How to Make a Full Thanksgiving Dinner in Just One Pot

Prep: 60 mins

Cook: 195 mins

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 5 Servings

Cooking Thanksgiving dinner, especially for just a few people, doesn’t mean you have to break out every pot, pan, and baking dish in your kitchen to pull it off. In fact, all the essential dishes of the meal can actually cook together in a single 5.25-quart Le Creuset Dutch oven.

This versatile, tall-sided pot can be layered with mashed potatoes, green beans, stuffing, and a juicy herbed turkey breast and cooked together for the ultimate — and even portable — one-pot meal. This Dutch oven is also gorgeous enough that it can sit proudly on the Thanksgiving table when it’s time to feast. To see how it all comes together, head to Kitchn’s Instagram and tune into our IGTV segment where Kitchn Food Editor Meghan Splawn makes it from start to finish with QVC’s David Venable.

Ingredients

1 (2 1/2 to 3-pound) bone-in or boneless split turkey breast
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage or thyme leaves, or a combination
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Cranberry sauce, store-bought or homemade, for serving
3 pounds Yukon Gold or sweet potatoes, or a combination
1/2 cup whole or 2% milk
1 pound green beans
2 cloves garlic
8 slices hearty white sandwich bread (about 10 ounces)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage or thyme leaves, or a combination
1 medium sweet apple
1/2 medium yellow onion
2 medium celery stalks
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 3/4 cups low-sodium turkey or chicken broth
11 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed

Instructions

Dry out the bread for the stuffing (up to 2 days ahead):
Cut or tear 8 slices white sandwich bread into 3/4-inch pieces (about 8 cups). Place on a baking sheet in a single layer. Let sit uncovered at room temperature until dried out, 1 to 2 days. Alternatively, bake in a 275ºF oven until dried out but not browned, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
Sear the turkey and deglaze the pot:
Arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 375ºF. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a deep, 5 1/2-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Pat 1 split turkey breast dry with paper towels. Place skin-side down in the pot and sear until light golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Remove the pot from the heat. Carefully pour in 1/4 cup broth and scrape up the browned bits at the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Pour the deglazed mixture into a heatproof bowl or cup.
Bake the potatoes:
Cut 3 pounds Yukon Gold or sweet potatoes into 1-inch chunks (no need to peel). Melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in the Dutch oven (no need to clean) over medium heat. Add the potatoes, season with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and stir to coat in the butter.
Cover and bake, stirring halfway through, until the potatoes are cooked through and knife tender, 45 to 50 minutes total. Meanwhile, season the turkey, prepare the stuffing, and prepare the green beans.
Season the turkey, prepare the stuffing, and prepare the green beans:
Peel and dice 1 large apple (about 1 1/3 cups). Dice 1/2 medium yellow onion (about 1 cup). Dice 2 medium celery stalks (about 1 cup).
Finely chop until you have 3 tablespoons fresh sage or thyme leaves. Place 1 tablespoon of the chopped herbs in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and stir to combine. Rub the mixture all over the turkey.
Melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the apple, onion, and celery, season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown, about 8 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons chopped herbs and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Pour in 1 cup broth and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Pour the mixture over the dried bread cubes, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and stir until the bread is evenly moistened. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Trim the stem ends from 1 pound green beans and pat the beans dry if needed. Finely chop 2 garlic cloves. Place both in a large bowl, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and toss to combine.