If you’re looking for the perfect side dish for thanksgiving meal, look no further.
We’ve got you covered with a wide range of options that are sure to please everyone at the table. From baked potatoes to rolls, we’ve got all your bases covered.
Don’t forget about dessert! We also have a sweet potato pie dish that’s sure to impress even the pickiest eaters in your family.
19 Best Side Dishes For Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is right around the corner and if you’re hosting a large gathering, you’ve probably been looking for some new side dish recipes to try. This year, why not try something different? These 15 creative sides can be made ahead of time and will definitely impress your guests at Thanksgiving.
1. Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Apples
Brussels sprouts are one of those vegetables that people either love or hate. If you like them, this dish is sure to please. It combines roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon and apples in a creamy sauce that makes even the biggest skeptic a believer.
2. Sweet Potato Gratin
Sweet potatoes are another Thanksgiving staple that often gets overlooked in favor of more traditional favorites like mashed potatoes or sweet potato casserole. This gratin dish is perfect for taking advantage of sweet potatoes’ natural sweetness and adding some extra texture to your meal without overpowering other flavors on the table.
3. Spiced Carrot Salad with Pecans and Cranberries
If you want to mix things up a bit but still keep it traditional, this spiced carrot salad will make a delicious addition to any holiday spread without straying too far from the classic Thanksgiving flavors.
4. Maple-Roasted Parsnips
Parsnips are another underappreciated root vegetable that is often relegated to soup and mashed potato duty on Thanksgiving. If you’re looking for something a little more exciting than traditional mashed potatoes, try this dish simple. The maple syrup adds a delicious sweetness to these roasted parsnips, which pairs perfectly with the savory roasted garlic and onions in this dish.
5. Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are a must-have side dish for Thanksgiving dinner. But if you’re looking for a healthier alternative, consider alternatives like cauliflower mashed potatoes. This recipe combines cauliflower and chicken broth with seasoned breadcrumbs to create a delicious side dish that will satisfy your guests while they wait for the main course.
6. Sweet Potato Casserole
Another classic Thanksgiving dish is sweet potato casserole — it’s so popular that some people even call it “sweet potato pie.” This dish is made with sweet potatoes, brown sugar, marshmallows, and pecans. It’s a great option if you’re looking for a filling side dish that has just enough sweetness to balance out whatever else you’re serving on the table.
7. Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a classic Thanksgiving side, but they can also be a little bland. To avoid this, add some spice to your mashed sweet potato recipes with cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. You can also add in some butter for that extra creamy texture.
8. Traditional Baked Sweet Potato
Baking your sweet potatoes is easy and you don’t have to peel them first! Simply wash off the dirt from the outside of the potato and poke holes all over with a fork. Place them on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes to one hour, depending on how big they are. When they are done baking, let them cool down for about 10 minutes before cutting them open and scooping out their insides.
9. Sweet Potato Pie
This pie is easy to make and delicious. It’s perfect for Thanksgiving or any time you want a tasty dessert. You can use canned sweet potatoes or fresh ones if you prefer, so it’s easy to make regardless of your schedule. Try this recipe for Sweet Potato Pie next time you’re craving something sweet!
10. Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes with Broccoli
This recipe is simple yet full of flavor. It involves twice baking the sweet potato so that it caramelizes on the outside before being stuffed with broccoli and cheese. This dish will be a hit with anyone who likes baked sweet potatoes and broccoli!
11. Vegan Stuffing with Seitan and Mushrooms
This vegan stuffing dish is packed full of protein thanks to the seitan (which is made from wheat gluten), mushrooms, and walnuts. It’s also easy to make and requires only 30 minutes of active prep time! If you’re not a fan of mushrooms or seitan, these substitutions will make this dish taste even better: Use 1 cup sliced leeks instead of the mushrooms and 1/4 cup chopped walnuts instead of the seitan.
12. Vegan Cornbread Stuffing
This vegan cornbread stuffing dish has all the spices you’d expect from traditional recipes — sage, thyme, rosemary and marjoram — but it still tastes fresh and bright thanks to the addition of parsley and lemon zest in the mix. You can omit the butter if you prefer, but the butter adds a nice richness to the bread.
13. Roasted Sweet Potato Stuffing with Sage and Sage Glaze
This roasted sweet potato stuffing is full of flavor, thanks to the addition of garlic, shallots, and sage. If you’re not a fan of sage, replace it with thyme or rosemary for an alternative vegetarian stuffing recipe that’s just as tasty. The recipe also includes instructions for preparing a vegan sage glaze (it goes well on roasted veggies too).
14. Creamed Spinach
This is one of those dishes that sounds like it might be hard to make, but it’s really not. You just cook some onions and garlic in butter, then add spinach and let it wilt down a bit before adding cream and nutmeg. You can also add cooked diced ham or chicken livers if you want to make it more substantial.
15. Roasted Vegetables
Roasting vegetables takes them from good to great in no time at all! There are tons of different vegetables you can roast — potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts — but we love roasted brussels sprouts best. They’re so delicious on their own that they don’t even need a sauce or gravy on top!
16. Stuffed Acorn Squash
Butternut squash is one of my favorite vegetables, but I also love acorn squash. This recipe is a combination of both, with a nutty sweetness from the butternut and richness from the bacon that makes this dish stand out. It’s a great side dish for Thanksgiving or any other holiday meal.
17. Roasted Kabocha Squash
Kabocha squash is another variety I love to use in recipes because its flavor stands up to just about anything you pair it with. Roasting kabocha brings out even more flavor than boiling or steaming them, so if you want to try something new for your Thanksgiving spread, give this recipe a shot!
18.Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
This salad is full of all the things you’re looking for this holiday season: tangy lemon, crunchy arugula and walnuts, and a sweet and salty dressing. Plus, it’s super easy to make! Just toss it all together in a big bowl. You can even add some cooked sweet potato or butternut squash cubes if you want more texture and sweetness.
19. Wheat Berry Salad
This salad is the perfect side dish for any dinner—it’s light but filling and full of flavor. The wheat berries take longer than most grains to cook, so start them first. The other ingredients are quick to prepare, so you’ll have this dish on the table in no time!
Conclusion
When it comes to Thanksgiving, we’re all about putting the main event first—but that doesn’t mean you should ignore the sides.
The truth is, Thanksgiving is a special time of year when it’s not just about eating turkey, but also getting to spend time with your family and friends. And while the turkey is certainly going to be the star of your meal, don’t forget about the rest of your family members! What are they going to eat? How will they know what to do with themselves?
You can make sure everyone has a great time by offering them side dishes that are just as delicious as their main course. After all, there’s nothing like a perfectly prepared meal where everything is cooked just right.
And if you want some help preparing those side dishes for Thanksgiving, we’ve got you covered! Just follow our simple guidelines and you’ll be well on your way toward creating a delicious feast for your loved ones.
