Whether you’re seeking classic Thanksgiving recipes or something totally new, you’re sure to love one (or more!) of these 50 Thanksgiving side dishes.
Can we agree that Thanksgiving side dishes are the best part of the holiday meal? No offense to roast turkey and pumpkin pie, but the stuffing, mashed potatoes, and other sides are what I look forward to most.
I’m sharing 50 of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes below. They include all the classics (think green bean casserole and dinner rolls) as well as inventive veggie sides, crowd-pleasing potatoes, and more. If you’re still planning you holiday menu, check them out! You’re sure to find some recipes you love.
Our Best Classic Thanksgiving Sides
Best Stuffing
Based on my mom’s classic recipe, this rich, savory stuffing is my favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner.
Best Mashed Potatoes
These are the best mashed potatoes I’ve tried! Loaded up with butter, milk, and sour cream, they’re ultra-rich and blissfully creamy.
Sweet Potato Casserole
You won’t miss the marshmallows in this savory sweet potato casserole! It has a flavorful pecan crumble topping, which offers a delicious crunchy contrast to the creamy sweet potatoes.
Green Bean Casserole
No canned cream of mushroom soup here! This from-scratch casserole features fresh green beans, crispy baked onions, and a rich, creamy homemade mushroom sauce.
Cranberry Sauce
This maple-sweetened sauce is thick, tart, and jammy. It’s SO much better than cranberry sauce from a can.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
A zingy lemon Parmesan dressing takes these crispy roasted Brussels sprouts over the top.
Homemade Dinner Rolls
These homemade dinner rolls are soft, fluffy, and flavorful. Careful—they might upstage the turkey!
Easy Vegetable Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Green Beans Almondine
Skip the green bean casserole this year, and add these glossy green beans to your Thanksgiving menu instead!
Roasted Root Vegetables
This easy side dish will be a sleeper hit on your Thanksgiving table. A fragrant sage oil adds rich, earthy flavor to the humble medley of roasted root veggies.
Wild Rice Pilaf
This simple pilaf is flecked with tender roasted sweet potatoes, shaved Brussels sprouts, dried cranberries, and herbs.
Roasted Acorn Squash
Roasted with maple syrup, olive oil, herbs, and salt and pepper, this acorn squash is a simple, elegant Thanksgiving side dish.
Creamed Spinach
This recipe is the perfect last-minute Thanksgiving side dish. You can make it in 15 minutes, and it’s fresh, bright, and delicious. Use coconut milk instead of heavy cream to make it dairy-free!
Sautéed Brussels Sprouts
Oven at its max? Sauté your Brussels sprouts instead of roasting them.
Roasted Carrots
Honey brings out the natural sweetness of these tender, caramelized roasted carrots.
Mashed Cauliflower
This creamy mash is lighter than mashed potatoes, but it’s just as delicious.
Mushroom Gravy
Even meat lovers will fall for this velvety (vegan) mushroom gravy! It’s perfect for ladling over mashed potatoes, stuffing, and more.
Roasted Delicata Squash with Apples & Sage
This recipe is one of my all-time favorite Thanksgiving side dishes! It features a sweet and savory combination of roasted squash, apples, kale, and fresh herbs.
Roasted Vegetables
Sage, rosemary, and an apple cider vinaigrette add bold autumn flavor to these colorful roasted veggies.
Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
Roasted with honey and balsamic, these sprouts are crispy, caramelized, and packed with sweet and tangy flavor.
Roasted Beets
If you love Thanksgiving sides that you can make ahead, this recipe is for you. Roast the beets up to 3 days before the big meal. Then, toss them with herbs and a squeeze of lemon when you’re ready to eat.
Honeynut Squash
Roasted with a maple glaze and served over whipped ricotta, this sweet, creamy squash is a stunning Thanksgiving side dish.
Roasted Cauliflower
Dressed up with lemon zest and fresh herbs, roasted cauliflower is an easy, delicious Thanksgiving side dish! It’s good warm or at room temperature, so feel free to roast it up to a few hours in advance.
Sautéed Green Beans
This recipe is one of the simplest Thanksgiving side dishes, and if you ask me, it’s also one of the best. Featuring a lemon dressing and fresh thyme, it’s bright, colorful, and easy to make.
Stuffed Acorn Squash
This stuffed squash is a versatile addition to a Thanksgiving menu. It makes a fantastic meatless main or hearty side dish!
Roasted Butternut Squash
A sprinkle of herbs is all it takes to make roasted butternut squash a Thanksgiving-worthy side dish.
Salad Recipes for Thanksgiving
Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
I bring this salad to my family’s Thanksgiving dinner every year. It has 8 ingredients, it’s lemony and bright, and it keeps well if you make it ahead of time. What’s not to love?
