Thanksgiving is making its way to our tables and the holiday’s dishes are being prepared. This means there’s no better time than now, a week away from suffering an eating-induced coma, to take a step back and rank the stars of the holiday spread. At my family’s table, the flavor profile leans mildly Midwest and fairly standard. These are the dishes that make Thanksgiving cozy, filling, and always worth a second plate.
Stuffing
A dish that requires minimal labor but delivers maximum satisfaction is stuffing. While traditional Stove Top Stuffing would satisfy the crowd, my mom’s version goes above and beyond, exceeding expectations and taking up a third of my plate. Her stuffing is perfected through bread cubes, a healthy dose of butter, and, surprisingly, apple sauce, giving it a sweet contrasting undertone to its traditionally warm flavors. Stuffing ties the meal together.
Mashed potatoes
Both a Thanksgiving classic and what you eat if you get your wisdom teeth pulled, mashed potatoes are tried and true. A close second and arguably the most versatile player on the plate, mashed potatoes are pure comfort food. Working as a blank canvas, mashed potatoes serve as a dish that stands great by itself but also complements every other dish.
Turkey tasting dry? Mix it with mashed potatoes. Vegetable tasting too healthy? Add some mashed potatoes to your bite. Mashed potatoes are a quintessential Thanksgiving plate.
Turkey
The heart of a Thanksgiving meal is usually kept simple at the table — just a classic roasted bird, basted until
golden brown.
Working as a humble centerpiece for our family, the turkey is not meant to steal the spotlight but ground the meal by balancing out the other rich sides with its traditional flavors and simple comforts.
Good on its own or slipped between layers of other Thanksgiving food, turkey is effective at delivering a simple, reliable protein.
Green bean casserole
A Thanksgiving classic that never misses the mark is green bean casserole. Creamy, crunchy, and an off-putting shade of green — it’s the perfect balance of varying textures.
Eating this dish is an easy way to get in your greens while also enjoying the best part: a generous layer of crispy fried onions. Green bean casserole is warm, delicious, and worth all the skepticism in the world.
A Perkins pie
Where practicality meets perfection. Other families bake their own pies, but every year, without fail, my aunt picks up a pie — or three or four — from Perkins.
Always pumpkin, always French silk, and never a disappointment. Yes, it’s not homemade, but it’s consistently good.
The crust is buttery, the filling rich and sweet, and by the end of the night, each pie is completely gone.
The infamous store-bought Perkins pies serve as a simple reminder that it’s OK to take shortcuts when the result still brings everyone together and satisfies a sweet tooth.
No matter which dish is your favorite, these five are must haves at every table.