Ina Garten's Top 10 Thanksgiving Recipes of All Time (2024)

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Lauren Masur

Lauren Masur

Lauren was the Groceries Editor for Kitchn.

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updated Nov 22, 2023

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For those of you looking for a one-stop shop for all the recipes to include on your Thanksgiving table, look no further than this roundup of Ina Garten’s 10 most popular Turkey Day recipes. Our food team even gave a few of them a test drive, and SPOILER ALERT: Not a single one disappoints. It’s what we’ve come to expect from Ina, but a reminder every now and then can’t hurt.

So without further ado, here’s a list of the best Ina Thanksgiving recipes — and why you should make them.

If Ina’s roast turkey is anything like her roast chicken, it’s the stuff of legends. Her Thanksgiving bird is seasoned liberally (of course) with salt and pepper; stuffed with thyme, halved lemons, quartered onions, and garlic; and then brushed with a dreamy, zesty, herby butter mixture. We tested out the recipe ourselves, and it delivered on all its promises.

Read more: I Tried Ina Garten’s Perfect Roast Turkey (and Brine)

This Thanksgiving essential is next-level, thanks to an entire stick of butter, yummy sourdough bread cubes, diced Granny Smith apples, and Italian sausage. Make your life a little easier and make it ahead.

We are officially riding the Ina Garten gravy train. Her secret ingredients? Cognac and white wine — and of course onions, butter, flour, turkey drippings, and chicken stock. I can’t wait to pour this into my mashed potato volcano.

Speaking of mashed potato volcanoes, there’s no one that makes ’em better than Ina. They’re luscious, rich, and have a hint of tang, thanks to the addition of sour cream. Our Associate Food Editor Kelli Foster tested out the recipe and rated it a 10 out of 10. She said “If I could eat just one mashed potato recipe for the rest of my life, it would be Ina’s.”

Read more: I Tried Ina Garten’s Classic Mashed Potatoes

It’s pretty much impossible to cook an entire Thanksgiving spread in just one day, so consider lightening your load and preparing a few things in advance. (Ina’s an expert on this.) Cranberry sauce is a great make-ahead option, since you can pop it in the fridge when it’s done. Ina’s sauce is perfect for those who prefer tart over sweet, since it’s made with both lemon and orange juice and zest.

Don’t swap out regular mashed potatoes for Ina’s smashed sweet potatoes just yet — because you’re going to want BOTH. Ina’s sweet potatoes are baked to perfection, mixed in with orange juice, cream, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, then baked again until heated through.

Ina’s pumpkin pie is topped with rum whipped cream. I repeat, RUM WHIPPED CREAM, made with “good dark rum, such as Mount Gay.” Is it time for dessert yet?

Out of all of the green bean recipes that our food team tested these past few weeks, Ina’s won out by a mile. According to Assistant Food Editor, Sheela Prakash, this recipe might sound fancy, but it’s actually super straightforward and only takes 20 minutes to prepare. “They also looked the most impressive and tasted the best — the garlicky gremolata made them downright irresistible.

Read more: I Tried Ina Garten’s Green Beans Gremolata

You heard it here first: Ina Garten’s Perfect Pie Crust delivers on all of its promises. If you’re intimidated by homemade pie crust, don’t be — Ina breaks it down so that even a beginner baker will feel confident in the process. Associate Editor Meghan Splawn tested the crust out herself and agrees that this crust reigns supreme.

Read more: Who Wins the Title of “Best Pie Crust Ever”?

Your guests are likely split down the middle in terms of pumpkin versus apple pie preferences, so it’s wise to have both in the mix. Fans of Ina’s deep-dish apple pie call it “the best apple pie recipe ever.” In Ina we trust.

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Ina Garten's Top 10 Thanksgiving Recipes of All Time (2024)

FAQs

Ina Garten's Top 10 Thanksgiving Recipes of All Time? ›

The one meal Ina simply couldn't live without is roast chicken. She even cites it as one of the reasons her husband, Jeffrey, proposed marriage in 1968.

What is Ina Garten's favorite dinner? ›

The one meal Ina simply couldn't live without is roast chicken. She even cites it as one of the reasons her husband, Jeffrey, proposed marriage in 1968.

