Simply Beautiful Thanksgiving Ideas
Updated: Sep. 16, 2022
Less is more with these beautifully modern Thanksgiving dinner ideas you'll want to use this year.
Thanksgiving doesn’t need to be the same old song and dance each year.
Sure, things like turkey and family-style settings may always make an appearance at the table, but there’s a way to breathe fresh air into the holiday. And that’s by doing less—yep, less. Edit down your menu and stow away those knickknacks. A simple and clean (dare we say, minimalist?) Thanksgiving dinner allows for less distraction and more time to focus on what matters most: the people around you. Oh, and the food, too.
Whether minimalism is your middle name or you’re still hoping to clean out that kitchen junk drawer, we’ve rounded up our favorite simple and modern Thanksgiving ideas for your celebration this year. Find even more tips in our Thanksgiving hosting handbook.
Simply Beautiful Thanksgiving Recipe Ideas
Scaling down the menu doesn’t mean serving measly portions. After all, you’ll want to save extras for these genius leftover ideas! Narrow down your dish list to four or five absolute must-haves and put your time and energy into these. For instance, this recipe for green bean bundles with a sugar and white wine vinegar dressing was a Test Kitchen favorite. Not only will the presentation delight everyone at your table, the sauce gives the bacon-wrapped beans an addictive sweet-and-sour kick. The perfect mix of style and substance!
A simple menu will also give you more time to put care into the quality of the ingredients you buy. Maybe this year, opt for a heritage turkey or one that’s pasture-raised. Consider sourcing your ingredients from local producers. (It’ll make sides like mashed cauliflower and minted beet salad shine!) Learn how to make gravy from scratch—perfect for Thanksgiving dinner. Or splurge on a fig spread that will elevate your dinner rolls. You’ll find yourself with a wonderful story to tell at dinnertime—and the food will taste fantastic, too.
Some folks take minimalism to an extreme and are left with something that’s cold and sterile—but where’s the fun in that? With extra time and energy, a non-traditional Thanksgiving feast like this is the perfect time to try sport out new recipes. Our Test Kitchen fell in love with Salty Dog Sangria. It’s a mix of grapefruit, ginger ale, vodka, simple syrup and wine that tastes super refreshing. Dip your glasses in a mixture of salt-and grated grapefruit peel to take it over-the-top.
Test Kitchen tip: Use coarse salt here. Regular table salt can be very salty and overpower the flavor of the sangria.
Check out our best (and most beautiful) Thanksgiving recipes for more inspiration.
Rosemary Turkey Breast
I season turkey with a blend of rosemary, garlic and paprika. Because I rub half of the mixture directly on the meat under the skin, I can remove the skin before serving and not lose any of the flavor. The result is an entree that’s lower in fat, yet delicious—the perfect centerpiece for holiday meals. —Dorothy Pritchett, Wills Point, Texas Want to host a simple and chic Thanksgiving this year? Follow our guide.
Mashed Cauliflower with Parmesan
I couldn’t shake my mashed potato habit—until I tried mashed cauliflower with a similar consistency. I started making my own, and my family loves it. —Meredith Howard, Franklin, Kentucky
Green Bean Bundles
I found this recipe in a rural newspaper years ago and have made it often. The bean bundles are excellent with chicken or beef. Sometimes I'll arrange them around a mound of wild rice to make an appetizing side dish. —Virginia Stadler, Nokesville, Virginia Psst! Find this marble and wood cutting board (and much, much more) here.
