Thanksgiving for Two Has Never Been Easier With This Simple Sheet Pan Recipe (2024)

Turkey, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, and pumpkin pie are what Thanksgiving feasts are made of. But with many of us celebrating on a much smaller scale this year, it's understandable if you're considering alternatives to the traditional big meal. The great news is you can prep and cook a Thanksgiving meal for two — with all the trimmings — in about two hours without sacrificing any of the iconic holiday flavors. That includes dessert! Read on and I'll show you how to prep and cook an entire Thanksgiving dinner for two on a sheet pan. Bonus: Sheet-pan cooking means a lot less cleanup after dinner.

How to Make a Thanksgiving Sheet Pan Dinner for Two

Sheet pan meals are a great way to make a simple meal with lots of variety. But because there are so many elements to this one, paying close attention to the timing is imperative. Below are the ingredients and step-by-step prep notes for all the elements of this Thanksgiving sheet pan meal, plus a Timeline Cheat Sheet that tells you when to add what to the sheet pan to ensure everything bakes evenly and is ready to eat at the proper time. Please read everything thoroughly before starting.

Get the recipe for Thanksgiving Sheet Pan Meal for Two.

Ingredients

For the Stuffing:

• 1 (6 ounce) package dry stuffing mix (such as Stove Top®)
• 1 ½ cups water
• ¼ cup butter, cubed
• ¼ cup pecans, chopped
• 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
• Optional 6–8 leaves fresh sage to top the stuffing

For the Turkey Breast:

• ¼ cup salted butter, softened
• ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 (4 pound) boneless turkey breast, halved

For the Green Beans:

• 6 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed
• 1 dash balsamic vinegar, or to taste
• 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil, or to taste
• ¼ cup French-fried onions

For the Sweet Potatoes:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• ¼ cup mini marshmallows

For the Pumpkin Pie:

• 1 small pie pumpkin
• ½ (15 ounce) can pumpkin pie mix
• 6 tablespoons evaporated milk
• 1 large egg
• Optional whipped cream

For the Rest:

• 2 frozen dinner rolls
• ½ cup hot turkey gravy
• 1 (8 ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce

Prep Notes

Stuffing: I opted for a simple box of Stove Top stuffing mixed with water following package directions. I spread it on one end of the prepared sheet pan and topped with cubed butter. The dried cranberries and chopped pecans get added after 30 minutes of baking. (See Timeline below.)

Turkey: I recommend buying a boneless turkey breast and splitting it into two equal pieces. If bone-in is the only available option, you'll need to remove the breast from the bone before splitting it. Mix mix ¼ cup of room temperature butter with ½ teaspoon of poultry seasoning and spread underneath and on top of the skin of the turkey. Place the turkey breast pieces beside the stuffing, as shown.

Pumpkin Pie in a Pumpkin: Purchase a small pie pumpkin. They're special pumpkins made for baking and are available at most grocers. Carefully remove the top of the pumpkin and use a spoon to scoop out all the seeds and strings. Don't toss the seeds! Make roasted pumpkin seeds for crunchy snacks.

In a medium bowl mix together your pie ingredients. I chose a really simple mix of half a can of pumpkin pie mix, 1 egg, and 6 tablespoons of evaporated milk. When it's time to start your bake, the pie mix will be poured into the pumpkin and the entire thing will be wrapped with aluminum foil as seen above. Then add the pumpkin at the beginning of baking along with the turkey and dressing. Wad up a little extra foil to stabilize the bottom of the pumpkin if necessary to prevent it from tipping.

After the turkey is finished cooking, you'll pop the pumpkin back in the oven to bake for another 20 to 25 minutes while you enjoy a leisurely Thanksgiving dinner. There may be extra liquid on top of the pumpkin, which can be easily removed by dabbing it with a paper towel. The pie is done when the pie filling jiggles only slightly. Let it cool a bit and serve topped with optional whipped cream. Our favorite way to eat this is to dig in with two spoons. You can also slice the pumpkin down the center and serve on plates.

Green beans: Add to sheet pan after 30 minutes. Toss fresh green beans in a splash of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. You'll add them to the sheet pan in a single layer so they roast evenly. When there are only 5 minutes left of baking time, top them with crispy onions for that iconic casserole flavor.

