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You have been invited to Friendsgiving (or you are just becoming a member of the fam for the getaway), but one question stays: What tasty dish are you likely to carry? Don’t worry, good friend: We located 40 festive Thanksgiving potluck suggestions that are just ideal for the event. No matter whether the vibe is stylish or much more of a casserole-casual affair, these appetizers, sides and desserts are confirmed to gain more than the group (which includes your persnickety Aunt Sandy). Even far better, our picks are easy to make ahead, transportation and reheat.
63 Non-Classic Thanksgiving Supper Concepts (Mainly because Not All people Loves Turkey)
Casseroles, Gratins and Travel-Friendly Pans
Picture: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour, 20 minutes
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Why We Appreciate It: child-welcoming, group-pleaser, specific occasion–worthy, make in advance
If you’re only in cost of generating 1 dish, why not go all out with intricate phyllo rosettes? They search much more intricate than they are and taste like a heavenly Parmesan breadcrumb.
Kelly Marshall/Sunday Very best
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Time Commitment: 1 hour, 10 minutes
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Why We Enjoy It: vegetarian, special occasion–worthy
Some issues are just much better with cheese, butter and a bubbly breadcrumb crust. But superior news: The gratin club is not exclusive, and humble cabbage is joining the team. Make this dish in progress and reheat it in the oven once you arrive at your destination.
Katherine Gillen
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Time Dedication: 1 hour, 30 minutes
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Why We Really like It: vegetarian, distinctive occasion–worthy, one particular pan
Sweet, spiced and eye-catching, this aspect dish would be just as delicious with a different winter season squash in area of butternut. Check out delicata—it does not even call for peeling.
Photograph: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Determination: 1 hour, 10 minutes
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Why We Really like It: group-pleaser, specific event-worthy
Speaking of winter season squash, this lovely gratin is like a a little bit much healthier version of the common potato dish. Parsnips, sweet potatoes and squash stand in for the normal spuds, but there is continue to a good deal of cheese to go around.
Image: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Motivation: 1 hour, 15 minutes
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Why We Really like It: crowd-pleaser, exclusive occasion–worthy, vegetarian, <500 calories
Behold, two cruciferous veggies working together in cheesy harmony. What could be tastier than that? (Only the fact that you can easily transport this dish and bake it upon arrival.)
Quentin Bacon/Cook Like a Pro
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Time Commitment: 50 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, make ahead
You can’t bring Ina Garten to the Thanksgiving potluck, but you can bring her elegant mini vegetable gratins. If you don’t have individual serving dishes, just bake it in one and increase the cooking time.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour, 10 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, low sugar
Why are these potatoes the best, you ask? Well, they’re impossibly creamy and comforting, plus they taste even better if you make them ahead of time. Experiment with different cheeses if you’re feeling feisty.
Nisha Vora
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Time Commitment: 1 hour, 25 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegan, gluten free, make ahead
It’s a known fact that vegans don’t get enough love at the Turkey Day table, but this plant-based casserole can help. It even does double duty as a side dish or a main.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour, 10 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
Two types of cheese, one beloved vegetable and zero problems. A pinch of nutmeg makes this one extra cozy.
Salads, Appetizers and Sides
Katherine Gillen
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Time Commitment: 15 minutes
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Why We Love It: no cook, make ahead, <15 minutes
So often the salad options at Thanksgiving are lacking. This crunchy number is a refreshing change of pace to all the creamy goodness, and since it’s made with cabbage, it can be assembled in advance.
Nicole Franzen/To the Last Bite
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Time Commitment: 10 minutes
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Why We Love It: ready in <15 minutes, beginner-friendly, make ahead
That half bag of celery in your crisper drawer isn’t going to cook itself. Instead, transform it into this surprising salad that’s equal parts crisp and rich, thanks to a sherry vinaigrette.
Aran Goyoaga
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Time Commitment: 45 minutes
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Why We Love It: make ahead, dairy free, gluten free
Once you bring pine nut cream to the celebration, you’ll have a standing invitation for every year to come. This hearty salad can be served warm or at room temperature if you need to free up the oven.
Ana Cuba/The Modern Cook’s Year
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Time Commitment: 25 minutes
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Why We Love It: ready in <30 minutes, make ahead, no cook
The dressing is based on the rich flavors of a Caesar salad dressing, but uses nuts and seeds as a dairy-free base. Even better, if you dress the greens ahead of time, it gives them time to become tender.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour, 5 minutes
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Why We Love It: <10 minutes, make ahead, dairy free
The jewel-like persimmons and homemade frizzled onions will put last year’s bagged salad to shame. Bonus: It’s made with just ten ingredients.
Katherine Gillen
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Time Commitment: 15 minutes
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Why We Love It: no cook, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
It’s not a party unless there are appetizers. Fact. Assign yourself the cheese board and you’ll be the talk of the soiree, especially if it includes this effortless black pepper–honey brie.
Melina Hammer/A Year at Catbird Cottage
This work of art can be made up to three days in advance and stored in the fridge. Just refresh it in the oven or toaster before serving to revive its flaky crust.
Jacqui Melville/Apple
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Time Commitment: 55 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, make ahead
These cuties are as versatile as they are delectable. You can either bake them as individual tarts or as one large tart, in which case just roll out the puff pastry into a rectangle.
