The Ultimate Sweet Potato Sides for Thanksgiving

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Sweet Potatoes with Bacon

Bacon, rosemary, and orange are all enticing flavors on their own, and great aditions to sweet potatoes. Orange juice gives this dish a little sweetness, while pieces of crumbled bacon will give you something to savor, and rosemary will give it an aroma all its own. Prepared in the slow cooker, you will not only have more time for family, but will also save valuable oven and stovetop space. Garnish with parsley, orange zest, and garlic for the perfect bite every time.

Recipe: Roasted Sweet Potato-and-Onion Tart

This delicious tart is a great choice for the entire Thanksgiving weekend. A package of refrigerated piecrusts helps reduce prep time so you can focus on other aspects of the holiday feast, and leftover tart pairs well with a salad for a quick meal the next day. Mix sweet potato with the crunch and bite of red onion, and blend it in with the salty flavor of Gruyère cheese. The freshness of flat-leaf parsley, and rosemary, add a wonderful aroma of herbs to this crusty delight.

Recipe: Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

Think outside the casserole dish! There are more ways to prepare this nutritious ingredient than mixing it with butter and sugar. You might not immediately think of a sweet potato salad when you think Thanksgiving, but it is easy and full of fresh flavors. Steam-in-bag sweet potatoes enable you to prepare this delicious salad in no time. Add this side dish recipe to your Thanksgiving menu, and don’t be surprised when your guests ask for seconds.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Fettuccine

Looking for a new way to prepare a favorite Thanksgiving ingredient? Pasta-style strips of sweet potato tossed with a fresh gremolata will be an interesting, unique, and delicious addition to the holiday buffet. This clever technique for transforming sweet potatoes into "fettuccine" was inspired by a prize-winning recipe from the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission, and comes together in just 35 minutes. Make sure to use large, long sweet potatoes to create the pasta-like strips.

Recipe: Sweet Potato, Cauliflower, and Greens Casserole

If you’re looking for a dish that pleases a lot of pallets, this casserole covers a few. The Sweet Potato, Cauliflower, and Greens Casserole flavor-filled dish is a multi-tasker. It can work double duty this Thanksgiving as a scrumptious side dish or a main dish for vegetarians. Leave the panko off the top and the entire dish becomes gluten-free. With the addition of the Easy Cheese Sauce, this casserole is full of delicious flavors.

Recipe: Scalloped Sweet Potato Stacks

Perfect for a Thanksgiving buffet or brunch, this recipe presents a unique way to serve the traditional sweet potato. Feel free to experiment with different cheeses and herbs; Gruyère cheese subs nicely for the mozzarella, and, if you don’t have fresh thyme, rosemary is always a welcome addition to a sweet potato dish. When stacking the sweet potato slices, remember that the cups flare slightly, so stack the slices from the ends of potatoes in the bottom and use wider slices from the middle of the sweet potato at the top.

Recipe: Creole Shrimp and Sweet Potato Grits

In the South, a dish of shrimp and grits is welcome at every meal, even at the traditional Thanksgiving table. The sweet potatoes add a new layer of sweet flavors to typical, hearty shrimp and grits recipes. With its complex flavors and easy preparation, this sweet potato recipe is sure to become a favorite Thanksgiving side dish for years to come. You might even get requests throughout the rest of the year.

Recipe: Sweet Potato-Carrot Casserole

You might get a few looks of surprise, but pure joy, when your guests bite into this casserole. It looks like a traditional sweet potato casserole, but the cooked carrots add extra sweetness and a smoother texture to this Thanksgiving classic side dish. Topped with traditional roasted marshmallows, this family favorite also features Sugar-and-Spice Pecans. The addition of these pecans incorporate some beloved flavors of the season, cinnamon and ginger, into this celebratory casserole dish.

Recipe: Crispy Sweet Potato-Green Onion Cakes

Need something different for your Thanksgiving sides lineup? Fry these scrumptious and savory sweet potato treats in your cast-iron skillet for an extra-crispy finish. 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. This fun twist on potato cakes can also be used as a great appetizer, as well—just serve with sour cream and a bit of lime.

Recipe: Cornbread Stuffing With Sweet Potato and Squash

Traditional cornbread stuffing gets a bump in color and flavor with the addition of sweet potatoes and butternut squash. The butternut squash and sweet potato both roast to a nutty sweetness, while the Granny Smith apple will add just the right amount of tartness to this dish, pairing well with the flavors of the cornbread. You will also love the spice and bite the little bit of Creole seasoning adds—consider it your secret ingredient. Watch your Thanksgiving guests dig in, and enjoy.

Recipe: Roasted Root Vegetable Salad

Jewel-toned fall root vegetables come together to create this flavorful holiday side dish. Packed with nutrients and hearty flavors, this salad is both pretty on the plate and perfect for the start of winter. Since this salad is served at room temp, you can save time by making the dressing and roasting the vegetables ahead of schedule—just store in the fridge until you are ready to assemble the salad.

Recipe: Maple Sweet Potato Cups

Pushed for time on Thanksgiving Day? You can use frozen sweet potatoes to help cut your prep time when making this favorite Thanksgiving side dish. Blend in the classic flavors of brown sugar, orange zest, and maple syrup, and top with meringue or toasted marshmallows. Your guests will never know that you didn’t spend the morning roasting potatoes and will feel special getting their own individual sweet potato casserole.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Gratin

You can’t get any easier, or more delicious, than this cheesy, gooey, potato bake. A great alternative to the traditional sweet potato casserole, this 5-ingredient rustic beauty shows off with a golden-brown top of baked cheese. 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. Serve this as a Thanksgiving side and your guests will be asking for seconds.

Recipe: Grilled Sweet Potato-Poblano Salad

If you are looking for something beyond the traditional calorie-laden casseroles this Thanksgiving, this grilled sweet potato salad will fit your menu perfectly. Fresh and lively with the flavors of poblano peppers, dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds, it is dressed with a Cilantro Vinaigrette that is popping with ginger, honey, and lime zest. Pair this light salad with your holiday turkey and there will be no need for an after-dinner nap this year.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Hash

Brighten up your Thanksgiving table with this colorful and flavorful hash. This simple side dish is very adaptable. Feel free to toss in your favorite vegetables or herbs to play around with the flavor profile. This sweet potato hash recipe goes from stovetop to table in less than 30 minutes. It will pair well with the traditional holiday turkey during Thanksgiving or any grilled meat throughout the rest of the year.

Recipe: Classic Sweet Potato Casserole
Cooking Video: Classic Sweet Potato Casserole

We couldn’t put together our list of sweet potato side dishes for Thanksgiving without including a classic. With a topping that includes toasted marshmallows, crushed cornflakes, brown sugar, and pecans, this just might be a dessert masquerading as a side. This iconic Thanksgiving side dish is sure to please everyone. The recipe serves 6 to 8 so make sure you have enough on hand for seconds.