A Low Key Thanksgiving Dinner for Four (Grain, Gluten, Dairy-Free)
November 22, 2020 — Written by Chris
No gettin’ around it, Thanksgiving this year is gonna be different. Where typically you’d see extended family gathered and sharing in the day, COVID guidelines are putting limits on many of us. But the day is what you make it, and we’re gonna make it great!
I’ve shared all my feast-level Thanksgiving recipes. Those are still available, and never changing because they’ll taste as good this year as they have the last 7. But where many of us are keeping our groups small, I wanted to share something a little different for this year. An entire Thanksgiving dinner, in one post, portioned for four people (with some light leftovers).
Instead of a whole turkey, we do a turkey breast. Instead of a pan of stuffing, we stuff and roll the turkey with vegetables and herbs. Green bean casserole is swapped for simple asparagus and mushrooms and it’s all paired with the creamiest, fluffiest mashed potatoes you’ve ever had (while still being dairy-free). Pan gravy and a cranberry glaze finish it off, and ever bite is symphonic. If I do say so myself.
Perfect Thanksgiving Stuffed Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 1/2 turkey breast just one side, skin on
For the stuffing
- 3/4 cup leek finely chopped
- 1/2 cup celery finely chopped
- 1 tbsp garlic finely chopped
- 2 tsp rosemary finely chopped
- 2 tsp thyme leaves separated from stem
- 1 tbsp sage leaves finely chopped
- 2 tbsp parsley finely chopped
- 1 tbsp oregano leaves finely chopped
- 1/4 cup carrot finely chopped
- 2 tbsp almonds finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp almond flour
- 3 tsp ground allspice
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375. In an oven-safe large saute pan on medium heat, combine all the stuffing ingredients except the almond flour and allspice powder. Season with salt and pepper, and sweat for 3-5 minutes. Remove to a bowl, add the almond flour and mix together. Keep the pan though - don't clean it.
- Fillet open the turkey breast (see video). Season the inside with salt and pepper, and 2 tsp allspice powder. Add the stuffing and carefully roll the turkey breast up.
- Tie the breast up with butcher's twine and season the outside with another tsp allspice powder, some salt and pepper.
- Add a couple tbsp olive oil to the pan, place back on the stove on medium heat. Once the residual vegetables left in the pan begin to sizzle in the oil a little, put the turkey breast in, skin side up. Allow it to cook for a couple minutes, then spoon some of the olive oil over top the breast and put it in the oven to cook until it reaches an internal temp of 162 (about 45-60 minutes). Allow it to cool for 20 minutes before slicing.
Creamy, Dairy-Free Mashed Potatoes & Grain-Free Dijon Pan Gravy
Ingredients
- 3-4 large russet potatoes washed, diced
- 2-3 cloves garcli smashed, peeled, stemmed
- 5 tbsp vegan butter melted
- 2/3 cup chicken broth heated in microwave for 90 seconds
- 1/3 cup liquid from cooking potatoes
- 1/2 cup Vegenaise
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- TT salt
- TT pepper
For the gravy
- pan drippings if making alongside roasted turkey
- 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
- starch slurry 1tbsp water with 1 tbsp tapioca starch
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. To it, add a few splashes of red or white wine vinegar and a few large pinches of salt. Add the potatoes and smashed garlic, and boil until potatoes are very tender and the skins are starting to pull away (20-25 minutes).
- Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer into a large bowl with the warmed stock and melted butter. Add the Vegenaise, potato water and garlic powder and work together with a hand mixer. Season with salt and pepper to taste and mix again.
- Assuming you're cooking a turkey, use the pan for the gravy. Put it on medium high heat, add the stock and bring to a boil. Add the slurry and dijon mustard and whisk until it thickens. Remove from heat, whisk frequently, and just before serving.
Asparagus & Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus washed, trimmed, cut into 2 in pieces.
- 5-7 cremini mushrooms sliced
- 1 tbsp garlic finely chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 sprig thyme fresh
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- In a pan on medium heat, add the olive oil, asparagus, mushrooms, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and lemon zest and cook another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.
Cranberry Balsamic Glaze
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cranberry juice
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 orange zested and juiced
- 1/4 cup honey
Instructions
- Add the ingredients in a pan on medium heat. Simmer to reduce to a syrup consistency. 10-15 minutes.
