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Thanksgiving dinner planner

Turkey and gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, rolls and two pies, timed so everything lands hot at once.

10 people · Thursday, November 26 · served at 4:00 pm · start cooking at 9:26 am on the day (plus the day before)

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Everything fits: 1 oven and 4 burners are enough for this plan.

Thaw the turkey

Frozen? Move the 10 to 12 lb whole turkey to the refrigerator by the morning of Monday, November 23 (3 days before). USDA advises about 24 hours of fridge thawing for every 4 to 5 pounds, in a refrigerator at 40°F or colder, and never on the counter. A thawed turkey keeps 1 to 2 days in the fridge before cooking.

Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, "Let's Talk Turkey".

Cooking timeline

Worked back from serving time using each recipe's own steps and timers. Step links open the recipe at that step.

Days ahead: your make-ahead plan

Dishes ticked "Make it ahead" go on the day before, and up to 3 days before when a day already holds about 3 hours of work and the dish keeps (its own storage note says how long).

  1. Monday, November 23 (3 days before)

  2. Tuesday, November 24 (2 days before)

  3. The day before: Wednesday, November 25

  4. On the day: Thursday, November 26

Could also be made ahead: Mashed Potatoes (up to 2 days), Dinner Rolls (up to 3 days). Tick "Make it ahead" to move it.

What the recipes say you can do ahead

Make-ahead notes from the recipes

Up to 5 days ahead (from Sat, Nov 21)

Up to 3 days ahead (from Mon, Nov 23)

  • Roast Turkey: If it's frozen, move the 10 to 12 lb whole turkey to the fridge (40°F or colder) by the morning of Monday, November 23. USDA: allow about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds; never thaw it on the counter.
  • Roast Turkey: Make the herb butter up to 3 days ahead; soften it at room temperature before using.
  • Turkey Gravy: Make the no-drippings version up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. On the day, rewarm it in a saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking, and stir in any juices from the turkey pan.
  • Herb Stuffing: Dry the bread up to 3 days ahead and store airtight. Assemble without the eggs and broth up to 1 day ahead; add them just before baking.

Up to 2 days ahead (from Tue, Nov 24)

  • Mashed Potatoes: Make up to 2 days ahead, cool and refrigerate. Reheat covered in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 30 to 40 minutes with a splash of milk, stirring once, or keep warm in a slow cooker on WARM for up to 2 hours.

A day ahead (Wed, Nov 25)

  • Roast Turkey: For seasoned meat all the way through, dry-brine: salt the bird 1 to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it uncovered; skip the salt on roasting day. (optional)
  • Green Bean Casserole: Assemble without the fried onions up to 1 day ahead, cover and refrigerate. Bake it cold, covered, for 20 minutes, uncover and bake about 15 minutes more until bubbling, then add the topping and finish as written.
  • Dinner Rolls: After shaping, cover the pan and refrigerate up to 18 hours. Let the rolls sit out about 1 hour to puff, then bake. Baked rolls freeze up to 2 months.
  • Pumpkin Pie: Bake a day ahead and refrigerate. Let it sit out 30 minutes before serving if you like it less cold.
  • Apple Pie: Dough disks keep 2 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen. The baked pie can be made a day ahead.

Tuesday, November 24 (2 days before)

  1. Cranberry SauceStovetop: step 1, about 2 min
  2. Cranberry SauceSimmer, 20 min (step 3)
  3. Cranberry SauceCool, 1 hr (step 5)

The day before: Wednesday, November 25

  1. Pumpkin PieChill dough, 45 min (step 1)
  2. Apple PiePrep: steps 1–2, about 22 min
  3. Apple PieChill dough, 1 hr (step 3)
  4. Pumpkin PiePrep: steps 3–4, about 30 min
  5. Pumpkin PieHeat the oven to 425°F
  6. Pumpkin PieBake hot at 425°F, 15 min (step 5)
  7. Pumpkin PieBake at 350°F, 40 min (step 6)
  8. Apple PiePrep: step 4, about 9 min
  9. Apple PiePrep: steps 6–8, about 28 min
  10. Pumpkin PieCool, 2 hr (step 7)
  11. Apple PieHeat the oven to 425°F
  12. Apple PieBake hot at 425°F, 20 min (step 10)
  13. Apple PieBake at 375°F, 45 min (step 11)
  14. Apple PieCool, 4 hr (step 12)
  15. Pumpkin PieChill, 2 hr (step 8)

Morning of Thursday, November 26

  1. Dinner RollsPrep: step 1, about 4 min
  2. Dinner RollsMix, 2 min (step 2)
  3. Dinner RollsKnead, 7 min (step 3)
  4. Dinner RollsFirst rise, 1 hr 15 min (step 4)
  5. Herb StuffingHeat the oven to 250°F
  6. Herb StuffingDry bread at 250°F, 40 min (step 1)
  7. Herb StuffingSoften veggies, 8 min (step 3)
  8. Herb StuffingHerbs, 1 min (step 4)
  9. Herb StuffingPrep: steps 5–6, about 30 min
  10. Dinner RollsPrep: steps 5–7, about 15 min
  11. Herb StuffingHeat the oven to 350°F
  12. Dinner RollsSecond rise, 45 min (step 8)
  13. Herb StuffingBake covered at 350°F, 30 min (step 7)
  14. Dinner RollsHeat the oven to 375°F
  15. Herb StuffingBake uncovered at 350°F, 25 min (step 8)
  16. Dinner RollsBake at 375°F, 22 min (step 10)

