Kevin Is Cooking | Collections | American Holidays | Thanksgiving | Thanksgiving for Two: Turkey + Trimmings
By Kevin
published Oct 19, 2021, updated Oct 12, 2022
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Having a Thanksgiving for two doesn’t mean missing out on turkey dinner! Make our recipes for boneless turkey roast and all the trimmings!
Some people enjoy sharing a holiday meal with their entire extended family. Depending on the dynamics of your family members, this might sound seriously fun or seriously stressful to you.
If you fall into the latter category and just want to enjoy a quiet turkey dinner for two to four people, you’re not alone. Or maybe you don’t even have an extended family, and it’s just you and your loved one.
Having a small Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t mean sacrificing roast turkey, gravy, green beans, and all of your other traditional Thanksgiving favorites. Heck, even yeast rolls can be made for two just as easily as for a house full of people.
Thanksgiving for Two
It isn’t hard to cook Thanksgiving recipes for two when they’re easy to scale down to your preferred size!
All of the recipe cards on Kevin is Cooking are scalable. With a simple click, you can change the serving size up or down, and the ingredients will automatically change to match! This allows you to make the exact number of servings you want.
Turkey for Two
Start by purchasing and dry brining a boneless turkey roast. While not everyone brines their turkey, it really does make a huge difference in the juiciness of the meat.
One nice benefit of making a turkey for two is that a turkey breast only needs to marinate in the brine overnight. Even better, it only takes 40 minutes to cook in the oven!
Dinners
Maple Glazed Roast Turkey Breast
A brined turkey breast is perfect for serving 2-4 people, with plenty of leftovers! Make this recipe for tender, juicy boneless turkey roast.
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Turkey gravy from scratch
If you’re a holiday recipe purist, you might be wondering how you’ll make gravy for two people. After all, you won’t have all of the pan drippings that you’d have if you were roasting and carving a turkey for a larger group.
This is perfectly okay; you can still make creamy homemade gravy. You’ll just make a roux and use that to make the gravy from scratch. Check out this recipe post for instructions on the roux and for making gravy.
Kitchen Basics
How to Make a Roux + Video
Roux is an essential thickener in sauces, soups, and casseroles. Watch our video to learn how to make a roux; bookmark the instructions too!
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Easy Thanksgiving sides for two
Potatoes for two
I think Thanksgiving turkey without mashed potatoes and gravy just wouldn’t be the same. Thankfully, making potatoes for a small group of people isn’t difficult at all.
Whether you want plain mashed potatoes or fancier potato dishes, I’ve got you. Your Thanksgiving dinner for two is covered!
Side Dishes
Roasted Mashed Potatoes
Roasted mashed potatoes have elevated flavor over stove top cooking. Make this recipe for creamy baked mashed potatoes for a holiday side dish that everyone will love!
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Brown butter and crispy sage with our favorite Thanksgiving side dish? Yes, please!
Side Dishes
Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
Brown butter mashed potatoes are a rich, creamy twist on the classic side dish. Make this recipe for dinner or your next holiday gathering!
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Twice baked potatoes are perfect for a small holiday meal. You don’t need to make a big casserole dish full unless you want to.
Side Dishes
Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
This baked sweet potato is loaded with bacon, marshmallows, and a streusel topping — the perfect balance of savory, sweet, and comforting.
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If you love scalloped potatoes, but prefer sweet potatoes, make this dish for your Thanksgiving for two!
Side Dishes
Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
Scalloped sweet potatoes is a creamy, cheesy potato casserole with layers of flavor. Make this recipe for a make ahead holiday side dish!
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Other vegetable sides
Everyone’s favorite way to eat brussel sprouts is roasted until they’re crispy, then covered with balsamic glaze. Yum!
Side Dishes
Balsamic Glazed Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Roasted Brussel sprouts are easy to prepare and loved by everyone, even veggie haters! Make this simple side dish recipe for the holidays.
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When you don’t want a full pan of brown sugar sauteed carrots, you can make as many or as few as you want!
Side Dishes
Maple Bacon Wrapped Carrots + Video
For my Bacon Wrapped Carrots, sweet tender carrots are wrapped with bacon and basted while roasting with maple and sriracha sauce. So, so good!
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This dish allows you to have traditional Thanksgiving stuffing and get in a favorite Thanksgiving veggie at the same time!
Side Dishes
Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash + Video
These sausage stuffed acorn squash have sourdough stuffing, pecans and cranberries. Make this recipe for an easy holiday side or main dish.
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Cranberry sauce, rolls and butter
You can forgo the canned cranberry gelatin, because this homemade cranberry sauce is better than anything from a can!
Side Dishes
Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce + Video
Whole berry cranberry sauce is a classic side dish. Make this recipe for fresh cranberry sauce with orange juice for your Thanksgiving meal.
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Rolls for two
Bread and butter. ‘Nuff said. Dinner rolls for your Thanksgiving for two are just minutes away. If you don’t like working with yeast, no problem; make a batch of southern buttermilk biscuits or cornbread from scratch instead!
Breads
No Knead Yeast Rolls Recipe
This yeast rolls recipe combines whole wheat and bread flour to create tender, no knead dinner rolls with an appetizing, chewy bite.
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Breads
Gramma’s Potato Rolls
Potato Rolls like my gramma used to serve, made with mashed potatoes, shortening and a sweet yeast dough that rises to create soft, pillowy dinner rolls.
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Videos
Herb Butter (Turkey Butter) + Video
Herb butter is a delicious topping to use on poultry, beef, vegetables, and bread. Use this recipe to make a Thanksgiving turkey butter!
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Thanksgiving desserts for two
You can’t have Thanksgiving for two and NOT have dessert, right?
Instead of making an entire pie, go with slab pie, or bake a pan of bars. It’s as easy as, well, pie!
Desserts
Slab Pumpkin Pie Bars
Like a slice of pie, but in bar form. These Slab Pumpkin Pie Bars are made right in the sheet pan and make for a hand held dessert.
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Desserts
Slab Pecan Pie Bars
Whether it's Thanksgiving or Christmas, these Pecan Pie Bars are a favorite on the dessert table here in the States and I bet elsewhere. Rich, smokey pecans mixed in with a sweet, thick filling of eggs and sugar make for a memorable treat. Prep time includes pre-baking the crust.
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Not into pie? No worries! Both of these desserts are very easy to make and they’re super delicious, too.
Desserts
Chocolate Creme Brulee
Chocolate Creme Brulee – This classic French dessert gets a kiss from cocoa powder for a rich, indulgent chocolate version. Impress those dinner guests!
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Desserts
Pumpkin Cheesecake Parfaits
Pumpkin Cheesecake Parfaits – sweet and pumpkin cream cheese layered parfaits have vanilla granola and whipped cream to satisfy any sweet tooth.
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See? Whether you’re serving Thanksgiving for two, four, or more… it’s all perfectly easy with these recipes. Happy holidays to you!
Kevin
Whether in the kitchen or on the grill, you’ll find me cooking American favorites with a love for BBQ, Mexican and Tex Mex. I’m passionate about making tasty food because life’s too short to be bland!
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