EASY THANKSGIVING DISHES


Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to pump the brakes, switch off, and enjoy sharing an over-the-top meal that you and your loved ones will never forget. But with great holiday power comes great responsibility -- which is why a lot of home cooks really feel the heat when they’re trying to put together the perfect Thanksgiving dinner. Don’t stress. Plating up on Turkey Day doesn’t have to be difficult.

All you need is the right equipment, solid ingredients, a dash of holiday spirit, and a handful of easy Thanksgiving dishes you can knock out without breaking a sweat. Fortunately, you have plenty of choices when it comes to simple Thanksgiving recipes, and there are loads of seasonal classics you can serve to your hungry guests.

WHAT DO YOU SERVE WITH THANKSGIVING DINNER?


Thanksgiving dinner revolves around turkey, but you should always have a few more choices on the table. That said, there are a handful of easy, foundational dishes no Thanksgiving dinner is complete without. Our recommendations are:

• Mashed potatoes
• Cranberry sauce
• Green bean casserole
• Pumpkin pie
• Stuffing

HOW MANY SIDES SHOULD THANKSGIVING DINNER HAVE?


Your classic Thanksgiving dinner should have a minimum of four sides. The total number of dishes you plate up alongside your smoked turkey depends on your appetite and how many people you’ve got coming over for the holiday.

But hey, don’t let volume stress you out. You’ve totally got this, and to help you get started our grill experts have rounded up some fool-proof Thanksgiving recipes that will have your family and friends scraping their plates and begging for more.

So, what are you waiting for? Fire up your Traeger. It’s time to conquer Thanksgiving the easy way.

EASY THANKSGIVING APPETISERS


Some super easy Thanksgiving appetisers are:

• Smoked Deviled Eggs
• Homemade Onion Dip
• Prosciutto Wrapped Dates with Marcona Almonds

Smoked Deviled Eggs
The unique flavour comes from smoking cooked eggs on your Traeger. After that, just combine the traditional deviled egg flavors everyone already loves.


Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Difficulty Level: 2/5

Main Ingredients: Hard-boiled eggs

Pantry Ingredients: Mayonnaise, chives, brown mustard, apple cider vinegar, hot sauce, salt, pepper, bacon crumbles, paprika

Smoking wood: Hickory

See Smoked Deviled Eggs Recipe (coming soon)

HOMEMADE ONION DIP
Caramelize onions on your Traeger with some savoury flavours, then combine with sour cream. The result? A delectable, smoky dip that will keep your guests happy.


Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 45 minutes

Serves: 8-12

Difficulty Level: 1/5

Main Ingredients: Sweet onions, sour cream, cream cheese

Pantry Ingredients: Butter, vegetable oil, sugar, garlic salt, black pepper, thyme, beef bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, bourbon, chives

Smoking wood: Hickory

See Homemade Onion Dip Recipe (coming soon)

PROSCIUTTO WRAPPED DARES WITH MARCONA ALMONDS
The flavour blast from salty prosciutto and sweet dates ticks all the boxes. A quick sear on the grill, plus lime zest and a few drops of honey, takes it to another level.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

Serves: 8-12

Difficulty Level: 1/5

Main Ingredients: Medjool dates, prosciutto, Marcona almonds

Pantry Ingredients: Extra-virgin olive oil, limes, honey, flake salt

Smoking wood: Oak

See Prosciutto Wrapped Dates with Marcona Almonds Recipe (Coming Soon)

EASY THANKSGIVING SIDE DISHES


Our top ideas for easy Thanksgiving side dishes are:
• Turkey Gravy
• Sweet Potato Casserole
• Green Bean Casserole
• Stuffing
• Cranberry Sauce

These are your five foundational sides, and they’re all Thanksgiving plate essentials. You can knock all of these easy Thanksgiving sides out of the park with minimal prep and no fuss.

To spice things up, we’ve got a couple different options and flavours for you to play around with for all five basic sides.

MAKE AHEAD TURKEY GRAVY RECIPES
Some time-saving ways to make turkey gravy ahead of time are:

• Homemade Turkey Gravy
• Ultimate Scratch Gravy

HOMEMADE TURKEY GRAVY
Featuring roasted turkey neck and veggies as the base for rich, wood-fired flavour, it only takes 20 minutes to prep and three hours to cook.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 3 hours

Serves: 8-12

Difficulty Level: 3/5

Main Ingredients: Turkey neck, chicken stock

Pantry Ingredients: Onions, carrots, celery, thyme, garlic, flour, butter, kosher salt, cracked black pepper

Smoking wood: Apple

See Homemade Turkey Gravy Recipe (Coming Soon)

ULTIMATE SCRATCH GRAVY
It’s got everything a stellar gravy needs – from roasted vegetables, garlic, and bay leaves, to peppercorns, parsley, and thyme. But we’re only talking about 20 minutes of actual work.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 10 hours

Serves: 8-12

Difficulty Level: 4/5

Main Ingredients: Turkey bones, chicken bones, chicken feet

Pantry Ingredients: Olive oil, carrots, onion, garlic, celery, bay leaves, black peppercorns, cider vinegar, parsley, thyme

Smoking wood: Pecan

See Ultimate Scratch Gravy Recipe (Coming Soon)

EASY SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE
Our best recipes for easy sweet potato casserole are:

• Sweet Potato Marshmallow Casserole

• Smoked Sweet Potato Soufflé

SWEET POTATO MARSHMELLEO CASSEROLE
One of the easiest Thanksgiving side dishes in terms of prep. This take on traditional candied yams calls for just 10 minutes of actual work

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 65 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Difficulty Level: 2/5

Main Ingredients: Sweet potatoes, mini marshmallows

Pantry Ingredients: Butter, brown sugar, vanilla, kosher salt, black pepper

Smoking wood: Pecan

See Sweet Potato Marshmallow Casserole Recipe (Coming Soon)

SMOKED SWEET POTATO SOUFFLE
Takes a bit more mixing, but still just 30 minutes of prep. The final product is light as air, and you can add toasted pecans and a few fresh sprigs of thyme for a flavour boost.

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 90 minutes

Serves: 4-6

Difficulty Level: 3/5

Main Ingredients: Sweet potatoes

Pantry Ingredients: Brown sugar, Traeger Smoked Simple Syrup, heavy cream, vanilla extract, thyme, Traeger Chicken Rub, butter, eggs, pecans, light brown sugar, flour,salt, bourbon.

Smoking wood: Hickory

See Smoked Sweet Potato Soufflé Recipe (Coming Soon)

EASY GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE
Two quick and easy green bean casserole recipes are:

• Bacon Green Bean Casserole

• Green Bean Casserole Circa 1955

BACON GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE
A spoonful of bacon makes the vegetables go down smoother, and we’re literally only talking about 5 minutes of prep, here.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Difficulty Level: 2/5

Main Ingredients: Green beans, French fried onions, red bell pepper, bacon

Pantry Ingredients: Cream of mushroom soup, milk, Worcestershire sauce, ground black pepper

Smoking wood: Pecan

See Bacon Green Bean Casserole Recipe (Coming Soon)