This sheet pan Thanksgiving dinner gives you all you need to celebrate the holiday but is made on just ONE sheet pan – turkey breast, classic stuffing, mini-marshmallow topped sweet potatoes, and garlicky green beans. This holiday meal has it all!
I guess we are technically in the holiday rush!
While the holidays will be looking just a little different this year I’m still pretty excited to be celebrating in our new home.
I was originally planning (since last year) to have a fun Friendsgiving I’m going to hold off on that for now.
That’s okay though, I have this sheet pan for Thanksgiving dinner to get me through the holiday.
It’s basically a delicious collage of all my favorite Thanksgiving foods.
We have turkey breast, classic stuffing, roasted sweet potatoes topped with mini marshmallows, and garlicky green beans.
YEP! I’m on board!
Plus, this is the perfect recipe if you’re looking for a small Thanksgiving dinner recipe or maybe something to just feed you and 3 of your friends/family/roommates/pets/imaginary friends, etc.
Trust me, this is the recipe you need!
Table of Contents
How to cook Thanksgiving dinner on a sheet pan
I think the hardest part about making this dish is realizing that you only need a few standard dishes to make it feel like Thanksgiving.
Now, I know that everybody/every family always has a different view on “makes” Thanksgiving dinner but for my family that meant:
- Turkey
- Stuffing/Dressing
- Sweet potatoes with marshmallows
- Some sort of vegetable
Yes, I fall strongly into the “it’s not a meal without a vegetable” family.
Of course, you can alter this slightly to fix what you love but you’ll want to make sure it can all be cooked together in the timeline I set in the recipe.
What is the difference between stuffing and dressing?
Technically speaking stuffing is a bread-based mixture used to stuff and cook inside the turkey while roasting.
Dressing is made and cooked outside the bird.
However, nowadays it’s used pretty interchangeably.
I almost always use the term stuffing and have never stuffed a bird.
I’m a rebel like that.
In this recipe, I made a fairly simple classic stuffing made with sourdough bread (French bread is a great substitute) mixed with celery, shallots, and carrots.
If you really like sausage in your stuffing I give you some great tips on adding it in the recipe below.
Can I use Russet potatoes instead of sweet potatoes?
Yes, but you’ll want to make sure to use large Russet potatoes so the cooking time stays about the same.
I’m also not a fan of making Russet potatoes sweet.
So I would instead just leave it plain and top it with butter, sour cream, and maybe some fresh chopped herbs.
Can I use chicken instead of turkey?
Yes, but make sure you stick to buying something around the same size as the turkey breast I used in this recipe.
You can typically find small Cornish hens or chicken halves fairly easily in your grocery store.
If you opt to use something like chicken breast you’ll want to make sure to lessen the cooking time of the poultry and instead cook the sides beforehand.
What kind of turkey breast should I buy?
Because I wanted to keep this sheet pan Thanksgiving dinner simple and quick I used boneless turkey breast.
I was lucky to find one around 2 pounds which worked out perfectly for my husband and I.
If you are having a hard time finding just the turkey breast try talking to your local butcher. They may be able to cut one for you.
For seasonings, I decided I was going to slather up this bird with a homemade butter mixture of garlic, fresh herbs, kosher salt, and pepper.
It’s the perfect punch of flavor that turkey breast needs.
You could even add in a little lemon zest if you’re looking for some citrus flavor.
What should I make with my turkey leftovers?
If you’re like me you’re always looking for ways to use up leftover turkey I have you covered!
Here are a few delicious recipes that are GREAT for using up turkey leftovers!
- Turkey Wild Rice Chili
- Leftover Thanksgiving Sandwich with Moist Maker
- Turkey Monte Cristo
- Baked Cranberry Cheddar Turkey Sandwiches
- Puff Pastry Turkey Pot Pie
- Turkey Cranberry Pesto Panini
- Baked Turkey Bacon Onion Sandwiches
- Turkey Apple Brie Panini with Honey Mustard Maple Mayo
Love this sheet pan Thanksgiving dinner recipe?
Why not try a few of my other delicious Thanksgiving recipes?
