Classic Thanksgiving Main Dish Recipes (2024)

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by Stacey Published: Nov 4, 2023

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This week’s recipe collection features classic Thanksgiving main dish recipes to make your celebrations easy and delicious!There’s a little something for everyone– from hams to turkey, prime rib to tantalizing stuffed tenderloin. It doesn’t matter if you’re serving a small crowd, a large one, or need a last minute solution for unexpected guests. Everything you need is right here!

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Each Thanksgiving main dish recipe included here delivers a mouthwateringly tender, perfectly seasoned and simple-to-make protein that is sure to make your holiday spread your most delicious yet. Holiday success has never been so appetizing!

For More Holiday Yum: 7 Must-Make Holiday Fruit Salads

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Classic Thanksgiving Main Dish Recipes (3)

Southern Pecan Crusted Ham

Easy Southern Pecan Crusted Ham is as delicious as it is gorgeous! This showstopping stunner bakes up golden brown with a rich brown sugar, molasses, apple juice glaze and buttery pecan crust. Savory, sweet and holiday perfect, you won’t believe how easy it is to bake up this amazing ham!

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Creole Roasted Turkey Breast

Coated with simple creole seasoning & butter, then roasted with fresh herbs & touch of citrus, bone-in Creole Roasted Turkey Breasts are deliciously tender, juicy & full of savory flavor! Perfect for holidays when you’re feeding a smaller crowd or maybe need just a little extra for unexpected guests.

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Holiday Prime Rib

Prime rib is the choicest of beef cuts.Rich, tender, elegant– but still the utmost of traditional family dishes– it harkens back to the golden days of those large family Sunday dinners. So come holiday time, prime rib might just be that perfect traditional, but unexpected, main dish you’ve been looking for to grace your family table.

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Bacon, Cranberries, Walnuts, and Collards Stuffed Tenderloin

In this stuffed pork tenderloin recipe, juicy roasted tenderloin wraps around a seasonal filling of bacon, collard greens and walnuts combined with cranberries and goat cheese to create a beautiful holiday and special occasions dish that looks fancy but is so easy to make!

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Pineapple Mustard Glazed Ham

Beautifully glazed hams have taken center stage atholidays for as long as anyone can remember. Keeping with this star-powered tradition, thisPineapple Mustard Glazed Hamrecipe with its golden coat ofpineapple, mustards, brown sugar and horseradishoffers a kick of flavor that will soon become your go-to favorite!

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Southern Pecan Chicken

This gorgeous dish was Inspired by a visit to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. Crusted with pecans and rosemary and covered in a delicious Dijon glaze and sauce, this mouthwateringly elegant chicken says special occasion, but is surprisingly quick & easy to whip up. But shhh… we’ll let that part be our little secret!

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The Perfect Peppered Pork Loin

This easy-to-follow Pepper Crusted Pork Tenderloin recipe uses a simple, wonderfully aromatic cracked peppercorn rub, plus Dijon mustard, to create a delightful main dish that is perfect for family meals or holiday dinners. First, seared in a cast iron skillet to seal in the juices then baked in an oven, this Perfect Pepper Crusted Pork Loin is melt in your mouth tender with a fiery little pepper kick!

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Classic Southern Pot Roast

Nothing says Sunday dinner like a fork tender, classic Southern Pot Roast recipe. Cooked low and slow with beef broth, red wine, savory seasonings, aromatic herbs and plenty of dinner vegetables, this traditional comfort food has been gathering friends and families around the dinner table for more years than we can count!

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Chicken Stuffed Crescent Rolls

This recipe speaks for itself- buttery, flaky crescent rolls, stuffed with a cream cheese and chicken filling and smothered in a cheesy cream sauce. In short,Chicken Stuffed Crescent Rollsare quite simply divine. There are one or two other versions of this recipe floating around the Internet, but there is nothing that comes close to this onemy mamawbrought home from her little Louisiana beauty shop. Yes, the beauty shop. The source from which everything flows in a small southern town. The latest in style, class, local news, wisdom and, for all practical purposes, some of the best recipes that have ever been swapped. All done under dryer and cape. Those ladies knew their stuff and then some.