Salty Dog Sangria
Mix up grapefruit vodka, ginger ale, grapefruit juice, a little wine and simple syrup and what do you get? A perfectly refreshing and beautiful sipper fit for any holiday or special gathering. —Becky Hardin, St. Peters, Missouri
Minted Beet Salad
We have neighbors who share vegetables from their garden, and every year my husband and I look forward to their beets. My interest in Mediterranean food inspired this beet salad recipe—the vinegar and oil dressing with fresh mint tones down the sweetness of the beets, and the kalamata olives add a salty touch. —Barbara Estabrook, Appleton, Wisconsin
Brussels Sprouts with Garlic & Goat Cheese
I wanted to up my veggie game, so I smothered Brussels sprouts with garlic and goat cheese. It's really a side dish, but I love to eat it for lunch! —Brenda Williams, Santa Maria, California
Orange Pomegranate Salad with Honey
I discovered this fragrant salad in a cooking class. If you can, try to find orange flower water (also called orange blossom water), which perks up the orange segments. But orange juice adds a nice zip, too! —Carol Richardson Marty, Lynwood, Washington
Pretty Duchess Potatoes
Comfort-food flavor comes in attractive packages that are just the right size! This recipe is a favorite Christmas dinner or Thanksgiving menu idea. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Perfect Dinner Rolls
These rolls melt in your mouth. I loved them as a child, and I'm happy to make them for my kids because I know I am creating those same wonderful memories my mom made for me! —Gayleen Grote, Battle View, North Dakota
No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
It takes mere minutes for Leila Flavell of Bulyea, Saskatchewan to ad holiday flair to a no-bake cheesecake. She used canned pumpkin and spices to dress up the mix with thick, creamy results.
Moist & Tender Turkey Breast
This easy turkey recipe is sure to be popular in your home. Everyone will love the taste, and you'll love how quickly it comes together. —Heidi Vawdrey, Riverton, Utah
Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Fresh sweet potatoes Mom grew disappeared fast at our family table when she served them with this easy, flavorful glaze. She still makes them this way, and now her glazed sweet potato recipe has become a favorite with the grandchildren as well! —Rosemary Pryor, Pasadena, Maryland
Candied Acorn Squash Slices
With only three ingredients, these squash slices couldn't be simpler to make. Plus, their small serving size means everyone can have a slice or two without overwhelming an already full Thanksgiving plate.
Blackberry Brandy Slush
We wanted a fun twist on a slushy made with tea and fruit juice, so we used blackberry brandy. The deep red color makes it very merry. —Lindsey Spinler, Sobieski, Wisconsin
Hot Spinach Apple Salad
With a light sweet-tangy dressing, the spinach doesn’t wilt and the apples retain their crunch. We serve this salad with homemade bread. —Denise Albers, Freeburg, Illinois
Dutch Apple Pie Tartlets
These adorable mini apple pie pastries make a delightful addition to a dessert buffet or snack tray. The recipe calls for convenient frozen phyllo shells, so they're surprisingly easy to prepare. The lemon curd filling adds a unique flavor twist. —Mary Ann Lee, Clifton Park, New York
Zucchini & Cheese Roulades
My husband enjoys this recipe so much that he even helps me roll up the roulades! You can change the filling any way you like—I have used feta instead of Parmesan, or sun-dried tomatoes in the place of the olives. —April McKinney, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Fancy Baked Potatoes
I can't count the times I've turned to this tried-and-true recipe when company is coming. The potato filling is creamy and rich tasting, plus the servings are attractive. But the best part is you can spare yourself the hassle of mashing potatoes at the last minute. —Audrey Thibodeau, Gilbert, Arizona
Apricot-Pecan Thumbprint Cookies
I enjoy experimenting with cake mixes to make new cookie recipes. I love apricot, but feel free to fill the thumbprint in the center of these goodies with any fruit preserve you like. —Nancy Johnson, Laverne, Oklahoma
Pumpkin Knot Rolls
These rolls are the lightest, most delicious ones I've ever tasted—and everyone else seems to agree. The pumpkin gives them mild flavor, moist texture and a pretty golden color. At our house, it wouldn't be the holidays without them. —Dianna Shimizu, Issaquah, Washington
Super Simple Scalloped Potatoes
I’ve made many types of scalloped potatoes but I always come back to this rich, creamy and fail-proof recipe. This is a dish where the bottom gets scraped clean. —Kallee Krong-McCreery, Escondido, California
Cranberry Maple Chicken
Cranberries and a hint of maple syrup make a sweet sauce for these easy chicken breast halves. They’re a quick but lovely main course for weeknights and other occasions. –Kim Pettipas of Oromocto, New Brunswick
Fluffy Pumpkin Pie
Children love this pie—marshmallows make the filling light and fluffy. It's a quick and easy recipe that I've shared many times over the years. Since it doesn't need to bake, this pie comes in handy at Thanksgiving and Christmas when your oven is in demand. —Phyllis Renfro, White Bear Lake, Minnesota
Cranberry-Orange Sangria
Letting this sangria sit in the fridge overnight improves the fruitiness, making it the perfect make-ahead drink for a holiday party. It's also nice with a splash of brandy. —Maria Regakis, Somerville, MassachusettsSimply Beautiful Thanksgiving Decorations
Take this quote from style icon Coco Chanel: “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.” It sounds silly, but the same advice can be applied to a modern Thanksgiving table. Remove any extra garlands or towering centerpieces from your decor lineup. To start our look, we chose a simple white linen tablecloth which gave the entire table a clean slate to build upon. Then, we elevated a few basic items.
