Fuss-Free Last Minute Thanksgiving Dinner (6 Easy Recipes)

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It's the day before Thanksgiving and your original plans fell through. Or
maybe you just decided this morning that you want to host after all.
Either way—you've got this.

Fuss-free thanksgiving dinner spread with roasted turkey legs, baked mac and cheese, and garlic green beans — A complete last-minute Thanksgiving dinner with turkey legs, mac and cheese, and garlic green beans.

Why This Fuss-Free Last Minute Thanksgiving Dinner Works

Here's the truth about a last minute Thanksgiving dinner: it doesn't have to be complicated to feel special. What makes Thanksgiving memorable isn't a picture-perfect tablescape or a 17-dish spread—it's gathering around good food with people you love.

This simple menu includes everything you need for a complete Thanksgiving meal: tender turkey legs, creamy mashed potatoes, garlicky green beans, rich mac and cheese, tart cranberry sauce, and golden herb butter to tie it all together. Each recipe uses straightforward techniques and ingredients you likely already have.

The best part? You can pull this entire meal together with minimal prep,
minimal fuss, and maximum flavor.

Why You'll Love This Last Minute Thanksgiving Menu

Everything comes together fast. No brining overnight or 6-hour roasts here. These recipes respect your time while still delivering on flavor.
Simple ingredients you probably have. No hunting down specialty items the day before Thanksgiving. Just good, honest cooking.
Scales up or down easily. Cooking for four or fourteen? These recipes adjust without drama.
Each dish holds well. Real talk—timing multiple dishes on Thanksgiving is stressful. These recipes stay delicious even if everything doesn't hit the table at the exact same moment.
Leftovers are just as good. Tomorrow's turkey leg sandwich? Already looking forward to it.

Turkey Legs

These turkey legs are the main event—crispy-skinned, juicy, and way easier than wrestling with a whole bird. They roast in about an hour and everyone gets their own portion. No carving required.

Air Fryer Turkey Drumsticks (Brined & Buttery)

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Rich, buttery mashed potatoes that taste like you spent all day on them (you didn't). The secret is all in the technique—and yes, butter.

Herb Mashed Potatoes Recipe (Creamy & Flavorful)

Herb Butter

This compound butter does double duty: it's perfect for the turkey and transforms everything else on the table. Make a double batch—you'll want it for tomorrow's bread too.

Easy Herb Butter Recipe with Roasted Garlic

Garlic Green Beans

Tender-crisp green beans with just enough garlic to make them interesting. Ready in 15 minutes using the covered-pan method that works every single time.

Tender Garlic Green Beans (No Fuss Side)

Baked Mac & Cheese

Creamy, cheesy, with that golden top everyone fights over. This mac and cheese is comfort food at its finest—and it's easier than you'd expect.

Creamy Four Cheese Mac & Cheese

Cranberry Sauce

Homemade cranberry sauce that takes 15 minutes and tastes infinitely better than anything from a can. Make it the day before if you want one less thing on your plate.

Cranberry Sauce with Orange & Herbs

sherisse's Recipe Notes

A few tips from my kitchen to yours:

Start with the cranberry sauce. It needs time to chill anyway, and getting it done first frees up your stove and your headspace..
The turkey legs and mac and cheese can overlap in the oven. Check your oven temps and plan accordingly—or stagger them if needed.
Don't skip the herb butter. It seems like an extra step, but it adds so much to this menu. Make it first thing and let it soften while you prep everything else.
Give yourself permission to use shortcuts. Pre-peeled potatoes from the produce section? Absolutely valid. Pre-cut green beans? No judgment here.
Save that bacon fat. After you remove the cooked bacon, you should have about 2-3 tablespoons of rendered fat in the pan - perfect for sautéing the vegetables. If you have less, add a tablespoon of butter or olive oil.

Did you make this recipe?

I'd love to see your last-minute Thanksgiving spread! Tag me @homeandfed on Instagram and use #homeandfed so I can find you. Your table doesn't have to be perfect—it just has to be yours.

Tag @HOMEANDFED on INSTA

FAQ

Yes! The cranberry sauce actually tastes better made a day ahead—the flavors develop overnight. The herb butter can be made up to a week in advance and refrigerated. Mashed potatoes can be made a few hours early and kept warm in a slow cooker with a splash of cream.

From start to table, expect about 2-2.5 hours if you work efficiently. The turkey legs take the longest (about an hour in the oven - even less in an air fryer), so start there. Everything else works around that timing. The green beans and herb butter come together quickly at the end.

Absolutely, but it will significantly increase your cooking time. Turkey legs are perfect for last-minute meals because they cook faster and everyone gets a portion. If you do use a whole bird, plan for about 3-4 hours cooking time depending on size.

Each recipe includes substitution options, but here's the quick version: no fresh herbs for the butter? Dried work fine. No fresh green beans? Frozen are perfectly acceptable. No gruyere for the mac? Use all cheddar. Thanksgiving is about flexibility, not perfection.

As written, this menu serves about 6-8 people comfortably. Each recipe can be easily doubled for larger gatherings. For smaller groups of 4 or less, you might scale the mac and cheese and mashed potatoes down by half.

Here's my recommended timeline: Start with cranberry sauce (it needs to cool). Make the herb butter next. Prep and start the turkey legs. While those roast, make the mashed potatoes and start the mac and cheese. The green beans go last since they only take 15 minutes.

The turkey legs can rest covered with foil for 15-20 minutes. Mashed potatoes stay warm in a covered pot or slow cooker. Mac and cheese holds in a 200°F oven covered with foil. Green beans are best served immediately, so make them last.

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

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Fuss-Free Last Minute Thanksgiving Dinner (6 Easy Recipes)

Why This Fuss-Free Last Minute Thanksgiving Dinner Works