First-Time Thanksgiving Hosts, Here’s a Menu for You

To start, whet guests’ appetites with something that’s creamy, salty, tangy and slightly spicy—but not so heavy they won’t have room for the whole meal. To make this even easier, purchase pickled peppers at the store and slice them yourself. You can even prepare the toast ahead.

For your very first turkey, aim for elegant simplicity. This turkey is minimalist perfection: buttery and crispy on the outside with a succulent interior.

Gravy seems like a simple dish—and it mostly is—but it can be a bit of a stressor when you’ve never made it before and the pressure’s on to make it happen as the turkey’s coming out of the oven. Prevent that kind of stress by leaning on our Turkey Gravy Base, which allows you to make the dish ahead.

Potatoes are a classic. Ease the pressure to compete with everybody’s mother’s mashed potatoes by serving a smashed version instead. Bonus: No ricer, food mill or masher needed!

This is one of our most popular recipes of all time, and for good reason: It’s beautiful and delicious. Wrapping the bacon around the beans is gratifying kitchen task; employ little helpers in the kitchen if you have them.

Crunchy Bread Dressing with Bacon and Leeks

Whether you call it dressing or stuffing, you’ll agree on this: our crunchy version with bacon and leeks is delicious. It’s also infinitely adaptable based on what you have: use onions in place of leeks, ham in place of bacon, and so forth.

If you just make one dessert, ensure it’s a classic, like this pumpkin pie. Pie novices, take note: You can make the dough and partially bake the pie shell in advance.