Turkey might be the center of attention on Thanksgiving, but sides make the table. These 14 Thanksgiving sides recipes will make everyone go back for seconds over and over again. With piles of delicious creamy mashed potatoes, savory casseroles, and crisp vegetables, who wouldn’t want more?
This list features different side dishes for special diets- whether vegan or not, there’s something for you. Classic, creative, and fun, all of the side dishes are incredibly tasty!
1. Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
Who can get enough of this classic thanksgiving recipe? Wonderfully fluffy and creamy, it’s the side dish of all side dishes!
This recipe features a tasty combination of parmesan cheese and garlic. The process of browning your butter adds an unbelievably delicious nutty flavor to the entire dish. Once the butter is ready, all you need to do is mix it into boiled potatoes.
Top with more golden brown butter and some parsley, then serve. It is perfect with every Thanksgiving meal.
2. Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Here’s a thanksgiving side dish both vegans and non-vegans will love. Rich, creamy, and utterly delicious, this curried butternut squash soup is to die for. Who knew adding curry powder would significantly improve the standard recipe?
This flavorful and warm soup is made with ginger, curry, coriander, and garam masala. And when you think it’s impressive, coconut milk is incorporated for a decadent texture. It’s the perfect keto-friendly Thanksgiving side.
Garnish with a swirl of coconut milk and roasted chickpeas.
3. Herb Stuffing
Your Thanksgiving dinner isn’t complete without some buttery and savory herb stuffing. Easy to make and tasty, this side dish is excellent with turkey and some mash.
For this scrumptious stuffing, you need bread cubes, diced celery, chopped sage, parsley, rosemary, and other aromatic ingredients. To tie it all together, use chicken or vegetable broth with some eggs. Remember to season, and it’s ready!
Serve this herb stuffing to your guests and notice how quickly they return for more.
4. Cream of Pumpkin Soup
Pumpkins are delicious and available this time of year, making this side dish appropriate. Plus, what’s not to love about this soup? It’s naturally sweet, creamy, and topped with maple pecans.
The maple pecans add a nutty flavor to this soup, making it irresistibly hearty. Cinnamon and maple syrup keep it warm while the cream balances out the soup. It has a luscious texture!
Serve with maple pecans for crunch. Then, if you’re feeling festive, present them in these cute roasted sugar pumpkins.
5. Homemade Pumpkin Soda Bread
Sometimes you need something to munch on before the main meal, and good old soda bread fits the bill. This pumpkin soda bread looks and tastes fantastic, plus it’s super easy to make.
Flavored with pumpkin spice, this scrumptious bread is moist and fluffy. What’s more, it doesn’t require kneading! Hence, it’s effortless to make compared to other soda bread. Of course, you can use canned pumpkin puree for this recipe, and it’ll still come out delicious.
Serve with salted or cinnamon sugar butter. Top with pecans, walnuts, or raisins.
6. Cream Cheese Herb Biscuits
There’s nothing quite like a tray of warm, soft biscuits. It’s one of my favorite side dishes because of the melt-in-your-mouth texture and satisfying taste.
Each herb biscuit is flavored with asiago cheese, chives, and some cream cheese for a more delicious finish. Adding freshly ground black pepper also gives it a kick that balances out the taste.
These scrumptious goodies are perfect with veggies and turkey.
7. Thanksgiving Bread Rolls
These Rosemary and Garlic dinner rolls are the ultimate thanksgiving side dish. Soft and fluffy, they taste deliciously buttery.
Made with a bit of rosemary and mixed garlic, they are low-carb, easy to make, and utterly delicious. The top of the rolls is brushed with butter before baking, giving them that nice golden brown color. For these rolls, you can use an iron skillet or baking pan; the texture and flavor remain excellent.
Pair these rolls with soup or other thanksgiving sauces, and you’ll have guests asking for more.
8. Bourbon-Spiked Candied Yams
The warm hint of bourbon is all you need to balance out these candied yams. Swimming in a brown sugar mixture, these yams add a sweet hint to your entire plate.
Essentially, sweet potatoes are cooked with butter, sugar, and spices- ground nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Melted butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract are also included for a delicious final taste. In the end, you get the softest, most buttery candied yams.
Serve with some crushed pecans alongside savory dishes such as fried chicken or turkey.
9. Cranberry-Grape Sauce
Whip up this fresh cranberry-grape sauce for your Thanksgiving feast in less than 30 minutes. Sweet and zesty, cranberries and grapes make an insanely delicious combination.
The process is straightforward- cook both fruits together until the cranberries begin to burst. Orange juice and orange zest come in for a tangy balance. A little salt and pepper also go a long way.
It works perfectly with spicy and savory meals.
10. Lemon-Garlic Roasted Asparagus
Asparagus is easily one of my favorite vegetables because they hold sauce well. This lemon garlic roasted asparagus is incredibly flavorful and appropriate for vegetarians and non-vegetarians.
It’s super easy to make- you need a few ingredients and steps, and you will get the most delicious roasted asparagus ever. Seasoned with salt and pepper, the garlic and lemon give it a warm and tangy flavor.
This delicious side dish works excellently with different thanksgiving recipes.
11. Maple Cinnamon Roasted Pears
These juicy pears are too good to be true! Wonderfully spiced with cinnamon, they are so delicious; no one will be able to resist!
Each pear is baked and spiced with a warm mixture of nutmeg and ginger, which pairs nicely with its natural sweetness. It’s later drizzled with some maple syrup for just the right amount of nutty, sweet taste.
Finish with some whipped mascarpone and crumbled walnuts for crunch. This dessert is so tasty you must ask for more!
12. Green Bean Casserole
If you need help with a side dish to make, green bean casserole always saves the day. It’s deliciously creamy and rich in flavor, which makes it more enjoyable.
This green bean casserole recipe uses a tasty mushroom roux- a mix of cassava flour, coconut milk, and Dijon mustard seasoned with thyme. After which, you will add other ingredients such as green beans, chicken broth, some lemon juice, and others.
If you need more time on your hands, you can make it the night before. It will still taste incredible the next day.
13. Oyster Pie
Ditch sweet potato pie this season and try some savory oyster pie. These oyster pies have bacon and beef and are nothing short of delicious!
The beef and bacon are browned in a saute pan to release the juice and flavor. After which, onions, garlic, butter, and mushrooms are included in the same pan. Beef stock and seasonings give it a spicy and savory flavor.
Everyone will be pleasantly surprised by this mouth-watering dish, so get ready!
14. Thanksgiving Crab Cakes
Here’s a simple but flavorful side dish that works. These crab cakes are the perfect replacement for chicken and beef dishes, plus it’s handy and easy to make.
Use the meat from the crab’s body to get the most flavor. The legs and claws won’t do the trick. You can also use canned lump crab meat, but it has a mushy texture compared to fresh crab. Eggs give these delicious cakes moisture, and crackers/bread crumbs bind all ingredients.
Season properly, bake, and serve with lemon wedges and Greek yogurt remoulade sauce.
14 thanksgiving sides recipes
Make your table appealing with these 14 thanksgiving sides recipes! Savory, sweet, and spicy!
Ingredients
Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Herb Stuffing
Cream of Pumpkin Soup
Homemade Pumpkin Soda Bread
Cream Cheese Herb Biscuits
Thanksgiving Bread Rolls
Bourbon-Spiked Candied Yams
Cranberry-Grape Sauce
Lemon-Garlic Roasted Asparagus
Maple Cinnamon Roasted Pears
Green Bean Casserole
Oyster Pie
Directions
- Choose your preferred recipe
- Organize all the necessary ingredients
- Prepare a Thanksgiving side dish in 40 minutes or less!