Food and Recipes Dish Casserole 55 Must-Have Thanksgiving Casseroles for Your Holiday Feast By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on August 4, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Who doesn't love a good Thanksgiving casserole? More than any other time of year, Thanksgiving is a holiday that skillfully celebrates the art of the homemade casseroles. We're not just talking about the classic green-bean casserole or the famous homemade mac and cheese, either. These are the homemade recipes that Mama guards with her life and are only learned through an illegible scribble on an old receipt or by graciously helping out in the kitchen. Hold these coveted recipes tightly because everyone will want your delicious secrets. Made with everyone's favorite seasonal vegetables and flavors, these dishes are guaranteed to be an instant hit at Thanksgiving dinner. However, the best ingredient found in all of these sought-after Thanksgiving casseroles is the hard work and love put into each one, because the way to the heart is definitely through the stomach. This Thanksgiving, make some memories in the kitchen by cooking these delectable casseroles then enjoying them with your loved ones. You better leave plenty of room on the table for these classic Southern recipes. 01 of 55 Old-School Green Bean Casserole Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Old-School Green Bean Casserole This classic green bean casserole is ready in under an hour. Guests will be thrilled to see this traditional side as part of the spread and even more delighted once they try it. The secret? We nixed classically used cream of mushroom soup in favor of homemade mushroom cream sauce. 02 of 55 Macaroni Pudding Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck; Food Styling: Erin Merhar Recipe: Macaroni Pudding We know that mac and cheese is an automatic must-have on the Thanksgiving table, but allow us to tempt you with this Macaroni Pudding recipe. Classic mac and cheese's creamier, richer cousin, this pudding is packed with a delicious abundance of cheese—3 cups of sharp cheddar per batch. These Are The 84 Best Cyber Monday Deals You Can Score On Amazon For Under $100 03 of 55 Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows, Pecans, and Cornflakes Beth Dreiling Hontzas Recipe: Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows, Pecans, and Cornflakes A classic casserole that is topped with a delicious combination of cornflakes, pecans, and marshmallows. With all of these sweet ingredients, this dish is the perfect combination of smooth, creamy, and crunchy textures. 04 of 55 Broccoli-Cheese Casserole Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Broccoli Cheese Casserole Top this classic broccoli casserole with club crackers for a buttery finish. Even the most ardent broccoli-haters won't be able to resist this decadent side. 05 of 55 Classic Cornbread Dressing Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Classic Cornbread Dressing This old-school cornbread dressing recipe starts with your favorite skillet cornbread. Make this dressing up to a month in advance and store it frozen to avoid those pre-Thanksgiving preparation jitters. 06 of 55 Hasselback Sweet Potato Casserole Photo: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Hasselback Sweet Potato Casserole Switch up your traditional sweet potato casserole by adding thinly sliced potatoes for a crispy texture. This dish is smothered in a creamy brown sugar sauce that makes it perfectly tender and sweet. 07 of 55 Corn Pudding Casserole Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Corn Pudding Casserole This savory dish is a cheesy delight on the Thanksgiving table. Use fresh or frozen corn to complement fontina or Swiss cheese—the choices are yours, and the results will be delicious. 08 of 55 Savory Sweet Potato Casserole Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Savory Sweet Potato Casserole The best of both worlds, this sweet potato casserole is topped with a Parmesan-herb streusel to give it a savory flavor. Day-old sourdough bread is the trick to a tasty topping with pecans. 09 of 55 Cheesy Potato Casserole Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Cheesy Potato Casserole This cheesy potato casserole pairs delightfully well with homemade gravy. It's decadent enough to impress holiday guests, but also easy enough to whip up on a weeknight. 10 of 55 Old-School Squash Casserole Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Old-School Squash Casserole Even if you're not a squash lover, you will be coming back for seconds with this tasty buttery dish. It's a staple for a reason—creamy sauce and crunchy cracker topping will prove why. 11 of 55 Aunt Grace's Best Cornbread Dressing Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Aunt Grace's Best Cornbread Dressing Travel editor Valerie Luesse shares her Aunt Grace's Best Cornbread Dressing recipe—which Luesse calls "silky smooth and ultra-moist." To make the deal even sweeter: This recipe serves best when made in advance. 