Hour by hour

  1. Roast TurkeyPrep: steps 2–7, about 26 min
  2. Herb StuffingReady 3 hr 45 min early: cool it, then cover and refrigerate until it reheats
  3. Dinner RollsPrep: step 11, about 4 min
  4. Roast TurkeyHeat the oven to 425°F
  5. Dinner RollsReady 3 hr 30 min early: it waits happily at room temperature
  6. Roast TurkeyRoast at 425°F, 30 min (step 8)
  7. Roast TurkeyRoast at 325°F, 2 hr (step 9)
  8. Green Bean CasseroleStovetop: step 2, about 12 min
  9. Green Bean CasseroleBlanch beans, 5 min (step 3)
  10. Green Bean CasserolePrep: step 4, about 6 min
  11. Green Bean CasseroleBrown mushrooms, 8 min (step 5)
  12. Green Bean CasseroleSoften onion, 4 min (step 6)
  13. Roast TurkeyCheck again at 325°F, 15 min (step 10)
  14. Green Bean CasseroleCook flour, 1 min (step 7)
  15. Green Bean CasserolePrep: step 8, about 5 min
  16. Green Bean CasseroleHeat the oven to 350°F
  17. Mashed PotatoesPrep: step 1, about 5 min
  18. Green Bean CasseroleThicken sauce, 5 min (step 9)
  19. Mashed PotatoesSimmer, 28 min (step 2)
  20. Green Bean CasseroleStovetop: step 10, about 7 min
  21. Roast TurkeyRest, 35 min (step 11)
  22. Green Bean CasseroleBake at 350°F, 20 min (step 11)
  23. Turkey GravyDeglaze pan, 3 min (step 4)
  24. Turkey GravyCook roux, 3 min (step 7)
  25. Turkey GravySimmer gravy, 18 min (step 9)
  26. Herb StuffingReheat at 350°F (covered), about 20 min
  27. Mashed PotatoesDry potatoes, 2 min (step 4)
  28. Green Bean CasseroleBake topping at 350°F, 7 min (step 12)
  29. Mashed PotatoesPrep: steps 5–6, about 10 min
  30. Roast TurkeyPrep: step 12, about 3 min
  31. EveryoneDinner is served
  32. EveryoneLeftovers in the fridge by now (2-hour rule)

How much to make for 10 people

Change "People" above and every dish, batch and the shopping list follow. So do the 2 desserts; every side and bread is made for everyone.

DishServingsBatchesMakesSpare
Roast TurkeyMain10110 to 12 lbabout 1.2 lb a person, bone and all–
Turkey GravySide101122
Herb StuffingSide101100
Mashed PotatoesSide101100
Green Bean CasseroleSide101100
Cranberry SauceSide101½122
Dinner RollsBread101155
Pumpkin PieDessert5of 10, shared183
Apple PieDessert5of 10, shared183

Oven schedule and stovetop

One row per dish, from its own temperatures and times. An oven holds 2 racks; dishes within 25°F can share it (the plan says which temperature to keep), anything else that overlaps is flagged.

The oven on the day

9 am10 am11 am12 pm1 pm2 pm3 pm4 pm Herb Stuffing250°F→350°FDinner Rolls375°FRoast Turkey425°F→325°FGreen Bean Casserole350°FHerb Stuffing (reheat)350°F
The oven on the day
WhenDishOvenRacksStatus
9:46 am–12:15 pmHerb Stuffing250°F, then 350°F1 of 2Shares the oven. With Dinner Rolls; see the notes.
11:39 am–12:16 pmDinner Rolls375°F1 of 2Shares the oven. With Herb Stuffing; see the notes.
12:22 pm–3:22 pmRoast Turkey425°F, then 325°F2 of 2Shares the oven. With Green Bean Casserole; see the notes.
3:13 pm–3:55 pmGreen Bean Casserole350°F1 of 2Shares the oven. With Roast Turkey; see the notes.
3:40 pm–4:00 pmHerb Stuffing (reheat)350°F1 of 2Fits

Busiest stovetop moment: 3 burners at 3:21 pm (you have 4).

  • Roast Turkey: USDA's roasting timetable gives a 10 to 12 lb unstuffed turkey 2¾ to 3 hours at 325°F, so the plan roasts it 2 hr 45 min in all. Go by the thermometer: 165°F.
  • Herb Stuffing is cooked earlier and reheated (350°F, about 20 min), as the recipe suggests, to free the oven.
  • Around 11:54 am, Dinner Rolls (written for 375°F) shares the oven with Herb Stuffing at 350°F. Leave the oven at 350°F and check Dinner Rolls a few minutes later than the recipe says.

