27 Thanksgiving Side Dishes – The Ultimate List!
A collection of the BEST Thanksgiving side dishes, from classics like corn casserole, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, rolls, and traditional stuffing to modern riffs on favorite recipes like sweet potato casserole and green bean casserole.
It’s November 12th, and while I’m over the moon about the fact that there is now Christmas music available on satellite radio, we still have another holiday to tackle before we begin decking the halls… and Thanksgiving is just over two weeks away!
While Christmas has my heart as far as holidays go, Thanksgiving is my very favorite food holiday… there is nothing better than hitting the couch on Thanksgiving evening in a total food coma. While turkey is always front and center of the dinner spread, I prefer to take a small piece and fill my plate with a variety of side dishes (and of course leave room for dessert).
(If you ARE interested in turkey, then you should check out how we make ours >> How to Deep Fry a Turkey)
I have SO MANY Thanksgiving recipes here on the site, but I narrowed down my very favorite side dishes for you today. I’ll be back later this week with a list of my favorite Thanksgiving dessert recipes, so stay tuned!Â
[You can find ALL of the turkey day recipes that are on the site here >>Â Thanksgiving Recipes.]
Now, on to those side dishes!
Aunt Vicki’s Corn & Mixed Vegetable Casserole
My aunt has made this for as many Thanksgivings as I can remember… it’s a super simple veggie casserole that comes together quickly (and no one can resist that Ritz cracker crust!).
Broccoli Casserole (From Scratch!)
Growing up, my Aunt Rene would routinely contribute a broccoli casserole to my grandma’s Sunday dinner spread, and everyone gobbled it up. Once I was older, I tackled making a homemade version with fresh broccoli, fresh mushrooms, a homemade cream sauce and bread crumb topping.
Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Gratin
Anyone who scoffs at Brussels sprouts will go back for seconds when you combine them with bacon and a creamy sauce, and top them with a bread crumb crust. This has been a huge Thanksgiving hit with my family.
Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta, Cranberries & Pine Nuts
Everyone clamors for this riff on Brussels sprouts – they are pan-fried and combined with crispy pancetta, dried cranberries and toasted pine nuts. Tons of different flavors and textures, which makes for a fantastic side dish.
Buttermilk Biscuits
Some families do dinner rolls, some do cornbread, and some do biscuits. If you fall into the latter category, then you will absolutely love these incredibly fluffy and flaky buttermilk biscuits.
Cheesy Corn Casserole (From Scratch!)
A supremely cheesy corn casserole that is made with absolutely no packaged ingredients or canned corn, which amounts to loads of fresh flavor that’s a welcome change from traditional corn casseroles.
Cornbread
If you fall into the cornbread camp for your gravy-mopping duties, let me introduce you to my most favorite cornbread recipe. It comes together quickly and bakes up perfectly every single time. Smear it with butter and mop away!
Cornbread Muffins
Maybe cornbread muffins are your jam? I made these years ago to go with a pot of chili and fell in love immediately. Great for individual portions and you can make them mini-sized if you’d like, too!
Creamed Corn Casserole
The epitome of corn casseroles. Only six ingredients, a bowl and a spoon are all you need to whip up this easy casserole. Don’t expect to find any leftovers when you serve up this classic!
Cloverleaf Dinner Rolls
If you want something a little bit different than regular dinner rolls, these cloverleaf rolls totally fit the bill. They are soft and fluffy, yet sturdy enough to not totally disintegrate when they’re smeared with butter and are sopping up leftover gravy on the plate. Important!
Cranberry-Walnut Rolls
Such a festive spin on traditional dinner rolls! This easy yeast dough is studded with dried cranberries and toasted walnuts, shaped into rolls, sprinkled with sugar and baked until golden brown. Serve with regular butter, orange-infused butter, or even apple butter!
Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
Truth be told, it wasn’t until a few years ago when I found out that macaroni and cheese was a big Thanksgiving side dish. We never had it in our family on Thanksgiving growing up, but I totally understand the appeal. I mean, cheesy carbs are what it’s all about, right!? And this crock pot mac and cheese version frees up stove and oven space, and you can scale it up to serve a crowd if you need to!
