90+ Thanksgiving Side Dishes That'll Steal the Show
Thanksgiving is a highly anticipated food-centered holiday. Everyone knows that the turkey isn't the real star of the Thanksgiving table—it's the side dishes.
These tailored side dishes will perfectly complement the main dish. Start a new family tradition this year and try our crowd-pleasing Thanksgiving side dish recipes. Take your pick from more than 100 traditional and modern takes on Southern Thanksgiving sides including mashed potatoes, dressing, green beans, cranberry sauce, rolls, roasted vegetables, casseroles, and more. Many of these Thanksgiving side dishes can even be made ahead or prepared in a slow cooker. We've transformed classic dishes like Homemade Green Bean Casserole with Leeks and added vegetarian friendly options like Cabbage Casserole. There's something for everyone in this special collection of Thanksgiving side dish recipes.
When it comes to Thanksgiving, the more side dishes the better, and you can't go wrong with any of these delicious recipes.
Ben Mims' Perfect Cornbread
Recipe: Ben Mims' Perfect Cornbread
The secret to the perfect cornbread is cooking it in a cast iron skillet and browning the butter. This dish is savory but can easily be paired with a Whiskey Caramel sauce for those with a sweet tooth.
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Old-School Squash Casserole
Recipe: Old-School Squash Casserole
When in doubt, make this comforting dish for Thanksgiving dinner. It's a classic for good reason.
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Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows, Pecans, and Cornflakes
Recipe: Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows, Pecans, and Cornflakes
We elevated this classic Thanksgiving staple by adding cornflakes, pecans, and marshmallows. It's the perfect fall side dish—trust us.
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Macaroni Pudding
Recipe: Macaroni Pudding
This easy side dish fulfills our cheesiest dreams. We describe it as a "richer, creamier" version of our traditional mac and cheese.
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Southern-Style Collard Greens
Recipe: Southern-Style Collard Greens
These Southern-style greens may take a few hours to simmer, but the wait will be well worth it. Time, plus the addition of bacon, makes for a bold, smoky flavor.
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Pumpkin-and-Winter Squash Gratin
Recipe: Pumpkin-and-Winter Squash Gratin
This vibrant casserole is jam-packed with veggies from pumpkin to butternut squash.
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Sweet Potato Rolls
Recipe: Sweet Potato Rolls with Cane Syrup Glaze
Rolls are always a hit on any spread, and these buttery and warm rolls are simply irresistible.
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Classic Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes
Recipe: Classic Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes
When you're tired of mashed potatoes, try this delicious layered potato dish.
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Easy Cauliflower Casserole
Recipe: Easy Cauliflower Casserole
This healthy casserole is so creamy and cheesy, you'll confuse it with baked mac and cheese.
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Spicy Cornbread Dressing with Chorizo
Recipe: Spicy Cornbread Dressing with Chorizo
This spicy cornbread will surely bring the heat to your Thanksgiving table.
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Buttermilk Spoon Bread
Recipe: Buttermilk Spoon Bread
Although technically not a bread, this dish is a mixture of cornbread and cornmeal soufflé.
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Old-School Green Bean Casserole
Recipe: Old-School Green Bean Casserole
Skip the can this year and make your own mushroom cream sauce. You will taste the difference.
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Homemade Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Leeks
Recipe: Homemade Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Leeks
We swapped out canned fried onions for crispy fried leaks for a more elegant casserole topper.
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Oven-Roasted Root Vegetables with Spicy Pecan Topping
Recipe: Oven-Roasted Root Vegetables with Spicy Pecan Topping
Oven-roasted vegetables are so easy to make and a great change from the traditional veggie casserole.
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Aunt Grace's Famous Cornbread Dressing
Recipe: Aunt Grace's Famous Cornbread Dressing
There's only one thing we love better than cornbread dressing, a make-ahead casserole.
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Mashed Potato Bar
Recipe: Mashed Potato Bar
This customizable Mashed Potato Bar is perfect for picky eaters.
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Classic Cornbread Dressing
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.
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Sweet Potato Soufflé
Recipe: Sweet Potato Soufflé
For the fluffiest take on sweet potato casserole, this soufflé offers an airy and sweet side to complement all the savory dishes on the table.
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Slow-Cooker Green Beans
Recipe: Slow-Cooker Green Beans
Bacon, chopped onion, and thyme transforms these Slow-Cooker Green Beans.
