I make these 3 easy Ina Garten recipes for Thanksgiving every year
Celebrity chef Ina Garten, affectionately known as the “Barefoot Contessa,” has become a beloved figure in the culinary world, particularly during the holiday season. Her recipes are celebrated for their comforting flavors and impressive presentation, making them a staple at festive gatherings. Among her most popular dishes are the overnight mac and cheese, potato-fennel gratin, and brown-butter skillet corn bread. A food writer who has extensively tested Garten’s recipes shares her personal favorites, emphasizing how these dishes not only satisfy the palate but also create lasting memories around the dining table.
Garten’s **overnight mac and cheese** is a standout dish, described as the “creamiest, crustiest, most delicious mac and cheese” in her cookbook “Go-To Dinners.” This recipe combines the rich flavors of Gruyère and sharp white cheddar, resulting in a decadent dish that is easy to prepare. With just a few ingredients, including cavatappi or elbow macaroni, heavy cream, and breadcrumbs, it can be assembled quickly and baked right before serving, making it an ideal make-ahead option for Thanksgiving. The crunchy breadcrumb topping and creamy interior have garnered rave reviews, with guests describing it as “exceptionally creamy” and “like a hug in your mouth.” This dish is a perfect example of how Garten’s recipes strike a balance between indulgence and simplicity.
Another holiday favorite is Garten’s **potato-fennel gratin**, which combines the comforting flavors of potatoes and fennel into a rich, cheesy side dish. This recipe is not only straightforward but also visually appealing, especially when served in a traditional French gratin dish. With just five ingredients—russet potatoes, fennel, onion, Gruyère cheese, and heavy cream—this gratin is foolproof and consistently a crowd-pleaser. The sautéed fennel adds a subtle sweetness, enhancing the overall flavor profile. The writer notes that there are never leftovers after serving this dish at Thanksgiving, highlighting its popularity among family and friends.
Lastly, Garten’s **brown-butter skillet corn bread** has become a cherished recipe that adds a delightful touch to holiday meals. Featured in the republished version of “The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook,” this corn bread is noted for its moist texture and perfect balance of sweetness and savoriness. Made with pantry staples like all-purpose flour, cornmeal, and unsalted butter, it serves as a stunning centerpiece on the table. The writer recalls how this dish has become a tradition at her Friendsgiving and Thanksgiving celebrations, emphasizing its fluffy, golden slices that are hard to resist. Each of these recipes showcases Garten’s talent for creating delicious, approachable dishes that bring people together during the holidays, making them essential additions to any festive menu.
Celebrity chef Ina Garten is known for her roast chicken recipe.
NBC NewsWire / Contributor
I love making Ina Garten’s dishes during the holidays, and these three recipes are my favorites.
Her overnight mac and cheese is decadent, and there are never leftovers of the potato gratin.
Garten’s skillet corn bread is my favorite and always steals the spotlight at Thanksgiving.
As a food writer, I’ve tested and tasted many of
Ina Garten
‘s best recipes.
I’ve whipped up her
comforting pastas
, learned how to bake by making her
incredible cakes
, and started many mornings with her easy but
delicious breakfasts
.
So it’s no surprise that I always turn to Garten’s dishes during the holidays. These are the three easy
“Barefoot Contessa” recipes
that I tell everyone to make for Thanksgiving.
Ina Garten’s overnight mac and cheese is delicious, decadent, and super comforting.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
In her cookbook “Go-To Dinners,” Garten said her overnight mac and cheese is the “creamiest, crustiest, most delicious mac and cheese.”
And believe me, she’s not exaggerating.
Garten’s overnight mac and cheese features both Gruyère and sharp white cheddar cheese.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
To make Garten’s dish for four, you’ll need:
8 ounces of cavatappi or elbow macaroni
3 cups of heavy cream
2 cups of Gruyère cheese, grated
1 ½ cups of fine fresh white breadcrumbs
1 cup of sharp white cheddar, grated
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted
¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg
Garten’s mac and cheese is the perfect make-ahead dish for the holidays.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
Garten’s mac and cheese couldn’t be easier to assemble — you don’t even need to make a roux. Plus, it requires less than 30 minutes in the oven, so it’s an easy dish to bake right before Thanksgiving dinner.
More importantly, Garten’s overnight mac and cheese is extremely delicious. I love the crunchy breadcrumbs on top, and the sauce is decadent without being too rich. When I made this dish for the first time at Friendsgiving, my fiancé praised it for being “exceptionally creamy,” while a friend said it tasted “like a hug in your mouth.”
It’s my favorite “Barefoot Contessa” mac and cheese recipe, although Garten’s
“grown-up” mac and cheese
is a close second.
Get the full recipe for Ina Garten’s overnight mac and cheese here
.
Garten’s potato gratin is one of my family’s favorite holiday dishes.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
I wasn’t much of a cook before the pandemic, unless you count warming up frozen food from Trader Joe’s. But when I wanted to contribute something to my family’s holiday menu, this recipe seemed like a good place to start.
Garten’s potato-fennel gratin, which appears in her first cookbook, ”
The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
,” is 100% foolproof.
Plus, it tastes amazing.
“I love to make potato gratin and fennel gratin, so I decided to combine the two,” Garten writes in the recipe’s description. “If you make this in an old French gratin dish, it looks wonderful and can go from the oven to the table with style.”
Garten’s potato-fennel gratin only requires five ingredients.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
To make Garten’s gratin for four, you’ll need:
1 pound of russet potatoes (2 large ones)
1 small fennel bulb
Half of a yellow onion
1 ½ cups of Gruyère cheese
1 ½ cups plus 1 tablespoon of heavy cream
If you’re trying to make the dish for a larger party, Garten also has a
recipe that serves 10
.
There are never any leftovers when we serve Garten’s potato-fennel gratin at Thanksgiving — it’s that good.
I can’t wait to make Garten’s gratin for Christmas again.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
Garten’s potato-fennel gratin is such a satisfying dish, with perfectly cooked potatoes and a deliciously cheesy cream thanks to the Gruyère. The sautéed fennel also adds a lovely mild sweetness to each bite.
This is easily one of my favorite holiday side dishes, and it’s so much better than mashed potatoes.
Get the full recipe for Ina Garten’s potato-fennel gratin here
.
Garten’s brown-butter skillet corn bread blew me away the first time I tried it.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
Garten included this corn-bread recipe in the republished version of “The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook,” calling it the “best corn bread I’ve ever made!”
I decided to try the recipe for the first time before a Friendsgiving party a few years ago, where it was a huge hit.
You probably already have most of the ingredients for Garten’s corn bread in your pantry.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
To make Garten’s corn bread, which serves 10 to 12 people, you’ll need:
3 cups of all-purpose flour
2 cups of whole milk
1 cup of fine cornmeal (Garten says this makes moister corn bread than medium grind)
1 cup of sugar
½ pound of unsalted butter
2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons of baking powder
My fiancé and I love Garten’s corn bread so much that we now make it twice a year — for Friendsgiving and Thanksgiving.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
Garten’s brown-butter skillet corn bread is one of my favorite “Barefoot Contessa” recipes of all time. It’s perfectly baked and delectably moist, which is evident the minute you cut the first slice.
The warm, golden hue makes for a stunning centerpiece, and the corn bread just tastes so deliciously fluffy. It’s the perfect blend of sweet and savory, and I can never resist getting seconds — no matter how stuffed I am.
Get the full recipe for Ina Garten’s brown-butter skillet corn bread here
.
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