Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes
The turkey is great, but the Thanksgiving side dishes are what everyone remembers! Find a new favorite in these 10+ side dish recipes for Turkey Day.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Do you have your menu picked out yet?
I am one of those people who thinks about their Thanksgiving menu for at least two months before.
My family always has a few staples on the table, but I usually try to come up with at least one or two Thanksgiving side dishes to impress everyone.
Types of Side Dishes
Thanksgiving sides come in all shapes and forms. The turkey may be the star of the show, but the supporting cast — from veggies to bread to starches — is pretty star-studded too.
Here are the main categories of Thanksgiving side dishes:
- Soups: Some people like to start their Thanksgiving dinner with a soup course, which is always a great idea if you want to impress everyone at the table.
- Salads: Giving guests the choice to add some greens to their plates is always nice.
- Vegetables: We're talking asparagus, broccoli, green beans and all the casseroles in between.
- Starchy sides: Potatoes, yams and sweet potatoes galore. Pasta and gnocchi dishes belong here too.
- Bread: Cornbread, rolls and biscuits are all welcome here.
- Stuffings and dressings: These can have their own category, since they're a mix of bread, veggies and sometimes meat.
- Sauces: From gravy to cranberry sauce, these are the things that dress up the plate.
And then there's dessert! Don't miss these Thanksgiving desserts that aren't pie. And if you make pie, make sure you use this vodka pie dough.
Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Stovetop Sausage Stuffing is the best stuffing recipe for the holidays! It's made on the stove, so you don't have to worry about it taking up room in your oven. The browned sausage adds so much flavor and you won't believe that there are only FIVE ingredients in this easy stovetop sausage stuffing recipe!
Homemade broccoli baked macaroni and cheese is a recipe every one should know how to make! If you enjoy eating mac and cheese, and who doesn't, this is a recipe you've got to try! It's perfect for weeknight dinners, bringing to a friend, or serving to the whole family! This homemade broccoli macaroni and cheese is made with corkscrew pasta, homemade cheese sauce, broccoli and finished with a bread crumb topping.
Garlic brown butter green beans are the perfect vegetable staple for your home. These green beans go with so many entrees and they are so easy to make, whether it's with fresh or frozen green beans. Even your kids will love this flavorful vegetable.
These quick, goat cheese rosemary drop biscuits are the solution! These biscuits will trump any store-bought bread and the best part is they're ready quickly. Start with a basic drop biscuit recipe and add in a hint of goat cheese and rosemary for a buttery, creamy biscuit. Serve with a slab of butter or as is and you have the perfect bread component for Thanksgiving dinner!
Enjoy this colorful Thanksgiving Fruit Salad at your holiday feast! It's a great way to add some healthy foods to the menu.
Shredded Cheesy Potatoes are the perfect side dish for all of your holiday parties and family get-togethers! These shredded cheesy potatoes are the perfect mashed potato alternative for Thanksgiving, Christmas or just because.
In need of a quick but delicious side dish? This sweet potato and kale sauté is perfectly delicious and easy to make. The sweet potatoes are the star of this show, but the red onions, cranberries, kale and a splash of balsamic vinegar make this dish robust in flavor!
Smashed potatoes are a pretty smashing way to serve potatoes at Thanksgiving. These will definitely stop the show!
This easy bourbon cranberry sauce has a hint of orange flavor and makes a great side for your turkey!
Cornbread is always a delicious addition to Thanksgiving dinner. Sweet and savory and baked in a skillet, it is the perfect bread dish.
Homemade turkey gravy is so much better than store-bought. Learn how to make the real deal and you'll never buy it again.
Stuffed baked apples are a beautiful side dish that's an upgrade from the classic baked apples.
A beautiful fall salad is the perfect healthy side dish. Make a big bowl to pass around the table.
This shells pasta is surprisingly light but packed with winter flavors like fresh butternut squash, kale, cranberries and chopped walnuts.
No one will be able to resist these big, fluffy sourdough sweet potato rolls! Serve them with butter or honey butter.
Stuffed acorn squash with a cheesy filling makes for a hearty side. You can make them without meat for a filling vegetarian main dish, too.
FAQ
Most Thanksgiving menu include mashed potatoes, gravy, macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes, stuffing or dressing, biscuits or rolls, green beans and cranberry sauce.
A general rule of thumb is to serve 3-5 sides for 4-8 people. A combination of salad, a vegetable and a starch is a good place to start. A bread option can be in addition to the sides.
