Whether or not you’re a Turkey Day-traditionalist or desire to create a brand new menu yearly, there’s one factor we are able to possible agree on: Thanksgiving dinner is absolutely all concerning the facet dishes. From the wealthy, buttery staples (see: stuffings, potatoes, and biscuits galore) to roasted greens and cranberry sauce, we’ve collected 76 of our greatest Thanksgiving facet dishes.
In relation to this vacation, turkey—as a lot as I really like the style of it with its drippings and the superb future sandwiches it is destined to root—is the one true facet at my desk.
Thanksgiving permits you to go the additional mile with the supporting characters, a lot in order that, for a lot of, they one way or the other find yourself changing into the celebs of the present.
It is a lovely day, is not it, when the underdog lastly will get to shine?
I am a sides man, in brief. I believe many individuals are. Which is why it is smart to actually nail down your combine as a result of there’s quite a bit happening in facet dish land: You have to hold some mainstay classics as a result of the purpose of Thanksgiving is, on the one hand, custom: the consolation of repetition and household and the dinner desk.
Alternatively, time (and the time without work!) to do nothing however dwell within the kitchen, cooking and communing and experimenting with new recipes. Within the midst of all of the tacky casseroles and starchy starches (the dependable standbys), it helps to throw in one thing inexperienced, or one thing crunchy, or one thing recent and vibrant and zingy—one thing novel. Eye-opening facet dishes that can grow to be, of their magnificence, new classics.
I’ve gathered under our greatest Thanksgiving facet dish recipes, together with a few of our newest favorites. With so many choices, the toughest half will simply be selecting what to make.
60 of Our Favourite Thanksgiving Vegetable Aspect Dishes
20 Thanksgiving Desserts to Make Forward (& Freeze!) Proper Now
1. Vegan Stuffing With Mushrooms & Nori
Is it even Thanksgiving in the event you don’t have stuffing in your desk? This model will impress your vegan and meat-eating friends alike, due to the deeply-savory mixture of mushrooms, nori seaweed, and dietary yeast.
2. Kimchi Cheddar Biscuits
This recipe options the whole lot we love about biscuits (assume: tall layers and ample portions of butter) however introduces fiery kimchi and sharp cheddar cheese into the combo. The ultimate product is equal elements tangy, flaky, and savory.
3. Uncooked & Caramelized Brussels Sprouts With Salty-Candy Pepitas
Brussels sprouts are a Thanksgiving staple, however reasonably than roasting them, do that salad that options the cruciferous vegetable each uncooked and cooked. This methodology provides you the perfect of each worlds—sprouts which might be caramelized and candy and equally refreshing.
4. Blistered Inexperienced Beans & Candy Potatoes With Tahini
You’ll be able to’t go improper with serving a basic inexperienced bean casserole or marshmallow-topped candy potato bake. However in the event you’re hoping to strive one thing new this yr, why not mix the 2 greens into one tremendous facet dish? Earthy candy potatoes and garlicky inexperienced beans are a pure pairing, particularly when mixed with a creamy, nutty tahini dressing.
5. Bacon Mac & Cheese With Buttery Sage Bread Crumbs From Will Coleman
Mac and cheese is a Thanksgiving staple in lots of households, particularly within the South—and for good cause. It’s consolation meals at its most interesting. This recipe is very fall-friendly, due to the inclusion of sage in its crispy bacon-panko topping.
6. Cornbread Stuffing, however Make It Taco
For a stuffing that’s nearly assured to be the meal’s most memorable dish, look no additional than Sohla El-Waylly’s Taco Bell-inspired model. In spite of everything, including shredded cheese, taco seasoning, and bitter cream to your plate isn’t a foul thought.
7. Jiffy “Corn Casserole”
This old style corn recipe dates again to the Nineteen Seventies, however stays a facet dish staple for Thanksgiving in households all throughout America.
8. Hasselback Potato Skillet Bake
Hasselback potatoes are fashionable as a result of they appear nice, are far simpler to make than you may anticipate, and style just like the joyful medium between a baked and roasted potato. Whereas usually the roast turkey is what attracts the oohs and ahhs, this yr’s friends received’t be capable of get sufficient of this Thanksgiving facet.
