Planning Thanksgiving can be stressful, especially if you are expecting lots of guests. Preparing ahead of time will ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience along the way, for both you and your friends and family.
Preparing a Turkey for the first time can present its own challenges, but our guide will help you get it just right. From picking the right size Turkey to finding the perfect temperature to slow-cook it, we have you covered.
Our guide to hosting Thanksgiving will equip you with all the tips you’ll need to host the perfect dinner, arming you with recipes, including Thanksgiving desserts, Le Creuset serveware essentials, and even a quick guide on setting the table!
Thanksgiving Recipes for the Whole Family
Although Turkey is what comes to mind when we think of Thanksgiving, there are many ways to adapt to this main based on your preferences. Serving a smaller group? Switch things up with a half turkey. Prefer to go meatless? Serve a roasted and stuffed butternut squash for a similar effect.
Here are some of our ideas for a full Thanksgiving meal, including a half turkey and some delicious Thanksgiving appetizers and Thanksgiving desserts. Most importantly, get creative and make your own traditions!
Roast Turkey Half with Sweet and Savoury Gravy
No Thanksgiving dinner is complete without the Classic Roast Turkey and Stuffing. Featuring a blend of spices including rosemary, dried sage, and thyme, this recipe ensures your turkey will not be lacking in flavour. ROAST
The iconic Oval Dutch Oven is the perfect piece of cookware to prepare this dish in, locking in heat and moisture thanks to its tight-fitting lid to deliver a truly tender final dish. The Dutch Oven pot can also be used to prepare a variety of delicious Thanksgiving appetizers and Thanksgiving desserts highlighting its versatility.
Our Roast Turkey recipe takes just over two hours to prepare and can serve between 8 and 10 people at a time.
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Crispy Iranian Rice with Saffron and Rose (Tahdig)
Looking for the perfect side dish to complement your Turkey? Look no further than our Crispy Iranian Rice. This side dish is sure to become a Thanksgiving staple in your household for years to come and is surprisingly easy to prepare.
Featuring a combination of ground cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, saffron, and chopped pistachios, this side dish elevates traditional rice recipes and is perfect when hosting friends and family.
While this dish may take just over two hours from start to finish, our Crispy Iranian Rice can serve between 8 and 10 people and is well worth the time it takes to prepare it.
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Turkey Soup with Pearl Couscous
Our Turkey Soup recipe is yet another way to make turkey the star of the show on Thanksgiving and makes for a great Thanksgiving appetizer. Begin by adding onion, leak, carrots, celery, and fennel into your Dutch Oven and cook until they soften.
Next, bring the Dutch Oven to a boil and introduce the turkey and the stock. Simmer for approximately 15 minutes before finishing with the fresh herbs and the couscous.
The Dutch Oven is the only piece of cookware you’ll need for this Thanksgiving appetizer, helping you simmer your ingredients to perfection all-while offering superior heat retention and even heat distribution. This recipe is another great way to make the most of your Thanksgiving leftovers the next day!
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Tomato Bruschetta with Cantaloupe and Ricotta Salata
Our Tomato Bruschetta with Cantaloupe and Ricotta Salata makes for a great addition to your menu and is everything you want in a Thanksgiving appetizer. Healthy, easy to put together, and made for sharing, this recipe is a great centerpiece on any dinner table as your Turkey slow cooks to perfection.
Start by tossing the tomatoes, shallot, garlic, balsamic and half of the oil. When seasoned, gently stir in the cantaloupe, cheese, and basil, and adjust the seasoning if needed. This recipe is simple and can be prepared in less than 30 minutes.
Alternatively, our Roasted Carrot and Macadamia Hummus and Potato Salad recipes also feature prominently as delicious Thanksgiving appetizers, and can complement your turkey wonderfully.
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Gluten-Free Pumpkin, Chocolate and Tahini Blondies
Our Gluten-Free Pumpkin, Chocolate and Tahini Blondies is the ultimate Thanksgiving dessert, because it is easy to make and can be dished out in no time, serving between 12 to 15 people in just over an hour. Our Rectangular Heritage Casserole is perfectly suited for this recipe, exposing ingredients to a consistent heat source.
Our Pumpkin, Chocolate and Tahini Blondies feature a blend of ground almonds, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and pumpkin pie spice, ensuring neither texture nor flavor is lacking.
These Gluten-Free Pumpkin, Chocolate and Tahini Blondies can quickly emerge as a Thanksgiving dessert for years to come and can easily be adapted to incorporate new ingredients.
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When planning a Thanksgiving, one of the most important decisions to make is the size of the turkey. If you’ve never been there before, we understand it can be tricky. Simply put, you want to estimate about one pound of Turkey per person. Expecting ten guests? Get yourself a 10-lb Turkey and you should have no issues serving each and every guest.
Remember that smaller birds have slightly higher bone to meat ratio, so you’ll want to add a few pounds there. In any case, Thanksgiving turkey makes for great leftovers!
10-12 lb
6-8 people
Thaw: 2 days
Cook: 2½ to 3hrs
12-14 lb
6-8 people
Thaw: 2 days
Cook: 2½ to 3hrs
14-16 lb
6-8 people
Thaw: 2 days
Cook: 2½ to 3hrs
16-18 lb
6-8 people
Thaw: 2 days
Cook: 2½ to 3hrs
20 lb
6-8 people
Thaw: 2 days
Cook: 2½ to 3hrs
Ready?
