Classic Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes

Classic Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes

Thanksgiving is fast approaching!

Have you decided what you’ll be serving?

Are you hosting the Thanksgiving dinner? Or are you bringing a dish to the family gathering? Or, maybe you have a Thanksgiving themed potluck at work that you have to bring a dish to.

Now’s the time to start thinking about what you’ll be making and serving.

Here are some great ideas and delicious dishes you can cook up for your family and friends.

From green bean casserole and roasted veggies to mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce, these crowd-pleasing holiday sides are sure to be the star of any Thanksgiving meal. And don’t forget the Vegetarian Gravy.

Tried and tested by so many, these recipes are truly delicious and will be very popular on the holiday table.

You can make many of these ahead of time; just see each recipe for the best tips!

And, I’ve included alternate cooking methods for many of these recipes – so make it in the crock pot or slow cooker, or in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker, or the traditional oven method. The choice is yours.

Stuffing

The stuffing is my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal.

And I know many folks who share my opinion.

I make my vegetarian stuffings even for the meat eaters. No one ever complains.

You can still stuff the turkey with these vegetarian stuffings if you want.

But, since it’s safer to bake or crock pot the stuffing anyway, why not just leave the stuffing on the side and not have that food safety risk?

You’ll love these delicious and moist stuffings. I have a classic oven baked casserole, a crock pot version, and a creamy veggie filled one.

Vegetarian Stuffing, I have a slow cooker version Vegetarian Crock Pot Stuffing, and Zucchini Stuffing Casserole.

Carrots

Cooked carrots are so delicious, and even the picky eaters in my family love them. I have two maple roasted versions, and one twist on the classic with orzo and Parmesan.

Maple-Thyme Roasted Carrots cooked a bit on the stove and then finished in the oven, Maple Roasted Carrots with a long roasting in the oven for deep flavor, and Cheesy One Pot Carrot Orzo Side Dish Recipe.

Spinach

I think spinach side dishes at Thanksgiving are such a welcome change. They are green and delicious, something many Thanksgiving sides are missing. Check out these delicious and fun holiday classics.

Spinach Mushroom Gratin, Cheesy Creamed Spinach Gratin Casserole, and Spinach Mushroom Crescents.

Sweet potatoes

Another classic Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish. I’m not a huge fan of the marshmallow topped sweet potato, so you won’t find those in my collection. I’m much more of a fan of the savory sweet potato side dish! And these sides are sure to please!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes one of my favorites for year-round making, Holiday Sweet Potatoes, Air Fryer Cubed Sweet Potatoes, Sweet Potato Layer Bake, Sweet Potatoes Au Gratin, and Chipotle Maple Sweet Potatoes.

Broccoli side dishes

Another fun green veggie side dish idea! Broccoli casseroles make everyone happy at the holidays. I also have a great cold broccoli salad that’s perfect for making ahead!

Air Fryer Roasted Broccoli, Broccoli Wild Rice Casserole, Broccoli Rice Casserole, Cheesy Broccoli Potato Casserole, and Cranberry Pecan Broccoli Salad.

Corn side dishes

Corn is such a great side. It’s sweet and delicious, and can be made into so many things. Creamy. Hot. Cold. Whatever you fancy in a corn side, I’ve got it here.

Classic Corn Casserole, Mexican Corn Salad, Creamed Corn, and Crock Pot Corn Dip.

Roasted vegetables

Roasting brings out the full complex nutty flavor of so may veggies. I have my favorite veggies here – some mixed and some simply the straight lone veggie. Also, you’ll find oven roasting and Air Fryer roasting are both delicious!

Oven Roasted Vegetables, Orzo Risotto with Roasted Vegetables, Easy Roasted Green Beans with Mushrooms and Onions, Roasted Asparagus, Air Fryer Roasted Green Beans, and Garlic Mushrooms in Sour Cream.

Potatoes

Probably the second favorite side dish of most people, or even the favorite of some people! Potatoes are so widely loved by everyone. Here they are: mashed, roasted, sliced, stacked, layered, smashed, boiled, oven baked, pressure cooked, and stuffed.

Mashed Potato Casserole, Cheddar Scalloped Potatoes, Rustic Mashed Potatoes, Skinny Potato and Onion Bake, Potatoes Fondantes, Twice Baked Potatoes, and Roasted Potato Stacks.

Green bean casserole

A category all its own. The green bean casserole is a classic that should be on every holiday table.

Cranberry sauce

The perfect holiday condiment. And again, I have options here for how you cook it.

Roasted Cranberry Sauce and Cranberry Sauce with Tart Oregon Cherries and Red Onions.

Mac & cheese

Classic and delicious. Loved by kids and kids at heart everywhere. Want your mac & cheese oven baked, crock pot, or even a little healthy? I’ve got ya covered!

One Dish Oven Baked Mac & Cheese, Crock Pot Mac and Cheese, and Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese.

Bread, rolls, and cornbread

What would Thanksgiving be without the bread?

In fact, I have some cousins who eat basically only the bread and turkey at the holiday. I’ve got lots of different options for you, from rolls to biscuits, to cornbread.These are Classic Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes that you’ll want to serve.

No-Knead Parmesan Rosemary Bread, Buttermilk Dinner Rolls, Skillet Buttermilk Butter Biscuits aka butter swim biscuits, Parmesan Garlic Buttermilk Biscuits from Scratch, Fresh Buttermilk Biscuits, Cranberry Rosemary Cornbread, and Bourbon Banana Walnut Bread.