9. Fluffy, Buttery Dinner Rolls
Lots of people would possible say that they may do with out the roast turkey on Thanksgiving. The one dish that’s non-negotiable is these good dinner rolls.
10. Baked Candy Potatoes With Maple Crème Fraîche From Nik Sharma
Make candy potatoes even, effectively, sweeter with a maple syrup-infused cream topping.
11. Golden Carrot Soufflé
“Don’t be intimidated by the phrase soufflé right here. This recipe is a snap to place collectively, no fussy instructions or paper cones or scary pan prep instructions. You simply prepare dinner the carrots, whiz the whole lot within the meals processor, and bake in a buttered dish,” writes recipe developer CreamTea.
12. Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits from Carla Corridor
Are you on workforce dinner roll or workforce biscuit? Frankly, we’d like each on the desk, and these fluffy, flaky, buttery biscuits hit all of the marks.
13. Quinoa with Roasted Beets and Pear
Candy pears and earthy roasted beets are a improbable fall pairing (or ought to we are saying, PEAR-ing) for a light-weight quinoa salad.
14. Minnie Utsey’s No-Fail Cornbread
Whether or not you eat cornbread within the type of a Thanksgiving stuffing, baked in a cast-iron skillet, or lower into particular person squares, it would by no means disappoint. Whenever you need to hold issues easy and timeless, strive Minnie Utsey’s basic soul meals system made with yellow cornmeal and sugar.
15. Roasted Carrots & Beets With Crispy Buckwheat & Dill Yogurt
This naturally gluten-free facet dish recipe for Thanksgiving contains a strong duo of roasted carrots and beets. A sprinkling of caraway seeds brings a refined earthy taste and crunch to each chunk.
16. Roasted Greens with Vibrant & Crunchy Herbed Topping
Costume up roasted greens (any that you just like!) with a crunchy mixture of toasted quinoa, lemony shallots, MSG, parsley, and lemon juice. It’s mild and flavorful…oh, and did we point out completely vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free?
17. Autumn Vegetable Tian With Cheddar
“A bubbly, tacky riff on the basic Provençal casserole: Right here, the extra typical warm-weather veggies are swapped for cozy fall produce, topped with sharp cheddar, and baked in a skillet as a substitute of a tian,” says recipe developer Samantha Seneviratne.
18. Roasted Cranberry Sauce With Orange
For those who’re pro-homemade cranberry sauce vs. the “straight from the can” kind, this advanced, aromatic model will blow you and your friends away.
19. Goguma Mattang (Candied Candy Potatoes)
Candied candy potatoes sound like plenty of work proper? Thankfully for house cooks in all places, all it takes is 5 primary elements—Korean or Japanese candy potatoes, oil, granulated sugar, black sesame seeds, and roasted peanuts.
20. Tremendous Fluffy Rolls, 3 Methods: Plain, Garlic, and Pretzel
If you wish to give the impression of placing in far more effort than you really did, after which disregarding compliments with “oh, it was no massive deal!,” then that is the Thanksgiving facet dish for you. It’s a recipe for 3-in-1 dinner rolls which might be assured to please each single visitor on the dinner desk.
21. The Solely Roasted Cauliflower I Need
Whoever mentioned cauliflower was bland and boring by no means tasted Rebecca Firkser’s roasted model with garlic cloves, crimson pepper flakes, golden raisins, and a drizzle of vinegar.
22. Scalloped Potatoes with Caramelized Onions
This tacky, creamy, over-the-top potato facet dish for Thanksgiving is what desires are made from. Caramelized onions are integrated all through every layer for some savory sweetness that offsets the wealthy cream sauce.
23. Roasted Autumn Greens with Walnut-Miso Sauce
The great thing about this vegetable facet dish for Thanksgiving is that you should use no matter produce is offered on the farmers’ market…or frankly, what’s in your crisper drawer. Right here, Diana Henry used a easy however memorable mixture of carrots, celery root, butternut squash, and onions.
