Thanksgiving is all about the sides. I love Thanksgiving side dishes with a passion, but how exactly do you decide what you’re going to make?
The Five Essential Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Everyone knows the feeling of getting sucked into a research hole on the internet. There are so many sites with massive lists of side dishes out there. But, if you’re anything like me, you get choice paralysis. There is definitely too much of a good thing. So, here are my five (yes, only five!) favorite Thanksgiving sides. I hope one of them makes it on to your Thanksgiving menu.
The Ultimate Green Bean Casserole
Let’s start off with this one because, green equals health. This is the mushroom-iest green bean casserole you’ll ever have. I love how the beans are crisp, snappy, and so fresh, all thanks thanks to an ice bath that leaves them an almost absurd shade of green. The mushroom sauce has a quadruple dose of umami thanks to mushrooms, soy sauce, fish sauce, and parm. Store bought crispy onions finish the whole thing off. Honestly, I can eat just these and call it a meal.
Velveeta Mac and Cheese
Who doesn’t love mac and cheese? Velveeta mac forever and ever because it’s a creamy, dreamy classic. I mean, just look at that bowl. It’s got the the cheese! Glossy, smooth, and simply delicious. It’s the best and will forever be on our Thanksgiving menu.
Soft and Fluffy Dinner Rolls
Some people might think that making your own homemade rolls is overkill, especially considering stuffing is an essential. I say, give me all that carb on carb action. Thanksgiving is just once a year and homemade squishy buns are so dreamy. It’s a pro move to brush garlic butter on top after they come out of the oven.
The Best Mashed Potatoes
I’m a mashed potato connoisseur. Mike once did a double blind taste test for me with varying potato varieties and recipes and I was able to identify every singe one. This is my go-to recipe for mashed potatoes. It’s smooth and creamy, buttery and fluffy. It’s truly the best. The secret is that there is no secret, just good technique. Pure potato goodness from just potatoes, garlic, butter, and milk.
Mushroom Shallot Stuffing
Stuffing (or dressing, if you must) lovers unite! I love stuffing so much that I make extra so I can eat it for breakfast every single day after thanksgiving. Turkey sandwiches? No thanks, give me stuffing please! This recipe, which I love making in the crock pot so it frees up the oven, is crisp and custard-y, and full of flavor. You can make it in the oven too, but don’t skip out on toasting the bread before making the stuffing, it’s what makes it so good.
Is it even Thanksgiving without Potato??
I love potatoes so much that I draw potatoes in my spare time. A potato buffet is my dream buffet.
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Super creamy, super Instant (Pot) mashed potatoes with garlic and cream and butter.
Cheesy Potato Balls
Cheesy potato balls because even better than mashed potatoes are mashed potatoes stuffed with cheese and deep-fried with a crispy outer crust.
Air Fryer Potatoes
Crispy air fryer potatoes for those times when you want a crispy roast potato but the turkey’s in the oven.
Potato salad
Potato salad because why can’t you have potato salad at Thanksgiving? This one has addictive kewpie mayo and rice vinegar in it.
Potato Pancakes
Irish boxty potato pancakes are soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. Nothing like latkes, more plush and potato-y.
Jalapeño Bacon Ranch Twice Baked Potatoes
Mini little potatoes you can just keep popping into your mouth, filled with ranch, bacon, and cheese.
Crispy Stovetop Roasted Reds
If your oven isn’t free, these are the potatoes for you: crunchy on the outside and deliciously creamy on the inside.
Duck Fat Roast Potatoes
If you want the most flavorful roast potatoes, duck fat is what you need. Maybe the best roasties you’ll ever make.
Smoked Gouda Potato Pancakes
Smoked gouda adds creaminess and a deep smoke flavor to these crispy little potato pancakes.
Crispy Roast Potatoes and Burrata
Make your roast potatoes extra lux this Thanksgiving and serve them up with some melty creamy burrata.
Miso Butter Mashed Potatoes
White miso gives these creamy potatoes an extra warm hit of super savory umami.
Potato Dominos
This might be one of my favorite ways of making potatoes: thinly sliced, trimmed into rectangles, and baked. The edges turn into a crispy chip and the centers are thick and creamy.
Japanese Roasted Sweet Potatoes
This is the purest sweet potato you’ll ever taste. Toasty, caramelized goodness.
Chili Roasted Potatoes
Roasted potatoes and sweet potatoes tossed in a lime-soy dressing with a crunchy savory granola situation on top.
Stuffings
After potatoes, stuffing is my next favorite side dish. Sometimes, when I feel like some extreme comfort food I’ll bake up a small dish of stuffing. Weird flex, I know, but damn, stuffing is the good stuff.
Crispy Stuffing Cakes
If you love the crispy bits on stuffing, these little stuffing cakes are for you.
Lemongrass Stuffing
A little bit of herb-y lemongrass is always a good thing. Stuffing with a Vietnamese twist.