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Herby Pecan-Cornbread Dressing
Recipe: Herby Pecan-Cornbread Dressing
This casserole stays true to its roots with earthy and nutty flavors.
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Classic Cranberry Salad
Recipe: Classic Cranberry Salad
Fresh cranberry salad is a crunchy alternative to the canned stuff.
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Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Shallots
Recipe: Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Shallots
It's easy to enjoy your Brussels sprouts with this savory bacon-filled dish.
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Best-Ever Macaroni and Cheese
Recipe: Best-Ever Macaroni and Cheese
Pack your mac and cheese with cheddar cubes to make sure you get creamy cheese in every bite.
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Hasselback Sweet Potato Casserole
Recipe: Hasselback Sweet Potato Casserole
We modified traditional sweet potato casserole by adding the texture of thinly sliced potatoes.
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Collard Greens with Garlic and Sippets
Recipe: Collard Greens with Garlic and Sippets
Mixed with garlic and sourdough bread, collard greens have never looked so delicious.
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Fluffy Corn Pudding
Recipe: Fluffy Corn Pudding
Pureed corn kernels make this dish delicate and fluffy.
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Baked Mac and Cheese with Bacon
Recipe: Baked Mac and Cheese with Bacon
We elevated homemade mac and cheese by adding crispy bacon and a breadcrumb crust.
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Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole
Recipe: Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole
Adding cheese to a dish has never steered us wrong.
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Sweet Potato Biscuits
Recipe: Sweet Potato Biscuits
Like a buttermilk biscuit, but make it autumn. Serve with butter and honey for a wonderful vessel for turkey and cranberry sauce.
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Broccoli-Cheese Casserole
Recipe: Broccoli Cheese Casserole
You can't go wrong by adding this tried-and-true broccoli casserole to your spread.
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Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
Recipe: Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
Only five minutes of cook time is required to turn out this homemade cranberry sauce that will beat out the can every time.
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Scalloped Oysters
Recipe: Scalloped Oysters
Oyster casserole has graced Southern Thanksgiving tables for decades, and this recipe lets the fresh, briny flavor of oysters really shine with a topping of crushed buttery crackers.
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Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole
Recipe: Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole
Come Thanksgiving, there never seems to be enough oven space—say hello to the problem solver: slow cooker. Cubing the sweet potatoes offer a nice bite of texture that classic versions sometimes lack.
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Candy Roaster Squash with Sorghum, Black Walnuts, and Cranberries
Recipe: Candy Roaster Squash with Sorghum, Black Walnuts, and Cranberries
This ribboned squash provides a unique texture and sweet and savory flavors.
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Macaroni Pie
Recipe: Macaroni Pie
Slice a piece of this savory, three-cheese macaroni dish.
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Cornmeal Angel Biscuits
Recipe: Cornmeal Angel Biscuits
These cornmeal angel biscuits are the perfect nod to cornbread for Thanksgiving.
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Loaded Cauliflower Casserole
Recipe: Loaded Cauliflower Casserole
Since Thanksgiving is the ultimate day to turn any and everything into a casserole, we're showing up with this veggie-packed casserole loaded with a combination of cream cheese, sour cream, and two different cheeses. Oh, and bacon, of course.
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Baked Corn Casserole
Recipe: Baked Corn Casserole
This hybrid casserole marries two of our favorite things: cornbread and corn pudding. The addition of sour cream and Monterey jack cheese make it ultra creamy.
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Bacon-Brussels Sprout-Green Bean Casserole
Recipe: Bacon-Brussels Sprout-Green Bean Casserole
How do you make green bean casserole extra Southern? You add bacon and Brussels sprouts.
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Slow-Cooker Collard Greens with Ham Hocks
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.
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Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Recipe: Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Skip the casserole this year and serve creamy, dreamy, spiced mashed sweet potatoes instead. It'll be a welcome update to any Thanksgiving menu.
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Herbed Wild Rice Dressing
Recipe: Herbed Wild Rice Dressing
Wild rice provides a rich, earthy flavor to this herbed casserole.
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Smothered Green Beans
Recipe: Smothered Green Beans
Flavor green beans with a coating of tomato paste and chicken broth before letting shallots and a bacon topping come together on top for a salty-sweet taste everyone will love.
