Small Thanksgiving Dinner for 4 to 6: A 10-Dish Menu, Shopping List and Timeline
All the classics, scaled for a small table: a herb butter turkey breast instead of a whole bird, nine sides and a pie, with half the work done the day before.
- Serves 4 to 6
- 10 dishes
- Turkey breast
- Make-ahead plan
This small Thanksgiving dinner keeps every classic on the table, sized for 4 to 6 people, so there is plenty to eat without a week of leftovers.
Quick answer
A small Thanksgiving dinner for 4 to 6 needs a 6 to 7 lb bone-in turkey breast instead of a whole bird, plus gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, a roasted vegetable, rolls, a salad and pumpkin pie. Make half the menu the day before and roast the breast about 2 hours.
A small Thanksgiving dinner for 4 to 6, built around a herb butter turkey breast.
Small Thanksgiving Dinner Menu: 10 Dishes for 4 to 6
Every classic, sized for a small table. The make-ahead column is what keeps the day calm.
| Dish | Make | Cook in | Amount for 6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DishHerb butter turkey breast | MakeDay of | Cook inRoasting pan | Amount for 66 to 7 lb bone-in |
| DishPan gravy | MakeDay of | Cook inSaucepan | Amount for 62 cups |
| DishMashed potatoes | MakeDay before | Cook inSlow cooker or dish | Amount for 63 lb potatoes |
| DishStuffing | MakeDay before | Cook in8×8 dish | Amount for 6½ standard recipe |
| DishGreen bean casserole | MakeDay before | Cook in1½-quart dish | Amount for 62 cans of beans |
| DishCranberry sauce | Make2 days before | Cook inBowl | Amount for 6One 12 oz bag |
| DishRoasted sweet potatoes or carrots | MakeDay of | Cook inSheet pan | Amount for 62 lb |
| DishDinner rolls | MakeDay of | Cook inBasket | Amount for 61 dozen |
| DishApple pecan salad | MakeDay of | Cook inSalad bowl | Amount for 61 large bowl |
| DishPumpkin pie | MakeDay before | Cook in9-inch pie dish | Amount for 61 pie |
Smaller dishes keep every side hot and the table uncrowded.
Turkey Dinner for 4 People (or 6): The Turkey Breast
A bone-in breast cooks in about half the time of a whole bird and gives all white-meat slices. Tap 4, 6, 8 or 10 guests. For more detail by weight, see the turkey breast roasting times.
Rested and sliced: juicy white meat for a small crowd.
Herb Butter Turkey Breast for a Small Thanksgiving
A bone-in turkey breast rubbed with garlic herb butter and roasted on onions and broth for juicy slices and ready-made gravy drippings. Tap the number of guests and every amount updates.
Guests
Ingredients
Turkey breast- 4 to 5 lb6 to 7 lb8 to 9 lb9 to 10 lb bone-in turkey breast, thawed
- 3 tbsp4 tbsp5 tbsp6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 2344 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp1½ tbsp2 tbsp2½ tbsp fresh herbs (sage, thyme, rosemary), chopped
- 1½ tsp2 tsp2½ tsp1 tbsp salt
- ½ tsp¾ tsp1 tsp1 tsp black pepper
- 1122 onion, cut in wedges
- 1 cup1 cup1½ cups1½ cups chicken or turkey broth
Go by temperature, not time. Pull the breast at 165°F in the thickest part, not touching the bone.
Instructions
Prep
Heat the oven to 325°F. Pat the turkey breast dry. Mix the butter, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper.
Butter
Loosen the skin and rub half the herb butter underneath, the rest over the top.
Pan
Set the breast skin side up on a rack in a roasting pan with the onion and broth underneath.
Roast
Roast until the thickest part reads 165°F: about 1½ to 2 hours for 4 to 5 lb, 2 to 2½ for 6 to 7 lb, 2½ to 3 for 8 to 9 lb, 3 to 3½ for 10 lb. Tent with foil if it browns too fast.
Rest
Rest 20 minutes under loose foil. Make the gravy from the pan drippings while it rests.
Carve
Slice the breast off the bone in one piece, then cut across into ½-inch slices.
Tools for a Small Thanksgiving Dinner
A roasting pan and a thermometer matter most. The rest make the day easier.
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Cuisinart Roasting Pan With Rack
Holds the breast up on the rack over onions and broth.
Check Price on Amazon →
Pyrex Deep 9×13 With Lid
Assemble a side the day before and bake it from the fridge.
