Small Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas
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So, you’re hosting a small Thanksgiving dinner for four, and while you want to have enough to eat, you don’t want tons of leftovers. I get that. Sometimes I’m all about the leftovers, and sometimes I am most definitely not. Below are some of our family-favorite recipes that serve our foursome well when we’re looking for small Thanksgiving dinner ideas.
These recipes either boast a smaller yield or are adjustable. In some cases, you might wind up with a small portion of leftovers, but they’ll store easily and might even be gone by the next day. No turkey for days in this recipe roundup!
Ooh, and if you are turkeyed out at Thanksgiving, these Thanksgiving recipes for small families include non-turkey dinner options. So there’s that, too!
Now let’s get planning!
Small Thanksgiving dinner ideas: the basics
As you think about your Thanksgiving menu, consider not only how many people will be there but also how many courses you want to serve. Below are six different food categories with two Thanksgiving menu ideas in each. This is to help you brainstorm. But you may not need something from each category. Sometimes when you think about small Thanksgiving dinner ideas, the key is to keep the menu small and contained.
Another consideration? How do you feel about Thanksgiving leftovers? Is it a firm NO or is there wiggle room? Is it somewhere between NO and leftovers from a 20-pound turkey? If you do end up with leftovers, then store them in airtight containers to preserve them until you can eat them all, share with the neighbors, or repurpose into new meals. Looking right at you Leftover Ham Bone Soup!
Appetizers
Two of our favorites, Winter Fruit Salsa (an award-winner, btw) and Marinated Greek Olives (a crowd favorite) are perfect for small Thanksgiving get-togethers.
Winter Fruit Salsa
This simple, succulent Winter Fruit Salsa is a tasty Thanksgiving or Christmas appetizer recipe! Made with pomegranates, cranberries, kiwis, apples, grapes, and oranges, this sweet fruit recipe is as delicious as it is pretty AND healthy! {Paleo or Vegan}
Marinated Greek Olives
Spanish Queen, Kalamata, and lightly salted black olives meet oregano, thyme, and truffle oil to make this mouthwatering appetizer, Marinated Greek Olives, just in time for the holidays. {Paleo + vegan}
Salads
Easy Paleo Apple Chicken Salad is a delicious salad that doubles as a main dish. Cover two courses with one recipe and you have fewer leftovers! Pomegranate Pear Salad is, like the Appetizer recipes, easy to adjust for a smaller quantity. And it’s a mouthwatering blend of tart flavors and crunchy textures.
Easy Paleo Apple Chicken Salad
Easy Paleo Apple Chicken Salad combines the best in creamy and crunchy, sweet and savory. It’s not only a cacophony of textures and flavors but also a cacophony of colors. And don’t forget the lemon honey dressing and walnuts. OMIGOD. So good. {Paleo}
Pomegranate Pear Salad
This Pomegranate Pear Salad with walnuts and a honey lime dressing is the stuff incredible salads are made of! It’s a delicious paleo salad recipe made with fresh ingredients, sure to please the masses! {Paleo}
Side Dish
These side dishes go pretty quickly in our house. And if you need small Thanksgiving dinner ideas, then think about a smaller head of cauliflower for the Seasoned Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes. As for the Baked Cinnamon Apples, well, don’t let the 9×13 pan fool you. They don’t last long. If you do wind up with leftovers, they make a great breakfast idea the next day.
Seasoned Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
This comforting Seasoned Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes recipe is a great alternative to traditional potatoes. It is also perfect for the holidays and happens to be vegan and paleo! {Vegan + Paleo}
Baked Cinnamon Apples
These Baked Cinnamon Apples are made with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and coconut sugar for a delicious caramelized fruit bake! And while they make the perfect side dish, they also easily double as a breakfast or brunch recipe, too! {Paleo + Vegan}
Main Course
Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast is where our love for small Thanksgiving dinner ideas came from. Just a 3-pound turkey breast will feed a family of four without much in the way of leftovers. We always have a side or a dessert to add to the menu, which takes the pressure off the main course to feed everyone to the brim.
Are you tired of turkey on Thanksgiving? Then try this Herb-Roasted Chicken. You have control, at least to a certain degree, over the size you get. So if you want to err on the side of small, then you can. To get more out your recipe, use the bones to make a delicious Homemade Bone Broth.
And the drippings from both recipes in this category can become the basis for Gluten-Free Gravy or Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy.
Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast
Tender, juicy, and succulent, this Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast is made with garlic, onions, olive oil, thyme, sage, and bay leaves! It’s ready to go in about 2-2.5 hours and is perfect for a small holiday family gathering! {Paleo-friendly}
Herb-Roasted Chicken
This Herb-Roasted Chicken features a juicy, succulent inside and a savory, crispy outside that is *chef’s kiss* decadent. Turn the leftovers (if you have any) into wraps, sandwiches, bone broth, and more! Tips and tricks are included so you get the most out of the process! {Paleo}
Beverages
We’ve got mocktails and cocktails, and you get to choose which one suits you best! Or maybe it’s both! One benefit to the Spiked Sour Apple Cider is you can add the alcohol at the end. So if some guests want an over-21 version, then they can enjoy that. And if others don’t, then they can easily enjoy apple cider without alcohol in it.
Ooh, and don’t forget – you can serve the Cranberry Fizz Mocktail several different ways. So, play around and enjoy it!
Spiked Sour Apple Cider
Spiked Sour Apple Cider is where it’s at this holiday season. Vegan + paleo options, just a handful of ingredients. Throw everything into the crockpot and forget about it! Sweet and sour apples soaked with spices is where it’s at this season! {Vegan or Paleo}
Cranberry Fizz Mocktail
This Cranberry Fizz Mocktail comes with THREE variations, one with ginger ale, one with a lemon lime soft drink, and one with sparkling water, so you can tailor this alcohol-free holiday-friendly party recipe to your palate! Garnish with cranberries (or even orange slices to add an even sweeter flavor to your drink)! The options are endless! {GF + Vegan-friendly}
Desserts
We get regular requests for these recipes, and let me just say we have no problem counting these desserts as breakfasts, too, during the holidays. They are fairly low-key. If you have a food processor, then use that for the brownies. Ooh, and keep the pumpkin brownies refrigerated. But don’t worry, you can leave the cookie bars on the counter.
Chocolate-Frosted Paleo Pumpkin Brownies
Chocolate-Frosted Paleo Pumpkin Brownies are a no-bake dessert treat that features a pumpkin pie-flavored base topped with a rich, chocolate-y icing. Fall spices paired with cocoa, sweet dates, and your choice of liquid sweetener means you’ll have a dessert recipe tailored to your tastebuds in no time! {Paleo or Vegan}
Cranberry Pecan Cookie Bars
These gluten-free, dairy-free Cranberry Pecan Cookie Bars are the best of tart, sweet, and buttery flavors! Made with fresh cranberries, allergen-friendly butter, and pecans, these dessert bars are easy to prepare and are ready in under an hour! {Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free}
Small Thanksgiving dinner ideas: the wrap-up
So, there you have it, Spiriteds, 12 different recipes to choose from for your small Thanksgiving gathering! Pick a few favorites and focus on those. And if you end up with leftovers, for example, Cranberry Pecan Cookie Bars, then let me just say they go just as well with Thanksgiving as they do a quiet morning with a book in one hand and a cup of Dairy-Free Vanilla Cashew Coffee in the other.
Spiriteds, stay well and stay wild. Jump into the fun when you can, and always remember I’m glad (and THANKFUL) you’re here. ❤️
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