25+ Thanksgiving Dinner Sides
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Let’s talk Thanksgiving dinner sides: Whether you’re preparing Thanksgiving dinner for family and friends, are looking to complete your Thanksgiving menu or just want a little extra something delicious on your holiday plate, this list of deliciously fresh side dishes will help you round out the meal.
Let’s be honest, it’s the Thanksgiving dinner side dishes that call us to the table! We love to sit down and feast on all the vegetables, casseroles and sweet rolls!
Here are more than 25 fresh, creative recipes for vegetable sides and salads. That’s plenty of ideas for pairing side dishes with the main event at Thanksgiving dinner — whether in your home the centerpiece happens to be a juicy browned turkey, a baked ham, or whole roasted fish.
These streamlined recipes rely on a handful of fresh pantry ingredients, and can be prepped ahead of time (see each recipe for make-ahead details). You’ll find sides to please vegetarian, vegan and the omnivores in this list. Enjoy!
How many sides to serve for Thanksgiving dinner:
- Depending on your ambition, budget and time, start with at least two sides for 4-8 people (not counting stuffing, rolls, cranberry sauce and other condiments).
- Serving three-four different vegetable sides is a good way to start your planning. That way each plate will have variety of color, taste and texture without becoming overwhelming for the cook or the diner.
- For a larger gathering, consider asking your guests to bring a side dish or dessert to make your life easier.
These are Thanksgiving menu side dishes you’ll love, along with all your favorite classics that go perfectly with cranberry sauce, stuffing, cornbread.
Sweet potato side dish recipes
Go for a simple side of roasted sweet potatoes to go with wild rice or corn pudding, or try a cheesy sweet potato gratin with chili and maple syrup:
Spice-Roasted Sweet Potato Cubes
Jazz up your sweet potato recipe file with this recipe for perfectly crisp-tender roasted sweet potato cubes. The bite-size pieces of diced sweet potato have delectable caramelized edges and a meltingly soft texture inside, each one seasoned with savory spices. We love them as a vegetable side dish, in salads and so much more!
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Chili-Lime Sweet Potato Gratin with Goat Cheese
For a lighter, modern twist on sweet potato casserole, layers of thin sweet potato slices are baked with bold spices, fresh lime and topped with a blend of cheeses and pumpkin seeds.This savory sweet potato gratin is tasty and beautiful on any holiday table or serve anytime as a healthy side dish.
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Cumin-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Black Beans
A super tasty spiced-up roasted sweet potato salad! The avocado crema sauce is to-die-for-delicious! Serve as a lunch or dinner salad meal or pile into tortillas to make an on-the-go taco.
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Butternut squash and acorn squash side dishes
Easy winter squash recipes that feature sweet and creamy-textured butternut and acorn squash:
Creamy Mashed Butternut Squash
A go-to recipe for savory mashed butternut squash (no sugar added), whipped with an Italian-style spiced garlic butter that takes this dish over the top!
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Slow Cooker Root Vegetables with Apple Cider Glaze
A slow cooker holiday vegetable side dish with carrots, sweet potatoes and squash in a buttery apple cider glaze.
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Miso-Glazed Roasted Acorn Squash
Roasted acorn squash glazed with a tasty mix of soy sauce, miso paste and maple syrup. It’s a must-try recipe to add to your holiday spread!
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Roasted Acorn Squash with Brown Butter and Parmesan
Easy and delicious roasted acorn squash, seasoned with brown butter, honey and Parmesan. This is a great vegetable side dish for fall celebrating or as part of a healthy vegetable grain bowl.
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Baked Butternut Squash Risotto (Extra-Easy, No-Stir!)
An easy butternut squash risotto that bakes in the oven and doesn't require constant stirring. This one-dish dinner recipe is strewn with smoky chunks of crisp bacon, roasted butternut squash cubes, and leafy green kale combined with cheesy short grain rice. Relax with a glass of wine while it cooks!