24. Make-Forward Turkey Gravy
There’s nothing like selfmade gravy, however it could possibly usually be a mad sprint to whisk it up on the final minute after the turkey has come out of the oven. You need to make use of all these improbable caramelized brown bits on the backside of the roasting pan with out worrying that the whole lot else will begin to get chilly. The answer? Make-ahead gravy! Appears apparent, however now we have a recipe that you are able to do as much as every week upfront and really feel assured that it’s going to style prefer it was made day-of.
25. Vegetarian Mushroom Thyme Gravy
Even when non-meat eaters received’t be digging into the turkey, they nonetheless deserve a savory gravy to drizzle over mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, and flaky roll after flaky roll. That’s the place this umami-rich gravy is available in.
26. Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Pears & Pistachios
Roasted Brussels sprouts make a wonderful facet dish all yr lengthy, however we particularly love this fall-ready model with tangy-sweet pears and crunchy pistachios.
27. Pear, Brandy & Walnut Cranberry Sauce
If canned cranberry sauce is not your factor, do not write off this basic condiment simply but—do that selfmade cinnamon and brandy-infused model made with recent cranberries. It simply may change your thoughts.
28. Crispy Delicata Rings With Currant, Fennel & Apple Relish
One of many biggest issues about delicate squash: you do not have to peel it. Merely slice into rings, take away the seeds, roast with lime, and high with a zingy fennel and apple relish.
29. Martha Stewart’s Macaroni & Cheese
Over 100 glowing critiques do not lie: this lusciously cheese macaroni and cheese from Martha Stew is the bomb.
30. Harvest Stuffing Bread
Get all these cozy, carb-y stuffing flavors in a single loaf with this comfortable, tender white bread filled with plenty of dried herbs and spices, from dried onion powder and celery seed to dried sage and thyme.
31. Do-it-yourself Inexperienced Bean Casserole
This is not your common inexperienced bean casserole. Right here, snappy haricots verts dress up in a lush wine and shallot-spiked mushroom béchamel. Principally, facet dish heaven.
32. Mashed Potatoes With Caramelized Onions & Goat Cheese
Up the Thanksgiving ante by fancy-ing up your subsequent batch of standard mashed potatoes with a mixture of mellow-sweet caramelized onions, punchy goat cheese. and garlic.
33. Northern Spy’s Kale Salad
Aspect dishes you may prep upfront are a lifesaver through the holidays, and for that cause, this make-ahead kale salad with studded with squash, almonds, and pecorino is on the menu usually.
34. Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprout & Bread Stuffing With Apples
If in case you have buddies or household who want a little bit of convincing that vegan dishes could be simply as tasty and satisfying as their non-vegan counterparts, make them this wow-worthy bread stuffing with squash, herbs, alliums, and apples.
35. Edna Lewis & Scott Peacock’s Candy Potato Casserole
You will not discover golden-browned marshmallows topping this candy potato casserole, however don’t fret—this recipe requires a layer of sugar-crusted pecans over clean, whipped candy potatoes that is simply as satisfying (if not higher).
36. Basic Parker Home Rolls
Heat, toasty dinner rolls are a should for any Thanksgiving unfold, and these basic Parker Home rolls are considered one of our go-to recipes for a crowd.
37. Diane Morgan’s Basic Mashed Potatoes
These conventional mashed potatoes have a trick that makes them additional fluffy and flavorful: combine within the melted butter first, then add the warmed-up milk.
38. Angel Corn
This creamy baked corn casserole has been part of former Food52 Editor Cory Baldwin’s Thanksgiving custom for so long as she will be able to keep in mind. She calls it “an impressive excuse for a vegetable” and we will not assist however agree.
39. Roasted Carrot Soup
For the best-tasting carrot soup, roast your carrots within the oven with nothing however olive oil and salt till they’re comfortable and frivolously browned earlier than mixing with inventory and seasonings.
40. Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole
This dish has all of your main meals teams: vegetable, carbohydrate, and cheese. Impressed by the basic recipe from the facet of a can, my model of the comforting casserole has been unfold out onto a sheet pan in order that the rice can caramelize and get additional crispy. For those who’re like my relations—who love rice—then this may occasionally change the turkey at your desk this yr.
