26 Minimalist Thanksgiving Recipes That Only Need 5 Ingredients Each (But Still Taste Amazing)

    Stress less, spend less, feast more.

    Hannah Loewentheil
    by Hannah Loewentheil

    BuzzFeed Staff

    For many of us, Thanksgiving will look a bit different this year.

    Perhaps you're hosting a smaller get-together, celebrating away from home, or just looking for more affordable versions of your favorite seasonal dishes. Whatever the case, here are some simple yet delicious Thanksgiving recipes that call for five ingredients or fewer.

    Sweet Phi / Via sweetphi.com

    The Crock Pot does all the heavy lifting here — and you could also easily make this in an Instant Pot.

    Recipe: Five-Ingredient Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole

    2. Cranberry Brie Cinnamon Puff Pastry Swirls

    Half a dozen puff pastry roll-ups filled with Brie and cranberries.
    Half Baked Harvest / Via halfbakedharvest.com

    This crowd-pleasing party app starts with store bought puff pastry dough. Brush the pastry with butter and top it with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar, cheese, and cranberries. Roll 'em up and bake until golden brown and melty.

    Recipe: Cranberry Brie Cinnamon Puff Pastry Swirls

    3. Bacon Jam Brussels Sprouts

    Wry Toast Eats / Via wrytoasteats.com

    Thanks to a mixture of Brussels sprouts, olive oil, bacon, jam, and apple cider vinegar, this festive side dish is the perfect balance of sweet, smoky, savory, and tangy.

    Recipe: Bacon Jam Brussels Sprouts

    4. Five-Ingredient Mashed Potatoes

    Cooking For Keeps / Via cookingforkeeps.com

    There are mashed potatoes and then there are these ultra-rich, extra creamy mashed potatoes. The difference lies in one secret ingredient: cream cheese.

    Recipe: Five-Ingredient Mashed Potatoes

    5. Spicy Cranberry BBQ Meatballs

    A skillet of cranberry mini meatballs in sauce.
    Yellow Bliss Road / Via yellowblissroad.com

    Grab your favorite frozen meatballs, barbecue sauce, and cranberry sauce and whip it up into a satisfying app that can be served on toothpicks or as sliders.

    Recipe: Spicy Cranberry BBQ Meatballs

    Minimalist Baker / Via minimalistbaker.com

    Five ingredients plus salt and pepper, this single skillet veggie side dish is perfect for Thanksgiving or any night of the week.

    Recipe: One-Pan Garlicky Green Beans with Slivered Almonds

    7. Artichoke and Sun Dried Tomato Dip

    A bowl of artichoke, white bean, and sun-dried tomato dip.
    Dishing Out Health / Via dishingouthealth.com

    Every holiday get together calls for a good party dip. This one is made with cannellini beans, canned artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, tahini, and lemon juice. Serve it with pita chips or veggies.

    Recipe: Artichoke and Sun Dried Tomato Dip

    8. Cheesy Garlic and Herb Pull Apart Rolls

    A serving bowl filled with garlicky pull apart rolls.
    Blue Bowl Recipes / Via bluebowlrecipes.com

    Serve these pull apart rolls when they're nice and warm, straight from the oven. They're buttery, fluffy, garlicky, and everything delicious.

    Recipe: Cheesy Garlic and Herb Pull Apart Rolls

    9. Bourbon Pecan Brie Bites

    Grits and Pine Cones / Via gritsandpinecones.com

    Phyllo dough shells are stuffed with brie and topped with a blend of pecans and bourbon. Bake the shells in the oven for about 10 minutes until gooey and bubbly.

    Recipe: Bourbon Pecan Brie Bites

    10. Air Fryer Honey Goat Cheese Balls

    Several breaded goat cheese balls on a plate with a honey drizzle.
    The Creative Bite / Via thecreativebite.com

    Freeze balls of goat cheese so that they keep their shape, then dredge them in egg, flour, and panko bread crumbs and air fry until crispy. Finish these babies off with a drizzle of honey.

    Recipe: Air Fryer Honey Goat Cheese Balls

    11. Roasted Carrots With Curried Yogurt

    Whole roasted, colorful carrots with almonds and pomegranate on curried yogurt.
    Dishing Out Health / Via dishingouthealth.com

    These carrots are tossed in olive oil, salt, and pepper then roasted whole and served with slivered almonds on top of plain yogurt that gets a spicy kick from curry powder.