Spinach Salad
This autumn salad plays well with classic Thanksgiving side dishes like stuffing and sweet potato casserole. It features candied pecans, crisp apples, dried cranberries, and a tangy apple cider vinaigrette.
Farro Salad
Nutty farro plays off sweet apples and dates, a tangy dressing, and bitter greens in this simple, yet unexpected, salad.
Beet Salad with Goat Cheese & Balsamic
For a gorgeous Thanksgiving side dish, make this salad with as many types of beets as you can find. Filled with jeweled yellows, pinks, and reds, it’ll be a stunning addition to your holiday menu.
Green Bean Salad
A simpler, fresher alternative to green bean casserole.
Wheat Berry Salad
This salad is basically fall in a bowl! It’s packed with roasted squash, nutty wheat berries, dried cranberries, and fresh sage.
Pear Salad with Balsamic and Walnuts
Whisk together the balsamic vinaigrette a day or two ahead of time. This salad will be a breeze to assemble right before you eat!
Butternut Squash Salad
A lightly creamy, cumin-spiced dressing adds earthy, aromatic flavor to this roasted squash salad.
Kale Salad
Add tons of color to your Thanksgiving table with this rainbow kale salad! To get ahead, you can toss the kale with the carrot ginger dressing up to two days in advance. Then, sprinkle on the toppings right before you eat.
Best Broccoli Salad
This recipe only gets better if you make it ahead of time, so it’s a perfect Thanksgiving side dish.
Kohlrabi Slaw
This sweet and tangy slaw is one of my favorite last-minute Thanksgiving sides. The recipe calls for 10 ingredients and comes together in no time.
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes to Try
Homemade Mac and Cheese
Our kiddo LOVES this mac and cheese recipe. It’s a new staple among our family’s Thanksgiving side dishes!
Cornbread Stuffing
I love cornbread, and I love stuffing. So naturally, I’m obsessed with this delicious mashup of the two. It’s SO flavorful, made with fresh herbs, aromatics, and sweet and savory cornbread.
Oven Roasted Potatoes
Crispy on the outside, creamy in the middle, and tossed in a zingy lemon-rosemary dressing, these easy roasted potatoes are always a hit.
Butternut Squash Soup
Ginger, rosemary, and sage infuse this creamy butternut squash soup with warming autumn flavor.
Scalloped Potatoes
Aka potatoes au gratin! The spuds are baked in a creamy sauce with fresh thyme, onions, and cheddar cheese.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Jack goes crazy for regular mashed potatoes, but me, I’m obsessed with these mashed sweets. They’re sweet, savory, smooth, and creamy.
Focaccia Bread
Once you try this recipe, you’ll wonder why it wasn’t one of your go-to Thanksgiving side dishes all along. The focaccia is crisp on the bottom, soft and pillowy in the middle, and full of rich flavor from olive oil and sea salt.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
I make these creamy mashed potatoes without any dairy! They get their luscious texture and rich flavor from olive oil, roasted garlic, and a good splash of starchy potato cooking water.
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
This ultra-creamy macaroni and cheese will be a HUGE holiday hit! Pureed roasted squash, ground sage, and nutmeg add cozy fall flavor to the luscious sauce.
Hasselback Potatoes
These retro potatoes are cut into thin slices most of the way through but left intact at the bottom. They look impressive and taste DELICIOUS, with crisp edges, tender middles, and lots of garlic butter on top.
Garlic Knots
Keep an eye on these guys when you take them out of the oven. They’re so soft, fluffy, and flavorful that they might all disappear before they reach the Thanksgiving table!
Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Served hot from the baking sheet, these tasty taters have ultra-crispy edges. Dress them up with sprinkles of Parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, and red pepper flakes.
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Score yourself some extra space on the stove this Thanksgiving, and make your mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot. They’re rich, creamy, and SO darn convenient. One of our new favorite Thanksgiving side dishes!
Jalapeño Cornbread
We love this sweet and spicy Thanksgiving side dish with honey butter on top.
Twice Baked Potatoes
Can’t choose between roasted potatoes and mashed potatoes? These twice baked ones combine the best of both.
More Thanksgiving Recipes
Looking for more holiday menu ideas? Check out these Thanksgiving recipes next:
50 Thanksgiving Side Dishes: Easy Mashed Potatoes
Serves 4 to 6
Prevent your screen from going dark
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Use the back of a chef’s knife or a small masher to mash the roasted garlic into a paste before incorporating into the mashed potatoes. Set aside.
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Place the potatoes and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a large pot and fill with enough water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
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Use a ricer or a potato masher to mash the potatoes in a large bowl. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the roasted garlic, olive oil, ½ cup of the reserved cooking liquid, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of pepper. Continue folding until creamy, adding up to ½ cup more cooking liquid if desired for creamier potatoes. Serve hot with butter, chives, and/or rosemary, if desired.
