Budget-Friendly Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving is the most awaited fall holiday celebration and a festive Thanksgiving dinner should be delightful and budget-friendly. Here's a list of budget-friendly Thanksgiving dinner recipes that features low-cost ingredients and dishes that will delight your friends and family.

Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes Recipe

This mashed potato recipe is easy to make and no gravy, but surprisingly delicious.

Total prep time: 1 hour

Yield: 10 servings

Here's what you need:

• 10 large potatoes, cut into cubes
• 6 tbsp. sour cream
• 4 tbsp. fresh milk
• 4 tbsp. butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• Chopped chives
• Shredded cheddar cheese

Here's how to prepare the dish:

1. In a large pot, put the potato cubes, cover with water, add a dash of salt and bring to a boil for 15 to 20 minutes until extremely tender. Drain and place in a mixing bowl.
2. Add the potatoes with sour cream, milk, and butter. Blend until perfectly creamy and add a dash of salt and pepper.
3. Before serving, top with shredded cheese and chives.

Spiced Pumpkin Dinner Rolls Recipe

These Spiced Pumpkin Dinner Rolls from Better Homes and Gardens are perfectly fluffy and tasty.

Total prep time: 2 hours and 30 minutes

Yield: 15 rolls

Here's what you need:

• 4 ½ – 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm milk (120°F to 130°F)
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• ⅓ melted cup butter
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• ¼ – 0.5 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 – 2 egg, lightly beaten
• White and/or black sesame seeds

Here's how to prepare the dish:

1. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour and yeast and mix. In a medium bowl, combine milk, pumpkin, butter, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, coriander, and pepper and mix. In a mixing bowl, add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture. Beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high 3 minutes. Stir in all the remaining flour.
2. On a lightly floured surface, put the dough and knead to make a moderately soft dough smooth and elastic for 3 to 5 minutes. Shape into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until the size doubled for 1 to 1 ½ hour.
3. Onto a lightly floured surface, punch the dough down. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, grease a 13x9-inch baking pan. Shape dough into 15 small balls; place in a prepared pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size for 30 to 40 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush tops with egg wash; sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until rolls are golden and sound hollow when lightly tapped. Remove from pan. Serve warm.

Green Bean Casserole Recipe

This Green Bean Casserole from Delish is the quintessence of Thanksgiving.

Total prep time: 55 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Here's what you need:

• 1 lb. trimmed green beans
• 6 tbsp. butter, divided
• 1 onion, sliced into half-moons
• 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 3 c. whole milk
• 1 1/2 c. French's fried onions

Here's how to prepare the dish:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Prepare an ice bath: In a large pot of boiling water, add green beans, and cook for 6 minutes until bright green. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, quickly transfer the cooked green beans to an ice bath to cool, then drain and transfer in a large bowl.
3. In a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes until tender. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes or more until mushrooms are golden. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, then transfer the mixture to the green bean bowl.
4. In the same skillet over medium heat, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes until golden. Slowly whisk in milk and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 4 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat, then add the green bean mixture and toss until evenly combined.
5. Put the skillet in the oven, bake for 30 minutes until warmed through and bubbling.
6. Top with fried onions and bake for another 5 minutes.

Bay and Lemon Brined Turkey Recipe

This Bay and Lemon Brined Turkey from Dave Lieberman is a simple turkey recipe infused sweet-and-salty solution to make it a juicier turkey.

Total prep time: 11 hours and 40 minutes

Yield: 12 to 15 servings

Here's what you need:

1 (12 to 15-lb.) turkey

For the brine:

• 2 gallons of water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 2 lemons, sliced in 1/2
• 4 bay leaves
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• Small handful cloves

Here's how to prepare the dish:

1. In a large pot or container enough to hold a large turkey, combine all brine ingredients. Make sure to fully dissolve all the sugar and salt. Add the turkey and refrigerate for about 6 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Transfer the turkey to a roasting pan with a rack. Stuff the turkey with lemons, bay leaves, and cinnamon sticks used in the brine. Cook turkey in the oven for about 3 ½ hours, basting every 40 minutes or so. If any part of the turkey gets too brown towards the end of cooking, shield with pieces of tin foil. When the turkey is done, juices should run clear from the breast and the legs should pull away from the bird easily. Remove from the heat and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes before carving.

Spice up your dessert this Thanksgiving by perking up your classic pumpkin pie a little. Get inspired by this list of Pumpkin Pie Recipes that will impress all of your Thanksgiving dinner guests.

This Thanksgiving, prepare a mouthwatering meal that will appease your guests' appetites and keep your stomach and wallet full. And to keep your guests entertained, serve them some Festive Thanksgiving Cocktails and charms their glasses with these adorable Thanksgiving Magnetic Wine Glass Charms to keep track of whose glass is who’s this Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!