Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Meal

Eliminate Thanksgiving stress with this make-ahead menu, which features recipes for every course—from Deviled Eggs to Make-Ahead Roast Turkey and Gravy to Pumpkin-Praline Pie—that can be made well in advance of the big day.

Make-Ahead Roast Turkey and Gravy

Restaurant kitchens manage the bustle of Thanksgiving dinner by cooking the turkey on Wednesday. Could we adapt that method for the home cook?
Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are prone to greenish-colored yolks and sulfurous odors. Our tests uncovered what causes the problem and how you can make perfect deviled eggs every time.
Stuffed Mushrooms

So many stuffed mushroom recipes produce soggy and bland results. We wondered how to get flavorful, firm-yet-tender mushrooms that could be made ahead of time.
Bread Stuffing

Stuffing cooked inside a turkey benefits from the flavor and moisture of the drippings. We wanted to find a way to rich, moist, "meaty" stuffing cooked outside the turkey.
Make-Ahead Green Bean Casserole

Pulling a green bean casserole from the freezer sounds great around the holidays, but not if the beans are spent and the sauce is watery.
Fluffy Make-Ahead Dinner Rolls

We wondered if we could make fresh, homemade dinner rolls ahead of time, freeze them, and still have them bake up fluffy and delicious.
Slow-Cooker Scalloped Potatoes

Come holiday time, the oven is prime real estate. So we asked another appliance to lend a hand.
Cranberry-Glazed Carrots

Cranberries give these roasted carrots a festive, sweet kick.
Pumpkin-Praline Pie

What's not to like about a pie that combines the familiar spiced custard of a pumpkin pie with the praline-like chew of a pecan pie? We set out to create a recipe that yielded crunchy praline, sturdy pumpkin custard, and just the right sweetness.
Make-Ahead Apple Cobbler

We knew that a freezer-friendly cobbler would save time and trouble on Thanksgiving. We didn't expect the road that it took to get there.