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Aran Goyoaga
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Time Commitment: 50 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegan, make ahead
Homemade aioli is sort of magical. If you don’t have time to make it from scratch while you roast the veg, you can just as easily start with high-quality, store-bought mayonnaise.
Katherine Gillen
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Time Commitment: 1 hour, 45 minutes
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Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
Roasted, stuffed or pureed into soup, we’ll eat winter squash any way you make it. And if you wrap it in a golden, flaky crust with some melted cheese, we’re ready to marry the final dish. Slice it into thin slivers for one crowd-pleasing appetizer.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 15 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <15 minutes, make ahead
These savory nuts take 15 minutes to make and will disappear by the handful, so yeah, we’d say doubling the recipe is a no-brainer decision.
Katherine Gillen
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Time Commitment: 45 minutes
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Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser
Even if you’re not assembling the charcuterie platter this Thanksgiving, odds are it’ll be in attendance. Bring this bacon jam to serve on the side, and suddenly you’re a holiday hero.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 15 minutes
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Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, make ahead, crowd-pleaser, <15 minutes
Hello, most ingenious potato recipe of all time. These spuds are so foolproof, you don’t even need boiling water to make them (and you can refrigerate them for up to a day).
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Aran Goyoaga
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Time Commitment: 35 minutes
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Why We Love It: make ahead, vegan, gluten free
A creamy salad dressing is far superior to all others, but bottled ranch isn’t going to cut it on Thanksgiving. This cashew dressing is just the thing to balance the bitter radicchio and tart apples, and no one will guess that it’s vegan.
Photo: Jon Cospito/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 25 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, <30 minutes, vegetarian
Think of these pimento-cheese-stuffed shishito peppers as a trendy, classed-up version of jalapeño poppers. They’re spicy, festive finger food at its finest.
Katherine Gillen
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Time Commitment: 35 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, make ahead
Want to know a secret? Everyone attending the dinner wishes there were pigs in a blanket involved. That’s where you (and these savory bites) come in.
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour, 20 minutes
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Why We Love It: one pan, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
Skip the sad, bagged dinner rolls and make this simple, one-skillet cornbread instead. It’s best served at room temperature, so bake it and let it cool before you even think about getting in the car.
Photo: Mark Weinberg/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour, 20 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion–worthy
Feta tart? We’ll bite… It’s a little bit sweet, a little bit salty and extremely delicious, plus it features a press-in crust that even beginner bakers can make.
Taylor Peden and Jen Munk/Cook This Book
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Time Commitment: 35 minutes
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Why We Love It: make ahead, <10 ingredients, vegetarian
Normally we’d advise against bringing a green veg side to a potluck, since it’s best served piping hot. But these green beans flip the script: They’re served chilled, so you can make them days in advance.
Desserts and Sweet Treats
Photo: Christine Han/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour, 50 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion–worthy
Let someone else handle the pumpkin you’re in charge of this custardy, spiced dessert. It’s basically a type of sugar pie, which just means it’s thickened with flour instead of eggs and is impossible to mess up.
Photo: Jon Cospito/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 45 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead
Want a dessert that looks impressive but is ready to go in under an hour? These itty-bitty pies will do the trick.
Photo: Matt Dutile/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour, 5 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion–worthy
If a spiced pumpkin pie and a fluffy angel food cake had a delicious baby, it would be this pumpkin dessert. The cream cheese glaze is just gilding the lily.
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 55 minutes
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Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
A sheet pan cake that’s ready in less than an hour will always beat out a complicated pie recipe. (Sorry to all the gorgeous lattice crusts out there.) Plus, who can deny that tangy, sweet apple cider frosting?
Colin Price/Dinner Then Dessert
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Time Commitment: 4 hours, 25 minutes (includes chilling)
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Why We Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
Whether you forgot to make dessert or save room for dessert, these impossibly simple, just-rich-enough truffles have your back.
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Aran Goyoaga
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Time Commitment: 1 hour, 10 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegan, gluten free, make ahead
This stunning tart already features cinnamon in the filling, but you can add other warming spices such as cardamom, nutmeg or orange zest to take it up a notch.
Katherine Gillen
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Time Commitment: 45 minutes
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Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, make ahead
Kids and adults alike won’t be able to resist a soft pumpkin cookie. Make them even better with the classic black-and-white frosting treatment.
Katherine Gillen
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Time Commitment: 6 hours, 30 minutes (includes chilling time)
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Why We Love It: no cook, make ahead, crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
Other than the chill time, this layered custard is a breeze to make, plus it requires no fussing with a cooked custard and is laced with booze.
Katherine Gillen
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Time Commitment: 55 minutes
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Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
Go ahead, make these cookies up to five (!) days ahead. Then pat yourself on the back for being so prepared for the Thanksgiving chaos.
Katherine Gillen
We’ve never met a snickerdoodle we didn’t like, and these caramel-stuffed cookies are no exception. (Of course, you could leave the caramel out…but why?)
Katherine Gillen
Haven’t you heard? Pie is out and brownies are in. We’re totally kidding, but these bites start with a boxed mix and taste like you spent hours in the kitchen, so you could make a case for the argument.
Katherine Gillen
Store-bought frozen puff pastry is the secret to making these bite-size pies look totally profesh with minimal effort on your part. Bring vanilla ice cream along and you’ll really win Thanksgiving.
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