41. Complete Roasted Cauliflower with Turmeric-Tahini Sauce & Pistachios
For those who’re throwing a vegetarian Thanksgiving, we predict this doozy of a whole-roasted cauliflower with dried Kalamata olives, a crunchy pistachio-sesame condiment, and turmeric-tahini sauce would make a showstopping facet dish for sharing.
42. Sheet-Pan Cornbread Stuffing With Sage
Cooking your stuffing on a sheet pan provides a complete new layer of texture: the super-buttery cornbread will get crispy-chewy on the sides and the veggies have simply the correct amount of chunk.
43. Stovetop Inexperienced Bean “Casserole”
You’ll be able to by no means have too many inexperienced bean casserole choices, in our opinion, and this four-ingredient stovetop riff is a superb addition to any listing.
44. Immediate Pot Buttermilk & Leek Mashed Potatoes
“All variations are honest sport with these potatoes,” recipe developer Ella Quittner says. And her recipe Immediate Pot buttermilk and leek mashed potatoes, which comes collectively in simply 20 minutes, is considered one of our favorites.
45. Sheet-Pan Mac & Cheese With Pumpkin & Brown Butter
We’re massive fan of alllll forms of mac and cheese, however we particularly love serving up this sheet-pan model with pumpkin and nutty brown butter through the holidays.
46. Brown Butter Stuffing
Talking of brown butter, we adore it added to a easy stuffing, like this one with simply recent sage, inventory, and eggs.
47. Momofuku’s Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Fish Sauce French dressing
Typical roasted Brussels sprouts get an additional spark with the addition of a fish sauce French dressing with lime juice, chiles, and garlic.
48. Candy & Smoky Roasted Carrots
“For those who love smoked paprika, the percentages are excessive that you just’ll love these carrots,” writes Dorie Greenspan of her candy and smoky roasted carrots.
49. Immediate Pot Mac & Cheese
The Immediate Pot works its magic once more with this creamy, pancetta-y mac and cheese that is sprinkled with a stovetop-toasted panko.
50. Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Bacon & Balsamic-Cranberry Glaze
These family-favorite Brussels sprouts from longtime Food52 contributor EmilyC name on a number of tips that make them terribly scrumptious: begin with a piping-hot sheet pan and coat the Brussels sprouts in a balsamic-cranberry glaze.
51. Caramelized Butternut Squash Wedges with a Sage Hazelnut Pesto
Contemporary sage and roasted butternut squash are a pitch-perfect autumn pairing, however the hazelnut, sage, and ricotta salata pesto(ish) drizzle actually takes the combo excessive.
52. Creamy Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms
Anticipate to make an extra-large batch of those addictive sausage-stuffed mushrooms—they’re just about assured to vanish the second they hit a serving dish.
53. Heavenly Oatmeal-Molasses Rolls
You do not should be an seasoned bread-maker to tug off these oatmeal and molasses rolls—the strategy is exceptionally simple and the dough is a dream to work with (no kneading crucial).
54. The Greatest Pan-Roasted Potatoes
You will not want greater than three elements—potatoes, oil, and salt—to tug off these crispy-edged pan-roasted potatoes, that are certainly, the perfect.
55. Corn Pudding
Let one Food52 group member’s assessment of this corn pudding provide help to resolve whether or not or to not give it a strive: “I LOVED this recipe. It was the star of my Thanksgiving menu!!!! My relations wouldn’t cease speaking about it the entire meal.”
56. Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin and Cilantro
Cauliflower’s pure sweetness shines after a stint within the oven, plus it will get a pleasant complement with smoky cumin and vivid cilantro.
57. Seared and Glazed Parsnips with Rosemary
Parsnips might not get the identical fanfare as this season’s different root greens, however these smoky seared-meets-charred parsnips deserve simply as a lot consideration as carrots, candy potatoes, and the like.
58. Mashed Potato Focaccia
Your new favourite focaccia recipe has a secret ingredient that makes it probably the most tender of all of them: mashed potatoes. Make an additional portion of mashed potatoes while you’re prepping Thanksgiving dinner and use them right here for an extremely comfortable, bread-y facet.