Easy Hashbrown Casserole
While we’re on the subject of cheesy casserole side dishes, once you take a bite of this cheesy hashbrown casserole (and find out how easy it is to make!), you’ll wonder why it hasn’t been on every holiday menu of yours since the beginning of time.
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
I have been making this cranberry sauce every single Thanksgiving for the past eight years. It is more a chutney-style cranberry sauce than a jellied or super saucy version, and it is DELICIOUS. Such bright and light flavors thanks to apple, orange and lemon zest!
Grape Salad
This new-to-me recipe also ranks highly for many as a Thanksgiving side dish mainstay. I love the fresh fruit, creamy dressing, and crunchy nuts. It will definitely add some different flavors and textures to your Thanksgiving table!
Green Bean Casserole (From Scratch!)
Green. Bean. Casserole. Is there anything that screams of Thanksgiving more than this casserole? Originally consisting of canned green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and canned fried onions, this classic gets a from-scratch re-make. Fresh green beans, fresh mushrooms in a homemade cream sauce, and a homemade bread crumb topping that is mixed with those french-fried onions because, let’s be honest, they are GOOD (but you can substitute your own crispy fried shallots if you’d like!).
Homemade Crescent Rolls
Buttery, flaky crescent rolls made totally from scratch! I love to fill up a bread basket with these beauties.
Mashed Sweet Potato Brûlée
A fun spin on sweet potatoes – they are mashed with butter and a little bit of seasoning, then topped with chopped walnuts and baked. The dish is then sprinkled with brown sugar and broiled until it is bubbling. Grab a spoon and crack through that beautiful brown sugar crust!
Perfect Mashed Potatoes
These are THE BEST mashed potatoes! As in, I need to quadruple the recipe every year because everyone goes totally nuts over them and they all want to take some home to have with the leftover turkey. They are supremely creamy, perfectly seasoned, and you can make them in the morning and keep them warm in the slow cooker until dinnertime. Total win!
Pineapple Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole
My favorite riff on sweet potato casserole right here – fresh sweet potatoes are cooked and mashed with butter, tons of seasonings, bourbon and crushed pineapple, then baked and topped with homemade marshmallow creme and broiled until beautifully browned.
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette
This is a longtime favorite in our family, and if you’re looking to add salad to your Thanksgiving menu, this is totally the version I would recommend! It’s not overly filling, but you get all of those warm traditional flavors carried right through the salad. And that apple cider vinaigrette? Sublime!
Sausage, Apple & Sage Stuffing
This sausage and apple stuffing is made with Challah bread, flavored with sage, and bakes up wonderfully moist with a crisp top and crisp corners. It has risen in the ranks among stuffing recipes, and my husband now declares this one his very favorite.
Sausage Cornbread Stuffing
A Thanksgiving must in our family! There is something so insanely good about that combination of cornbread and sausage, and I load up on it year after year.
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Bacon and Pecans
I made this a couple of years ago and nearly everyone asked for the recipe after dinner; it’s a lighter, fresher way to serve Brussels and many people who claim to not like Brussels sprouts will gobble this up!
Sweet Corn Spoon Bread
This riff on the popular JIFFY corn casserole includes an extra egg, which gives this version a creamy, almost souffle-like consistency.
Sweet Potato Gratin with Gruyere
I first made this sweet potato gratin nearly 10 years ago and it still gets massive rave reviews whenever it shows up on the table. The sweet potatoes are wonderfully tender, and it’s perfectly creamy and cheesy. Always a huge hit!
Traditional Bread Stuffing
Last but certainly not least is perhaps the most iconic of all Thanksgiving side dishes – the traditional stuffing. Sautéed onion and celery are flavored with poultry seasoning (sage, marjoram, thyme – is there a smell more Thanksgiving that that trio?!), mixed with cubed bread, chicken stock and eggs, and baked until golden brown.
TELL ME! What is your hands-down, all-time favorite Thanksgiving side dish?!