Classic Thanksgiving Main Dish Recipes (12)

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Southern Discourse is a place where you can find southern family dishes, along with special recipes & table settings. Bringing connection & friendship back to the table by wrapping everything in the faith & grace from which true hospitality springs! Read More

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Classic Thanksgiving Main Dish Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are the classic Thanksgiving dishes? ›

The classic Thanksgiving dinner includes old-time favorites that never change: turkey, gravy, stuffing, potatoes, veggies, and pie.

What is the most common main dish for Thanksgiving dinner? ›

There's no doubt that a big, roasted Thanksgiving turkey is the centerpiece of any holiday dinner. But that doesn't mean there isn't room at the table for other main courses, too.

What are the 10 traditional Thanksgiving foods? ›

Here are our favorite traditional Thanksgiving dishes that are delicious and easy to make.
  • Creamy Mashed Potatoes. Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Serves: Up to 4 people. ...
  • Stuffing. ...
  • Green Bean Casserole. ...
  • Sweet Potato Casserole. ...
  • Baked Corn. ...
  • Mac and cheese. ...
  • Peas & Water Chestnuts. ...
  • Fresh Rolls.
Oct 28, 2021

What are the 12 most popular Thanksgiving dishes? ›

Scroll through to take a look at our most popular Thanksgiving recipes.
  • 01 of 24. Perfect Turkey. ...
  • 02 of 24. Roasted Brussels Sprouts. ...
  • 03 of 24. Cranberry Sauce. ...
  • 04 of 24. Homemade Mac and Cheese. ...
  • 05 of 24. Sweet Potato Pie. ...
  • 06 of 24. Granny Kat's Pumpkin Roll. ...
  • 07 of 24. Slow Cooker Turkey Breast. ...
  • 08 of 24. Cream Corn Like No Other.
Oct 26, 2023

What is a classic simple Thanksgiving menu? ›

Roast turkey, easy gravy, green bean gratin, bright cranberry sauce, creamy potatoes and two kinds of stuffing (vegan or not) plus three stellar pies — whether you make one or all, these are holiday recipes you can always rely on.

What are 3 main foods on Thanksgiving? ›

My brother's birthday is November 26, so we usually celebrate it while the family is together for Thanksgiving. Traditional Thanksgiving foods include roast turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. These dishes often vary by region and family traditions.

What was the original Thanksgiving dinner? ›

So, to the question “What did the Pilgrims eat for Thanksgiving,” the answer is both surprising and expected. Turkey (probably), venison, seafood, and all of the vegetables that they had planted and harvested that year—onions, carrots, beans, spinach, lettuce, and other greens.

What is a true Thanksgiving dinner? ›

Traditional Thanksgiving dinner includes turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes but the First Thanksgiving likely included wildfowl, corn, porridge and venison.

What is the most loved Thanksgiving food? ›

THE BIRD. About 3 in 10 U.S. adults (32%) who will celebrate Thanksgiving this year say turkey is their favorite dish in the holiday feast, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Stuffing or dressing (19%) and mashed potatoes (6%) come in second and third.

What is the least favorite Thanksgiving food? ›

"For the third year in a row, cranberry sauce takes first place as the most disliked traditional Thanksgiving food. Over 31% of respondents, 82 million American adults, do not want cranberry sauce for their Thanksgiving dinner.

What was at the original Thanksgiving dinner? ›

So, to the question “What did the Pilgrims eat for Thanksgiving,” the answer is both surprising and expected. Turkey (probably), venison, seafood, and all of the vegetables that they had planted and harvested that year—onions, carrots, beans, spinach, lettuce, and other greens.

What is served at a black Thanksgiving dinner? ›

This is usually a mix of traditional Thanksgiving food and Black culture. You'll see the classic Thanksgiving dishes like turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing paired with collard greens, yams, mac and cheese, and other traditional Black dishes.

What should a guest bring to Thanksgiving? ›

Here are a couple of suggestions:
  • Flowers (arranged in a vase or container)
  • Cornucopia.
  • Box of chocolates.
  • Box of teas.
  • Gourmet treats like specialty cheeses, jam containers, crackers or a beautifully packaged gourmet gift basket.
  • Wine.
  • Holiday drink mix.
  • Book.
Nov 16, 2023

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