50 Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes: Best Ideas for Thanksgiving Dinner
Updated on March 13, 2023
Gathering around a Thanksgiving dinner table is a time-honored tradition. The sweet aroma of home cooking fills the air, and ears prick up to listen for the clink of silverware on china – the signal it’s time to take your seat!
But if hosting or attending this year’s Thanksgiving celebration feels like more than you can handle, fear not. In this article, we’ll show you how to prepare a few simple Thanksgiving side dishes that go well with turkey and which will please even finicky eaters.
Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes that Are Easy to Make
These Thanksgiving side dishes are designed with simplicity in mind: less prep work and easy clean-up! This means they require minimal equipment and call for simple, fresh ingredients you’re likely to find in the grocery store.
1. Loaded Slow-Cooker Potatoes – Thanksgiving Side Dishes
We don’t think that you have friends or family members who despise potatoes unless they’re currently on a diet. It’s such a versatile vegetable that you can make a wide range of delicious and healthy meals out of it.
Take these loaded slow-cooker potatoes, for example. It’s a gluten-free recipe that will likely become one of your favorite Thanksgiving side dishes. Plus, you don’t really need Thanksgiving as an excuse to make them since they work any day of the week.
We discovered a fabulous recipe on Punch Fork that shows how to quickly make this appetizing side dish, so be sure to check it out! It requires ten ingredients and requires a crockpot, which means that you don’t have to worry about guarding it. The cooking time is about 5 hours, so you have to prepare it way ahead of Thanksgiving dinner.
When it comes to ingredients, baby potatoes, shredded Cheddar cheese, garlic cloves, bacon, green onions, paprika, cooking spray, freshly ground black pepper, kosher salt, and sour cream. Once you try it, let us know what you think!
2. Leftover Mashed Potato Balls – Thanksgiving Dinner
Another quick and delicious Thanksgiving side dish you need to try is leftover mashed potato balls. It’s typically served as an appetizer or snack, but we think it goes well with Thanksgiving dinner!
Surprisingly enough, this recipe calls for only seven ingredients: leftover mashed potatoes, scallions, shredded Cheddar cheese, eggs, seasoned breadcrumbs, and vegetable oil.
You don’t even need a food processor or mixer because these mashed potato balls are pretty simple to make using just your hands.
All that’s left for you to do is combine the ingredients and shape them into bite-sized balls before deep-frying them in hot oil until golden brown. Finish off by sprinkling them with some coarse salt. You can serve them with leftover cranberry sauce or gravy.
Discover the full instructions at Just a Taste! You need 15 minutes of prep time and only 5 minutes of cooking time to make 30 mashed potato balls.
3. Baked Candied Yams – Thanksgiving Food
Another dish you should consider adding to your Thanksgiving menu is baked candied yams. You may have tried oven-baked sweet potatoes, but did you know that the same recipe works for yams?
This tasty Thanksgiving food is low in calories so that it won’t ruin your diet, and it only requires nine ingredients! Plus, you can quickly prepare the ingredients in 15 minutes.
We found a straightforward recipe on I Heart Recipes that you should definitely examine. To get started, all you need are medium-sized yams, salted butter, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and pure vanilla extract.
Once you’re done preparing the batter by combining these ingredients together, just pour them over the whole yams and spread them evenly before baking them at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 45 minutes. It yields six servings.
4. Crispy Garlic Smashed Potatoes with Butter Parmesan – Thanksgiving Sides
If you’re looking for a Thanksgiving side dish that’s easy to prepare or make ahead of time, then crispy garlic smashed potatoes are the way to go! They’re absolutely mouth-watering, thanks to the butter and cheese mixture.
This meal is ideal if you have family members with different dietary restrictions since there’s only one ingredient in this recipe that requires preparation – the potatoes! You can prepare everything in only 10 minutes, boil the potatoes in salted water, and then cook them in an oven with the remaining ingredients at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes.
In addition to Yukon Gold or Carisma potatoes, you need olive oil, butter, garlic cloves, fresh parsley, Parmesan cheese, and kosher salt and pepper to taste.
The full instructions can be found on Cafe Delites, so be sure to check it out!
5. Baked Sweet Potatoes – Thanksgiving Dishes
Baked sweet potatoes make a great addition to any Thanksgiving menu, and they’re incredibly easy to make! This popular Thanksgiving side dish goes well with everything, especially meat like turkey and ham.