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Carrots
Carrots are always a simple classic for the holiday table!
Sweet and Buttery Glazed Carrots
This foolproof glazed carrots recipe makes tender, sweet, perfectly cooked carrots in a glossy, buttery sauce. The carrots cook in less than 15 minutes on the stovetop and could not be easier to make. Serve them up on a platter with a squeeze of lemon and some chopped herbs.
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Honey-Lime Roasted Carrots (Sweet and Tangy)
A simple recipe for tangy, sweet roasted carrots that celebrates a humble, affordable vegetable! Tossed with olive oil, honey, spices, fresh lime, herbs and crumbled soft feta cheese, this is a back-pocket recipe you'll make over and over.
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Spiced Carrots with Creamy Feta
Serve these delicious and easy to make spice roasted carrots as a snack, appetizer or vegetable side.
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Green bean recipes
Green bean recipe ideas to put on the table next to grandma’s green bean casserole.
Oven-Crisp Roasted Green Beans with Shallots
This totally delectable roasted green beans recipe is a fresh, modern take on your everyday green beans! This recipe could not be easier, and gives you perfectly brown and tender beans tangled with caramelized shallots.
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Buttered Green Beans with Hazelnuts
An incredible fresh green beans recipe you must try – perfectly cooked beans in nutty brown butter topped with hazelnuts and fresh thyme. Turn ordinary string beans into something special!
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Broccoli and cauliflower sides
Choose a quick saute or a creamy casserole with mascarpone cheese. So good!
15-Minute Sauteed Broccoli with Garlic and Parmesan
Master a simple technique and make this DELICIOUS sautéed broccoli with crisp edges and a tender bite! The broccoli has a ton of flavor, with olive oil, garlic and Parmesan cheese.
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Creamy Cauliflower Gratin with Mascarpone
This creamy baked cauliflower gratin combines fresh cauliflower in a cheese sauce with mascarpone, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs, It's very simple to assemble and bake. Pair with a roasted chicken, buttered green beans for a festive vegetable side dish.
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Brussels sprouts recipes
5-Minute Steamed Brussels Sprouts with Parsley Butter
Make perfectly steamed Brussels sprouts in just 5 minutes! Simply steaming Brussels sprouts in the microwave or on the stovetop is really the BEST way to preserve their sweet, nutty flavor and texture. Toss them with a rich-tasting garlic parsley butter for the best quick vegetable side dish.
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Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Easy roasted Brussels sprouts crusted in Parmesan cheese – quick and delicious.
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Beautiful Thanksgiving salads
These salads taste great warm or at room temperature, perfect for potlucks or buffets. Plus they look pretty great on the table:
Warm Farro Salad with Sweet Potatoes and Kale
A flavorful and healthful farro recipe for any day of the week! This hearty vegetarian salad is packed with roasted sweet potatoes, crispy kale leaves and feta cheese in a tangy-sweet balsamic vinaigrette.
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Sweet and Savory Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
Shaved Brussels sprouts, roasted walnuts, sweet grapes and goat cheese in a lemony shallot-Dijon dressing. This nourishing and crunchy side dish is easy to make and looks so pretty on the table! The salad is perfect to make ahead of time for special occasions or for lunch salads during the week.
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Arugula Salad with Pears, Goat Cheese and Walnuts
A simple and beautiful arugula salad everyone will love – a tasty arugula salad with pears, toasted walnuts, two kinds of cheese (blue and goat) and red onion all tossed in a light, lemony, honey dressing.
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Easy Roasted Vegetable Salad with Chimichurri Dressing
This colorful roasted vegetable salad recipe is absolutely bursting with flavor! Winter vegetables like carrots, butternut squash and potatoes are oven-roasted to perfection before they’re tossed with fresh greens and a zesty chimichurri dressing. Serve this salad alongside grilled steak or as a vegetarian main dish for simple, delicious weeknight dinner.
