Spectacular Thanksgiving Sides

Recipe: Best-Ever Macaroni and Cheese

Pack your mac and cheese with cheddar cubes to make sure you get cramy cheese in every bite.

Recipe: Classic Cornbread Dressing

For this Thanksgiving staple, make the cornbread in a skillet up to two days before making the rest of the dish. You will want it to dry out completely. 

Recipe: Classic Cranberry Salad

Fresh cranberry salad is a crunchy alternative to the canned stuff.

Recipe: Mashed Potatoes with Bacon and Crispy Scallions

What do your mashed potatoes need this Thanksgiving? Bacon.

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Collard Greens with Ham Hocks

Spending 9 hours in the slow-cooker allows the tender ham hocks to develop savory, smoky flavors.

Recipe: Pecan-Herb Cornbread Dressing

This cornbread dressing gets an extra crunch from tasty pecans.

Recipe: Roasted Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese

Broccoli and cheese is a great combination. Add it to macaroni and you have a side dish the kids can't turn down.

Recipe: Savory Corn Pudding

Give your creamy, not-too-sweet side dish extra flavor with chopped onion and fresh thyme.

Recipe: Classic Candied Yams

If you're looking to give sweet potato casserole a break this Thanksgiving, we love these Classic Candied Yams, although, we wouldn't be against having both on the sideboard.

Recipe: Bacon-Brussels Sprout-Green Bean Casserole

How do you make green bean casserole extra Southern? You add bacon and Brussels sprouts.

Recipe: Herbed Breadcrumb-Topped Macaroni and Cheese 

If you want to move mac-and-cheese from the kids table to the sideboard, we love this buttery, herbed cornbread topping. The shell pasta helps too.

Recipe: Sweet Potato-and-Collard Green Gratin

If you're looking for one dish that does it all, this gratin might be the perfect recipe.

Recipe: Classic Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

These mashed potatoes are extra creamy thanks to buttermilk and crème fraîche.

Recipe: Cornbread Dressing with Smoked Sausage and Apples

Give your cornbread dressing a sweet and rustic taste. 

Recipe: Vegetarian Slow-Cooker Collard Greens

The fire-roasted tomatoes and smoked paprika add so much flavor that you won't miss the ham.

Recipe: Three-Cheese Corn Pudding

What's better than one cheese? Three cheese, especially when those cheeses are white cheddar, yellow cheddar, and Parmesan.

Recipe: Parmesan-Herb Angel Biscuits

Give your Thanksgiving bread some extra flavor with the addition of Parmesan, thyme, and rosemary.

Recipe: Green Chile-Corn Pudding

We gave this Southern staple a Tex-Mex twist with poblano chiles and Mexican blend cheese.

Recipe: Rustic Mashed Red Potatoes with Parmesan

Take your mashed potatoes to a new place by using red potatoes, Parmesan cheese, and herbed cream cheese.

Recipe: Spicy Candied Yams with Toasted Pecans

Give your candied yams some heat this Thanksgiving with jalapeño chiles.

Recipe: Old-School Green Bean Casserole

Skip the can this year and make your own mushroom cream sauce. You will taste the difference.

Recipe: Cornmeal Angel Biscuits

These cornmeal angel biscuits are the perfect nod to cornbread for Thanksgiving.

Recipe: Garlicky Collard Greens with Confetti Chowchow

Give your collards a pop of color with this tasty confetti chowchow.

Recipe: Spiked Cranberry-Orange Salad

Recipe: Angel Biscuits

Want to have fresh biscuits on the table but don't want to waste time on the day of? You can prepare these biscuits one week in advance.

Recipe: Candied Yams with Rosemary and Orange Zest

These candied yams get fresh flavors from chopped rosemary and orange zest.

Recipe: Lemon-Almond Green Bean Casserole

This recipe swaps the cream of mushroom soup and fried onions for fresh lemon and sliced onions.

Recipe: Cranberry-Apple-Ginger Salad

Fresh apples and ginger give this cranberry salad extra flavor.

Recipe: Classic Bread Dressing

This easy bread dressing recipe is made-from-scratch with high-quality sourdough bread, fresh parsley and thyme, and celery, leeks, and garlic. 

Recipe: Cornbread Dresing with Sausage and Fennel

Recipe: Sweet Potato-Ginger Scones

Recipe: Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Green Beans

Recipe: Brussels Sprouts with Cornbread Croutons

Recipe: Herbed Wild Rice Dressing

Recipe: Honey-Glazed Spiced Carrots

Recipe: Skillet Squash Blossom

Recipe: Smashed Baby Red Potatoes

Crispy on the outside and tender and creamy on the inside, these are the best baby potatoes around.