    Recipe: Roasted Carrots With Curried Yogurt

    12. Five-Ingredient Turkey Swiss Sliders

    Unicorns in the Kitchen / Via unicornsinthekitchen.com

    Don't feel like roasting a whole bird this year? Who can blame you? Change things up with these comforting turkey and cheese sliders brushed with a mixture of creamy mayo and tangy whole grain mustard.

    Recipe: Five-Ingredient Turkey Swiss Sliders

    13. Slow Cooker Creamed Corn

    Foodie Crush / Via foodiecrush.com

    This decadent side dish couldn't be easier. Start with frozen corn and pulse it in the blender with half and half until it forms a purée. Then toss the corn purée into the slow cooker with cream cheese, butter, and sugar.

    Recipe: Slow Cooker Creamed Corn

    14. Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes

    A Sassy Spoon / Via asassyspoon.com

    Chopped chipotle peppers and adobo sauce are an irresistible smoky and spicy complement to mashed sweet potatoes.

    Recipe: Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes

    15. Five Ingredient Faux Roasted Chicken

    Pieces of roasted chicken on top of chopped potatoes.
    Cooking For Keeps / Via cookingforkeeps.com

    Chicken > turkey. It's like tomato vs. tomahto. Put this easy sage butter roasted chicken on your holiday table and no one will complain.

    Recipe: Five Ingredient Faux Roasted Chicken

    16. Maple Roasted Acorn Squash

    Sweet Simple Vegan / Via sweetsimplevegan.com

    Take advantage of winter squash season with this festive recipe. Tossed with maple syrup, orange zest, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice, this acorn squash roasts under tender and sweet.

    Recipe: Maple Roasted Acorn Squash

    17. Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

    Cooking for Keeps / Via cookingforkeeps.com, Cooking For Keeps / Via cookingforkeeps.com

    Ridiculously easy yet surprisingly flavorful, this creamy soup comes together with roasted butternut squash, cream, onion, chicken stock, and olive oil. Get fancy and top your bowl with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of pine nuts.

    Recipe: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

    18. Three-Ingredient Biscuits

    The View From Great Island / Via theviewfromgreatisland.com

    Buttermilk, butter, and self-rising flour is all you need. Don't believe it? Give these fluffy biscuits a try. Topped with more butter, they literally melt in your mouth.

    Recipe: Three-Ingredient Biscuits

    19. Garlic Roasted Potatoes

    Roasted halved potatoes tossed with herbs.
    The Forked Spoon / Via theforkedspoon.com

    These crispy skinned baby potatoes boast a fluffy interior that basically melts in your mouth. Grab some potatoes and toss them with olive oil, garlic, rosemary, and lemon juice (plus some salt and pepper).

    Recipe: Garlic Roasted Potatoes

    20. Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels

    Cooking For Keeps / Via cookingforkeeps.com

    It may not be a traditional Thanksgiving dish, but these pinwheel sandwiches are easy to make, super affordable, and perfect for sharing.

    Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels

    21. Cheesy Baked Cauliflower

    Roasted cauliflower florets tossed in garlic, Paarmesan, and panko on a sheet pan.
    Once a Foodie / Via onceafoodie.com

    Coated in garlic paste, parmesan, and panko bread crubs, this might just be your new favorite veggie side dish.

    Recipe: Cheesy Baked Cauliflower

    22. Cacio e Pepe

    Foodie Crush / Via foodiecrush.com

    It's basically mac 'n' cheese for adults, and it belongs on your holiday table.

    Recipe: Cacio e Pepe

    23. Chocolate Cheesecake Cups

    Skinny Taste / Via skinnytaste.com

    A tangy mixture of cream cheese, sugar, sour cream and egg gets topped with melted chocolate, baked in the oven until set, then cooled in the fridge overnight.

    Recipe: Chocolate Cheesecake Cups

    24. Caramel Apple Dump Cake

    Blackberry Babe / Via blackberrybabe.com

    This shortcut dessert starts with boxed cake mix, but shhh — your guests don't need to know that.

    Recipe: Caramel Apple Dump Cake

    25. Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Dip

    Dipping a cookie into a bowl of pumpkin cheesecake dip.
    The Salty Marshmallow / Via thesaltymarshmallow.com

    Cream cheese and canned pumpkin purée form the base of this light and fluffy but decadent dessert dip.

    Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Dip

    26. Pecan Caramel Bars

    Several caramel pecan bars on a plate.
    The Novice Chef Blog / Via thenovicechefblog.com

    While this dessert might look store-bought and fancy, you can make it right at home with just club crackers, caramel, pecans, chocolate chips, and butter.

    Recipe: Pecan Caramel Bars