Serious Eats / Morgan Hunt Glaze
As someone who doesn’t have family in the US beyond two cousins, my Thanksgivings tend to be either a small family affair or intimate Friendsgivings. That also means a full turkey or a sprawling lineup of sides doesn’t always make sense.
So I’ve learned to rely on recipes, like these eight shared below, that do make sense for a smaller table. They’re special enough for the holiday, but not so big that I’m drowning in leftovers.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
A beautifully roasted chicken is ideal when you want the feel of a Thanksgiving centerpiece without committing to a full turkey. This version delivers crisp skin and juicy meat thanks to a simple dry-brining step and high-heat roasting. It’s straightforward, reliable, and impressive enough to…
Serious Eats / Morgan Hunt Glaze
As someone who doesn’t have family in the US beyond two cousins, my Thanksgivings tend to be either a small family affair or intimate Friendsgivings. That also means a full turkey or a sprawling lineup of sides doesn’t always make sense.
So I’ve learned to rely on recipes, like these eight shared below, that do make sense for a smaller table. They’re special enough for the holiday, but not so big that I’m drowning in leftovers.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
A beautifully roasted chicken is ideal when you want the feel of a Thanksgiving centerpiece without committing to a full turkey. This version delivers crisp skin and juicy meat thanks to a simple dry-brining step and high-heat roasting. It’s straightforward, reliable, and impressive enough to anchor a small holiday table.
Vicky Wasik
If you want a small Thanksgiving main that feels festive but completely different from the usual roast turkey, this ssam-style version is perfect. A dry brine and cinnamon-spiced butter give the turkey breast deeply browned skin and flavorful drippings, which get turned into a sweet jujube relish. Roasted squash gets blended into a vibrant ssamjang that’s spicy, savory, and just a little sweet—your stand-in for gravy and cranberry sauce. Serve everything with crisp lettuce leaves for wrapping, and you’ve got a fun, interactive main that brings big holiday energy without the whole turkey.
Serious Eats / Morgan Hunt Glaze
Mashed potatoes are nonnegotiable for me on Thanksgiving, no matter how small the gathering is. This recipe keeps them light and fluffy by rinsing off excess starch both before and after cooking, which prevents them from turning gluey. Passing the potatoes through a ricer gives you a perfectly smooth base, and gently folding in butter and warm milk creates a rich, airy finish. Simple to make, but absolutely essential.
Serious Eats / Diana Chistruga
This classic French side is simple but feels elegant on a small Thanksgiving table. Blanching the green beans in salted water keeps them crisp-tender and bright, and an ice bath stops the cooking so they don’t turn dull or mushy. The almonds get deeply toasted in butter—developing flavor without burning—before garlic, shallots, lemon juice, and a splash of water come together into a glossy brown-butter sauce. Toss everything together for green beans that are nutty, vibrant, and just rich enough to stand alongside the holiday favorites.
Continue to 5 of 8 below
Serious Eats / Mateja Zvirotic Andrijanic
These Brussels sprouts hit all the right notes for a small Thanksgiving table: salty, sweet, nutty, and deeply caramelized. The pecans get toasted first, then the bacon roasts on its own, rendering plenty of flavorful fat. The sprouts are tossed directly on the sheet pan with that bacon fat, plus olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roasted until crisp-edged and tender. A quick maple–balsamic dressing ties everything together before the chopped bacon and pecans go on top.
J. Kenji Lopez-Alt
A smaller Thanksgiving also usually means fewer helping hands in the kitchen, which is when easy, low-effort recipes really earn their place on the table. These cream biscuits come together with just self-rising flour and heavy cream—no cutting butter, no fussing with dough. They bake up tender, light, and golden in minutes, making them the perfect last-minute bread option when you don’t want to overextend yourself.
Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
I love cranberry sauce. It’s always the brightest thing on the table, the one truly vibrant pop of color, and its tartness cuts through all the rich gravy, turkey thighs, and buttery mashed potatoes. This version couldn’t be simpler: Cranberries are naturally high in pectin, so they gel on their own as they simmer with sugar and a little water. You can keep it classic or add orange zest or a cinnamon stick if you want something a little warmer. It also keeps beautifully in the fridge, which makes it the easiest make-ahead side for a small Thanksgiving.
Serious Eats / Debbie Wee
For smaller Thanksgivings, I like to stick to one good dessert instead of a whole spread, and these hand pies are perfect for that. The warmly spiced apple filling makes them feel holiday-appropriate, and precooking it keeps the centers neat instead of soupy. They’re easy to serve, easy to pack up, and ideal for sending guests home with a treat to enjoy with their coffee the next day.