Herby Stuffing
Technically this isn’t stuffing, more of a herby breakfast strata, but really, what is stuffing if not bread cubes soaked with deliciousness and baked up?
Acorn Squash Stuffing
Creamy acorn squash and bread cubes together forever, topped off with cheese because cheesy stuffing is a game changer.
Vegetable Thanksgiving side dishes
Green things, because health. And not so green things because we’re inclusive and you don’t have to be green to be a vegetable.
Honeynut Squash
Not only are they cute, they taste good too! Serve up some honeynut squash with greek yogurt and honeyed walnuts.
Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
Sweet and tender with crispy edges, almost just like deep-frying :)
Cheddar Cauliflower Tots
These oven baked tots are only 5 ingredients and full of cauliflower-cheesy goodness.
Miso Dijon Green Beans
Forget your classic green been casserole and serve up some crisp green beans tossed in a miso dijon dressing.
Pan Seared Honey Garlic Sprouts
Sweet and savory honey garlic sprouts because honey garlic vegetables are basically like candy.
Oven Roasted Cauliflower
I love how sweet and caramelized cauliflower gets when you roast it. Hmm, I think I like sweet vegetables, gotta work on getting more of those bitter greens in my life.
Burrata and Kale
Kale is a leafy green! One that tastes amazing when you braise it in tomato sauce and top it off with burrata.
Broccoli Tots
I love all things in tot form and these broccoli tots are just so poppable. And forkable. And delicious.
Air Fryer Asparagus
So fresh, so green. The air fryer makes all vegetables taste good, to be honest.
Kale Chips
What do you mean kale chips aren’t a Thanksgiving side?! When you think about it, kale chips are just crispy kale and that’s a side in my books.
Spicy Roasted Cauliflower
Oven roasted cauliflower but make it tangy and spicy kind of like buffalo wings, but cauliflower.
Pan Seared Asparagus with Miso Butter
Super simple pan-seared asparagus with rich and savory miso butter.
Instant Pot Brussels Sprouts
If you’re more a fan of tender sprouts without the crispiness, this is the sprouts recipe for you.
Bread and Biscuit Thanksgiving side dishes
Warm bread and biscuits fresh out of the oven are a treat but more so at Thanksgiving because it makes the house so warm and cozy.
Milk Bread
This is the softest, most plush bread you’ll ever make. Spread some butter on and sprinkle on the flaky sea salt!
Moroccan Pita Bread
These little pillow puffs are so soft. Break one open and make the best turkey slider.
Everything Bagel Dinner Rolls
Soft and fluffy dinner rolls brushed with butter and everything bagel spice.
Buttermilk Biscuits
Use your food processor to make these biscuits: light and fluffy with crispy bottoms.
Smoked Salmon and Chive Biscuits
Salty, smoky specks of salmon and punchy chives in these flaky biscuits.
Salad and Salad-Adjacent Thanksgiving side dishes
I love salads with Thanksgiving dinner because they offer a fresh and tart counterpoint to all the richness. Plus they make me feel like I’m being a little healthy.
Sesame Soy Broccoli Salad
I could eat just this salad and be happy! Crunchy tender broccoli, red onions, sliced almonds, and craisins.
Fattoush
If you’re looking for a light salad that will bring some freshness to the table, this is it: chopped veggies, crispy pitas, and a sumac lemon dressing.
Mint and Cucumber Quinoa Salad
Kind of like a Vietnamese vermicelli bowl but with quinoa. Super refreshing.
Kabocha Celery Salad
Pumpkin because it’s fall and celery because it crunches. This is a fall celebration salad.
Smashed Cucumber and Green Bean Salad
Super refreshing and crunchy to offset the richness of Thanksgiving dinner.
Papaya Pear Arugula Salad
Juicy papayas, crunchy pears, and peppery arugula in a lime mustard vinaigrette.
Pear and Pecan Quinoa Salad
A super festive quinoa salad with all the textures and flavors in a orange honey vinaigrette.
Mac and Cheeses are the best Thanksgiving side dishes
The preferred side dish on the East Coast. Those folks know! Creamy cheesy mac and cheese is a welcome addition to any Thanksgiving spread.
One Pot Creamy Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Pumpkin mac and cheese at Thanksgiving is just the right thing to do.
Mac and Cheese Waffles
Did you know you can waffle mac and cheese!? The edges get wonderfully crisp and crunchy and the insides are soft and cheesy.
Scoobi Doo with Burrata and Tomatoes
This one isn’t really a mac and cheese but I had to include it because it has scoobi doo mac and it has burrata, which is cheese!
Creamy Herby Garlicky Mac and Cheese
Literally the EASIEST mac and cheese you will ever make because it is just penne and Boursin cheese.
Whew! That was a lot of side dishes. I’m amazed you made it this far. Hope you got inspired and happy side dishing!
xoxo steph
going with mac and cheese waffles! never saw this before, love it, but really appreciate all, a great resource for inspiration, thank you!