Recipe: Cornbread Dressing with Kale and Bacon

Recipe: Farro Salad with Toasted Pecans, Feta, and Dried Cherries

Recipe: Root Vegetable Gratin

Recipe: Sweet Poatato an Chorizo Sausage Bites

Recipe: Yeast Rolls

Recipe: Sweet Potato Casserole

Rather than make you choose a single favorite topping for sweet potato casserole, this recipe takes the approach that on Thanksgiving you should get to enjoy whatever topping you want. Savory or sweet, the perfect sweet potato casserole recipe should be an absolute delight. Since we couldn't decide which topping we liked best—crushed cornflakes and pecans, with their candy-sweet flavor, or the puff and fluff of the toasted marshmallows—we decided the only solution was to put them all on. That was definitely the right decision. Now you’ll savor every flavor in every bite.  Grab a serving spoon and dig in. You’ll love this casserole.

Recipe: Pear Salad with Raspberry Cream

This salad is a fantastic way to bring fresh, crisp fruits and vegetables to your holiday table. A bed of romaine and Bibb lettuces form a foundation for succulent slices of firm, ripe pears. Sprinkles of freshly grated Parmesam cheese and crumbles of smoky, crunchy bacon, top the salad, while a dressing piquant with red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard complements the various sweet and salty flavors. A delicious complement to turkey, and perfect to serve for Thanksgiving but suitable any time pears are in season, this elegant salad can easily be doubled or tripled when you need to serve a crowd.

Recipe: Au Gratin Potato Casserole  

An Au Gratin Potato Casserole can be a simple way to have potatoes a part of your Thanksgiving lunch or dinner. So why not make a cheesy, creamy potato casserole for your next family gathering or holiday meal? Make getting everything ready easy by using frozen hash browns, cream of mushroom soup, shredded Cheddar cheese, and a straight-out-of-the-box corn flakes cereal. If you prefer to do your Thanksgiving meal preparation in advance, you can also make this Au Gratin Potato Casserole ahead, and refrigerate it until you are ready to bake. Either way, it will taste delicious fresh out of the oven.

Recipe: Orange-Ginger-Glazed Carrots

Carrots are a favorite root vegetable to have for Thanksgiving, and this recipe takes them off the roasting pan and gives them a delicious glaze. This super-easy side dish gets a fast start from trimmed and peeled baby carrots. Use a microplane zester to grate both the citrus zest and the fresh ginger. Then, in a saucepan, it is simple to reduce the orange juice, butter, and honey to a beautiful, sweet-yet-tangy glaze that enhances the taste of these fresh baby carrots. While the recipe suggests fresh ginger, you may substitute ground ginger as necessary. However you flavor this dish, your holiday guests will enjoy its flavors on the Thanksgiving table.

Recipe: Caramelized Onion-and-Gorgonzola Mashed Potatoes 

This delicious dish has the sweet taste of caramelized onions, cooked in butter until they are tender, then seasoned with garlic and rosemary. These beautiful onions are mixed with smoothly mashed potatoes, then combined with the rich and distinctive flavor of Gorgonzola or blue cheese, and finally spooned into a baking dish. Top this with a decorative finish, and bake it until it is lightly browned. We suggest using a large, star-tipped pastry bag to pipe the potatoes in decorative swirls for an impressive finish. However you choose to decorate this dish, the end result is a beautiful-tasting treat that make any Thanksgiving meal a delight.

Recipe: Green Beans with Garlic

This side dish is a study in simplicity. It is fresh, fragrant, and easy to bring to any holiday table. If you enjoy having green beans on your Thanksgiving holiday table, you may find that this is a recipe you love. The flavor of the green beans is delicately enhanced by the taste and aroma of the sautéed garlic, and the delicate additions of olive oil, salt, and freshly ground pepper. What makes this dish so unique is that the garlic is sliced, rather than being chopped or minced, so the slices of garlic become crisp and savory. Grab a plate and enjoy this easy and delicious dish.

Recipe: Sautéed Greens

Sautéed Greens are a great dish to have around your holiday table, and with this recipe yours will be good to go from stovetop to table in a jiffy. Seasoned with chopped ginger and spicy serrano peppers—you can substitute half a jalapeño pepper, split, instead—this recipe is both savory and spicy. It brings a distinctly Southern flair to your Thanksgiving meal. Ready in just 26 minutes, these greens are packed with fresh flavor. And, if you’d prefer to spice this dish up even more, you can add in half a pound of chopped smoked pork. Both recipes are delicious.

Recipe: Cranberry Congealed Salad

Congealed salads are staples on Southern tables at Thanksgiving, and this Cranberry Congealed Salad is a fresh, refreshing take on this holiday staple. Ours has fresh cranberries, canned pineapple, and pickled peaches, for a combination of flavors. Top the salad with toasted chopped pecans for a nutty crunch. Serve this cranberry congealed salad at holiday gatherings for a festive and colorful side dish. Got leftovers? Spoon them into parfait glasses, then add a mixture of cream cheese and whipped topping. You’ll have a perfect holiday dessert that you can enjoy any time.

