30-Minute Easy Thanksgiving Dinner Menu For 4 (2024)

This 30-minute easy Thanksgiving dinner menu includes turkey, gravy, stuffing, candied yams, mashed potatoes, green beans, biscuits, and cranberry sauce! I share my best tips and tricks and a full game plan so you can get this meal done fuss-free. It’s delicious and doable on any night of the year.

Once November rolls around, we’re in full Thanksgiving planning mode over here!

Last year I shared a sheet pan Thanksgiving dinner. It made 4 servings, and everything cooked on the same sheet pan (except the gravy, which takes less 5 minutes to make on the stovetop). It was an absolutely beautiful meal.

However, even though that sheet pan meal was faster than a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, it still took two and a half hours to make.

I’ve had several people ask me how they can make a full turkey dinner fast! As in, 30 minutes or less. But still with all the fixings!

This easy Thanksgiving dinner menu makes it happen, friends.

Here we have turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, candied yams, green beans, biscuits, and cranberry sauce in 30 minutes.

We use a few shortcuts and pre-made ingredients. But we don’t give up our favorite festive side dishes, and we don’t sacrifice flavor.

If you’re pressed for time, but still want to put a beautiful holiday meal on the table for your family or friends, this menu is the way to do it. Or if you’re craving the flavors of turkey dinner in the middle of summer, you can make it happen on any given weeknight. And this is also a lovely Christmas dinner!

Why This Meal Feels Homemade

In order to be able to get a full traditional Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings on the table in just 30 minutes, we need to cut some corners. But without really cutting corners, if you know what I mean. We still want a fabulous meal!

So there are a couple easy tips and tricks we use to give this meal a homemade feel.

The first trick is to use refrigerated biscuits and bake them because fresh baking bread makes the whole house smell amazing and cozy.

And the second tip to make this meal feel like it was made from scratch is to make your own gravy. It’s much better than store-bought gravy or gravy mixes, and it only takes 5 minutes.

Get ready to have your mind blown with this weeknight-friendly Thanksgiving dinner menu!

Why This Quick and Easy Thanksgiving Menu Works

• First and foremost, it’s a full Thanksgiving dinner that comes together in just 30 minutes! That means it’s weeknight-friendly on any day of the year. We take some help where we can get it using store-bought items.
• This traditional turkey dinner makes 4 servings (but there are a lot of sides, so you’ll probably have some leftovers).
• No worries if you’re feeding a crowd, this menu is easy to double (or triple!).
• This special dinner is easy to customize with simple swaps at the grocery store. For example, if you don’t like cornbread stuffing, get a stuffing mix you like. Of if green beans aren’t your thing, get another type of frozen vegetable.

The Best Easy Thanksgiving Dinner Menu and How to Make It

Lineup (What's on the Menu)

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• Canned cut sweet potatoes in syrup – I used Bruce’s Yams
• Butter – to make candied sweet potatoes
• Light brown sugar – also for the candied sweet potatoes
• Refrigerated biscuits – I used Pillsbury Grands Flaky Layers Buttermilk Biscuits; look for these in the refrigerated aisle of the grocery store near the butter, yogurt, and pre-made cookie dough
• Boxed cornbread stuffing mix – I used Stove Top because it has great flavor and comes together in less than 10 minutes, but you can use any brand or flavor you like
• Store-bought pre-made mashed potatoes – I used Simply Potatoes Traditional Mashed Potatoes, but you can use any brand or flavor you like
• Frozen whole green beans – I used Birds Eye Steamfresh Whole Green Beans, which cook in their bag in the microwave
• Chicken broth – to heat the turkey
• Thick-sliced deli turkey - I used Boar’s Head Golden Roasted Turkey, but you can use a rotisserie chicken if you prefer
• Whole berry cranberry sauce – I used Ocean Spray
• Gravy – you can make your own homemade gravy without pan drippings in just 5 minutes, or use store-bought chicken gravy or turkey gravy mix

Game Plan (Step-by-Step Instructions)

Step 1: Grocery Shopping:

We're using a variety of pre-made and semi-pre-made items from the grocery store. Make a grocery list and it'll make your shopping trip much easier!

Pro Tip

Make sure to read the packages of the items you buy to see what other ingredients you might need to purchase. For example, boxed stuffing mix usually calls for butter added, so make sure butter is on your grocery list.

Step 2: Oven Cooking:

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Add the drained sweet potatoes to an oven-safe gratin dish. Top with the butter and brown sugar.

Arrange the biscuits on a large baking tray and bake according to the package directions (I used Pillsbury Grands Flaky Layers Buttermilk Biscuits, which take 13 to 16 minutes at 350F).

Bake the candied sweet potatoes and biscuits at the same time. They both take about 13 to 16 minutes at 350F. After that, you can broil the candied sweet potatoes briefly to caramelize the top if you want.

Step 3: Stovetop Cooking:

Start the stuffing mix as soon as the sweet potatoes and biscuits are in the oven. Prepare the stuffing according to the package directions.

If you want to make your own gravy without pan drippings, it’s very easy to do and it takes just 5 minutes. Otherwise, you can heat store-bought gravy until simmering in a pan on the stovetop.

For the turkey, add the chicken broth to a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Add the sliced turkey and cook until warm, about 3 minutes.

Step 4: Microwaving:

Heat the mashed potatoes according to the package directions. I use the microwave for this.

Heat the green beans according to the package directions. I use the microwave for this.

Cooks Notes

• Make sure to look at the packages of the items you buy to see if they need other ingredients you need to buy at the grocery store (for example, stuffing mix usually requires water and butter).
• Freshly-baked biscuits add a (semi)homemade element to this meal. (They smell amazing as they bake!) But if you don’t feel like taking the time to bake refrigerated biscuits, you can buy pre-made rolls instead.
• If you aren’t sure you’ll like this kind of turkey, you can pick up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store instead (you will need about 1 rotisserie chicken for 4 people).
• Take the 5 minutes to make homemade gravy. You probably already have everything on hand to make it in a well-stocked kitchen. It makes the whole meal feel a lot more homemade!

Easy Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes to Serve With This Meal

Because every holiday dinner needs dessert, right?! These beautiful and easy Thanksgiving dessert recipes are full of festive flavor and quick and easy to make.

• Easy 30-Minute Sour Cream Cookies – these gorgeous swirled cookies have a rich buttery vanilla flavor; add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice for fall flair
• Pumpkin Pie Dip – light and fluffy, serve this up with Gingersnaps or sliced apples for dipping
• Super Easy Air Fryer Apple Crisp – this makes 2 servings, so make a double batch for 4 people
• Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate – rich, decadent, and full of fall flavor

Let's Connect

Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment below. You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media.

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Sheet Pan Thanksgiving Dinner for Four