Turkey, stuffing, and three side dishes are cooked together on a sheet pan. In about 2 hours (cooking time included) your abundant one-pan Thanksgiving dinner will be ready to serve. So kick back, relax, and enjoy your easy Thanksgiving!
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Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! It has food, family, and football; three things that make for a really wonderful day!
For some, the food and family elements are massive in size. For others, Thanksgiving is a quiet day with just a few special people.
Whether it is large or small, delicious food has to be a part of the day! But days of cooking are not required in order for a small gathering to have an abundant assortment of Thanksgiving favorites on the table.
What's Great About This Recipe
Fast and Easy: You don't have to slave in the kitchen all day to have an impressive Thanksgiving meal. The side dishes are prepared while the turkey breast is roasting, and then they are added to the pan to finish cooking together.
Your entire Thanksgiving dinner takes just 2 hours, start to finish!
Beautiful and Flavorful: The herb-roasted turkey breast cooks up so juicy and flavorful! It is golden and gorgeous once roasted!
And the side dishes are colorful, with dark green Brussels sprouts and bright red pomegranates, contrasted with the rich orange sweet potatoes.
Serves 4-6: This all-in-one recipe is perfect for a small Thanksgiving or even a Friendsgiving, as it serves 4-6 people perfectly. And in my family of 4, we had enough turkey leftover for sandwiches the next day!
Fast Clean-Up: To make this Thanksgiving dinner all on one pan I use a 15x21-inch baking pan but if you do not have a pan that size then you can use 2 smaller sheet pans.
Take the sheet pan to the table to serve, and then you have just one pan (or 2) to clean after dinner!
Customizable: This recipe provides instructions for my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes but you can mix and match them with your favorites.
You aren't limited to roasted vegetables! With the aluminum foil compartments, you can do your favorite casseroles, like green bean casserole or broccoli cheese casserole, too!
By the way, if you like the idea of one-pan meals for regular weeknight dinners, check out this sheet pan pork chops recipe!
Herb Butter Turkey Breast
The herb butter compound is so flavorful! It is similar to my Garlic Rosemary Butter recipe but I added sage because that just feels like Thanksgiving!
- 3 Days Ahead: Thaw turkey breast in the refrigerator.
- Mix the butter, garlic, and fresh herbs in a bowl.
- Rub all but about 2 tablespoons of the butter mixture in between the skin and the turkey meat. Reserve the remaining butter to baste the turkey.
- Cook at 350°F (177°C) for 15-20 minutes per pound. For even faster cooking, follow these steps for spatchcocking your turkey breast and it will take just 8-10 minutes per pound!
- Tent the sheet pan with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving. This allows the juices to lock into the meat, so they don't end up being left behind on your cutting board when carving.
The side dishes can all be prepared while the turkey is roasting! Check out these additional tips for steps that you can do a day ahead, to make Thanksgiving even easier!
Herb Stuffing
The name of the game with this meal is simple, yet delicious! So I use Pepperidge Farm Herb stuffing (cubed or classic). You can swap it out with your favorite stuffing recipe if you prefer.
- Saute the onions and celery in butter over medium heat, then add the stuffing mix and chicken broth.
Sweet Potato Casserole
My kids love sweet potato casserole with miniature marshmallows, so that's what we did for this recipe. But my sweet potato crunch recipe has a crunchy candied pecan topping that I love. A version of that topping is in the notes section of this recipe.
- Mix the mashed sweet potatoes in a medium bowl with milk, brown sugar, cinnamon sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and one egg.
Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Everything except the pomegranates are tossed together in one bowl.
- Add the pomegranates before serving.
Corn Casserole
- All of the corn casserole ingredients are mixed in one bowl, then set aside until ready to cook.
How to Prepare the Sheet Pan
Getting the sheet pan set up with individual compartments is easier than it looks. For a visual demonstration, take a look at this video which demonstrates making a sheet pan Thanksgiving dinner start to finish.
- Line the entire sheet pan with two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil, pressing it against the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Tear off three additional pieces of foil, each about 18-inches long. Working with one piece at a time, fold the long edge up about 2-inches, then fold over again, then repeat with the other long edge, leaving about 3 inches of flat foil in between each edge.
- Repeat with the other 2 sheets of foil.
- Press the first sheet of foil along the short edge of the sheet pan, flipping one edge over the side of the sheet pan to grab onto the pan, and pressing it against the outer side. Press the short sides of the foil against the outside of the sheet pan.
- Place the second sheet of foil up against the first, and flip up the side of that piece of foil, folding it over the side of the first sheet. Press the short sides of the foil against the outside of the sheet pan.
- Repeat with the third sheet of foil.
Expert Tips
- Tent the sheet pan with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving. This allows the juices to lock into the meat, so they don't end up being left behind on your cutting board when carving.
- If your Brussels sprouts halves are large then you can quarter them so they cook quicker. Stir them a couple of times as they cook to help them cook evenly.
- The bacon will fully cook if you add it raw alongside the Brussels sprouts, but it will not crisp up. If you want crispy bacon then it needs to be cooked ahead of time.
Optional Make-Ahead Shortcuts
If you want to do some work on Wednesday, here are some things that you can do in advance:
- Prepare herb butter. Cover and leave on the counter, so it is soft when you are ready to use it.
- Chop ½ cup of onion and a ½ cup of celery. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.
- Microwave the sweet potatoes until they are soft. Store in the refrigerator.
- Chop the bacon, and cook it if you want it crispy.
- Wash, trim, and slice Brussels sprouts.
PRO TIP: When you are chopping the vegetables for the stuffing go ahead and chop some extra. That way you can make this satisfying turkey and orzo soup with hardly any prep!