To fill out the table, try adding thoughtful decorations that won’t draw too much attention away from the turkey or mashed potatoes. We kept things modern with geometric gold accents. The transparent edges of these pieces helped ease the clutter! Find all of the products to re-create this modern look.
Get the Look
Having a simple and beautiful tablescape lets your Thanksgiving menu take center stage. We've collected these chic finds, perfect for adding an understated flair to your table. Best of all, these accent pieces are sleek and sophisticated without being overly seasonal; you can use them to dress up the dining room year-round. Find more ideas in our Thanksgiving hosting handbook.
Blush Soup Plates
Creating a modern Thanksgiving can be as simple as starting things off with a soup or salad course. If it means we can serve it in oh-so-beautiful bowls like these blush-colored soup plates, all the better!
Luxe Cutting Board
This white marble and acacia wood cutting board from West Elm is as practical as it is unique, and can go straight from the kitchen counter to the dining room table. When paired with an elegant side dish, like these green bean bundles, the two-tone board is guaranteed to steal the show. Psst! For a primer on table setting basics, here's a quick cheat sheet.
Tea Light Holders
Lighting a candle on your Thanksgiving table is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to up the elegance factor. These gold geometric tea light holders from Hobby Lobby make an affordable, chic accent to beautifully fill the space around your holiday spread.
Rose Gold Utensils
When the prospect of polishing Grandma's silver is too much work but using your everyday stainless won't cut it, you'll love having a flatware collection that's just dressy enough. This four-piece silverware set is on trend and easy to care for, adding a subtle touch of elegance.
Hand-Glazed Platter
Show off the real star of the Thanksgiving feast: that beautiful bird you've been prepping all day! This elegant gold-rimmed dish is a sophisticated and practical alternative to larger platters that crowd the table. Loading it up with slices of that freshly roasted turkey means no one has to leave the table for seconds (or thirds).
Copper Serving Trays
We love our hardworking everyday serveware, but the holidays call for something special. This copper serving tray set is perfect for carrying glasses or holding pitchers of your signature Thanksgiving cocktail. (We especially love this Salty Dog Sangria, in the same color family as this whole pink-and-gold theme we've got going on!)
Linen Napkins
For a timeless look, you can't beat linen dinner napkins. No matter your color scheme, there are an array of classic options to choose from. We love this set of napkins on Etsy. You could use a napkin ring, or you could draw inspo from one of our favorite napkin folding tricks!
White & Gold Serving Spoon
With so many dishes on display, serving utensils can disappear fast. Stock up on stylish options like this serving spoon so you're not scrambling last-minute for a mish-mash of forks and spoons to dish out all the good stuff.
Gold Hurricane
To add flickering candlelight to your serving buffet, this small gold hurricane from Hobby Lobby is perfection. The geometric shape creates beautifully filtered light, adding just the right touch of elegance to this favorite fall holiday.How to Give Thanks: Pumpkin Pass
Even when you’re hosting something simple, all of the planning and a house filled with guests can distract you from the true meaning of the holiday: giving thanks. Bring this feel-good Thanksgiving activity to the table:
• Purchase a small faux pumpkin—preferably one that’s white!
• Decorate the front by writing “Thankful” in permanent marker.
• During the party, pass the pumpkin and a marker around to all of your friends and family so they can add their own thanks.
Want More Ideas? Find Your Thanksgiving Style.
Transform your table this holiday by planning your Thanksgiving feast around one of our fun (and delicious!) themes. Take our quiz to find the perfect menu, stunning tablescape decorations and more—all based off of your personality.
