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Ina Garten has several published Thanksgiving menus, not one definitive annual menu. Her official site groups recipes into “Thanksgiving for a Crowd,” “Make-Ahead Thanksgiving” and “Thanksgiving Feast”; a separate official post offers another make-ahead dinner lineup. Here’s how the menus differ—and what to know if you’re planning around one of Garten’s turkey recipes.
What is Ina Garten’s Thanksgiving menu?
That depends on which of Garten’s published menus you mean. The official Barefoot Contessa Holidays page presents three distinct groupings, while Garten’s separate Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Dinner post has its own menu. The Food Network also publishes a separate Garten Thanksgiving menu. None of these sources establishes one as her definitive menu for 2026.
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Make-Ahead Thanksgiving on the holiday page
The holiday page’s “Make-Ahead Thanksgiving” menu includes Make-Ahead Roast Turkey, Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy with Onions and Sage, Sautéed Shredded Brussels Sprouts, Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes, Herb & Apple Bread Pudding, and Pumpkin Flan with Maple Caramel. The page attributes the recipes to the cookbooks Make It Ahead and Cooking for Jeffrey.
Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Dinner in Garten’s post
Garten’s separate post pairs Make-Ahead Roast Turkey and gravy with Green Beans Gremolata, Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Taleggio and thyme, Mushroom and Leek Bread Pudding with pancetta and Gruyère, and Pumpkin Roulade with Ginger Buttercream. The post says the roulade can be made days ahead. This lineup is related to, but not identical with, the holiday page’s make-ahead list.
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Thanksgiving for a Crowd
The holiday page’s crowd-oriented menu lists Thyme-Roasted Marcona Almonds, Roasted Turkey Roulade, Sweet Potato Purée, Green Beans Gremolata, Mushroom & Leek Bread Pudding, Apple Pie Bars, and Pumpkin Mousse Parfait. The menu name signals its style, but the page does not provide a serving count for the whole lineup.
Thanksgiving Feast
Garten’s “Thanksgiving Feast” grouping includes Cranberry Martinis, Parmesan & Thyme Crackers, Accidental Turkey, Cranberry Fruit Conserve, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Balsamic-Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Popovers, Pumpkin Roulade with Ginger Buttercream, and Deep-Dish Apple Pie.
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Food Network’s separate menu
Food Network lists Parker’s Split Pea Soup, Homemade Thanksgiving Gravy, Herb and Apple Stuffing, Mac and Cheese, Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes, and Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp in its Ina Garten Thanksgiving menu. That page is a separate menu listing; it does not establish that this is Garten’s current-year Thanksgiving menu.
What can you make ahead for Thanksgiving?
The clearest advance-prep promise in Garten’s dinner post is the Pumpkin Roulade with Ginger Buttercream, which she says can be made days ahead. The official holiday page also labels one menu “Make-Ahead Thanksgiving” and includes a Make-Ahead Roast Turkey and gravy, while the corresponding official turkey recipe gives a specific preparation schedule. Those labels and instructions apply to the listed dishes and methods—not automatically to every recipe in the other menus.
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What does Ina Garten serve with turkey?
Her published menus offer several combinations rather than a single set of sides. In the dinner post, turkey is served alongside green beans, twice-baked sweet potatoes, and mushroom-and-leek bread pudding, followed by pumpkin roulade. The holiday page’s make-ahead list instead includes shredded Brussels sprouts, chipotle smashed sweet potatoes, herb-and-apple bread pudding, and pumpkin flan. For the “Thanksgiving Feast,” the sides include garlic mashed potatoes, balsamic-roasted Brussels sprouts, and popovers, with cranberry fruit conserve and pumpkin roulade among the other dishes.
Choose a complete lineup or mix dishes to suit your table, but keep track of which recipe’s instructions you are following. Garten’s menus share some dishes while differing in others; they are options, not a ranked set of required courses.
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How do Ina Garten’s Thanksgiving turkey recipes differ?
Garten’s Accidental Turkey and Make-Ahead Roast Turkey are different recipes with different scales and methods. Follow the instructions for the recipe you select rather than combining their temperatures or schedules.
| Recipe | Recipe-specific scale | Method details |
|---|---|---|
| Accidental Turkey | Serves 10; specifies a fresh 12-to-14-pound turkey. | Calls for checking the breast and thigh with an instant-read thermometer and gives separate temperature targets for those parts. |
| Make-Ahead Roast Turkey | Serves four. | Begins seasoning one or two days before roasting; the skin dries uncovered in the refrigerator the day before. After roasting, the turkey is carved onto an ovenproof platter with gravy and reheated before serving. The recipe directs cooks to check the breast and dark meat with an instant-read thermometer. |
For exact temperatures and the full method, use the instructions on the specific recipe page; the two recipes have different directions. The Make-Ahead Roast Turkey’s schedule is a recipe-specific approach, not a guarantee that every turkey method can be prepared or reheated the same way.
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Why does Garten recommend roasting rather than deep-frying?
In a 2017 Thanksgiving advice article, updated by TIME on December 13, 2023, Garten warned about the hazards of lowering a turkey into hot oil: “Nobody wants a trip to the hospital. It’s dangerous. You’re dealing with a huge cauldron of hot fat, and you’re lowering this turkey into it. Just put it in the oven.” TIME also reported her advice to cook stuffing separately from the turkey. This is Garten’s quoted advice in that article, not a newly issued safety bulletin. Read the TIME article for its context.
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