You only need three simple ingredients for this recipe: large sweet potatoes, olive oil, and sea salt or kosher salt. That’s pretty much it!
Once you wash the outside of the potatoes thoroughly, you just need to poke holes in them, drizzle them with olive oil, and sprinkle them with salt. Then, you can roast the sweet potatoes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 45 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork.
Discover more details on Mom on Timeout! You don’t need anything else to prepare these tasty baked sweet potatoes. However, they taste even better with butter, cinnamon, and sugar, so feel free to add your favorite spices.
6. Golden Sweet Cornbread – Thanksgiving Recipes
This delicious Thanksgiving side dish recipe for golden sweet cornbread is perfect for serving with turkey, gravy, and everything else you’re planning to include on your holiday platter.
The best part of golden sweet cornbread is that it’s elementary to prepare – you need 10 minutes of your time. As far as ingredients go, make sure you have all-purpose flour, yellow cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, salt, eggs, whole milk, and vegetable oil.
After mixing all ingredients, you pour the composition on a pan with a baking sheet and heat it in the oven at 400 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes. It doesn’t get any simpler than that! When it’s done, you should obtain 12 servings.
Discover the complete recipe at All Recipes and let us know how yummy it is!
7. Classic Stuffing – Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner
This traditional Thanksgiving stuffing tastes just like it’s supposed to – scrumptious – so you simply can’t go wrong with making it for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner!
Averie Cooks presents an elementary step-by-step guide on how to make a delicious stuffing that everyone will love. All you need are a few ingredients: onions, celery, fresh herbs, butter, broth, bread, and eggs.
You can also add poultry seasoning to improve the taste. Bake the stuffing at 250 degrees F for about 20 minutes before serving next to turkey or chicken. You should obtain about 8-10 servings.
8. Simple Cranberry Sauce – Best Thanksgiving Sides
Enjoy the delicious taste of cranberry sauce at your next Thanksgiving dinner! It’s unmissable and one of the best Thanksgiving sides, hands-down! This simple recipe will impress your family and friends because it’s easy to make, but it still tastes like a homemade meal.
The ingredients you need are quite basic: fresh or frozen cranberries, sugar, and water. To make it tastier, you can also add pecans, raisins, orange zest, blueberries, currants, nutmeg, cinnamon, or allspice. Preparations shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes of your time.
After boiling everything together for 15-20 minutes on low heat or until thickened, the sauce is ready! It’s the perfect timing before you sit down at the table with your family.
Visit Simply Recipes for complete instructions on how to make simple cranberry sauce!
9. Buttermilk Biscuits – Best Thanksgiving Sides
Surprise your family on Thanksgiving with perfectly moist and flaky buttermilk biscuits. If you’re not the best cook around, don’t worry because this recipe is nothing like your regular baking challenges. Still, it’s one of the best Thanksgiving sides out there!
You can whip up a batch of these tasty biscuits in about 30 minutes using a few simple ingredients: all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, unsalted butter, and buttermilk. They’re effortless to make – just mix everything until it forms a dough, then roll out the composition into 1/2 inch thickness.
Cut the biscuit pieces as big or as small as you want them before placing them on a greased baking sheet. Let them bake for 15 to 18 minutes at 450 degrees F until golden.
To find out more, check out the complete recipe at Live Well Bake Often!
10. Grandma’s Cornbread Dressing – Veggie Side Dishes
You can never go wrong with grandma’s cornbread dressing for Thanksgiving dinner. It’s the perfect veggie side dish because it tastes delicious, and no one would guess that you’ve been cooking all day!
All you have to do is get a few ingredients ready: dry cornbread mix, butter, celery, onion, eggs, chicken stock, dried sage, and salt and pepper to taste. To make it meat-free, make sure to replace the chicken stock with vegetable broth.
Saute the celery and onion over medium heat, then combine everything together in a bowl before pouring it into a greased 9×13-inch baking pan. For best results, bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until it starts to brown on top.
See the complete instructions by going to All Recipes!
11. Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows – Thanksgiving Vegetable Side Dishes
Traditional sweet potato casserole with marshmallows is one of the best Thanksgiving vegetable side dishes, and it’s surprisingly easy to make! There are only a few ingredients you need: large sweet potatoes, brown sugar, large eggs, salt, butter, milk, vanilla extract, and miniature marshmallows.
All you have to do is boil the sweet potatoes, mix all remaining ingredients in a large bowl, add the cooked sweet potatoes, and then use a hand mixer to make everything smooth.