59. Autumn Root Vegetable Gratin with Herbs and Cheese
Who would flip down a tacky gratin with garlic-infused milk, Gruyère, and your fall’s favourite root greens (like potatoes, parsnips, and butternut squash)? Not us.
60. Roasted Pear and Rainbow Chard Salad
Lemony French dressing, chèvre cheese, roasted-till-golden pears, and a mattress of tender rainbow chard strike the proper steadiness of tart, candy, creamy, and earthy.
61. Roasted Acorn Squash with Maple and Crimson Pepper Flakes
This roasted acorn squash is straightforward and scrumptious, requiring little greater than the elements which might be listed within the recipe’s title.
62. Grilled Potato and Inexperienced Bean Salad
Potato salad is a summer time staple, however this ” feisty, grilled model” suits proper in through the chillier months.
63. Roasted Delicata Squash Filled with Autumn Farro
Squash full of fennel and pistachio-spiked farro makes a hearty facet dish, however it could possibly additionally stand in as the principle on a vegetarian Thanksgiving desk.
64. Paul Kahan’s Panzanella With Roasted Leeks, Pecans & Apples
Leeks, lower lengthwise and roasted, shine on this straightforward panzanella (aka bread salad) alongside toasty pecans and crisp apples.
65. Sautéed Dates with Roasted Butternut Squash, Wheatberries and Blue Cheese
“This salad has a lot of my favourite issues: candy, caramelized dates, funky blue cheese, spiced, roasted squash, and peppery arugula,” reads the Check Kitchen notes on this hearty salad. Yep, we’re bought.
66. Stewy White Beans with Escarole, Garlic, and Sizzled Rosemary
These stewy white beans silky escarole are straightforward, one-pot, and name for budget-friendly elements, so mainly you are trying on the ideally suited facet dish.
67. Baked Ricotta with Mushroom Confit and Balsamic Brown Butter
This baked ricotta takes a number of uncomplicated elements—ricotta, mushroom, garlic, and balsamic, for starters—and turns them into one thing spread-able, dip-able, and completely dreamy with a number of straightforward steps.
68. Autumn Salad with Horseradish French dressing
In accordance with one reviewer, this fall-friendly salad “tastes nearly as good because it appears,” which have to be very, superb.
69. Steam-Roasted Carrots with Cumin
“The great thing about this recipe is within the methodology—including water proper earlier than you roast, and overlaying the pan,” writers former Food52 editor Kenzi Wilbur of her five-star steam-roasted carrots.
70. Thanksgiving Root Vegetable Pie
This savory, vegetarian-friendly pie could be prepped a day or two forward of time, so all it’s a must to do on Thanksgiving is roast your greens and bake the whole lot.
71. Cream-Baked Endive with Bacon and Pecans
“Endive browned to perfection after which slathered in a tacky cream sauce, topped with bacon and pecans?” asks our Check Kitchen notes. The reply is sure. At all times sure.
72. Molly Stevens’ Roasted Fennel, Crimson Onion, and Orange Salad
Three winter standbys—fennel, onion, and orange—make a vivid and fresh-tasting trio on this absurdly merely salad recipe.
73. Carlo Middione’s Polenta Facile
Heaps of turkey, roasted greens, and even a dollop of cranberry sauce would all style nice over this creamy, two-ingredient polenta—yep, we’re speaking polenta and salt.
74. Judy Rodgers’ Roasted Applesauce (and Savory Apple Charlottes)
This ultra-comforting applesauce is rather like what you may purchase in a plastic cup—solely a bit extra fresh-tasting and balanced (due to a splash of apple cider vinegar).
75. Roasted Root Greens with Cider French dressing
It does not get extra conventional than a tray of roasted root greens, however the addition of a sweet-tart French dressing takes issues to the subsequent degree.
76. Compound Butter & Herb Roast Turkey
We did not neglect concerning the turkey! Pair this recipe for roast Thanksgiving turkey with any of our basic facet dishes.
This text was up to date in September 2022 by our editorial workforce who’s already hungry for Thanksgiving facet dishes.
What is the must-have facet at your Thanksgiving yearly? Tell us within the feedback under (and psst—please share the recipe when you’ve got it).