Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes and Tips

Vegetable soups can be easily frozen if they don’t have cream or eggs, making them an excellent do-ahead appetizer. The warm curry flavor in Ina’s butternut squash soup will still be nicely preserved when you reheat just before serving. For an extra jump-start, cube the onions and squash ahead of time.

Cross cranberry sauce off your to-do list early by making it ahead and then freezing it. Our straightforward recipe is easy to pull together with a few simple ingredients, and the citrus will give your sauce a fresh zing, even after reheating on the stove.

Planning to make a pumpkin pie? Make your cust in advance with Aaron Sanchez’s fail-safe recipe. It can be rolled out and frozen in advance — and will actually benefit from some freezing time. Chilling the dough will give it more flakiness and flavor, in addition to giving you more valuable kitchen time.

Brining is a simple, hands-off way to infuse your turkey with flavor before it even hits the oven. Anne’s recipe maximizes flavor (but minimizes prep) by having the turkey sit in the no-cook apple cider brine for 2 to 3 days.

Dicing your squash ahead of time will make assembling Ina’s warm fall salad a snap.

With just some herbs and olive oil, this side from Giada highlights the taste and texture of root vegetables. Cut up your veggies two days ahead, and then let the oven do all the work right before serving.

Finish most of your prep work early for this comforting side by boiling and mashing your sweet potatoes a day ahead. Let them come up to room temperature before using, and then you’re just about ready to start baking.

Letting the pie sit overnight makes Ree’s version of this classic a natural do-ahead dessert. Cool the pie on the countertop before refrigerating, and then let the pie come to room temperature the next day before serving.