Then, move everything to a baking pan and make a thin layer. Don’t forget the final step – top it off with mini marshmallows before placing it in the oven for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Check out The Stay At Home Chef for more details on how to make this delicious dish!
12. Roasted Brussels Sprouts – Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Brussels sprouts are one of the best Thanksgiving side dishes that everyone loves! These mouth-watering vegetables are packed with vitamins and nutrients, making them great for your health. And not to mention, they’re vegan-friendly, gluten-free, low in calories, high in fiber, and 100% delicious!
Don’t be scared of the recipe because it’s super easy to make – all you need are fresh Brussels sprouts, olive oil, salt, and pepper. For directions, make sure to check out Well Plated‘s recipe!
If you want, you could also add a pinch of red chili flakes, lemon juice, garlic gloves, or rosemary sprigs, depending on your preferences. We’re sure that your guests will love this dish no matter how you choose to season the roasted Brussels sprouts.
13. Easy Cranberry Stuffing – Most Popular Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Betty Crocker’s cranberry stuffing is one of the most popular side dishes for Thanksgiving because it has everything you could possibly want in a recipe that completes a roasted turkey – taste, easy preparation, and all kinds of health benefits!
To make this incredible stuffing, you have to gather butter or margarine, celery stalks with leaves, onion, soft bread cubes, dried cranberries or golden raisins, fresh or dried sage leaves, fresh or dried thyme leaves, salt, and pepper.
Using a skillet with butter, you have to cook the celery and onion until the onion is tender, add part of the bread cubes, move the skillet contents to a large bowl, add the remaining ingredient and toss. Make sure to stuff the turkey right before roasting it.
14. Brussels Sprouts Gratin – Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipe
Brussels sprouts gratin is one of the easiest Thanksgiving side dish recipes for those looking for a rich, cheesy, and creamy meal.
A few ingredients are necessary for this recipe: fresh Brussels sprouts, butter, shallots, garlic cloves, kosher salt, black pepper, pepper, heavy cream, shredded Cheddar cheese, shredded Gruyere cheese, bacon, and fresh parsley for garnish.
Wash and quarter your brussels sprouts before seasoning them with salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Separately, cook your bacon strips until crisp, then crumble it into small pieces, grate some Gruyere cheese on top of everything else – as much as you’d like!
Bake in an oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit or broil on high heat for 5-8 minutes so that the edges brown nicely. Lastly, remove from oven, top with grated Cheddar cheese, and enjoy!
For the complete recipe, be sure to check out The Chunky Chef and let us know what you think!
15. Cauliflower Stuffing – Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Cauliflower stuffing is an easy Thanksgiving side dish recipe for those looking to lighten up their traditional Thanksgiving staple. The best part about it? You can make it ahead of time!
We found an excellent recipe at Here to Cook, which acts as a healthy replacement for the traditional Thanksgiving stuffing. That’s because it’s low-carb and gluten-free, so it should definitely please any guests with dietary restrictions.
As far as ingredients are concerned, you need cauliflower, broccoli, small carrots, yellow onion, garlic cloves, chicken stock, pecans, sugar-free bacon, Parmesan cheese, olive oil for roasting, unsalted butter for frying salt, and black pepper.
It takes about 10 minutes to prepare everything, and you need 30 additional minutes for cooking. And it should yield six servings.
Enjoying something fresh and healthy during Thanksgiving dinner will be a great break from all the heaps of unhealthy food.
16. Green Bean Casserole with Mushrooms – Southern Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Green bean casserole with mushrooms is a southern Thanksgiving side dish recipe that anyone can enjoy at Thanksgiving dinner since it’s so creamy and flavorful!
As far as ingredients are concerned, you need green beans, olive oil, sweet onion, dried oregano, Shiitake mushrooms, Baby Bella mushrooms, dry sherry salt, freshly ground black pepper, all-purpose flour, low-sodium chicken broth, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. For the fried onions, you need a yellow onion, flour, paprika, milk, canola oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
You can check out the complete recipe at I Can Cook That and let us know how delicious it truly is!
17. Honey-Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts – Thanksgiving Side Dish Ideas
Honey-balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts are an excellent Thanksgiving side dish idea because they combine the traditional Thanksgiving staple with a sweet and tangy sauce.
For this particular recipe, you need Brussels sprouts, balsamic vinegar, honey, olive oil, salt, and pepper. As you can see, it’s only a handful of ingredients. In fact, you shouldn’t need more than 10 minutes for prep time. And the cooking time is only 18 minutes to produce four servings.
