Ina Garten has officially revealed her 2025 Thanksgiving menu, and in true “Barefoot Contessa” fashion, it’s elegant, cozy, and completely stress-free. The Food Network star shared her full make-ahead game plan on her website, BarefootContessa.com, breaking down her schedule day by day — and yes, it includes everything from her signature Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy with Onions & Sage to a showstopping Pumpkin Flan with Maple Caramel.
Ina Garten’s Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Menu
For Garten, Thanksgiving is all about creating a memorable meal without losing your sanity in the kitchen. “At the end of the day, you want everybody to have something absolutely delicious to eat and it doesn’t mean that you have to spend the entire day in the kitchen making it,” she told TODAY’s Savannah Guthrie.
The celebrity chef outlined her four-day schedule leading up to the big holiday:
- Monday: Start with Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy with Onions & Sage, which can be refrigerated for up to a week. “There are more important things to think about on Thanksgiving than worrying about a lumpy gravy!” Ina wrote. She also begins dry-brining her Make-Ahead Roast Turkey.
- Tuesday: Skip the traditional pies this year — Ina’s dessert pick is a Pumpkin Flan with Maple Caramel. “The flan can be prepared and refrigerated in the pan for up to three days,” she said. “It’s a great Thanksgiving dessert because I don’t have to reheat it.”
- Wednesday: Assemble Leek & Artichoke Bread Pudding and Make-Ahead Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes, both of which can be prepped up to two days in advance. “I’ll also remove the plastic wrap from my dry-brined turkey and leave it uncovered in the fridge,” she noted.
- Thursday: All that’s left is roasting the turkey and cooking her stovetop Sautéed Shredded Brussels Sprouts. Garten revealed one of her signature hacks for a no-stress presentation: roast the turkey early, carve it an hour before guests arrive, and reheat it on an ovenproof platter layered over gravy. “How much easier is that?” she wrote.
The Barefoot Contessa’s Thanksgiving Favorites
Alongside her main menu, Garten partnered with Williams-Sonoma to share a few extra favorites perfect for rounding out any Thanksgiving table.
One of her go-to appetizers, Warm Marinated Olives, was inspired by a trip to Milan with her husband, Jeffrey Garten. “There was a rotisserie store with all sorts of meats twirling over a wood-burning fire,” she recalled. “On the counter was a display of every roasted Italian vegetable imaginable, including warm roasted olives.” Ina recreated the dish in her book “Cook Like a Pro” and says they’re “so much more flavorful than olives straight from the fridge.”
For cocktails, she recommends Cranberry Martinis, a drink first introduced during her Food Network special “Thanksgiving Live” with Bobby Flay. “They look so festive, and my guests loved them!” she said, noting that the vodka should be infused with orange zest and cranberries at least two days ahead.
Of course, no Thanksgiving would be complete without her Cranberry Fruit Conserve, a staple from her book “Barefoot Contessa Parties!” made with tart Granny Smith apples for the perfect texture. Other must-have sides include Green Beans Gremolata, from her book “Foolproof,” which can be prepped in advance, and the stunning Pumpkin Roulade with Ginger Buttercream from “Back to Basics.” “It makes an impressive centerpiece for any fall celebration,” Ina noted.