Recipe: Golden Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and cheese is a comfort-food classic that you can always enjoy around your holiday table. This homemade baked macaroni and cheese recipe beats the boxed kind any day of the week. It is full of sharp Cheddar cheese, and made from elbow macaroni. Topped with breadcrumbs and cheese, it bakes to a crunchy, divine crust. You’ll love every gooey, crispy mouthful. If you prefer a different type of cheese, you may stir in a pasteurized processed cheese product—it will be equally gooey, but the taste will not be quite as sharp. For a savory main dish, stir in chopped cooked ham before baking, and then sprinkle the top with chopped cooked bacon before serving.

Recipe: Braised White Turnips 

This recipe is a simple way to create a delicious and beautiful side dish for your Thanksgiving table. If you prefer single-item sides rather than casseroles, or gratins, then dishes like these Braised White Turnips are the perfect dishes for you. These are cooked in butter, then simmered first in vinegar, then after in honey and butter, to create a beautiful combination of sweet-and-sour-tasting turnips. We based this recipe on one from Atlanta chef Linton Hopkins found in the book Lodge Cast Iron Nation. Use small Japanese turnips from farmers' markets, or peel and cut larger turnips into 1- to 2-inch cubes.

Recipe: Pimiento Cheese Creamed Spinach

In the South, pimiento cheese and creamed spinach are both considered delicacies, so any recipe that mixes the two together can only be described as a mouthwatering delight.  This casserole is certainly delicious, rich with the tastes of cream cheese and cheddar cheese, and seasoned with just a hint of garlic of fresh garlic. Your family will be waiting for this to get out of the oven so they can enjoy in on their plate.

"Creamy spinach casserole has always been a favorite in my family, so it's a sure-fire hit for any gathering. The pimiento cheese flavors give it a uniquely Southern twist." —Perre Coleman Magness, author of Pimento Cheese: The Cookbook

Recipe: Cranberry-Strawberry-Jícama Salad

This fresh salad meshes citrus, berries, jicama, and greens into a fantastic dish that is perfect on every holiday table. The vinaigrette, seasoned with orange juice, cranberry-orange relish, and balsamic vinegar, has just the right amount of sweetness and bite. The raw jícama in this salad adds flavor and crunch. Sometimes referred to as the Mexican potato, jícama has a sweet, nutty taste and can be eaten raw or cooked. The salad tastes delicious garnished with a hard Italian cheese like Parmesan, or Pecorino Romano. Consider having the cheese shaved into thin slices rather than grated. It will add just the right amount of salty delight.

Recipe: Bacon-Brown Sugar Brussels Sprouts

This simple recipe brings the beautiful flavors, color and texture of Brussels sprouts to your holiday table. Lots of flavor—and only five ingredients—make this Brussels sprouts recipe a winner. It gets its rich, smoky flavor from the bacon, and a delicate touch of sweetness from a single tablespoon of brown sugar. These ingredients, plus the broth, create a beautiful broth that bathes the sprouts in taste. Even reviewers who aren't sprouts fans like this version. For extra flavor, this recipe suggests that you top the Brussels sprouts with crumbles of crunchy bacon, creating a harmony of flavors in every mouthwatering bite.

Recipe: Crispy Sweet Potato-Green Onion Cakes

Crispy Sweet Potato-Green Onion Pancakes are a great choice for a Thanksgiving side dish. They bring a unique twist to the classic sweet potato, and create a nice crunch to complement the other items on the holiday lunch or dinner table. What’s so delicious about this recipe is that it blends the delicate flavors of the sweet potatoes and the green onions with the spicy zest of a couple of chopped red jalapeño peppers, meaning that it mixes the heat with the sweet. But it all mixes together to form a delicious sweet potato delight. Serve these savory little numbers with a dollop of sour cream and a squeeze of lime as a crunchy appetizer or a dish to accompany roasted or grilled meats or fish.

Recipe: Two-Cheese Squash Casserole

If you relish in having squash casserole as a Thanksgiving table staple, this Cheddar and Parmesan Squash Casserole may become your go-to recipe. It combines the forces of these two great cheeses with yellow squash to create this creamy dish. For a tasty and colorful twist, you can even substitute sliced zucchini for half of the yellow squash. You’ll love the hint of sweet onion and the bold, savory flavors of the cheese, all holding the squash together in a gooey delight of a dish. Crumble some bread, shred some cheese, and get ready to enjoy this fantastic holiday casserole.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Gratin

This is a fantastic, easy-to-make recipe that only has five ingredients. It mixes sliced sweet potatoes, sliced russet potatoes, cream, salt, and Gruyère cheese into a delicious, cheesy, gooey delight that tastes amazing just out of the oven. This is a wonderful way to have potatoes or sweet potatoes on your Thanksgiving table if you are thinking of preparing an alternative to roasted root vegetables. The finished dish looks beautiful when it is ready, complete with a golden-brown top of baked cheese. You will know when the potatoes are perfectly cooked when a table knife slides easily through the center.