When you plan on making Thanksgiving dinner, you cannot afford to compromise the recipes. On the contrary, it is your job to ensure that even Thanksgiving side dishes are of the highest quality. To ensure your friends and family members become your favorite fans, we have rounded up 10 easy Thanksgiving recipes to help you make the best of the day. 

Regardless of whether you are planning a traditional Thanksgiving menu with the classics—turkey, savory green bean casserole, and homemade cranberry sauce — or experimenting with new takes on your family’s traditions, you will need some ideas to get started. Fortunately, our 10 most popular Thanksgiving recipes will cover you. A collection of feast-worthy eats—appetizers and soups to begin your meal, Turkey and side dishes to round out the meal, and desserts to top it off — will provide you with everything you need to host the perfect holiday meal. 

1. Juicy Mayo Roasted Turkey 

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon paprika, 11/2 cups of mayonnaise, four teaspoons dried parsley, two teaspoons garlic powder, two teaspoons dried thyme, two teaspoons ground sage, one teaspoon hot sauce, kosher salt and evenly ground black pepper, one ten-twelve pounds turkey, one medium onion quartered, several sprigs fresh herbs such as thyme, parsley, rosemary, and sage, and two Bay leaves. 

Adjust the rack to the lowest position in your oven and heat to 325°F. Arrange a roasting rack in a large roasting pan. 

Stir together the paprika, mayonnaise, dried parsley, garlic powder, dried thyme, ground sage, hot sauce, 2 tablespoons of salt, and 2 teaspoons of black pepper in a medium bowl, then set aside. 

Remove any turkey parts from the breast cavities and the neck and set aside for other uses if required. Fully drag the bird through paper towels, inside and out, and rub the mayonnaise mixture all over the turkey, making it as smooth as possible to ensure even browning. Stuff the onion, garlic, herb sprigs, and bay leaves into the cavity. 

Set the bird aside on the prepared roasting rack and cover it with foil. 

Roast the turkey for 120 minutes, then remove the foil and increase the oven temperature to 425° F. Add a cup of water to the pan to prevent the drippings from burning and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer registers 165° F in the thigh. You can let the turkey rest for about 20 minutes before carving. Strain the pan drippings to serve them on the side or reserve and blend them into a gravy for extra flavor. 

Get the recipe here. 

2. Sweet Potato Casserole 

In the South, the love for sweet potatoes runs deep. Sweet potato casserole is the #1 – our audience expects to see on Thanksgiving tables, and we understand why. The comforting combination of mashed sweet potatoes, brown sugar, butter, and a thick layer of pillowy-soft marshmallows complements any holiday meal. Let us inform you that the sweet potato casserole is a side dish, as we intend to serve a sweet potato pie for dessert as well. 

Click here for the recipe of this dish. 

3. Canned Cranberry Juice 

People in the south love spending hours in the kitchen perfecting their Thanksgiving meals from scratch, and the only shortcut they are willing to take is opening a can of cranberry sauce. They specifically prefer Ocean Spray jellied cranberry sauce with this smooth/firm texture and the right level of tartness that has earned it a permanent spot on the holiday menu. Of course, many people prefer to make it, and if you appreciate the homemade version, we respect your feelings. 

Click here for smooth, firmly cranberry sauce. 

4. Cornbread Dressing 

If you grew up in a different region, you might consider this side dish as stuffing, but in the South, it is called dressing. We are confident you will unanimously agree that dressing inevitably tastes better when cornbread is involved. Cornbread dressing is a Southern specialty with American origins, dating back to the early 1900s, when African Americans developed the dish using leftover bread or grains and seasonings. After that, it has evolved with a hearty blend of cornmeal, breadcrumbs, and sauteed vegetables, making Thanksgiving spread incomplete without this dish. 

Get the recipe here. 

5. Giblet Gravy 

Apart from setting up a sumptuous table on Thanksgiving Day, Southerners are also famous for being resourceful in the kitchen. Therefore, when the little bag of giblets is present inside most turkeys, our southern friends use them without discarding them. The giblets, usually the heart, liver, gizzard, and neck, help make the best gravy. Some Southerners even add hard-boiled eggs to the recipe. When the time comes to pour the gravy over your dressing, Turkey, and mashed potatoes, it is pure comfort on your plate. 

Click here for the recipe. 

6. Deviled Eggs 

You will likely find this classic side dish at every function in the South at any time of the year, and Thanksgiving is no exception. Deviled eggs are absolutely Southern, and the first known printed recipe appeared in a publication in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1877. The Southerners love them for their versatility. Regardless of whether you stick to the classic recipe or use fun variations, they are always the first thing to go. You can consider yourself lucky if they last until it is time to bless the food. 

Get the recipe here. 

7. Green Bean Casserole 

We are aware that everyone loves green bean casserole. Although the dish did not originate in the South, Southerners recognize a good casserole when they see one. They wasted no time adopting this easy-to-make dish—a combination of cream of mushroom soup, green beans, and French-fried onions — into their holiday menus. After several decades, Southerners think the green bean casserole is here to stay. 

Get the recipe here. 

8. Collard Greens 

Southerners love their greens, and collard greens have been a staple for centuries, nourishing the body as well as the soul. We are all aware that slow-cooked collard greens once sustained the lives of African Americans for generations. Currently, they remain a Southern staple, simmered low and slow with ham hocks, bacon, or smoked turkey. When it comes to Thanksgiving, many Southerners save themselves a spot right next to the turkey and the dressing. 

Get the recipe here. 

9. Oyster Dressing 

This dish will likely catch many of you by surprise, but according to Southerners, oysters of any kind are embraced at the Thanksgiving table. Oyster dressing, also called Oyster casserole, is one recipe Southerners choose as it is made with mushrooms, buttery breadcrumbs, juicy oysters, and the Holy Trinity of green bell peppers, onions, and celery. If you haven’t tried oyster dressing yet, don’t wait—because it might become the newest addition to your holiday side dish. 

Click here for the recipe. 

10.  Mac and cheese 

Mac and cheese mean different things to different people. However, it is one of the best Southern Thanksgiving sides and comfort food. The South’s soulful take on this holiday dish, nationally beloved for its creamy, flavorful, and satisfyingly crunchy top, provides numerous variations. As long as you use at least two freshly grated cheese varieties and bake them until it is golden brown, you will be living up to Southern standards. 

Get the recipe here. 

With Thanksgiving just over a month away, you will undoubtedly want a good set of recipes for vegetarian dishes or quick sides to satisfy your family and friends. While vegetarian dishes may not find favor with other recipes on the table, you may have the odd one out who prefers greens instead of meat, even on Thanksgiving Day. Perhaps if you start working soon enough, you may even prepare some make-ahead sides for your Thanksgiving party.