- Garlic Herb Maple Roast Turkey
- Adobo Butter Turkey
- On The Stalk Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Roasted White Sweet Potatoes with Honey Cinnamon Glaze
- Potato Bread Sausage Cranberry Stuffing
Sheet Pan Thanksgiving Meal
Equipment
Ingredients
For Turkey
- 1 boneless skin-on turkey breast about 2 pounds *see notes*
- 2 tablespoons butter softened
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced (about 1 teaspoon)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For Toasted Marshmallow Sweet Potatoes
- 2 large sweet potatoes cleaned but not peeled
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
- 1/4 cup pecans toasted
For the Dressing
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 4 cups 3/4 inch cubed stale sourdough bread, about 1/2 loaf
- 1/4 cup chopped carrot about 1 large carrot
- 1/4 cup chopped celery about 1 large celery stalk
- 1 shallot chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh sage
- Kosher salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
For the Garlic Roasted Green Beans
- 1/2 pound fresh green beans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- Kosher salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Turkey (2.5 hours before you plan to eat)
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
- Pat the turkey dry with a paper towel.
- In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, rosemary, and garlic.
- Very gently lift the turkey skin from the breast (make sure not to pull it all the way off) and rub the herb butter evenly under the skin.
- Drizzle olive oil over the breast and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
- Place the turkey on a half sheet pan (18 x 13) and cook for 15 minutes (if thawed) or 30 minutes (if frozen or slightly frozen) *see notes*
Prepare the Sweet Potatoes (1-1.5 hours before you plan to eat)
- Clean and dry the sweet potatoes. Do not peel them.
- Poke all over the outside of the sweet potato skin with a fork, about 10 times.
- Par-cook the sweet potatoes in the microwave for 4 minutes, flipping them after 2 minutes.
- Drizzle the sweet potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper.
- Wrap the potatoes in aluminum foil and set them aside.
Prepare the Classic Stuffing (1.5 hours before you plan to eat)
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg and chicken stock until combined.
- Add the remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Try not to break up the bread cubes too much.
- Set aside.
Prepare the Garlic Green Beans (1.5 hours before you plan to eat)
- Clean and de-stem the green beans and pat them dry.
- Toss them with the olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Set aside.
Add the Stuffing and Sweet Potatoes to the Sheet Pan (1 hour before you plan to eat)
- Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.
- Remove the turkey from the sheet pan.
- Add the stuffing (make sure it is no larger than a 1” layer) to one side of the sheet pan and the sweet potatoes to the other.
- Place the turkey back in the remaining space on the sheet pan and bake for another 30 minutes.
Add the Green Beans and Finish the Sweet Potatoes (30 minutes before you plan to eat)
- Remove the sweet potatoes, slice them in half lengthwise and place them cut side up on 1/4 of the sheet pan.
- Scrape the inside of the sweet potatoes gently to create a well.
- Combine the melted butter, maple syrup, and cinnamon and drizzle it over the cut sides of the sweet potatoes.
- Top with chopped pecans, if using, followed by mini marshmallows.
- Stir the dressing and place the turkey breast on top.
- On the remaining 1/4 sheet pan, add the green beans.
- Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until the turkey is golden brown and reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Remove the pan from the oven and set the turkey aside while you plate the sides. Slice the turkey and serve immediately.
Notes
Turkey Notes
- Boneless Turkey Breasts can be cooked from thawed or frozen.
- I let my turkey breasts sit in the fridge for 1-2 days before Thanksgiving but they usually aren’t completely thawed.
- If you’re using a completely thawed turkey breast, the par-bake will only take 15 minutes.
- If you’re using a completely frozen turkey breast, the par-bake will take 30 minutes.
- If using a partially frozen turkey breast, the par-bake will take 20-25 minutes.
- Ensure the turkey is cooked until it reads 165F on an instant-read thermometer. Make sure to check it in 2-3 different places.
Dressing Notes
- If you don’t have stale (hard) bread, fresh bread can be used. Place it on a separate sheet pan and par-bake it with the turkey.
- If you prefer a sausage stuffing, add ½ cup crumbled, cooked sausage when you combine all of the ingredients before roasting.
- Try to allow the bread to sit in the chicken stock mixture for at least 10 minutes, but no more than 30 minutes! You don’t want it to get soggy.
Nutrition