12 of 55 Homemade Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Leeks Linda Puglies; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Homemade Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Leeks This fresh green bean casserole is topped with crunchy leeks. They're loads more elegant than canned fried onions on top of this classic Thanksgiving side dish. 13 of 55 Hashbrown Casserole Southern Living Recipe: Hashbrown Casserole Potato casserole just got a whole lot better with diced hash brown potatoes. Although this dish is sometimes called a "Funeral Casserole," we think it deserves a spot at Thanksgiving too. 14 of 55 Squash and Green Chile Casserole Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Squash and Green Chile Casserole This creamy Tex-Mex squash casserole has a subtle Southern kick from the green chiles. Using both yellow squash and green zucchini guarantees that this colorful dish looks as bright as its flavors. 15 of 55 Buttermilk Spoon Bread Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Buttermilk Spoon Bread This old-school recipe combines the flavors and textures of a skillet of hot cornbread, a cornmeal soufflé, and a cornbread dressing. If that doesn't sound delicious to you, we don't know what will. 16 of 55 Bacon-Brussels Sprout-Green Bean Casserole Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Bacon-Brussels Sprout-Green Bean Casserole We added crispy bacon and Brussels sprouts to this casserole for a spin on a Thanksgiving classic. Make this casserole up to three days in advance to make Thanksgiving preparations all too easy. 17 of 55 Creamy Whipped Potato Casserole Atonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Creamy Whipped Potato Casserole Our Test Kitchen said this two-potato recipe makes the "fluffiest mashed potato casserole of all time." We owe this to two types of starchy potatoes, browned butter, and white cheddar. 18 of 55 Baked Mac and Cheese with Bacon Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Baked Mac and Cheese with Bacon Bacon is the cherry on top of the ideal comfort food on Thanksgiving. Kids and adults alike will eat up this new mac and cheese recipe. 19 of 55 Spicy Cornbread Dressing with Chorizo Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Spicy Cornbread Dressing with Chorizo Add a kick to your Thanksgiving feast with jalapeños and chorizo. Make your cornbread from scratch or buy it pre-made—either way, this surprising twist on classic cornbread dressing will be a hit. 20 of 55 Fluffy Corn Pudding Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Fluffy Corn Pudding Our fluffiest corn pudding recipe yet, this version is like a delicious hybrid between a custard and a soufflé. Pureeing a portion of the corn kernels lends to the light and airy texture of this corn pudding. 21 of 55 Scalloped Oysters Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Scalloped Oysters This classic oyster casserole only required a handful of simple ingredients. Briny oysters are the star of this dish with little backup needed. 22 of 55 Herby Pecan-Cornbread Dressing Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Herby Pecan-Cornbread Dressing You won't find a cornbread dressing more wholesome than this one—toasted pecans, whole-grain flour, and medium-grind cornmeal guarantee it. To get ahead on your prep, make the cornbread up to three days in advance. 23 of 55 Mashed Potato Casserole Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Kay E. Clarke; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey Recipe: Mashed Potato Casserole The family will love the breadcrumb and crispy fried onion topping on this dreamy mashed potato casserole. Underneath the topping though, Yukon potatoes and Swiss cheese offer a delightfully tangy take on mashed potatoes. 24 of 55 Pumpkin-and-Winter Squash Gratin Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Pumpkin-and-Winter Squash Gratin Shake up your feast with pumpkins on the dinner table—not just the dessert spread. This hearty casserole is a fun way to use pumpkin in your Thanksgiving meal aside from the pie. 25 of 55 Herbed Breadcrumb-Topped Macaroni and Cheese Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Herbed Breadcrumb-Topped Macaroni and Cheese There's no doubt that macaroni and cheese derives a shining spot on every Southern Thanksgiving table. Spooned onto a heaping plate with seasonal flavors, comforting, cheesy noodles are a must. This Turkey Day, elevate your go-to recipe with cubes of cheddar cheese and panko breadcrumbs flavored with sage, thyme, and rosemary. 