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Crunchy Winter Salad with Fennel and Pomegranate
A pretty winter salad to make with a variety of seasonal vegetables like fennel bulb, celery root, winter greens and pomegranate. Top it off with a simple creamy lemon dressing. So refreshing and nourishing!
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Roasted Harissa Butternut Squash Salad with Feta
This spicy roasted butternut squash salad is an easy vegetarian main dish salad prepared on one sheet pan, seasoned with feta cheese, pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries.
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Mushroom recipes
Earthy, meaty mushrooms pair beautifully with turkey fixings and savory stuffing:
Sauteed Oyster Mushrooms with Garlic Butter
Crisp sautéed oyster mushrooms pan-fried with butter, garlic and parsley leaves. Serve this quick and easy dish as a side or over pasta.
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Cheesy Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Make the best stuffed baked portobello mushrooms! The caps are filled with crunchy Parmesan breadcrumbs, gooey melted mozzarella cheese and bake in the oven surrounded by colorful roasted vegetables. Serve the mushrooms as an appetizer, side, or vegetarian main dish.
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Potato side dishes
Crispy roasted potatoes and creamy mashed potatoes (without butter):
Pure and Simple Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes
Our family recipe for pure and simple olive oil mashed potatoes, made without butter or dairy milk. These potatoes are simply the best-tasting natural potatoes I've ever had!
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Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs
The best way to make AMAZING crisp, crusty smashed potatoes without deep-frying.The whole roasted garlic cloves are a delicious bonus! Squeeze the soft, roasted cloves and toss with the potatoes before serving.
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Onions
Ditch the canned pearl onions, and try them glazed or as a topping for a focaccia appetizer:
Balsamic Glazed Cipollini Onions (Cipollini Agrodolce)
Tender, tangy cipollini onions in a sweet and sour balsamic glaze. These caramelized nuggets are perfect for your fall holiday table. They make a delicious side dish as well as a savory topping for pizza and pasta.
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Caramelized Onion Focaccia Bread with Blue Cheese
An easy Italian focaccia recipe – the light and airy dough is baked with sweet caramelized onions and topped with blue cheese and greens. A great light supper or appetizer.
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Thanksgiving Dinner Sides: Spicy Sweet Potato Gratin with Goat Cheese
For a lighter, modern twist on sweet potato casserole, layers of thin sweet potato slices are baked with bold spices, fresh lime and topped with a blend of cheeses and pumpkin seeds.This savory sweet potato gratin is tasty and beautiful on any holiday table or serve anytime as a healthy side dish.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 garlic clove, grated on a microplane or finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red chili
- 2 ½ pounds (1225 g) sweet potatoes, scrubbed
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 ounces (50 g) soft goat cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped green pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 (200 C) degrees.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, maple syrup, lime juice, garlic, paprika, cumin, oregano, salt and chili.
- Peel the potatoes if you like — I often just scrape off any bruised sections, leaving most of the skin on. Slice the potatoes into ⅛-inch thick rounds, using a mandoline, or use a very sharp knife and great knife skills 🙂
- Toss the sweet potatoes in the bowl to coat with the spiced oil. Arrange the potatoes upright in a 2-quart baking dish with the edges face-up, pouring the liquid from the bowl over all. Grind black pepper over the top to taste.
- Bake 45 minutes. Sprinkle the cheeses evenly over the top and return to the oven for 10 more minutes, until the cheese is softened and melting.
- Sprinkle the cilantro and pumpkin seeds over the top. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- Choose an oval 2-quart or 8-inch square baking dish so that the sweet potato slices will fit snugly.
- To make the gratin ahead, bake 45 minutes then cool, cover and refrigerate or freeze. When ready to serve, top with the cheese and bake an additional 15 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted.
Nutrition
Calories: 332kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 815mg | Potassium: 728mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 27456IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 159mg | Iron: 2mg
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Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.