Simple and Rustic Thanksgiving Dinner for a Small Gathering
Eliminate that holiday dinner stress with these delicious, simple, and rustic dishes, most of them perfect for making ahead. This means more time enjoying the food and company on the day—and less time in the kitchen!
We all hope for simple and stress-free holidays. Simplifying traditional dishes and choosing ones that can be prepped days ahead of time will eliminate that stress and ensure your Thanksgiving leaves you feeling, well, thankful. You might even spend more time at the table with family than you do in the kitchen!
The best part? You can use the leftovers to make a delicious leftover soup that contains all those Thanksgiving flavours that can be enjoyed the next day and the day after that.
Start off your dinner with an appetizer of earthy, creamy truffle hummus. A little truffle oil brings this simple hummus to a new and luxurious level that your guests are going to love. The smoked paprika is a perfect pairing for the earthy mushroom. Top with some sautéed mushrooms to make it feel extra holiday special.
Stay traditional and go with turkey for your Thanksgiving dinner, but simplify things with these bite-size meatballs. Though small, they pack a punch of big flavours to rival any main attraction. Paired with a tart cranberry sauce and loaded with warm spices, this dish allows you to ditch the big bird this Thanksgiving. Bonus? You can freeze your extra meatballs to enjoy at a later date.
Here, we’re creating a traditional dish with a twist by ditching the boring old bread of typical stuffings and replacing it with the ancient grain barley. It’s still going to provide that familiar density, and it’s a great option for gluten-free diets. This next-level stuffing is plant based, but mushrooms and fennel add a delicious meatiness.
The vegetables and mustard do most of the heavy lifting in this side dish with very few—flavour-packed—ingredients. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness, grainy mustard provides tangy zing, and crunchy, crispy edges add a smoky element that will leave you wanting more of this deceptively simple side dish.
Chelsea Gough is a Vancouver-based recipe developer, stylist, and proud mom of two girls. She is a lover of good food, good times, and beautiful spaces. Reach her at rawstylebychels@gmail.com