To discover the full instructions for this mouth-watering recipe, feel free to visit Crunchy Creamy Sweet!
18. Loaded Cauliflower Casserole – Thanksgiving Side Dishes
If you’re looking for a healthier twist on the traditional Thanksgiving side dish recipes, then this loaded cauliflower casserole is just what you need! It’s made with healthy veggies and topped with Cheddar cheese.
So, what are the ingredients? You will need cauliflower, bacon, ground pepper, salt, shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, sour cream, and scallions. Cooking time will be 40 minutes, while prep time is only 20 minutes.
If this low-calorie and gluten-free recipe grabs your attention, be sure to visit Eating Well to view the complete steps!
19. Balsamic Roasted Baby Carrots – Thanksgiving Dinner
Fancy a Thanksgiving dinner side dish that’s not only balsamic-flavored but also super tasty and colorful? Then you should check out these mouth-watering baby carrots!
As far as ingredients are concerned, you need baby carrots, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and fresh or dried parsley. The time to prepare this meal is around 10 minutes, while the cooking time is 40 minutes. Yum!
A complete recipe can be found at Cravings of a Lunatic, so feel free to browse it and see how you can make your own delicious side dish for Thanksgiving dinner!
20. Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes – Thanksgiving Food
When it comes to the Thanksgiving side dishes, you might want to have something sweet on your table. And what can be sweeter than these creamy and delicious mashed potatoes?
It’s only a matter of mixing some ingredients together in a bowl. Luckily, this recipe needs nine simple ingredients that anyone can get: sweet potatoes, salt, green onion, fresh flat-leaf parsley, garlic cloves, sour cream, butter, ground black pepper, and extra virgin olive oil.
Even though it’s super easy to prepare these mashed potatoes in 20 minutes, there are still 10 minutes needed for cooking time. When everything is ready, you will get six servings out of it.
Visit Cookie and Kate to get the instructions for this scrumptious Thanksgiving food!
21. Arugula Salad with Shaved Parmesan Three Ways – Thanksgiving Sides
Arugula salad not only tastes great, but it also looks gorgeous! And if you want to make this Thanksgiving side even more festive, then serve it with shavings of parmesan cheese on top.
For this recipe, you need extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, honey, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. It takes only 5 minutes to get everything ready, and this recipe is enough to serve 3 or 4 people.
To discover the instructions for making this beautiful and delicious salad, visit Foodie Crush!
22. Loaded Smashed Potatoes – Thanksgiving Dishes
If you want to make your Thanksgiving side dish recipes more filling, then check out these loaded smashed potatoes. They are packed with flavorful ingredients that will surprise your guests and keep their bellies full at Thanksgiving dinner.
This recipe is very simple as it needs baby potatoes, salt, olive oil, bagel seasoning, shredded Cheddar cheese, sour cream, and onions. You shouldn’t need more than 10 minutes to get everything ready. Then, you bake the potatoes in the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit oven for about 30 minutes.
For the complete guide, be sure to visit Budget Bytes and let us know how yummy it turns out!
23. Cheesy Crispy Baked Green Beans – Thanksgiving Recipes
Don’t be turned off by another green bean Thanksgiving recipe because this one has a cheesy twist to it. They are crispy, tasty, and simply irresistible!
If you’re looking for Thanksgiving side dishes that will go great with any main course, then this is the perfect recipe. Add the following ingredients to your shopping list: fresh green beans, olive oil, kosher salt, ground black pepper, unsalted butter, garlic cloves, bread crumbs, shredded Jalapeno pepper cheese, and grated Parmesan cheese.
Preparations shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes, while baking time is around 5 minutes. Clearly, this is one of those recipes you can quickly whip up as a last-minute solution when guests are finding their seats at the Thanksgiving table.
Visit The Cookie Rookie to get all the details on how to make this delicious Thanksgiving food!
24. Easy Pumpkin Soup – Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner
If you are looking for traditional recipes for Thanksgiving dinner that are easy to make, check out this pumpkin soup. It’s simple, delicious, and has a creamy texture that will keep everyone coming back for more.
The recipe calls for butter, yellow onions, garlic cloves, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, pumpkin puree, chicken stock, water, and heavy cream. As you can see, you don’t need any fancy ingredients since all are common – most people already have them in their pantry.
