Thanksgiving 2023 is here! While Turkey Day is typically marked by a huge, multi-course menu attended by close friends and family, everyone gathered all around a huge Turkey in the middle of the dinner table, we do think there are plenty of ways to actually celebrate the day with a smaller group.
Perhaps it’s you and someone really special. The day is the same – whether you choose to celebrate with friends, family, or your significant other. It doesn’t matter what you are choosing to have a small dinner this particular year, we have got tons of ideas for you.
Stay tuned for our Best Thanksgiving 2023 Dinner Ideas for two so that you can check out all the classics without any extra food.
Thanksgiving 2023: Stress-Free Dinner Ideas From Dating Dairy’s Kitchen!
The way we are looking at it, there are a pair of ways you can easily make this work. You can definitely select and choose conventional recipes and just make a few of them. This turns out to be perfect if you get two mashed potato fiends without caring about the stuffing, for instance.
In such cases, casseroles serving multiple guests are not easy to make. So we have come up with recipes to replace the same. You can try out our version of casserole bundles before the actual Thanksgiving dinner if you aren’t sure which options are best for you.
Of course, you can also consider giving up on the traditions and cooking whatever you feel like eating with your partner! For instance, you can ditch the turkey and opt for mini turkey burgers instead – because you just felt like it!
And, of course, do not forget the beverages! For a massive meal, it is so much easier just to go with beer or wine, but when it is only you and your partner, you can make it so much more fun. You can experiment with the drinks and try out things like Cranberry Orange Whiskey Sours, Pumpkin Spice Mules, Apple Cider Mojitos, and Pecan Pie Martinis. These creative drinks can jazz your meal up!
So, without wasting more time, let’s check our favorite stress-free dinner ideas for two!
1. Stuffed Turkey Breast:
The Stuffed Turkey Breast recipe is the one you make for people who think they do not like turkey. A savory bacon and mushroom filling usually keeps this roasted meat juicy while easily making it hearty and fancy enough to replace an entire bird on your holiday dinner table.
In fact, dry turkey should be a thing that you leave in the past, like your former partners and their red flags!
2. Stuffed Butternut Squash:
You need to slather the squash with brown sugar and button and then just bake it till it turns perfectly tender. Once you are done baking the squash, just top it with a wholesome filling of chickpeas, kale, and quinoa. Flecked with pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries, the savory meat boasts an ideal balance of color, flavor, and texture.
It is savory, sweet, filling, and packed with proteins. What else could you want as entrée on Thanksgiving date night?
3. Air Fryer Green Beans:
These simple air-fried green beans always arrive with a nice treat! Eight cloves of buttery, creamy garlic that can be air-fried along with green beans. This way, you can serve roasted garlic with beans, and you will not even have to turn on your oven.
Then, you can eat the roasted garlic with the green beans or reserve the same for a different use, such as smearing on butter as well as flaky sea salt on slices of toasted sourdough bread. This is perfect for a chill, no-nonsense night-in with bae!
4. Roasted Fingerling Potatoes:
If you have planned on not making plenty of food this holiday season, then you have to make everything taste the absolute best! The roasted fingerling potatoes are the crispiest potatoes ever, all thanks to the cornstarch slurry.
You can add some garlic and rosemary for some extra flavor. But it’s not really mandatory. You can actually experiment with any flavors or herbs as your heart desires. As long as it tastes great to you and your boo, it’s perfectly fine!
5. Air Fryer Tandoori Turkey Breast:
Keeping the skin on and bone in the Turkey breast before marinating the same with cumin, ginger, turmeric, garlic paprika, and yogurt definitely helps to seal in the moisture in a way that the outside does not dry out from the intensity of the air fryer heat.
Air-friend tandoori turkey is perhaps one of the best non-traditional ways to not just have turkey but enjoy it! It’s perfect for when it’s only you and your partner – you don’t even have to appease your family’s taste buds!
6. Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms:
Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms are our take on stuffed classic mushrooms: they are insanely delicious and simple. Spinach, bacon, and cream cheese make a crazy combination, while the tomatoes bring in a pop of freshness. Moreover, the panko topping with insane amounts of butter makes it over the top.
Plus, we love mushrooms, and even if you are on a diet, it’s Thanksgiving! If you cancel your date because you or your partner was on a diet, then we totally understand – food is our first love!
7. Microwaved Sweet Potatoes:
Microwaving sweet potatoes is perhaps the fastest and best way to cook a simple Thanksgiving side dish. You will only need about five minutes – so if you are looking for anything simple, light, and quick, then these are exactly what you need on the dinner table!
If you are planning a small, low-key Thanksgiving this particular year, then this is perhaps the most versatile recipe out there. Serve your potatoes sweet, topped with some marshmallows, or serve them savory with some gravy.
8. Pumpkin Ice Cream:
Yes, you should definitely skip the pie if you are looking for something simple and non-traditional. You can definitely skip the traditional Thanksgiving pie and instead serve homemade pumpkin-flavored ice cream for dessert – that would be so cool!
Pumpkin is the ideal festive addition to ice cream made at home. This is because the pumpkin always helps to thicken the ice cream naturally for a scoop-able, smooth ice cream.
Bon Appétit: A Thanksgiving Special!
And that’s a wrap on the menu for Thanksgiving 2023. We just featured our favorite stress-free dishes for Thanksgiving, perfect for people who are only planning to cook for themselves and their partners.
Feel free to share your thoughts, comments, and experiences about Thanksgiving in the comments below.
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