Approximately 30 minutes before the complete roasting time is reached, insert an instant-read thermometer in the breast, thigh, and stuffing.
Le Creuset’s Dinnerware Essentials
Le Creuset’s dinnerware pieces are a must when hosting a Thanksgiving dinner and will help you welcome your guests to the dinner table in style for years to come.
16-Piece Classic Dinnerware Set (including Cereal Bowls)
Our 16-Piece Classic Dinnerware Set makes for a great addition to any Le Creuset collection and is the perfect complement for hosting a Thanksgiving dinner. Featuring four dinner plates, four dessert/salad plates, four coupe pasta bowls and four cereal bowls, this set comes equipped with all the dinnerware essentials you’ll need to host.
Crafted with durable stoneware, our 16-piece classic dinnerware set is built to last and can be used to host well beyond Thanksgiving dinner.
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Classic Serving Platter
Our Classic Serving Platter is the ultimate piece of serveware for holiday hosting, helping your Thanksgiving appetizers and Thanksgiving desserts take center stage. Featuring a 46-cm diameter, this piece of serveware offers ample space for all your favourite culinary creations and can even be used to serve your carved Turkey.
Its simplistic design brings timeless elegance to any table, providing a blank canvas for all your favourite Thanksgiving dishes. Whether you want to serve cheese, hors d’oeuvres or entrées, this serving platter has you covered.
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Classic Appetizer Plates
Our Classic Appetizer Plates are a great way to kickstart a Thanksgiving meal in style, offering the perfect piece of dinnerware for Thanksgiving appetizers, side dishes, and even desserts. These appetizer plates are equally durable as they are versatile and are crafted with dense stoneware to prevent moisture absorption and cracking.
Available in a range of Le Creuset’s iconic hues, our Classic Appetizer Plates are sure to add a bold splash of colour to your Thanksgiving dinner.
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Classic Salad/Dessert Plates
Our Set of 4 Classic Salad/Dessert Plates are yet another Le Creuset serveware essential, serving a variety of crucial hosting purposes. This set is perfectly suited for serving Thanksgiving appetizers, desserts, bread and salad courses, and more.
These plates can also be used beneath a soup bowl to complete a table setting, highlighting their versatility. Our Set of 4 Classic Salad/Dessert Plates have been carefully designed to match other stoneware flawlessly, featuring a vibrant and durable exterior enamel, available in a wide range of colours.
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Minimalist Coupe Pasta Bowls (Set of 4)
Our Set of 4 Minimalist Coupe Pasta Bowls are ideal for serving pasta dishes of all sizes, ranging from penne rigate to classic spaghetti, or even a delicious stew. This four-piece set can even be used to serve salad dishes to your guests before the turkey is ready!
Crafted with durable stoneware and finished with a colourful, exterior enamel, our Set of 4 Coupe Pasta Bowls epitomize versatility and can help you elevate your hosting game ahead of Thanksgiving.
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Coffee and Tea Lover’s Sets
Coffee and tea after a delicious meal is usually in order and is a great way to wrap up a Thanksgiving dinner. Our Coffee Lover’s Set and Tea Lover’s Set equip your kitchen with the serveware essentials, including a Classic Whistling Kettle, four mugs, and a choice between 0.8 L French Press or a 1.3 L Grand Teapot.
Whether you want to brew a fresh pot of coffee, or steep loose tea leaves, our Coffee and Tea Lover’s Sets accommodate with ease and can be used to elevate your morning routine.
Shop nowSetting the Table for Thanksgiving Dinner
Setting a beautiful table is arguably as important as the meal itself. Create a memorable backdrop for your Thanksgiving dinner and let your turkey take center stage.
Holiday hosting is all about getting creative with colour pairings and decorations, helping you serve your friends and family in style. Use our easy-to-follow guide for a picture-worthy setup for this year’s Thanksgiving meal.
Monochromatic
Sticking to one hue for your table and accessories can make for a very sleek look. It also allows your food to stand out and be the star of the table.
Contrasting
Mixing a bold colour with a muted one creates a striking contrast that makes a memorable table setting. Sometimes, that’s all the décor you need!
Matching Neutrals
If bright and bold colours aren’t your thing, you can still mimic that effect by layering neutrals. The result is an elegant and put-together look.
Hosting the Perfect Thanksgiving Dinner
Hosting the perfect Thanksgiving dinner is all about preparation and planning ahead. With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it is time to start thinking of your Thanksgiving menu.
When your menu has been set, the next step is to equip your kitchen for success with Le Creuset’s serveware essentials. From the Classic Serving Platter to our Classic Appetizer and Dessert Plates, these pieces of serveware will ensure a smooth Thanksgiving.
Make Thanksgiving special this year with Le Creuset and serve your family and friends a delicious meal in style! This guide features some of our favourite Thanksgiving recipes, including the classic Turkey, Thanksgiving desserts, Thanksgiving appetizers, but be sure to visit our recipe directory for more inspiration.
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