Thanksgiving Dinner for Two: A Small Menu and Simple Plan

Your first Thanksgiving as a couple may be just the two of you, and that is a good reason to skip the 16-pound turkey. A small menu is easier to cook, easier on the budget and easier to enjoy together. Here is a plan you can follow without a big kitchen.

Choose a main dish that fits two

• A bone-in turkey breast of about 3 to 4 pounds gives you the full Thanksgiving taste, plus leftovers for sandwiches.
• A small whole chicken or a pair of Cornish hens works if you would rather skip turkey.
• A rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked turkey skips the roasting entirely and leaves the oven free for the sides.

A small menu that works

• Turkey breast, or your chosen main dish
• Stuffing baked in a small dish
• Mashed potatoes, made in the slow cooker if you like
• One green vegetable you can buy in a small amount, like green beans
• Cranberry sauce, which you can make a day ahead
• Store-bought rolls
• A small pie or other dessert

A shopping list for two

• A 3 to 4 pound bone-in turkey breast, or your alternative
• 1 box or bag of stuffing mix, plus chicken or turkey stock
• About 1½ pounds of potatoes
• About ½ pound of green beans
• 1 small bag of fresh cranberries
• Butter, fresh or dried herbs, salt and pepper, and a little flour or cornstarch for gravy
• Rolls and a small pie

A simple plan for the day

A turkey breast cooks much faster than a whole bird. Many recipes land around 1¼ to 1½ hours at 350°F, but the only reliable test is a food thermometer: 165°F in the thickest part. Here is a plan for dinner at 5:30 PM.

1. Morning: potatoes into the slow cooker. Set the table together.
2. 3:30 PM: pat the breast dry, rub it with herb butter and put it in a 350°F oven.
3. 4:15 PM: the stuffing, in a covered dish, goes into the oven alongside the breast.
4. 4:45 PM: start checking the turkey’s temperature. Take it out at 165°F and tent it with foil. Make gravy from the pan juices.
5. 5:00 PM: rolls into the oven for a few minutes, and green beans on the stove.
6. 5:15 PM: carve the turkey.
7. 5:30 PM: sit down and eat.

Make it feel like a holiday

• Split the jobs. One of you handles the turkey, and the other handles the sides.
• Pick one new tradition, like a favorite dessert or a walk before dinner.
• Call or video-chat family before or after dinner, so nobody feels left out.
• Use or freeze the leftovers within 3 to 4 days. See our guide, How Long Do Thanksgiving Leftovers Last?