Thanksgiving might be Ina Garten’s favorite holiday, but the “Barefoot Contessa” star says that doesn’t mean it has to be stressful. The beloved Food Network personality has perfected the art of hosting — and she recently shared her top tips for pulling off a delicious, no-drama Thanksgiving dinner.
“At the end of the day, you want everybody to have something absolutely delicious to eat,” Ina told TODAY’s Savannah Guthrie. “And it doesn’t mean that you have to spend the entire day in the kitchen making it.”
From her gravy secrets to her make-ahead methods, Ina’s advice is all about enjoying the day — not losing your mind over it.
Keep Thanksgiving Traditional and Stress-Free
While some home chefs experiment with trendy side dishes, Ina is all about keeping Thanksgiving classic. “I have to say I’m a traditionalist for Thanksgiving,” she explained to Food Network. “I might do sweet potatoes a different way — with sautéed apples for the grownups and marshmallows for the kids — but I don’t think Thanksgiving is the time for unusual things.”
The “Be My Guest with Ina Garten” host revealed that even when she ran her specialty food store, customers didn’t want modern twists. “They would go, ‘I want them the way my mother made them,’” she said. That nostalgia, she noted, is part of what makes the meal so special.
Another tip? Cook smart, not hard. “I choose a menu where some of the sides are made in the oven, some are made on the stovetop, and some are made in advance,” Ina said. “The ones that are made in advance can be reheated while the turkey is resting. Easy!”
Ina Garten’s Must-Follow Hosting Hacks
One of Ina’s most genius Thanksgiving strategies is making gravy ahead of time.
“One thing I really hate is when everybody is sitting and waiting for dinner and I’m making the gravy,” she said. “So I figured out a way to make it ahead.” Her secret? A rich, flavorful base that can be frozen for up to three months. Once the turkey roasts, she deglazes the pan with white wine, adds her base, and lets it simmer to perfection while carving the bird.
As for stuffing, Ina doesn’t believe it belongs inside the turkey.
“If you stuff the turkey and then cook it, you have to overcook the turkey for the stuffing to cook,” she warned. “So you end up with dry turkey and soggy stuffing.”
Her fix: a savory bread pudding baked separately that’s “crusty on the outside and moist on the inside.”
And for those intimidated by cooking the star of the show, Ina’s advice is simple: “When I’m roasting a turkey, I think about it as a big chicken. It’s not that complicated.”
Finally, she reminds hosts to use beautiful, functional cookware. “When I make my Root Vegetable Gratin, I put it in a pretty dish so I don’t have to transfer it after baking,” Ina said. “Just make sure to warn your guests the dish is hot!”
Her parting piece of advice? Always make extra turkey. “I make way too much because I think everybody that goes to a Thanksgiving dinner wants to have turkey sandwiches the next day,” she said. “I always send guests home with leftovers.”
