23 Dairy-Free Side Dishes For The Holidays

Skillet Squash Blossom
Photo:

Iain Bagwell

When it comes to the holiday season, dairy can be hard to avoid. Grandma is famous for swirling way too much butter into her mashed potatoes, and those luscious pies usually involve a heavy dose of cream. But if you're dairy-free, all hope for a festive holiday is far from lost. That's right, we've done the impossible: we've designed an entire holiday meal that doesn't include milk, cream, or butter. We've collected 30 of our favorite dairy-free holiday sides that will help you prepare a delightful Thanksgiving or Christmas feast. Not only do these dishes taste divine, but they’ll also leave you feeling lighter and help avoid the post-holiday-meal slump. These recipes focus on using fresh ingredients and lots of seasonal produce. From Southern Collard Greens to Ombré Citrus Salad, your guests will never even suspect that these stunning holiday sides are completely dairy-free. Now you'll just have to convince Nana that her green bean casserole doesn't really need to be topped with 3 pats of butter.

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Southern-Style Collard Greens

Southern-Style Collard Greens
Jim Franco; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Simon Andrews

No holiday table would be complete without a big pot of collard greens.

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Classic Cranberry Salad

Classic Cranberry Salad
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Slightly sweet, slightly tangy cranberry salad is a Southern staple from Thanksgiving to Christmas.

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Mama Mae's Ambrosia Salad

Mama Mae's Ambrosia
Southern Living

While we love a classic ambrosia salad, sometimes we just can't resist throwing a few marshmallows into this holiday staple.

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Jellied Chicken Salad

Jellied Chicken Salad
Jennifer Causey

Molded salads are a tradition worth keeping around—they're wiggly, wobbly, and oh-so-good.

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Slow-Cooker Green Beans

Thanksgiving Sides: Root Vegetable Gratin
Iain Bagwell

Over the holidays, slow-cookers help us save precious oven space. These Slow-Cooker Green Beans are an easy way to get more veggies on the table.

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Sautéed Squash and Zucchini

Sautéed Squash and Zucchini
Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro

If you're running out of oven space, this simple stovetop dish will be your Hail Mary.

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Smashed Brussels Sprouts

Smashed Brussels Sprouts
Trey Ellis

After a quick boil, smashing the brussels sprouts and then roasting them helps them become extra-crispy.

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Fresh Fruit Salad

Fresh Fruit Salad
Jen Causey

A scoop of fresh fruit is a great way to lighten up your holiday plate.

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Spicy Cornbread Dressing with Chorizo

Spicy Cornbread Dressing with Chorizo
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Start with a base of dairy-free cornbread and you'll have a scrumptious Thanksgiving dressing in no time.

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Pan-Fried Okra with Cornmeal

Pan-Fried Okra with Cornmeal Recipe
Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Fried okra doesn't need much dressing up—a little cornmeal goes a long way.

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Slow-Cooker Collard Greens with Ham Hocks

Slow-Cooker Collard Greens with Ham Hocks Recipe
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Collard greens and ham hocks just go together like peanut butter and jelly.

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Tangy Potato-Green Bean Salad

Tangy Potato-Green Bean Salad
Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

No need for mayo—these baby red potatoes, tossed in mustard and mixed up with green beans, stand on their own.

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Collard Greens with Garlic and Sippets

Candy Roaster Squash with Sorghum, Black Walnuts, and Cranberries
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Sourdough bread—made with flour, salt, and water—torn up and toasted is the dairy-free crouton of our dreams, bringing a nice crunch to this veggie side.

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Crispy Sweet Potato-Green Onion Cakes

Cast-Iron Salsa Recipe
Hector Sanchez

Paying homage to the latke, these crispy potato pancakes use sweet potatoes instead of russets and add in green onions for extra sharp flavor.

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Skillet Squash Blossom

Thanksgiving Side Dish: Skillet Squash Blossom
Iain Bagwell

This stunning squash blossom only calls for a few ingredients, letting the bright orange squash flower really shine.

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Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Vidalia Onions

Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Vidalia Onions
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

No dinner menu is complete without an indulgent side of mashed potatoes. Put a twist on a classic Thanksgiving dish with this dairy-free side.

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Tabitha Brown's Vegan Mac and Cheese

Tabitha Brown's Vegan Mac and Cheese
Greg DuPree, Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

There is one dish that any born-and-bred Southerner can't live without. Serve this gooey, decadent macaroni and cheese for a memorable holiday side for guests to enjoy.

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Sautéed Mustard Greens with Garlic and Lemon

Sautéed Mustard Greens with Garlic and Lemon
Laurey W. Glenn

Whipping up this Christmas vegetable side dish will make you feel a little bit better about all that delicious white cake you're about to eat. This quick lemon mustard collard green recipe is packed full of fresh flavor to perfectly compliment a rich holiday menu.

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Classic Deviled Eggs

Classic Deviled Eggs
Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Be prepared with the perfect party snack for guests with this spicy, Southern-style deviled egg recipe. There is no occasion that cannot be improved upon by a deviled egg.

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Lemon-Sauteed Green Beans

Lemon Sauteed Green Beans
Greg Dupree Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Follow this quick and easy recipe for a memorable holiday dish. Just add the tangy taste of a fresh lemon and transform an ordinary side of green beans into a dish your guests can’t get enough of.

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Crispy Potatoes

Crispy Potatoes
Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Katelyn Hardwick

No dairy. No problem. These crispy roasted potatoes are packed full of flavor to make for a delicious holiday side dish.

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Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
Photography, and Food Styling: Karen Rankin

Give your air fryer a whirl for the perfect golden, crisp fries made with less mess and less calories. 

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Potato Salad with Dijon and Scallions

Potato Salad with Dijon and Scallions
Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Turn a traditional side dish into a bowl of rainbows with multicolored fingerling potatoes. This salad is striking enough to be served at your next holiday dinner, paired with fresh spring vegetables.

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