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Roasted Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese
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.
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Cornbread Dressing with Sausage and Fennel
Recipe: Cornbread Dresing with Sausage and Fennel
This tasty and textured side dish is made with store-bought cornbread.
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Savory Corn Pudding
Recipe: Savory Corn Pudding
Give your creamy, not-too-sweet side dish extra flavor with chopped onion and fresh thyme.
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Corn Pudding Casserole
Recipe: Corn Pudding Casserole
We combined fontina and Swiss cheese to make this savory corn casserole.
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Classic Candied Yams
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.
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Herbed Breadcrumb-Topped Macaroni and Cheese
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.
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Creamed Spinach
Recipe: Creamed Spinach
This classic steakhouse side happens to also pair well with all the turkey, dressing, and casseroles served on Turkey Day. Plus, the ingredient list is short and sweet, so why not add it to your menu?
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Classic Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
Recipe: Classic Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
These mashed potatoes are extra creamy thanks to buttermilk and crème fraîche.
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Cabbage Casserole
Recipe: Cabbage Casserole
Made wonderfully occasion-worthy with a crispy Parmesan-breadcrumb topping, this vegetable casserole adopts our favorite elements of a baked potato gratin using cabbage and onions instead.
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Parmesan-Herb Angel Biscuits
Recipe: Parmesan-Herb Angel Biscuits
Give your Thanksgiving bread some extra flavor with the addition of Parmesan, thyme, and rosemary.
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Classic Bread Dressing
Recipe: Classic Bread Dressing
This easy bread dressing recipe is made-from-scratch with high-quality sourdough bread, fresh parsley and thyme, celery, leeks, and garlic.
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Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Recipe: Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes
The addition of goat cheese brings a new level of creamy to classic mashed potatoes.
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Honey-Glazed Spiced Carrots
Recipe: Honey-Glazed Spiced Carrots
Topped with a honey glaze, this dish is so easy to make and next-level sweet.
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Skillet Squash Blossom
Recipe: Skillet Squash Blossom
Impress your guests by adding this elegant squash dish to the Thanksgiving spread.
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Cornbread Dressing with Kale and Bacon
Recipe: Cornbread Dressing with Kale and Bacon
Oven-roasted kale provides a crispy topping to this classic cornbread dressing.
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Farro Salad with Toasted Pecans, Feta, and Dried Cherries
Recipe: Farro Salad with Toasted Pecans, Feta, and Dried Cherries
This hearty and flavorful side dish is made in just 30 minutes.
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Angel Biscuits
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.
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Sweet Potato and Chorizo Sausage Bites
Recipe: Sweet Poatato and Chorizo Sausage Bites
Similar to a biscuit, these sausage balls are the perfect bite-sized side.
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Yeast Rolls
Recipe: Yeast Rolls
The addition of homemade rolls to any Thanksgiving spread is warmly welcomed.
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Smashed Baby Red Potatoes
Recipe: Smashed Baby Red Potatoes
Crispy on the outside and tender and creamy on the inside, these are the best baby potatoes around.
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Twice Baked Potato Casserole
Recipe: Twice Baked Potato Casserole
Enjoy the decadence of a loaded baked potato in convenient casserole form, and that's reason enough to include it on the spread. Each bite is creamy, cheesy, and bacony.
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Crusty Broiled Tomatoes
Recipe: Crusty Broiled Tomatoes
If you can't stand to be without tomatoes at a family affair (seasonality be darned!), these broiled tomatoes topped with a crispy, cheesy breadcrumb crust are a great opportunity to divert from the usual casserole.
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Make-Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole
Recipe: Make-Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole
Two words we love to hear come November? Make ahead. This classic casserole will be ready to bake without giving you any worries. Store in fridge for up to four days.
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Tee's Corn Pudding
Recipe: Tee's Corn Pudding
Corn pudding may seem like a simple side dish, but you might be surprised to learn it is a reader favorite. This is a dish that we recommend you always have on your Thanksgiving table. We describe Tee's Corn Pudding as our ultimate creamed corn: this in-demand recipe has run in our magazine more than 10 times after its debut in 1995. To run so often, and to seem so simple, it obviously is a recipe for corn pudding that is rich and delicious. If you'd like to dress the dish up a little, it is even more amazing with chopped fresh chives added on top.