Visit The Salty Marshmallow to learn how to prepare this autumn-inspired favorite at your next Thanksgiving celebration!
25. Apple Spinach Salad – Best Thanksgiving Sides
Spinach is a great lettuce type for salads because it has a mild flavor that doesn’t overpower the other ingredients. It also looks beautiful when mixed with autumnal fruits like red apples!
If you’re interested in a light side dish for Thanksgiving, check out this apple spinach salad! The ingredients required are baby spinach, large apples, small red onion, walnut halved, dried cranberries, goat cheese, and apple cider vinaigrette.
To add a sweet taste to the salad, be sure to use red apples. They also give a nice rich color. Otherwise, if you prefer sour, go with green apples. As far as the cheese is concerned, you can replace the goat cheese with Feta or blue cheese if you like these better.
To make the champagne vinaigrette, you need extra virgin olive oil, champagne or apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic cloves, salt, black pepper, and honey or maple syrup to sweeten the taste.
You should get everything ready in 15 minutes tops. Once it’s done, the garnish should be immediately served using cheese as garnish. But you can also refrigerate it for an hour before serving.
Visit Gimme Some Oven to get the complete steps!
26. Maple Bacon-Wrapped Carrots – Best Thanksgiving Sides
One of those Thanksgiving recipes that sound special but are surprisingly easy to prepare is maple bacon-wrapped carrots. If you’re looking for a savory dish that will thrill your guests, then this is it.
The recipe uses only six ingredients: carrots, bacon, black pepper, maple syrup, Sriracha sauce, and parsley for garnish. You can also add other seasonings like cayenne if desired.
The good news is all these items should come together in less than 15 minutes! Then, the maple bacon-wrapped carrots need about 40 minutes in the oven. So, overall, the entire meal should be done in almost an hour.
Visit Kevin Is Cooking to get all instructions on how to make this special food and definitely one of the best Thanksgiving sides!
27. Italian Oven-Roasted Veggie Side Dishes
Here’s another simple recipe for Thanksgiving side dishes. It uses an unusual combination of ingredients but results in a delicious meal that everyone will love!
For this Italian oven-roasted veggie side dish, you need Baby Bella mushrooms, baby potatoes, tomatoes (Campari, grape, or cherry), zucchini or summer squash, garlic cloves, extra virgin olive oil, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt, and pepper. If you want to spice it up, you can add red pepper flakes as well as serve the meal with Parmesan cheese.
The recipe produces six servings, needs 10 minutes of prep time, and 30 additional minutes of cooking time in the oven at 425 degrees F. We can only imagine how scrumptious it turns out. If you want to make it vegan, just drop the Parmesan cheese.
If you think so, too, visit The Mediterranean Dish to get the full recipe and let us know what you think!
28. Low-Carb Mashed Cauliflower – Thanksgiving Vegetable Side Dishes
This recipe for low-carb mashed cauliflower is perfect if you want to include more vegetables on your Thanksgiving menu. Its mild taste means that it won’t overwhelm your other dishes. At the same time, the rich texture and flavor will please everyone at the table.
The ingredients required are a medium head cauliflower, garlic cloves, low-fat buttermilk, salted butter, and salt and pepper to taste. No more than 5 minutes are necessary for the preparation time. You just have to add 20 more minutes for the cooking time.
To discover the complete recipe for this easy and stunning Thanksgiving vegetable side dish, be sure to visit Skinny Taste!
29. Mini Sweet Potato Casserole Boats – Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Another fall and winter-friendly recipe are mini sweet potato casserole boats. If you like the taste of sweet potatoes but don’t want to eat them in a regular way, then this recipe is perfect for you!
It takes the humble sweet potato and makes it into something special with a few added ingredients, making it one of the best Thanksgiving side dishes.
Since they can be made ahead of time, they make great Thanksgiving side dishes as well as party food! The mini boats are drizzled with avocado oil and salt. A little bit of dairy-free butter adds even more flavor.
To make the streusel, you need quick oats, chopped pecans, almond meal, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon. If you want to make the mini boats gluten-free, make sure to use gluten-free oats.
The complete recipe is available on Damn Good Veggies. You shouldn’t need more than 5 minutes to prepare everything before the boats go in the oven to cook for about 55 minutes. This recipe yields four servings.
30. Rosemary Roasted Potatoes – Most Popular Thanksgiving Side Dishes
If you’re looking for popular Thanksgiving side dishes, you should try these rosemary roasted potatoes. They are an excellent addition to Thanksgiving dinner so that you can offer comfort food to your guests. Plus, they use simple and inexpensive ingredients that you can find in most supermarkets.