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes: Add to sheet pan after 45 minutes. This shortcut version starts by microwaving two sweet potatoes. Using a fork, prick each sweet potato 15–20 times, then wrap it in a damp paper towel (ensuring all the excess water has been rung out) and microwave each sweet potato separately for 4–7 minutes, (depending on their size) until they have just a little give when squeezed. Be careful not to overdo it in the microwave or you risk ruining your potatoes. Start at 4 minutes and check for tenderness and add more time if needed.

In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon melted butter with 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Next, cut a slit down the center of each sweet potato and add your butter and brown sugar mixture. When your sheet pan has 15 minutes left to bale, the sweet potatoes will get placed on the sheet pan. (Be sure to remove the paper towels before the potatoes go into the oven.) When the sheet pan has only 5 minutes left to bake, add the mini marshmallows on top and the potatoes will be baked just until the mini marshmallows brown a little. Note: Watch your mini marshmallows very closely as they can burn really quickly and even risk catching fire.

Gravy: We opted for a simple turkey gravy from a packet. It can be prepped ahead of time and microwaved just before serving.

Timeline Cheat Sheet

The day before or morning of:

Although you could prep and cook this meal in about 2 hours, you can also do some of the prep ahead of time so you'll have less to do on Thanksgiving.

1. Make the pie mixture, cover and refrigerate.
2. Combine chopped pecans with cranberries, cover and set aside.
3. Microwave sweet potatoes (see directions above).
4. Toss green beans in a dash of oil and balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper, cover and refrigerate.
5. Mix stuffing with the water following package directions. Do not add the margarine or butter, or the dried cranberries and pecans. Cover and refrigerate.
6. Make herbed butter following recipe directions. Cover and refrigerate.
7. Slice your turkey breast into two equal pieces, being careful to keep the skin on. Cover and refrigerate.
8. Slice off the top of the pie pumpkin and remove the seeds and strings. Place the top back on and refrigerate.
9. Prepare turkey gravy following package instructions. Cool and refrigerate.

When you're ready to start cooking:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray an 11x17-inch sheet pan with cooking spray.
2. Place prepared stuffing on one side of the sheet pan.
3. Rub turkey breast pieces with prepared herbed butter. Season with salt and pepper, and place on sheet pan next to the stuffing.
4. For pumpkin pie in a pumpkin, pour prepared pie mix into the pumpkin. Wrap in aluminum foil, leaving an opening at the top. Place the pumpkin on the sheet pan with the turkey and stuffing.

Sheet pan cooking time begins:

1. Place the sheet pan with the turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin into the oven and set timer for 30 minutes.

30 minutes into baking:

1. Remove the sheet pan from the oven and add the pre-seasoned green beans onto a corner of the sheet pan in a single layer.
2. Scatter the chopped pecans and cranberries on top of the stuffing.
3. Place the sheet pan back into the oven and set a timer for 15 minutes.
4. Make the butter and brown sugar mixture for the sweet potatoes by combining 1 tablespoon melted butter with 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Set aside.

45 minutes into baking:

1. Cut a slit down the center of each sweet potato and add the sugar mixture evenly.
2. Remove the sheet pan from the oven and place the sweet potatoes onto the pan.
3. Place the sheet pan back into the oven and set a timer for 10 minutes.

55 minutes into baking:

1. Warm up your gravy in the microwave.
2. Remove the sheet pan from the oven and add the rolls to the pan.
3. Top the green beans with French-fried onions.
4. Add 3–4 marshmallows to each sweet potato.
5. Return to the oven and continue to bake until the turkey is no longer pink in the center and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of each half reaches 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 5 minutes more.
6. Leave the pumpkin in the oven for another 20–25 minutes until the pumpkin pie filling is slightly jiggly in the middle. It will firm up as it cools.

Top stuffing with optional sage leaves and serve your meal with fresh or canned cranberry sauce, gravy, and your favorite drink. Enjoy the extra time you'll have from making this simplified version of a Thanksgiving meal! Not to mention the extra time you'll have from not having nearly as many dishes to wash.

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