• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Crumb: A Food Blog logo

  • Home
  • About Crumb
    • About Isabelle
    • Press, Awards and Contributions
    • Privacy Policy
  • About the Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About Crumb
  • About Isabelle
  • Privacy Policy
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » christmas » Giving Thanks: Recipes for Smaller Thanksgiving Gatherings

    Giving Thanks: Recipes for Smaller Thanksgiving Gatherings

    Oct 9, 2020 · 2 Comments

    Thanksgiving celebrations might look a little different this year, but a smaller guest list doesn't have to mean you have to compromise.

    Whether you're doing a small dinner at home with your immediate family, a slightly bigger celebration with your bubble, or hosting a virtual gathering over Zoom, there are plenty of ways to enjoy your holiday favourites on a smaller scale.

    16 Recipes for Small Thanksgiving Gatherings

    From roast turkey breast to small-batch versions of the traditional trimmings, here's everything you need to host a scaled down Thanksgiving dinner without being stuck with enough leftovers for the rest of the month.

    Main Dishes

    These elegant main dishes deliver all your favourite Thanksgiving flavours on a smaller scale, so that you won't be stuck eating leftovers for the next month.

    Citrus and Herb Roasted Turkey Breast

    Split bone-in turkey breasts are the perfect way to get your holiday turkey fix in just a fraction of the time. This recipe uses a fresh citrus and herb dry brine for a juicy, flavourful turkey breast that's sure to please.

    Turkey Breast with Apple-Chestnut Stuffing

    Scaled down doesn't have to mean no-frills. This stuffed turkey breast roasted with apples and chestnuts brings some serious wow-factor to your holiday table.

    Never-Fail Eye of Round Roast

    Turkey may be traditional, but if you're hankering for a change, this easy eye of round roast delivers loads of flavour with minimal effort and a seriously budget-friendly price tag.

    Slow Cooker Duck Leg Confit

    Photo Credit: pinchandswirl.com

    Duck confit may look fancy, but it's actually surprisingly easy. This recipe from Pinch and Swirl lets the slow cooker do most of the work, so there's only 10 minutes of active time including pan searing!

    Salmon in Puff Pastry

    Photo Credit: www.happyfoodstube.com

    This elegant pescatarian entree from Happy Foods Tube features fresh salmon topped with herbed cream cheese and wrapped in rich flaky pastry.

    Fall Vegetable Pot Pie with Gouda Biscuit Crust

    Who says the star of the show has to be a big hunk of meat? These vegetarian pot pies packed full of seasonal root vegetables and topped off with a cheesy biscuit topping are the perfect option for a meatless feast.

    Side Dishes

    The sides make the meal, and that goes double when it comes to Thanksgiving. These recipes cover everything from roast veggies to classic casseroles without making enough to feed a football team.

    Balsamic Roasted Carrots

    It's no coincidence that local carrots are usually at their very best right around this time of year. If you can, try to find a mix of colouful heirloom carrots to make this easy side dish extra-pretty.

    Sweet and Sticky Cider-Roasted Parsnips

    Parsnips don't get nearly as much love as they should. These easy roasted parsnips boost their natural sweetness by adding a splash of sweet apple cider and maple syrup that cooks down into a sticky glaze that's full of classic fall flavour.

    Crispy Rosemary-Parmesan Potato Stacks

    Level up your potato side dish game with these golden-brown crispy-edged potato stacks seasoned with fresh rosemary and loads of grated parmesan. Sorry, scalloped potatoes, better luck next year.

    Butternut Squash Casserole

    This homey butternut squash casserole is topped with a gremolata-inspired pistachio crumble is an elegant alternative to the usual marshmallow-topped casserole.

    Homemade Green Bean Casserole Without Mushroom Soup

    Photo Credit: www.chocolatemoosey.com

    This scaled-down version of the holiday classic from Homemade in the Kitchen makes just four servings, and uses a creamy made-from-scratch cheese sauce instead of the usual canned soup.

    Trimmings

    It ain't Thanksgiving without the cranberry sauce or the stuffing. These scaled down recipes let you get your fix without all the fuss.

    Classic Sausage Dressing

    Photo Credit: onedishkitchen.com

    This stuffing recipe from One Dish Kitchen makes just enough for one, which means you can easily scale it up to fit the number of guests at your table.

    Herbed Farro Dressing with Butternut Squash, Dried Cherries, and Pecans

    Photo Credit: beyondmeresustenance.com

    This flavourful alternative to the traditional bread stuffing combines nutty farro with classic Thanksgiving flavours like squash, cherries, pecans and thyme.

    Homemade Gravy

    Photo Credit: www.chocolatemoosey.com

    This made-from-scratch gravy from Homemade in the Kitchen is made without pan drippings and makes just 4 servings, so you can still dust off your gravy boat even if you didn't roast a whole bird.

    Small-Batch Cranberry Sauce

    Photo Credit: www.chocolatemoosey.com

    The beauty of making your own cranberry sauce is that you can make a smaller batch. This recipe from Homemade in the Kitchen is perfect because it makes just enough for two to four guests.

    Small-Batch Dinner Rolls

    Photo Credit: www.dessertfortwo.com

    These homemade dinner rolls from Dessert for Two are perfectly light and fluffy, and with just four rolls per batch, you don't have to worry about what to do with the day-olds.

    « Totes Mah Oats: Chewy Date-Walnut Oatmeal Cookies
    Not Bready for this Jelly: Cranberry Danish Twist »
    346 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Email
    • Yummly

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Shailaja says

      October 21, 2020 at 12:53 pm

      Wonderful post and roundup of recipes!

      Reply
    2. Lizet Bowen says

      October 9, 2020 at 11:31 am

      Nice! I love having the whole menu in one place!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Primary Sidebar

    Hello! I'm Isabelle, and this is my blog. I'm a 40-something coffee-chugging, booty-shaking, bargain-shopping, trucker-swearing self-taught cook with a major addiction to vintage cookbooks. Come for the recipes, stay for the terrible puns! Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Looking for Something?...

    Archives

    Categories

    All images and content Copyright © 2023 Isabelle Boucher | Crumb: A Food Blog · Privacy Policy