One of the things we like best about this recipe is the ease of preparation. After cutting up the potatoes, you just have to lay them on a sheet pan and sprinkle them with olive oil, garlic cloves, dried rosemary, salt, and freshly cracked pepper.
Don’t forget to use gloves or wash your hands after handling fresh rosemary! You can also throw in a handful of parsley for a bit more flavor.
Then, you put everything in the oven and let it do its job for about 35 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. However, you have to take out the pan every now and then to stir the potatoes and make sure they get roasted evenly.
Once time is up, you will have perfectly crispy rosemary roasted potatoes that are ready to eat! You could serve them with sour cream chive sauce, for instance. Did we mention they make great leftovers? The roasted rosemary potatoes also go well with many main courses, including quinoa recipes.
If you want to give it a try, visit Budget Bytes and get the complete recipe!
31. Bacon Ranch Brussels – Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipe
The popularity of brussels sprout recipes is on the rise, and you can even find them at some restaurants. However, it’s rare to see this healthy vegetable used as a main item on the Thanksgiving menu.
That’s why today we bring you an original recipe for bacon ranch Brussels that is part of our list of the best Thanksgiving side dish recipes.
When it comes to ingredients, you will need Brussels sprouts, olive oil, garlic cloves, dried oregano, paprika, chopped bacon, ranch dressing for drizzling, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling.
The first thing you need to do is remove the stems of the Brussels sprouts and cut them in half. Then, you put them on a baking sheet and toss them with all the cooking ingredients. To give them a nice crust, you have to roast the Brussels sprouts in a preheated oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
After 30 minutes in the oven, you take out the pan, move the Brussels sprouts to plates, and then proceed with the drizzling and sprinkling. It’s best to serve them warm.
To find out more about this recipe, like the total time and servings, be sure to check out Delish!
32. Gluten-Free Stuffing – Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes
This gluten-free stuffing recipe is a healthy twist on traditional Thanksgiving side dishes. It’s quick to make, so you can whip it up in no time if you haven’t started cooking yet!
The ingredients list includes bread cubes, butter, yellow onion, celery, dried thyme leaves, ground sage, rosemary, salt, pepper, and chicken or vegetable broth.
When it comes to the bread cubes, it’s best to choose gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-gree bread that contains no more than 6 grams of carbs per slice.
If your favorite brand of gluten-free bread isn’t enough for so many slices of bread cubes, don’t hesitate to use two! Meanwhile, the butter should be unsalted to keep the sodium content in check.
The instructions for this recipe are reasonably straightforward, ideal if you’re looking for easy Thanksgiving side dishes. You need only 10 minutes of prep time and 45 extra minutes of cooking time to produce 8 cups of stuffing.
To discover the full instructions, head over to Gluten-Free Plate!
33. Pimento Cheese Deviled Eggs – Southern Thanksgiving Side Dishes
If you’re seeking southern Thanksgiving side dishes, pimento cheese deviled eggs are an excellent choice. They are quick to make, go well with any holiday, and are guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser even among picky eaters!
The ingredients list includes large hard-boiled eggs, grated or shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, black pepper, salt, honey Dijon mustard, garlic powder, mayonnaise, chopped pimentos, and smoked paprika.
The pimentos should be cut into strips. Also, remember that one jar of store-bought pimientos yields about 3/4 cup chopped.
Once the eggs are boiled, you have to halve them lengthwise. Then, remove the yolks and mash them in a bowl. To this mixture, you add all of the remaining ingredients, with the exception of the cheese and paprika. Remember that you can use whichever type of cheese is your favorite!
Once everything is combined, simply spoon it into the egg halves. Finish by sprinkling some smoked paprika on top for extra flavor.
To discover more about this recipe, make sure to visit The Southern Lady Cooks!
34. Cauliflower Kurma – Thanksgiving Side Dish Ideas
Looking for Thanksgiving side dish ideas? Indian Healthy Recipes to the rescue! This cauliflower kurma curry is a delicious curried dish prepared with roasted cauliflower, spices, and coconut, resulting in a creamy, flavorful side.
The ingredients you need are cauliflower florets, oil, green peas, onions, chili, tomatoes, ginger garlic paste, garam masala, red chili powder, salt, water, and coriander or mint leaves. You could also throw in some coriander powder to taste.