Check Price on Amazon →Small Thanksgiving Shopping List
| Section | What to buy (for 6) |
|---|---|
| SectionMeat and dairy | What to buy (for 6)Bone-in turkey breast (6 to 7 lb), butter (1 lb), milk, sour cream, heavy cream for the pie |
| SectionProduce | What to buy (for 6)3 lb potatoes, 2 lb sweet potatoes or carrots, onions, celery, garlic, fresh sage, thyme and rosemary, salad greens, 2 apples, fresh cranberries (12 oz) |
| SectionPantry | What to buy (for 6)Stuffing cubes, broth (64 oz), 2 cans green beans, cream of mushroom soup, fried onions, canned pumpkin, evaporated milk, pecans, flour |
| SectionBakery | What to buy (for 6)Dinner rolls (1 dozen), pie crust |
| SectionDrinks | What to buy (for 6)Sparkling apple cider, cranberry juice, coffee and tea |
Make-Ahead Timeline for a Small Thanksgiving
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| When3 days before | What to doThaw the turkey breast in the fridge; shop |
| When2 days before | What to doMake cranberry sauce |
| WhenDay before | What to doBake the pie; assemble stuffing and green bean casserole; make mashed potatoes; set the table |
| When3 hours before dinner | What to doButter and roast the turkey breast |
| When1 hour before | What to doRoast the sweet potatoes; reheat mashed potatoes in a slow cooker |
| WhenWhile the turkey rests | What to doBake stuffing and green bean casserole; make gravy; warm rolls; toss the salad |
The day before: pie baked, casseroles assembled, cranberry sauce chilled.
Easy Shortcuts for a Small Family Thanksgiving
Buy two sides
Pick up rolls and pie, or a prepared turkey dinner to go, and make the rest.
Use canned beans
The canned green bean casserole takes 10 minutes to assemble.
Slow cooker potatoes
Keep the mashed potatoes warm and free up the stove.
One pie only
A single pumpkin pie is plenty for 6.
Small Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas
Different tables, same plan. Tap a menu:
Classic Menu for 6
Turkey breast, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, rolls and pumpkin pie.
Thanksgiving Dinner for Four
A 4 to 5 lb breast, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans and one dessert. Halve the casserole and potato amounts.
Easy 5-Dish Menu
Turkey breast, store-bought rolls and pie, mashed potatoes, stuffing and cranberry sauce.
Without Turkey
Roast a whole chicken or two Cornish hens at 400°F; keep every side.
Slow Cooker Plan
Cook the turkey breast in a slow cooker on low 5 to 6 hours to 165°F, freeing the oven for sides.
Budget Menu
Use a turkey breast, boxed stuffing, canned green beans and a homemade pie to keep costs down.
Small Thanksgiving Dinner: FAQs
What should I serve for a small Thanksgiving dinner?
A turkey breast instead of a whole bird, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, a roasted vegetable, rolls, a salad and one pie.
How big a turkey for 4 people?
A 4 to 5 lb bone-in turkey breast feeds 4 with some leftovers. For a whole bird, a 10 to 12 lb turkey is the smallest common size.
How big a turkey breast for 6 people?
A 6 to 7 lb bone-in turkey breast serves 6 with leftovers for sandwiches.
How many dishes for a small Thanksgiving?
Six to ten. This menu has ten, but any five plus the turkey make a full table.
How long does a 6 lb turkey breast take?
About 2 to 2½ hours at 325°F, until the thickest part reads 165°F.
What can I make ahead?
Cranberry sauce 2 days before; mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole and pie the day before.
Can I buy a turkey dinner for 4 to go?
Yes, many grocery stores sell prepared turkey dinners. A middle path is to roast the breast and buy two or three sides.
What if I do not want turkey?
Roast a whole chicken or two Cornish hens, or make a beef roast. The sides stay the same.
How do I keep everything warm?
Keep mashed potatoes in a slow cooker on warm and reheat casseroles while the turkey rests.
How much gravy for 6 people?
About 2 cups, or ⅓ cup per person.
How do I make a small Thanksgiving feel special?
Set the table the night before, use real dishes, light candles and plan one dessert everyone loves.
How long do leftovers keep?
Turkey and sides keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge, or freeze turkey up to 3 months.
More Small-Batch Thanksgiving Plans
The turkey, the sides and the pie.
Turkey Breast Roast Times
Cooking times by weight. See the recipe → Slow cookerTurkey Breast in the Crockpot
Hands-off and juicy. See the recipe → SideGreen Bean Casserole
The canned-bean classic. See the recipe → PieLibby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie
The original from the can. See the recipe → For oneThanksgiving Dinner for One
The feast, scaled down. See the plan → AppetizersTurkey Appetizers
20 easy bites. See the ideas →A turkey breast, nine sides, one pie and half the work done the day before.
Pin this small Thanksgiving dinner menu so the shopping list and timeline are ready for the holiday.