I love that you show all of the recipes on first page, with pictures as well. So neat to get to scroll and look at them all. You’re always so thoughtful truly.
Hi Michelle,
I love your recipes and pictures! However, I think the website would be more friendly and save time for your fans if there was a recipe list and then a hyperlink to the recipes instead of loading all the large pictures on the first page.
I was so happy to find your traditional bread stuffing recipe! I’ve made it the last few years as it’s such a close match to the stuffing my mom made. I thank you every year I make it!
Ahhh this makes me so happy! :)
That silver bowl is soooooo beautiful. Thank you for posting the name of the brand. One unique piece. I’ve never seen a bowl quite like it. Mashed potatoes, gravy turkey and a roll and the rest is great but never the star. We only get this amazing gravy once a year. Joy😊
You’re welcome! It’s one of my treasured pieces, for sure.
My made from scratch cranberry relish casserole.
I love your Creamed Corned Casserole mentioned above. So simple and delicious!  I made it earlier this month for a pot luck dinner and it was a huge hit. It may appear on my Thanksgiving table this year.  Our table wouldn’t be complete without dumplings, sweet potato casserole (the kind with the marshmallows on top), cornbread dressing, mac & cheese, Brussels sprouts, sweet potato biscuits, deviled eggs, and cranberry sauce.Â
Happy Thanksgiving!Â
Ooooh Susan, your menu sounds amazing! And I’m thrilled you enjoyed the creamed corn casserole! I’d love to hear more about those sweet potato biscuits :)
Well I thought I had my menu planned, but after looking at your list, think I’ll be adding in one of the corn casseroles and/or the hash brown casserole,  Thanks for putting all these together!
You’re welcome, Renee, enjoy your dinner! :)
My favorite is the Traditional Bread Stuffing. Â If ham is included in the meal, I’d add your scalloped potatoes. Â They are the best!
Although the ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SALAD WITH WARM CIDER VINAIGRETTE looked especially tempting to me, what REALLY caught my eye was the stunning bowl it was served in, along with the leaf-motif spoons. Where on earth can I buy that absolutely gorgeous salad bowl? I’m completely fixated on it.
Hi Peggy! I received that as a gift, gosh, maybe 15 years ago! I just checked the stamp at the bottom, and they are from Arthur Court… I found their website, these are the pieces:
Bowl: https://www.arthurcourt.com/collections/grape/products/grape-bowl-100902
Serving Set: https://www.arthurcourt.com/collections/grape/products/grapevine-serving-set-101586
I think I will cook the sweet potato pineapple dish this year!
I thought I was already excited about Thanksgiving but you have sent me over the edge! Â Thank you for sharing these fantastic recipes. Â Now for my list…HA
Thanks for putting all this together! Definitely putting your green bean casserole on the menu, & looks like I’ll need to add some others!
Of these which is your FAVORITE!!?!
Hands-down, the perfect mashed potatoes. If I could pick only one thing from this list to eat with my turkey, that would be it!
I too am all about the sides at Thanksgiving. Â My favorite are Stuffing Balls made with herb stuffing crumbs and creamed corn. Â I like them better cold the next day for breakfast than right out of the oven on Thanksgiving!
I made your mashed potatoes (a double batch) last year for a Friendsgiving  and they were a huge hit.
Ooooh those stuffing balls sound amazing! Please share the recipe, if you’d like!
Hi Michelle – I emailed you the recipe.
This post has me so excited for the holidays.  I have made a few of these recipes and everyone goes crazy for them.  They are regulars on our table.  I have not made the Brussel sprout, pancetta and cranberry dish though but it looks delicious.   I want to add it the menu this year.  Can you tell me if it can be made ahead and reheated?  I’m always looking for any way I can to save time and be more organized on Thanksgiving Day.  Either way, I’m making it and can’t wait.  Thanks for always offering recipes that speak to our hearts.Â
Hi Marla, Yes that would can definitely be made ahead and reheated (you could just toss it into a skillet and warm up when ready to serve).