Serving Suggestions
- If you feel like you need an additional side, this Maple Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries, Pecans, and Goat Cheese is incredible! You can cook it in a separate dish or swap it out with one of the casseroles in this recipe to cook alongside the rest of your meal.
- Dinner rolls
Grab your favorite pre-cooked rolls from the bakery section of your local grocer and heat them while the sheet pan turkey dinner rests. - Dessert
My favorite part of Thanksgiving is the dessert! These pies can be made 1-2 days ahead so that you don't have to worry about it on Thanksgiving Day. Sure, you can go for the standard pumpkin pie, but these are my family's favorites for Thanksgiving dessert.
Sweet Potato Pie
Pumpkin Pie
Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie
Sugar Cream Pie
Frequently Asked Questions
For juicy turkey, remove your turkey from the oven once it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F. The temperature will continue to rise while it rests, ultimately reaching the desired 165°F (74°C) temperature of doneness.
Remove the turkey from the oven once it has reached 160°F (71°C). To find the temperature of the turkey, insert an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the breast, which you will find near the neck.
If your turkey reaches 160°F (71°C) before your side dishes are done, simply remove the turkey onto a cutting board or baking dish. Tent the turkey with foil, and allow it to rest while the rest of your meal finishes cooking.
Green beans are a wonderful substitution for this recipe! Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Instead of walnuts and pomegranate, I recommend using slivered almonds.
Recommended Recipes
Let me know how you like this recipe by leaving a review! And follow along on Instagram @stateofdinner for behind-the-scenes and to be among the first to know when new recipes post!
Recipe
One Pan Thanksgiving Dinner
Recipe by:Ingredients
Turkey
- 5 lb turkey breast, thawed
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
Herb Stuffing
- 6 ounces Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chicken broth
Sweet Potato Casserole
- 2 large sweet potatoes
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 egg
- 1 cup miniature marshmallows
Brussels Sprouts
- 12 oz brussels sprouts
- 3 slices bacon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup walnuts
- ½ cup pomegranate arils
Corn Casserole
- ¾ cup creamed corn
- ¾ cup corn kernels
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¾ cup melted butter
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup Jiffy corn muffin mix
Instructions
- Line sheet pan with heavy-duty foil, sealing tightly against a 15x21-inch baking sheet, or two smaller baking sheets. Tear three strips of foil, and fold up sides to create three individual compartments. Line them side-by-side on one side of the baking sheet, where they are touching, and fold together to interlock. (More details are in the blog, so reference for further direction.)Roll three additional pieces of foil into "logs" to place under the turkey. This will serve as a makeshift roasting pan.
- Herb Butter Roasted Turkey Breast
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Mix softened butter with pepper, garlic, rosemary, and sage.
- Gently loosen the skin of the turkey breast and rub the butter all over the breast, under the skin, and on the areas of the breast that are not covered in skin, until the entire breast has been covered. Set aside the remaining butter to baste the turkey in the oven.
- Cook for 1 hour, then remove and add side dishes into their compartments. Melt the remaining herbed butter and brush over the turkey to baste. Continue cooking until the turkey reaches 160°F (71°C). Begin temping once the turkey has been in the oven for a total of 1 ½ hours.
- Remove from the oven and place a foil tent over the turkey breast. Let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Stuffing
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add onion and celery and cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
- Add the broth and heat to a boil.
- Remove the saucepan from heat, add stuffing, and mix lightly.
- Set aside until ready to bake.
Sweet Potato Casserole
- Scrub sweet potatoes and then pierce each one several times with a fork. Place on a microwave-safe plate and cook in the microwave for 5 minutes. Check for softness, and continue cooking in 1-minute intervals, until soft.
- Remove the sweet potato flesh into a medium-sized bowl. Add in milk, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and eggs, and mix well.
- In a separate small bowl, combine melted butter, flour, brown sugar, and pecans for the topping. Set aside both bowls until ready to bake.
Brussels Sprouts
- Wash Brussels sprouts, trim them and cut them in half. This is best done early on so that the Brussels sprouts can dry completely. Cut the Brussels sprout quarters if they are large.
- Chop the bacon. If you want crispy bacon, cook it ahead of time or in a pan. You can add the bacon raw and it will cook alongside the Brussels, but it will not get crispy.
- In a large bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts with oil, salt, pepper, bacon, and walnuts. Set aside until ready to place in oven.
Corn Casserole
- Add all corn casserole ingredients into a large bowl and whisk well.
- Set aside until ready to bake.
Baking the Side Dishes
- Once the turkey has cooked for an hour, remove it from the oven and set it on the stovetop.
- Add prepared stuffing around the turkey.
- Spoon each side dish into a separate compartment that you have created.
- Place the sheet pan back into the oven and bake an additional 30-45 minutes, or until the side dishes are fully cooked. (See blog notes about removing the turkey breast if it is done early.)
- 10 minutes before the side dishes are done, top the sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and return to the oven to finish cooking.
- Once the turkey has reached 160°F (71°C) cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.Happy Thanksgiving!
Video
Notes
- Thaw turkey breast in the refrigerator for 2-3 days before cooking.
- Adjust the cooking time based on the size of your breast, cooking at 15-20 minutes per pound.
- See blog post for things you can prepare a day ahead, to make your Thanksgiving even easier!
Linda
This is so good! The turkey was really juicy and the sides were a hit!
Erin
That's great to hear! Thanks for sharing!
Meredith
This is a genius idea! It will be perfect for my little family as we celebrate on our own this year!
Erin
Happy Thanksgiving to your family! I hope you all enjoy this delicious sheet pan dinner!