26 of 55 Savory Corn Pudding Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Savory Corn Pudding Some Southern cooks are diehard for sweet corn pudding recipes, but this recipe makes a strong case for going savory. Don't worry, we haven't nixed that classic corn pudding texture—so creamy and rich that it could still be a dessert. 27 of 55 Cornbread Dressing with Sausage Southern Living Recipe: Cornbread Dressing with Sausage You can make this classic cornbread dressing in three simple steps. Pork sausage adds a welcome meatiness to simple, staple ingredients including cornbread, sandwich bread, broth, butter, celery, and onions. 28 of 55 Loaded Cauliflower Casserole Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Recipe: Loaded Cauliflower Casserole Cauliflower is the chameleon veggie that we can't get enough of and definitely need on the Thanksgiving table this year. For a low-carb casserole that has everything you love about a loaded mashed potato casserole, try this recipe. 29 of 55 Creamed Greens Casserole Atonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Creamed Greens Casserole Even the pickiest eaters will eat their greens with this cheesy casserole recipe. Two power flavor duos collide in this recipe: kale and collards, plus cream cheese and fontina. You'll love it. 30 of 55 Baked Corn Casserole Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors Hall; Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis Recipe: Baked Corn Casserole This cornbread-corn pudding hybrid will make a fun addition to the sideboard. Pureed corn, plus sour cream and Monterey jack cheese, make sure that this casserole is far from lacking in both flavor and texture. 31 of 55 Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole Southern Living Recipe: Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole The oven is already packed on Thanksgiving, so use the slow cooker to make this holiday staple. Think of it as a deconstructed version of a classic sweet potato casserole. 32 of 55 Twice Baked Potato Casserole Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Styling: Melissa Gray Recipe: Twice Baked Potato Casserole What makes a creamy potato casserole better? Bacon, cheese, scallions, and sour cream of course. 33 of 55 Slow-Cooker Cornbread Dressing Beth Dreiling Hontzas Recipe: Slow-Cooker Cornbread Dressing The slow cooker can do it all at Thanksgiving, including making this staple casserole. This hands-off version is infinitely comforting, both to your guests' taste buds and your preparation schedule. 34 of 55 Macaroni Au Gratin Southern Living Recipe: Macaroni Au Gratin If you thought macaroni and cheese couldn't get more decadent, think again. Our Test Kitchen has all the tips and tricks for this dish to reach its cheesiest, tastiest potential. 35 of 55 Easy Cauliflower Casserole Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Easy Cauliflower Casserole The kids just might confuse this veggie casserole with their favorite mac and cheese recipe. We can't blame them—it's just as creamy and cheesy as Southern comfort food should be. 36 of 55 Make-Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors Hall; Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis Recipe: Make-Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole With the busy holidays, we'll take any recipe with the words "make-ahead" in the name. Bring this dish together up to three days early and rejoice in the brown sugar and rolled oats topping come Thanksgiving dinner. 37 of 55 Cornbread 'n' Squash Dressing Recipe: Cornbread 'n' Squash Dressing Crumbled cornbread, yellow squash, red bell peppers, and onions make up this Southern-style dressing. Fans of both squash casseroles and old-school cornbread dressings won't be able to get enough of this killer combo. 38 of 55 Two-Potato Gratin Hector Sanchez Recipe: Two-Potato Gratin Yukon gold potatoes and sweet potatoes join forces in this cheesy and creamy casserole. As far as we're concerned, twice the potatoes means twice as tasty. 39 of 55 Mimi's Cornbread Dressing Southern Living Recipe: Mimi's Cornbread Dressing This dressing is deliciously moist and perfectly seasoned with fresh sage, parsley, and thyme. Put down the boxed cornbread and try this simple buttermilk skillet version. That little bit of extra effort will shine through. 40 of 55 Sweet Potato, Cauliflower, and Greens Casserole Hector Sanchez Recipe: Sweet Potato, Cauliflower, and Greens Casserole A vegetarian's dream, this casserole is jam-packed with veggies and very filling. It's jam packed with vegetables and definitely doesn't skimp on the cheese or hearty flavor. 41 of 55 Wild Rice-and-Greens Casserole Hector Sanchez Recipe: Wild Rice-and-Greens Casserole A flavorful dish that calls for wild rice, spices, and greens. Swap out kale for collard greens or another hearty green of your choice. 