Additionally, you need cashew nuts, coconut milk or thick yogurt, and fennel seeds. As far as spices are concerned, make sure you have a small bay leaf, cumin seeds, star anise, green cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves, and strand mace.
To prepare this recipe easily at home, check out Indian Healthy Recipes for the complete instructions. You shouldn’t need more than 15 minutes of prep time and 20 extra minutes of cooking time to create three servings.
35. Sweet Potato Bites with Avocado and Bacon – Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Sweet potatoes bites with avocados and bacon are a match made in heaven! And this recipe perfectly demonstrates why. It’s time to give your guests something new at Thanksgiving and turn this recipe into a huge hit.
The ingredients list for this Thanksgiving side dish includes sweet potatoes, avocados, thick-cut bacon, extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, fresh lime juice, smoked paprika, and chopped cilantro.
First of all, you need to preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the bacon. Then, remove the skin from the sweet potatoes and cut them into thick slices.
Next, increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, place the potato slices in a pan, sprinkle them with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then bake them for 20 or 25 minutes. Remove the pan, flip the potatoes over, and let them cook for an additional 8 to 11 minutes.
For the remaining instructions of these savory sweet potato bites with avocado and bacon, head over to Well Plated!
More Delicious Thanksgiving Sides
We loved the recipes above, but we think there’s room for even more great ideas for your Thanksgiving feast. So, let’s dive in.
36. Thanksgiving Side Dishes – Sweet Glazed Carrots
We’re just that just about everyone the world over has tried carrots as a side dish to their family meals before, but we find that most people we know serve them boiled with butter and salt, which gives them quite a savory taste. Recently, we tried carrots with a sweet note to them instead and we’re pretty sure our lives have been changed forever! Give these sweet glazed carrots from Food Network a try to see what we mean.
37. Thanksgiving Side Dishes – Oven Roasted Squash with Garlic and Parsley
Similarly to the carrots, we’ve tried squash as a delicious Thanksgiving side dish plenty of times before, but sometimes it’s nice to put a slightly unique spin on things just to keep them interesting! That’s why we were so pleased to come across this recipe fromEating Well that walks you through the simple steps for making this easy but flavourful oven roasted squash with garlic and parsley.
38. Veggie Side Dishes – Corn Pudding
If you ask us, one of the best ways to put a bit of a twist on your favorite classic side dishes is to bake it into a casserole! Of course, there are all kinds of ways to do that and all different ingredients you can use, but our favorite kind usually involved vegetables in some kind of creamy cheese sauce. We doubt it’ll come as any surprise, then, that we were very pleased indeed to come across this corn pudding (which is a Southern corn casserole dish) featured onBasil & Bubbly!
39. Best Thanksgiving Sides – Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Are you actually quite the beginner in the kitchen and, even though you can usually handle cooking dinner for yourself on an average night, this year will be your first time making a Thanksgiving meal for the whole family? In that case, we think there’s no shame in finding some great tutorials with tips and tricks for making the very best classic fall side dishes that people are nearly always expecting! This tutorial fromI Heart Naptime, for example, teaches you how to make some of the most creamy and delicious mashed potatoes we’ve ever had. Sure, making mashed potatoes might seem like common sense, but having some help there to read through and followjust in case can’t hurt when you’re really trying to impress your loved ones, right?
40. Best Thanksgiving Sides – Roasted Bacon Green Bean Bundles
Like us, are you always looking for new ways to prepare certain vegetables so that they might appeal a little more to your kids? We wouldn’t necessarily say our little ones arepicky eaters, per se, but sometimes it can be tricky to get them to try a new vegetable for the first time so they can see how truly delicious it is. That’s why we used this amazing roasted bacon green been bundle recipe fromSpend With Pennies to entice them into trying green beans last year. The dish was actually so good that we fully plan to make them again this year as well!
41. Thanksgiving Dinner – Homemade Turkey Stuffing
Speaking of being a beginner in the world of Thanksgiving dinner making, there are certain elements of the classic meal that you’ve probably made before and can handle just find on your first shot, but there are others you really might never have tried before. Stuffing is one of those! Just in case you could use some guidance when it comes to perhaps the most delicious part of the season, here’s an awesome recipe and careful tutorial fromThe Bewitchin’ Kitchen that will teach you step by step how to make fresh and perfectly seasoned homemade turkey stuffing.
42. Thanksgiving Vegetable Side Dish – Creamy Dijon Brussel Sprouts
Just in case we caught your attention when we started talking about making creamy casserole side dishes from your vegetables but you’re not so hung up on the idea of including cheese in yours, here’s an alternative for brussel sprout lovers to just boiling, buttering, and salting them! We love the wayDiethood made these creamy dijon brussel sprouts in just a few simple steps.
43. Perfect Turkey Gravy – Thanksgiving Recipes
If you’re going to start thinking about the concept of covering your bases when it comes to making the Thanksgiving dinner basics for the very first time and doing it right, here’s another recipe and tutorial that will help you make sure your meal is thoroughly delicious! We love the wayCenter Cut Cook outlines nice and clearly how to make a thick (but nottoo thick) turkey gravy that tastes essentially perfect, despite how easy it is to do.
44. Cranberry Orange Compote for Thanksgiving Dinner
If you’ve ever attended a turkey dinner before, whether at Thanksgiving or Christmas, then we’re sure you’re already familiar with cranberry sauce as a pureed dish. What if we told you, however, that you can also enjoy a version where the cranberries are whole, even though it’s a little less common? Well, thankfully for all of us,Cooking Channel is here to show you jus how delicious that can be with this recipe for cranberry orange compote!
45. Bundt Pan Herbed Cornbread Thanksgiving Dressing for Thanksgiving Dinner
Maybe you’re actually quite experienced at making stuffing or dressing and you’re not a beginner at all, but youare looking for a recipe that will help you make a version that’s a little more unconventional this year, just for fun? In that case, we’d definitely suggest taking a gander at this recipe fromMelissa’s Southern Style Kitchen that teaches you how to make a bundt pan herbed cornbread dressing that’s deliciously dense enough to be cut and served in slices!
46. Turnip Puff Casserole Thanksgiving Side Dish
Are you actually scrolling through our list and finding yourselfstill thinking about how much you love the idea of making a unique casserole side dish but you just haven’t quite found the idea that really speaks to you yet? Then here’s a suggestion for the turnip lovers out there, which is actually a retro recipe from decades ago! Check outMerry About Town to learn how this turnip puff casserole was made.
47. Fresh Homemade Dinner Rolls – Thanksgiving Recipe
Just in case you’re still trying to prepare the best basics you can for the perfect first homemade Thanksgiving dinner, here’s another side dish thateveryone at the table will love.Food Network guides you step by step through the process of making fresh homemade dinner rolls and we’d be willing to bet that your family will be ecstatic to learn that you made them yourself rather than just buying the bagged kind from a store and warming them up!
48. Creamy, Cheesy Green Bean Casserole – Thanksgiving Side Dish
When we said the words “creamy” and “cheesy”, did you actually decide right then and there that you’d probably pick the creamiest, cheesiest option on our list? Then let us show you another one that’s even more so those things than what you’ve already seen! Check out howTogether As Family levelled up the taste of their green beans by turning them into this scrumptious creamy, cheesy green bean casserole that you won’t be able to get enough of.
49. Roasted Asparagus with Garlic and Parmesan – Thanksgiving Sides
If you’re going to keep scrolling through options, would you actually rather find yourself one that shows you how to prepare a veggie you haven’t seen atall on our list yet? Well, asparagus lovers rejoice, cause your patience has finally paid off! We love the wayBobbi’s Kozy Kitchen made these mouthwatering roasted asparagus prepared with a wonderfully flavourful combination of garlic and parmesan cheese.
50. Spanish Style Potatoes – Thanksgiving Side Dish
If you’re going to put an interesting twist on a turkey dinner element that’s usually present on Thanksgiving, just to change things up, are you actually pretty convinced that you’d like to make a different kind of potato than just mashed, as usual? Then we think you simply must take a look at the wayTasting Table made this delicious batch of Spanish style potatoes that are roasted and spiced to perfection!
Final Thoughts on Simple Thanksgiving Side Dishes
The best Thanksgiving side dishes allow everyone to customize their plate with a bit of this, a dash of that, or an extra scoop of something tasty – so there’s a dish for every person at the table.
If you’re not sure how to approach the task, don’t fret – we’ve got you covered! Just select one of these simple Thanksgiving side dishes and enjoy the compliments.
For more recipes that will help you with your holiday meal planning, visit our Thanksgiving section regularly! And, if you want to share your original recipes with us, feel free to do so by dropping a comment in the dedicated section below!
We hope you manage to find some exquisite recipes that are perfect for your special Thanksgiving gathering!