What is the key ingredient to a perfect Thanksgiving Day dinner? ›

I think if we're all honest, we know that Thanksgiving is mostly about the starches. Mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, fresh-baked rolls – these are the true heroes of the meal, and there will be a lot of them on the table, which is totally fine.

How many dishes to make for Thanksgiving dinner? ›

How many dishes should I serve with the turkey? For 4 people, choose 1-2 appetizers and 3 sides. For 8 people, choose 1-3 appetizers and 3 sides. For 16 people, choose 2-3 appetizers and 3 or more sides.

What is the simplest dish in the world to cook according to Ina Garten? ›

The Simplest Dish In The World To Make, According To Ina Garten. After testing recipes for various projects all day, Ina Garten prefers to make something simple, quick, and ready straight out of the oven. Her favored dish is roast chicken. To make a roast chicken, preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

What food does Julia Child cook? ›

As the original queen of French cooking, Julia Child's beloved French recipes—from boeuf bourguignon to spatchco*cked, wine-basted chicken—stand the test of time as show-stopping dinner party mains, and her desserts are in a league of their own.

What are the 3 most popular food dishes served on Thanksgiving? ›

The 10 Most Popular Thanksgiving Dishes
  • Roast turkey. We've already filled you in on how to carve a turkey like a chef. ...
  • Stuffing. Good stuffing is key to a successful Thanksgiving dinner. ...
  • Mashed potatoes. ...
  • Green bean casserole. ...
  • Corn casserole. ...
  • Sweet potato casserole. ...
  • Honey-glazed Brussels sprouts. ...
  • Cranberry sauce.
Nov 2, 2022

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 the most important food on a Thanksgiving table? ›

A Thanksgiving meal is not complete until the turkey is on the table. Turkeys are large, so we get it, but they don't have to be intimidating. The one thing you can do to ensure a bird that stays juicy and doesn't dry out in the oven: Brine it! Get the Dry Brine Turkey recipe.

How many sides should a Thanksgiving dinner have? ›

Your Thanksgiving menu can have as many sides as you want/need to feed your guests and meet any dietary requirements. According to this article: For sides like mashed potatoes and stuffing, you should have at least one dish for every five people and at least two dishes for 10 people or more.

What should I cook first on Thanksgiving Day? ›

Since it's the main event, the turkey should be the first dish you start cooking in the morning. "The resting process is an absolutely imperative part of the cooking process," Holzman said. Many people overcook their turkeys in the oven and overlook letting them rest, rendering the final product dry and rubbery.

What do most people cook on Thanksgiving? ›

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

What is the main meal for most Americans on Thanksgiving? ›

Turkey is the most common main dish of a Thanksgiving dinner, to the point that Thanksgiving is sometimes colloquially called "Turkey Day." Alexander Hamilton proclaimed that "no citizen of the United States should refrain from turkey on Thanksgiving Day", and Benjamin Franklin had high regard for the wild turkey as an ...

What is the classic Thanksgiving menu? ›

A Traditional American Thanksgiving Dinner Menu
  • 01 of 12. A Simply Perfect Roast Turkey. ...
  • 02 of 12. The Best Turkey Gravy. ...
  • 03 of 12. Grandma's Cornbread Dressing. ...
  • 04 of 12. Baked Ham. ...
  • 05 of 12. Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes. ...
  • 06 of 12. Best Green Bean Casserole. ...
  • 07 of 12. Creamy au Gratin Potatoes. ...
  • 08 of 12.
Oct 18, 2023

What brand of dishes does Ina Garten use? ›

If you're looking for a Barefoot Contessa-approved set, check out the Maison pattern from Crate and Barrel, a mainstay Ina has said she owns over the years. Another, pricier option is the White Dinnerware set from Pillivuyt, a French brand Ina recommends for serving ware as well.

What president did Ina Garten cook for? ›

Did you know Ina Garten used to work at the White House? The celebrity chef and queen of the coastal grandmother aesthetic worked in the Office of Management and Budget during the Ford and Carter administrations.

What kind of work does Ina Garten's husband do? ›

Currently, Jeffrey serves as the Dean Emeritus at the Yale School of Management and teaches courses on the global economy. According to his faculty page, prior to joining Yale, he worked for multiple White House administrations, served in the U.S. Army Special Forces and was a managing director on Wall Street.

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