So even though you can’t be with everyone you’d like to be, you can really treat the ones you are able to spend the day with. And the whole meal start to finish comes together in about two hours, so you get to save yourself some stress as well. Happy Thanksgiving, all. And looking forward to the days of sitting around a table together again.
What do you think?
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07-20-2021
Thank you Chris and Julia, I am really looking forward to cooking all of the holiday recipes you have graciously shared. Finally something positive to look forward too.
Love and Light to you Both
~ ThistleLane ~
Just made this for Christmas Eve dinner and it was incredible! Thank you for sharing!
Our turkey was so delicious. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and the family Chris. I just realized my husband purchased chicken breast instead of turkey breast. Will this still work?
So sorry I’m just seeing this! But yes that will work.
Just made this for our Thanksgiving feast since I work tomorrow. Everything was AMAZING! I’ve been gluten free/dairy free for the past couple of months so this was perfect. Thank you!
Have you tried prepping the turkey the day before and just popping it into the oven when it’s time to cook it? Wondering if the stuffing holds its flavor and texture. Seems like it would.
Since the stuffing is vegetables, it would hold up great!
I watched Chris’ video on IG this morning and I’m planning on making the mashed taters and the asparagus and mushrooms for Thanksgiving, and saving the turkey for our Christmas dinner.
Thanks so much for the inspiration, Chris! I have Celiac Disease and a dairy allergy and I feel like you created this beautiful meal just for little ole me to share with my family! ❤️
I can’t find turkey breast ANYWHERE! Could I use boneless chicken breast??
You bet!
These recipes sound amazing, but I beg to differ about nobody liking cranberry sauce! To me Thanksgiving turkey is not complete without cranberry sauce, homemade of course.
Oh, this is great! I’m going to give this turkey recipe a try this week– I really appreciate the scaled down holiday recipes!
Everything you do is top notch! This was so relevant and needed right now; we were about to give up on TG dinner thinking it’s not worth the trouble for just the four of us, but this may just save TG. :)
Made it just for you! :)
Thank you for this! I realized today I need a plan for our small American family overseas. This is perfect.
Great content! Minor feedback: horizontal videos please! Y’all are too sophisticated for vertical videos.
The cranberry balsamic glaze looks like it take the dish to the next level! We’re still doing our normal thanksgiving (with less people), but I can’t wait to make this form Sunday Roast this winter.
I’m excited for this! But first.. bone in or boneless on that Turkey breast? Clearly I’ve never made one. Thx!
this is boneless!
It will be 68 and sunny here on Thanksgiving, so we will throw blankets and cushions outdoors and gather on the lawn. We’re so accustomed now to yelling at each other from a distance that it will seem normal, and we will give thanks.
The entrée is a shrimp and oyster perlou. I’ll prepare individual nibbles of smoked trout pâté, cheese, and fruit. Also separate dessert boxes of rum pecan bars, pumpkin pie custards, and something decadently chocolate. I care about the menu, but mostly we care about holding each other close in our hearts, if not in our arms.
This is exactly what I needed this year. I bought a Turkey breast because there is just 3 Adults. This will take that Turkey breast up a notch. Can’t wait to prepare this meal. Also sharing with my niece who was just diagnosed with Hashimoto Disease. Thank you!
Recipes look amazing…. but where are the plates from?! ☺️ Thank you!!!
World Market last year
If we have someone who is dairy-free but not egg-free or vegan, can I substitute with regular mayo if I can’t find the vegan mayo?
Definitely!
You bet!
In the video and instructions, you mention adding white wine or red wine vinegar to the water for the potatoes. What does the vinegar – is it for taste or for some other cooking reaction?
Adding mustard to the gravy is an interesting touch that I’ll try.
It’s just for taste in the potatoes. I season my pasta water the same way. :)
I’m not a big turkey fan but make it every year for our big family who gathers at our place on Thanksgiving. Since it was just five of us this year, I made your turkey. Loved it!!! This is definitely special.
Meal looks amazing. Can you tell me where you got those plates? Love them!
World Market last year
Thank you so much for posting this. It is such a comfort to me that you are acknowledging that my holiday we will be different for the first time. I appreciate you!
Looks delicious! Now, what time will you be here on Thanksgiving to cook this for me? Lol!
Vegenaise is mentioned in the steps on the potato recipe but doesn’t appear in the ingredients!
Good catch! Added it. :)