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? ›

Classic Stuffing

When it comes to the big Thanksgiving feast, we consider the roast turkey and the sweet potato casserole as sides to the STUFFING. A good stuffing makes or breaks Thanksgiving dinner, and this one will absolutely make your holiday meal all the better.

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

Classic Stuffing

When it comes to the big Thanksgiving feast, we consider the roast turkey and the sweet potato casserole as sides to the STUFFING. A good stuffing makes or breaks Thanksgiving dinner, and this one will absolutely make your holiday meal all the better.

What does Ina Garten eat every day? ›

Not just any old oatmeal will do when it comes to the Barefoot Contessa. "I've had the same thing for breakfast every single day for ten years: coffee and McCann's quick-cooking Irish oatmeal," Garten told Bon Appétit in a 2017 article. And her love of the stuff is well-documented.

What is the least favorite side dish for Thanksgiving? ›

According to the poll by Tastes Better from Scratch, green bean casserole and sweet potato casserole were the least-liked Thanksgiving side dishes.

What is a complete list of Thanksgiving dishes? ›

Traditional Thanksgiving Menu with Recipes
  • 01 of 11. Turkey. The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck. ...
  • 02 of 11. Stuffings and Dressings. The Spruce / Diana Rattray. ...
  • 03 of 11. Mashed Potatoes. ...
  • 04 of 11. Turkey Gravy. ...
  • 05 of 11. Cranberry Sauce. ...
  • 06 of 11. Sweet Potato and Yam Sides. ...
  • 07 of 11. Vegetable Sides (Cooked) ...
  • 08 of 11. Salads.
Mar 15, 2024

What is the most important meal on Thanksgiving? ›

Turkey. Some would say a turkey is the most important food item at the table. A turkey is the center of the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. In fact, 88 percent of Americans eat Turkey on Thanksgiving, with 46 million Turkeys eaten on the holiday.

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

However, unlike the general populous who may turn to delivery or microwaving leftovers, she prefers to make something that is quick and ready straight out of the oven: Enter, the roast chicken. At its core, roast chicken is an extremely simple affair, involving very little prep time while producing excellent results.

What is Ina Garten most famous for? ›

She is host of the Food Network program Barefoot Contessa, and was a former staff member of the Office of Management and Budget. Among her dishes are Perfect Roast Chicken, Weeknight Bolognese, French Apple Tart, and a simplified version of beef bourguignon.

What fast food restaurant does Ina Garten like? ›

Ina Garten says In-N-Out Burger is the only fast food restaurant she'll visit. And for good reason!

What is the most unpopular Thanksgiving food? ›

The Most Disliked Traditional Thanksgiving Foods
  • Ham — 25.57%
  • Coleslaw — 25.57%
  • Pumpkin Pie — 24.28%
  • Mashed Potatoes — 18.66%
  • Macaroni and Cheese — 17.47%
  • Carrots — 16.98%
  • Apple Pie — 16.29%
  • Corn — 15.50%
Nov 21, 2023

What is the least eaten food on Thanksgiving? ›

For the third year in a row, cranberry sauce takes the cake as the least favorite Thanksgiving food.

What is America's favorite Thanksgiving side dish? ›

In a survey among U.S. consumers 76 percent of respondents stated that stuffing/dressing was a side dish they enjoyed eating during Thanksgiving, followed by mashed potatoes with 71 percent of the votes. Mashed potatoes were the most picked side dish.

What do most people serve for Thanksgiving dinner? ›

At Thanksgiving dinner, turkey is served with a variety of side dishes which can vary from traditional, such as mashed potatoes, stuffing, and cranberry sauce, to ones that reflect regional or cultural heritage.

What side dishes can I make ahead for Thanksgiving? ›

Best Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Side Dishes
  • Make-Ahead Green Bean Casserole. ...
  • Sweet Potatoes in Orange Cups. ...
  • Make-Ahead Potato Crescent Rolls. ...
  • Make-Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole. ...
  • Creamy Cranberry Salad. ...
  • Double Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese. ...
  • Green Bean and Quinoa Salad with Maple Citrus Dressing. ...
  • Fruit & Nut Brussels Sprouts Slaw.
Nov 21, 2023

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