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Holidays in an RV can be an exciting and memorable way to celebrate. Taking your family on the road for these occasions creates memories that you won’t soon forget. Of course, it isn’t without its challenges, especially when it comes to cooking large holiday meals.
Thankfully, with a few modifications, you can create a delicious Thanksgiving meal that will leave everyone satisfied. Let’s dig in!
Just Because Your Kitchen Is Tiny Doesn’t Mean It Can’t Do Great Things: Tips for an RV Thanksgiving
Most RV kitchens are tiny but not useless. With advanced planning and effort, you can make a meal to feed any size family. Here are a few strategies for making the most of the space for a stress-free cooking experience.
Pro Tip: These are the 5 best RV stove and ovens with large cooktops that could be perfect for cooking a Thanksgiving meal.
Cook Smaller Portions
Cooking using smaller portions at a time will help avoid overwhelming your cooking space. Batch cooking may seem like more work, but in the end, it can help you navigate your small kitchen more efficiently. You can always combine your smaller portioned dishes when it comes time to serve food.
Use a Pizza Stone in Your Oven
Using a pizza stone in your RV oven helps the heat distribute more evenly. More even cooking is essential if you’re filling the oven to capacity. The last thing you want is one section of food burnt while another is still cold.
Prepare Sides and Desserts the Day Before
If you can prepare something ahead of time without sacrificing quality, do it. Preparing sides and desserts before you go frees up time and space for more time-critical dishes. As a bonus, some foods taste better after sitting overnight, giving the flavors plenty of time to percolate.
Utilize Outdoor Space
This is the time when having an outdoor kitchen really comes in handy. Utilize all outdoor cooking space to your advantage. Even if you don’t have a formal outdoor kitchen, you can still set up a table with a grill, use a dutch oven with charcoal briquettes, or even cook over the fire. Items such as an Instant Pot, CrockPot, or griddle work very well outside, too.
9 Thanksgiving Dishes You Can Cook in an RV Kitchen
While you can make most of your traditional Thanksgiving dishes in an RV, why not mix things up a bit? Here are a few of our favorite Thanksgiving dishes that are highly conducive to RV kitchens. We think you’ll love them!
1. Cook the Turkey in Your Instant Pot
A deliciously cooked turkey isn’t limited to an oven. This recipe is proof that you can have a mouth-watering turkey dinner come out of your Instant Pot. Not only that but it only takes about two hours!
You’ll have a flavorful and tender turkey, and you won’t need to give up precious oven space. You can even prep and cook this dish on a table outside the RV, freeing up even more room.
2. Or, Use a Turkey Deep Fryer Outside
Are you looking for a more crispy turkey than an Instant Pot can give you? A deep fryer might be exactly the answer. This is another excellent option for those that don’t want to give up their entire oven just to cook the turkey.
This option gives you a tasty turkey with limited supplies. Simply cook the turkey for about 3.5 minutes per pound, and you’ll be well on your way to a fantastic meal.
Take every precaution with this method. Have a fire extinguisher nearby, and keep the deep fryer away from your RV, other people, and walking paths. Too many people have suffered severe injuries from deep-frying turkeys in the past.
3. Instant Pot Roasted Potatoes
If your Instant Pot isn’t preoccupied with a turkey (or you have an extra), put it to work making these roasted potatoes. The Instant Pot does most of the work on these German-inspired potatoes. After they finish in the pressure cooker, just saute them for a few minutes to give them a nice exterior.
4. Small Batch Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows (Perfect for RV Ovens)
If you still have oven space, you might as well use it. This small-batch sweet potato casserole complete with marshmallows is perfect for RV ovens. It’s one dish that proves you can still have stable Thanksgiving dishes even in the small spaces of an RV. You can make this dish to feed as little as two people and as many as six.
5. Cook a Pecan Pie in Your Convection Oven
Don’t ditch the homemade dessert just because you’re traveling. You can still have a beloved pecan pie to round out your holiday meal. This pie is perfect if you have a convection oven in your rig. Many RVs have a microwave convection oven combo, which would be perfect for this dish.
You could make the pie in less than an hour and with surprisingly few ingredients. Sounds like the perfect setup for a delicious RV dessert!
Pro Tip: Here are the 14 best RV microwaves and convection ovens to make this delicious pie recipe.
6. Small Batch Green Bean Casserole for the RV Oven
Green bean casserole is another must-have Thanksgiving dish for many. Having a delicious small-batch green bean casserole recipe on hand means you can keep this staple on the table. This dish is best made in your RV oven, so be sure to make room.
Don’t forget to top your green bean casserole with crunchy french onions!
7. Roast Veggies in your RV Range
These roasted veggies will have even your pickiest eater enjoying the healthier side of the feast. The great part of this dish is its versatility. Add veggies that you love and omit any you don’t care for; the same goes for the spices.
Involve older kids with this dish allowing them to prepare the vegetables. The prep work for this dish can even be done outside to reduce the chaos inside the RV, and it only takes a few minutes to cook in your range or convection oven.
8. Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Don’t want to give up those loveable mashed potatoes? Thankfully, you won’t need to live without this tried and true Thanksgiving favorite. Making your mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot is a great way to get that crowd favorite on the table easily. These creamy potatoes will only take about 30 minutes and reheat well.
9. 20 Minute Cranberry Sauce
It’s hard to beat the deliciously tart side that’s present at most Thanksgiving feasts. You can prepare this well-loved dish up to a week ahead of time, saving you time and space the day of Thanksgiving. This recipe calls for either fresh or frozen cranberries, giving you more flexibility for your circumstances.
Enjoy Your RV-Made Thanksgiving Feast
Put your worries aside because this RV Thanksgiving just might be your best one yet. While you might have to change things up and agree to be flexible, it’s entirely doable. You can claim that all your dishes are RV-made instead of home-made!
What are your best tiny kitchen tips for holiday meals?
