Southern Thanksgiving Menu: Appetizers, Side Dishes, and More

Beef

Intro

A Southern Thanksgiving menu brings bold flavors, comforting textures, and treasured classics to the holiday table. This collection of recipes covers appetizers, main courses, side dishes, and desserts with clear ingredient lists, step-by-step instructions, make-ahead tips, and timing guidance so cooks of all levels can deliver an unforgettable Southern feast.

Appetizers

Beef Bacon Wrapped Dates with Pecans

Yield: 24 pieces | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 24 Medjool dates, pitted
  • 12 slices thick-cut beef bacon, halved
  • 24 toasted pecan halves
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with foil.
  2. Stuff each date with a toasted pecan half.
  3. Wrap each stuffed date with a half slice of beef bacon, secure with a toothpick.
  4. Arrange on prepared sheet. Brush lightly with maple syrup and apple cider vinegar mixture.
  5. Bake 18–20 minutes until beef bacon is crisp, rotating once.
  6. Drain briefly on paper towels and serve warm.

Make-ahead tip: Prepare and wrap ahead, refrigerate on a tray covered with plastic wrap up to 24 hours. Bake just before serving.

Southern Pimento Cheese Spread

Yield: about 3 cups | Prep time: 15 minutes | No cook

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded
  • 1 cup Monterey Jack or Colby, finely shredded
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup diced pimentos, drained
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Fold together cheeses, mayonnaise, pimentos, green onion, and Dijon.
  2. Season with cayenne, salt, and pepper. Adjust mayonnaise for spreadability.
  3. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Serve with crackers, celery sticks, or toasted bread.

Fried Green Tomatoes with Buttermilk Ranch

Yield: 12 slices | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 medium green tomatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thick
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

  1. Soak tomato slices in buttermilk for 10 minutes.
  2. Combine flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish.
  3. Heat 1/2 inch oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  4. Dredge tomato slices, shake off excess, fry 2–3 minutes per side until golden.
  5. Drain on paper towels and serve with ranch or preferred dipping sauce.

Side Dishes

Collard Greens Braised with Ham Hock

Yield: 8 servings | Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 large bunches collard greens, stems removed, leaves sliced
  • 1 meaty smoked ham hock or smoked turkey wing
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in Dutch oven. Sauté onion 6 minutes, add garlic 1 minute.
  2. Add ham hock and chicken broth; bring to simmer.
  3. Add collard greens in batches until wilted.
  4. Stir in vinegar, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Cover, simmer 1–1.5 hours until tender.
  5. Remove ham hock, shred meat into greens, discard bone. Season with salt and pepper.

Cornbread Dressing with Sausage and Sage

Yield: 10–12 servings | Prep time: 25 minutes | Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 cups day-old cornbread, crumbled
  • 4 cups day-old white bread, cubed
  • 1 pound breakfast sausage, removed from casings
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 stalks celery, diced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped (or 1 tbsp dried)
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 3–4 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F; butter 9×13 pan.
  2. Melt butter, brown sausage, remove with slotted spoon.
  3. Sauté onion and celery in skillet, add sage and thyme 1 minute.
  4. Combine breads, sausage, vegetables, eggs, and enough broth to make moist but not soupy.
  5. Transfer to pan, cover with foil, bake 30 minutes; uncover, bake 10–15 more until golden.

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel

Yield: 10 servings | Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Streusel

  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven 375°F. Boil sweet potatoes 15 minutes until tender; drain and mash.
  2. Stir in sugar, cream, butter, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg.
  3. Spread in buttered 9×13 dish.
  4. Combine streusel ingredients, sprinkle over potatoes. Bake 25–30 minutes until golden.

Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Yield: 10 servings | Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound elbow macaroni
  • 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar
  • 2 cups shredded Gruyere or Monterey Jack
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp dry mustard
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp melted butter for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven 350°F. Cook macaroni until just under al dente.
  2. Melt butter, whisk in flour 1–2 min, gradually whisk in milk and cream, simmer until thickened.
  3. Stir in cheeses, mustard, paprika, pepper.
  4. Mix with pasta, transfer to buttered dish.
  5. Mix panko and melted butter, sprinkle over top. Bake 30–35 minutes until bubbly.

Main Courses

Herb Roasted Turkey with Pan Gravy

Yield: 10–14 servings (12–14 lb turkey) | Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 3–3.5 hours

Ingredients

  • 12–14 lb turkey, neck and giblets removed
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
  • 3 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
  • 3 tbsp chopped fresh sage
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 2 onions, quartered
  • 4 carrots, chunked
  • 4 celery stalks, chunked
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken or turkey broth

Pan Gravy

  • Turkey drippings
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1–2 cups chicken or turkey broth

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven 325°F. Mix butter, herbs, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Spread under skin and on exterior.
  2. Place vegetables in roasting pan, turkey on rack above, add broth.
  3. Roast 13–15 min per pound until breast 165°F, thigh 175°F. Baste occasionally.
  4. Rest 20–30 min. For gravy, skim fat, whisk in flour, gradually whisk in broth until thickened. Season to taste.

Honey Bourbon Glazed Ham

Yield: 12 servings | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 8–10 lb bone-in spiral ham
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup bourbon
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven 325°F. Warm ham per package directions.
  2. Simmer honey, bourbon, brown sugar, mustard, and cloves 3 minutes.
  3. Brush glaze over ham during final 20–30 minutes, repeating 2–3 times.
  4. Rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Desserts

Classic Pecan Pie

Yield: 8 servings | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup corn syrup
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven 350°F. Whisk eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, salt.
  2. Arrange pecans in pie shell, pour filling over nuts.
  3. Bake 45–50 minutes until set but slightly jiggly. Cool before slicing.

Sweet Potato Pie with Spiced Whipped Cream

Yield: 8 servings | Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 2 eggs + 1 egg yolk
  • 1 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

Spiced Whipped Cream

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tbsp powdered sugar
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven 350°F. Combine sweet potatoes, sugar, butter, eggs, yolk, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg.
  2. Pour into pie shell, bake 50–55 minutes until set. Cool and chill. Serve with spiced whipped cream.

Make Ahead, Timing, and Serving Plan

  • 2–3 days before: Make pies, pimento cheese, cornbread for dressing. Refrigerate or freeze as appropriate.
  • 1 day before: Prepare turkey brine or herb butter, assemble stuffing, chop vegetables, make sweet potato mash up to step before baking.
  • Day of: Roast turkey, reheat sides, bake casseroles/dressings during turkey rest, fry appetizers or reheat beef bacon-wrapped dates.
  • Oven management: Use oven thermometer, instant-read thermometer for meats. Reheat casseroles 350°F covered, uncover to brown tops.
  • Serving order: Appetizers first, then family-style sides with turkey and ham, finish with dessert and coffee.

Shopping Checklist (main items)

  • Turkey or ham, cornbread, white bread, sweet potatoes, russet potatoes, collard greens
  • Fresh herbs: rosemary, thyme, sage
  • Pecans, butter, heavy cream, milk
  • Cheeses for mac & cheese and pimento cheese
  • Beef bacon, sausage, onions, celery, carrots
  • Dried/canned staples: flour, sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, chicken broth
  • Spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika, cayenne, dry mustard
  • Crackers/bread for serving appetizers

Tips for Success

  • Use instant-read thermometer for turkey doneness.
  • Day-old bread/cornbread absorbs stock better; toast fresh bread slightly.
  • Balance sweet sides with acidic elements (vinegar in greens, tart relish).
  • Rest meats before carving.
  • Label make-ahead items with date and reheating instructions.

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