42 of 55 Cheese Cracker-Topped Squash Casserole Hector Sanchez Recipe: Cheese Cracker-Topped Squash Casserole We topped this savory squash casserole with the our favorite crispy snack that smiles back. Kids will be delighted to dig into their veggies when they're topped with swimming snacks. 43 of 55 Zucchini, Squash, and Corn Casserole Hector Sanchez Recipe: Zucchini, Squash, and Corn Casserole Combine these Southern vegetables all together in this flavor-bursting casserole. Breadcrumbs are the glue that literally holds this dish together in delicious effect. 44 of 55 Fennel-and-Potato Gratin Photo: Jennifer Davick Recipe: Fennel-and-Potato Gratin This cheesy potato gratin gets a punch of flavor from nutmeg and fennel. It's impressive enough for a holiday party, but easy enough to put together on a busy weeknight. 45 of 55 Pimiento Cheese Creamed Spinach Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller Recipe: Pimiento Cheese Creamed Spinach Creamed spinach is a safe bet, but our version infused with extra Southern flavors will be a knockout. Pimiento cheese made with diced (never sliced!) jarred peppers make this casserole side dish uniquely delicious for Thanksgiving. 46 of 55 Tasty Tex-Mex Mashed Potato Bake Jennifer Davick Recipe: Tasty Tex-Mex Mashed Potato Bake Tasty Tex-Mex Mashed Potato Bake gets a spicy kick with the addition of chorizo sausage, green chiles, and pepper Jack cheese. Mashed potatoes will never be boring again! 47 of 55 Green Bean Lasagna Iain Bagwell Recipe: Green Bean Lasagna Lasagna may not be the first thing you think of when you imagine classic Thanksgiving sides, but our take on this classic holiday dish will have you loving this new twist. It mixes the smooth taste of perfectly cooked pasta noodles with the crunch of just-right green beans, the creaminess of ricotta and shredded Italian cheese, and the sweetness of onions and mushrooms. Top this casserole with crushed buttery crackers and French fried onions and you will wonder how you ever enjoyed your green bean casserole any other way. 48 of 55 Two-Cheese Squash Casserole Photo: Jennifer Davick Recipe: Two-Cheese Squash Casserole For a tasty and colorful twist, substitute sliced zucchini for half of the yellow squash. This will be the simple update that will become your go-to family classic casserole for years to come. 49 of 55 Butternut Squash Gratin Photo: Iain Bagwell Recipe: Butternut Squash Gratin Slice the potatoes as you use them in each layer (rather than all at once), to help prevent oxidation. Thinly sliced potatoes reminiscent of a classic gratin are delicious with seasonal stars like butternut and spaghetti squash. 50 of 55 Chipotle Scalloped Potatoes Photo: Hector Sanchez Recipe: Chipotle Scalloped Potatoes Cheesy, smoky, and savory—all of our favorite flavors come to play in this winner of a potato casserole. Deep flavors are just what you need to (literally) spice up your Thanksgiving spread. 51 of 55 Grated Sweet Potato Pudding Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Grated Sweet Potato Pudding Try a new twist on your classic sweet potato casserole this year with this grated version that's topped with chopped pecans. To spike up the seasonal flavors, supplement this recipe with add a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg. 52 of 55 Sweet Potato-Carrot Casserole Photo: Iain Bagwell Recipe: Sweet Potato-Carrot Casserole Cooked carrots add smooth texture and extra flavor to this comfort food favorite. Serve this classic holiday casserole any time of year and expect rave reviews. Top with marshmallows and spicy-sweet pecans. 53 of 55 Roasted Tomato Macaroni and Cheese Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Roasted Tomato Macaroni and Cheese Juicy, deep red tomatoes add an elegant look to everyone's favorite comfort food on the Thanksgiving table. This gourmet casserole is as rich and tasty as classic mac and cheese, but with fresh and bright flavor aided by just a touch of oregano and dry mustard. 54 of 55 Creamy Spinach Mashed Potato Bake Jennifer Davick Recipe: Creamy Spinach Mashed Potato Bake A hearty, leafy take on buttery mashed potatoes, we love to eat this dish as a side served with all of the other must-have comforting Thanksgiving vegetables. Baby spinach and herb-garlic cheese give this casserole its color and flavor that's almost a hybrid between creamed spinach and classic mashed potatoes. 55 of 55 Sweet Potato Soufflé Micah Leal Recipe: Sweet Potato Soufflé Super sweet, but hardy enough to narrowly miss the dessert table, this delicious baked sweet potato dish is filled with warm cinnamon-sugar flavors. A buttery brown sugar-pecan topping completes the perfect spoonful. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit