean Casserole Recipe
Get ready for a crowd-pleaser! This Green Bean Casserole recipe is irresistibly creamy, full of flavor, and crowned with golden, crispy onions—so delicious you’ll want seconds. Quick and easy to make, it transforms a simple side into a show-stopping dish everyone will rave about!
Ingredients
1 (10.5 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. soy sauce
16-20 oz. thawed frozen green beans or 2 (14.5 oz.) cans green beans, drained or 4 cups fresh cooked cut green beans
1 1/3 cups French fried onions, divided
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional: 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds, for extra crunch
Optional: 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper, for a festive touch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a 1½-quart oven-safe casserole dish, combine the soup, milk, soy sauce, green beans, and 2/3 cup of the French fried onions. Season with salt and pepper. Optionally, stir in red bell pepper for color and flavor.
- Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes, until the mixture is hot and bubbly.
- Remove from oven, stir gently, then sprinkle the remaining 2/3 cup fried onions and toasted almonds (if using) on top.
- Bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes, or until the onions are golden brown and crisp.
- Let the casserole rest for a few minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.
- Store leftovers in an oven safe dish for easy reheating.
Notes
- Add 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds to the onion topping for an extra crunch.
- To add a festive touch: Stir in 1/4 cup chopped red pepper with the soup.
- If using fresh green beans, you can blanch them if you prefer to keep the vibrant green color and a crispier texture. Boil in water for about 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, immediately submerge in an ice water bath until they are cool to the touch.
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Make ahead: Prepare the casserole up to the baking step, cover, and refrigerate. Bake when ready to serve, adding an extra 5–10 minutes to ensure it’s heated through.
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Crispier topping: For an even crunchier topping, lightly toast the French fried onions in the oven for 2–3 minutes before adding.
- Extra flavor: Add a dash of garlic powder or a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese to the mixture before baking.
The BEST Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
This is the best sweet potato casserole recipe ever! It is so quick and easy and makes a tasty dish, perfect for holiday dinners and potlucks. And it’s easy to make the day before you need it and bake just before serving!
Ingredients
3 cups sweet potatoes, mashed
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla
Topping:
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Mix all of the casserole ingredients.
- Put everything in a buttered 9×9 casserole dish.
- Mix topping ingredients.
- Sprinkle topping over the top of the sweet potato mixture.
- Bake uncovered at 350° for 20 minutes.
Notes
If your family isn’t fond of nuts, you can leave out the pecans and it will turn out just fine.
For Marshmallow Topping:
If you prefer, you can easily add a marshmallow topping instead. After mixing the main casserole ingredients and placing them in the casserole dish, spread 1 (10.5 oz.) package miniature marshmallows over the top and bake as directed. The marshmallows will turn a golden brown.
For Pecan And Marshmallow Topping:
Make the recipe according to the directions above. Before baking, spread 1 (10.5 oz.) package miniature marshmallows over the top of the casserole and the pecan topping and bake as usual.
This is my grandmother’s classic stuffing recipe! This is a yummy Thanksgiving traditional stuffing recipe made with bread, sausage and more and everyone loves it!
Homemade Stuffing Recipe
This is my Grandma’s stuffing recipe (Jill’s Mom). It is one of my favorite traditional Thanksgiving recipes! It has been in our family for years and is a family favorite! -Tawra
I have hesitated to include our stuffing recipe because it is one of those recipes where it is hard to give exact measurements. You can adjust any of these ingredients to suit your taste and if you want, you can add different things to the dish.
For example, you can replace some of the bread with cornbread or you can add mushrooms, celery, apples, or giblets and many other things according to your own taste. This is one of those recipes that looks complicated but is really easy once you make it.
For a drier stuffing, use less liquid and for a moister dressing, add more butter. Butter doesn’t evaporate and won’t make your dressing “soggy” instead of moist the way liquid will. You can also add a little milk if the stuffing seems too dry.
When you bake stuffing inside a turkey or if you cook it in a covered pan, it won’t dry out so keep this in mind when testing for moistness.
If you want your stuffing to be fluffier, beat the eggs in the recipe before adding.
Here is the basic homemade stuffing recipe:
Ingredients
8-10 cups dried bread, cubed or torn (You can use anything including hot dog buns, dinner rolls or French bread.)
1/2-1 lb. pork sausage
1/2-1 onion (or onion powder to taste)
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 cups broth*
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/4-1/2 cup butter or margarine
3 heaping tsp. ground sage
salt and pepper
1 small bag or box of seasoned croutons
Instructions
Cube and tear bread. Place in a very large mixing bowl and let it sit out overnight if not dry enough. Fry sausage and onion. I don’t like celery in my dressing but if you do you can add it at this time. Drain and add to the bowl of bread. Pour broth into a large measuring cup. Add butter and bouillon cube and heat in the microwave to melt butter and bouillon cubes. Pour this mixture and eggs over bread. Add sage, salt, pepper and onion powder if not using onions and croutons. Using your hands, mush it all together until well mixed. Place in a well greased casserole dish or pan. Cover. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.
If you like your stuffing soft on the inside with a crispy crust, just remove the cover for the last 15 minutes. If your dressing seems too dry, add a little milk for more moisture.
*For broth, I simmer the neck and giblets in a pan of water for an hour or two as soon as I take them out of the turkey. Then I use this water and some broth from my turkey, which has been cooking, to make my 1 1/2 cups.
If you are baking your stuffing in the turkey and can’t tell if it is done, just test with a meat thermometer and it should be 165 degrees.
Turkey Gravy
Ingredients
3-4 cups turkey juices/drippings
1/4 cup all purpose flour or cornstarch
Salt, pepper to taste
Instructions
Pour turkey juices/drippings into a saucepan. Whisk in flour. Add salt and pepper. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring once in a while until it is the right consistency.
If the gravy is too strong or you need to stretch it just a little, you can add a small amount of water. Another way I used to make turkey gravy (either way works) is to dissolve the flour in 1/2 cup of cold water and then whisk it into the turkey juices.
Make Canned Cranberry Sauce Taste Homemade
Here’s an easy cranberry sauce recipe to transform canned cranberry sauce into a delicious, homemade-tasting side dish with just a few simple additions. This quick hack will take your holiday meal up a notch—without the extra time or hassle. Perfect for any festive table, this easy upgrade brings out rich, fresh flavors that taste like you made it from scratch!
- Yield: 1 1/4 cups
Ingredients
1 (15 oz.) can jellied cranberry sauce
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. mustard
1/4 tsp. ground clove
Instructions
- Mix together all ingredients.
- Serve.
This cranberry sauce recipe is good as-is, but it also makes a great topping for ham or turkey.
The Very Best Pie Crust Recipe
Here’s mom’s famous homemade pie crust recipe which really is the VERY BEST! Super light and flaky, this pie crust is melt in your mouth delicious! Everyone raves about it! Make some extra to freeze and use later and you’ll cut your preparation time for your next pie!
- Yield: 3 pie crusts
Ingredients
3 cups all purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
1¼ cups shortening, cold
1 egg, cold
1 Tbsp. vinegar, cold
5 Tbsp. cold water
sugar
Instructions
- Mix flour, salt and 2 Tbsp. sugar in a bowl.
- Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives.
- Add egg, vinegar and 3 tablespoons water.
- Mix lightly with your hands. Don’t over mix. If the dough is too dry, add more water. Mix just until the dough sticks together.
- Divide into thirds.
- Roll out to make 3 pie crusts.
- When using the crust for the top of the pie, sprinkle sugar on top.
The crust can be frozen in slightly flattened balls and then defrosted and rolled out when ready to use. Makes 3 crusts.
Grandma’s Easy Apple Pie Recipe
Ingredients
6-7 cups of medium apples, cored, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 Tbsp. all purpose flour
2 Tbsp. butter
Instructions
- Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl except the butter.
- Microwave this filling mixture 2-3 minutes.
- Pour into the pie crust.
- Dot with chunks of the butter.
- Top with the other crust.
- Cut steam slits in the top crust.
- Sprinkle the top with sugar.
- Bake at 450° for 15 minutes.
- Then turn down to 350° and bake for 35-45 minutes, until apples are tender and juices are bubbling nicely out of the steam slits.
French Apple Pie is the same as a regular apple pie except with a different topping. To make the French topping, follow the recipe below and sprinkle it over the top of your pie instead of using a top crust.
PrintEasy French Apple Pie Topping
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
Instructions
- Mix ingredients in a small bowl until crumble-like.
- Sprinkle over the top of the apples.
- Bake as usual.
The Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Discover the secret to the perfect fall dessert with our Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe! Flaky crust, creamy pumpkin filling, and warm spices—this pie is easy to make and sure to wow your guests!
Ingredients
1 pie crust
2 eggs
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Bake pie crust for 1-2 minutes until crust starts to puff with small bubbles. Watch carefully.
- Then remove from the oven.
- Increase oven temperature to 425°
- Blend all remaining ingredients together in a bowl.
- Pour into pie crust.
- Bake at 425° for 15 minutes.
- Then turn the oven down to 350° for 45 minutes.
When a knife is inserted into the center of the pie and comes out clean, it is done. Makes one pumpkin pie.
The BEST Easy Pecan Pie
Ingredients
1 stick butter
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
dash of salt
1 1/4 cups pecans, chopped
1 (8-9 inch) unbaked pie crust
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°.
- Brown butter in a pan until golden brown. Do not burn.
- Cool.
- In a separate bowl add other ingredients in the order given.
- Mix well.
- Add cooled butter and blend well.
- Pour into pie crust.
- Bake 10 minutes at 425°.
- Then turn down oven to 325° and continue baking 40 minutes at 325°. Makes one pie.
Many of these traditional Thanksgiving recipes are in volume 1 of our cookbook:
[dining]
The BEST Baked Macaroni And Cheese Recipe!
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