Food safety

  • Roast Turkey: 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and the innermost thigh, not touching bone.
  • Herb Stuffing: 165°F in the center.
  • Keep hot food at 140°F or hotter and cold food at 40°F or colder; food shouldn't sit out more than 2 hours.
  • Reheat leftovers to 165°F. Most leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge.

Safe temperatures follow the USDA safe minimum internal temperature chart. Check with an instant-read thermometer.

Shopping list

42 items, merged across the menu, scaled to your headcount and rounded up.

Produce

  • Classic Double-Crust Apple Pie
  • Classic Herb Bread Stuffing
  • From-Scratch Green Bean Casserole
  • Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
  • Orange-Ginger Cranberry Sauce
  • Orange-Ginger Cranberry Sauce
  • Classic Herb Bread Stuffing
  • Herb-Butter Roast Turkey
  • Herb-Butter Roast Turkey, Classic Herb Bread Stuffing
  • Herb-Butter Roast Turkey
  • Herb-Butter Roast Turkey, Turkey Gravy from Pan Drippings, Classic Herb Bread Stuffing
  • Herb-Butter Roast Turkey, Classic Herb Bread Stuffing, From-Scratch Green Bean Casserole
  • From-Scratch Green Bean Casserole
  • Herb-Butter Roast Turkey
  • Classic Double-Crust Apple Pie
  • Herb-Butter Roast Turkey
  • Classic Herb Bread Stuffing
  • Herb-Butter Roast Turkey, From-Scratch Green Bean Casserole
  • Orange-Ginger Cranberry Sauce
  • Orange-Ginger Cranberry Sauce
  • Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Dairy and eggs

  • Classic Herb Bread Stuffing, Soft Buttery Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls, Silky Classic Pumpkin Pie, Classic Double-Crust Apple Pie
  • From-Scratch Green Bean Casserole
  • Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes, From-Scratch Green Bean Casserole, Soft Buttery Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls
  • Herb-Butter Roast Turkey, Turkey Gravy from Pan Drippings, Classic Herb Bread Stuffing, Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes, From-Scratch Green Bean Casserole, Soft Buttery Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls, Silky Classic Pumpkin Pie, Classic Double-Crust Apple Pie

Meat and seafood

  • Herb-Butter Roast Turkey

Bakery

  • Classic Herb Bread Stuffing

Pantry

  • Turkey Gravy from Pan Drippings, From-Scratch Green Bean Casserole, Soft Buttery Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls, Silky Classic Pumpkin Pie, Classic Double-Crust Apple Pie
  • Herb-Butter Roast Turkey, Turkey Gravy from Pan Drippings, Classic Herb Bread Stuffing, From-Scratch Green Bean Casserole
  • Classic Double-Crust Apple Pie
  • From-Scratch Green Bean Casserole
  • Silky Classic Pumpkin Pie
  • Orange-Ginger Cranberry Sauce, Soft Buttery Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls, Silky Classic Pumpkin Pie, Classic Double-Crust Apple Pie
  • Soft Buttery Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls
  • Silky Classic Pumpkin Pie, Classic Double-Crust Apple Pie
  • Silky Classic Pumpkin Pie

Spices

  • Silky Classic Pumpkin Pie, Classic Double-Crust Apple Pie
  • Orange-Ginger Cranberry Sauce
  • Silky Classic Pumpkin Pie
  • Silky Classic Pumpkin Pie
  • From-Scratch Green Bean Casserole, Silky Classic Pumpkin Pie, Classic Double-Crust Apple Pie
  • Silky Classic Pumpkin Pie
Already have it? (6)
  • Herb-Butter Roast Turkey, Turkey Gravy from Pan Drippings, Classic Herb Bread Stuffing, Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes, From-Scratch Green Bean Casserole
  • Soft Buttery Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls
  • From-Scratch Green Bean Casserole
  • Herb-Butter Roast Turkey, Classic Herb Bread Stuffing, Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes, From-Scratch Green Bean Casserole, Soft Buttery Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls, Silky Classic Pumpkin Pie, Classic Double-Crust Apple Pie, Turkey Gravy from Pan Drippings
  • Orange-Ginger Cranberry Sauce
  • Orange-Ginger Cranberry Sauce, Soft Buttery Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls, Silky Classic Pumpkin Pie, Classic Double-Crust Apple Pie
How the plan is worked out
  • Mains and desserts are shared: two pies for 10 people means each pie serves about half. Every side and bread serves everyone, so expect leftovers.
  • Batches round up (whole batches for baked things). A big roast is one piece scaled by weight; a whole turkey's roasting time follows USDA's timetable for its weight.
  • An oven holds 2 racks: a roasting pan fills it, sheet pans take a rack each and baking dishes go two to a rack. Dishes within 25°F of each other can share an oven.
  • Hot sides finish within 30 minutes of dinner (longer when the recipe says it keeps warm); breads, desserts and cold dishes can finish any time that day. When a dish doesn't fit near dinner and its recipe says how to reheat it, it's cooked earlier and reheated.
  • Untimed steps share the recipe's prep time; ovens get 15 minutes to heat. Real kitchens vary, so check doneness as each recipe says.