Holidays & Occasions Thanksgiving Dishes You'll Only Find on a Southern Thanksgiving Table 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 July 25, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Greg DuPree When the first of November arrives, it's time to start thinking about and getting ready for the big show: the Southern Thanksgiving dinner. It's a menu unlike any other, and it is undeniably delicious. There are plenty of dishes we look forward to making each year. When Thanksgiving prep begins, we search out the time-tested recipes passed down to us from Mama, Grandmama, and Southern Living (the trusted trifecta). We flip through our favorite cookbooks, search our recipe archives online, and start crafting the menus our families will savor. It's these recipes they'll enjoy while making memories together around the Thanksgiving table. It's these recipes we rely on, the ones we know only need a dash of care and a tablespoon of love to make them Thanksgiving ready every fourth Thursday in November. There are a few things you'll always find on Southern Thanksgiving tables: The recipes we're proud to cook and the traditions we are proud to keep alive year after year. 01 of 12 A Big Ol' Pan of Dressing Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Alongside the turkey, ham, and sausage, Southern tables call for a big helping of dressing. Preferably of the cornbread variety. Get the recipe: Classic Cornbread Dressing 02 of 12 Creamy Corn Pudding Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall At Thanksgiving, we Southerners know that the best way to consume corn is not on the cob; it's in a delicious corn pudding that pairs beautifully with turkey, dressing, and all the rest of the holiday menu staples. Get the recipe: Savory Corn Pudding 03 of 12 Crunchy Green Bean Casserole Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Come Thanksgiving, we don't skimp on our casseroles. Guests always notice if the crunchy, onion-topped green bean casserole is missing from the Thanksgiving Day spread. Get the recipe: Old-School Green Bean Casserole 04 of 12 A Boat of Grandmama's Gravy Hector Sanchez Heirloom recipes like Grandma's classic gravy always have a place on our Southern tables year-round, but they're especially beloved during the holidays. Get the recipe: Ultimate Make-Ahead Gravy Recipe 05 of 12 A Dish of Oyster Casserole Greg DuPree This coastal favorite is a staple on Thanksgiving tables throughout the South, but especially in seaside spots like New Orleans, Savannah, Charleston, Baltimore, and North Carolina's Outer Banks. Get the recipe: Oyster Casserole 06 of 12 A Southern Living Pie or Two Hector Sanchez We Southerners don't skimp on our casseroles, and we certainly don't skimp when it comes to the dessert table. From pies and puddings to cakes and cookies, there's more than a few Southern Living dessert recipes being whipped up in the kitchen on Thanksgiving Day. Get the recipes: German Chocolate-Pecan Pie, Our Easiest Pumpkin Pie Ever, Brown Butter-Sweet Potato Pie 07 of 12 Bubbling Sweet Potato Casserole Beth Dreiling Hontzas One scoop of this dish is never enough. It always has Southerners coming back for more ooey, gooey, marshmallow-and-sweet potato goodness. Get the recipe: Classic Sweet Potato Casserole 08 of 12 Plenty of Biscuits and Cornbread Jennifer Davick While other regions will have just one or two recipes represented, Southerners are notorious for baking up all the bread, biscuit, roll, and muffin recipes we can get our hands on. Get the recipes: Buttermilk Biscuits, Make-Ahead Yeast Rolls, Buttermilk Cornbread 09 of 12 Deviled Eggs Southern Living Deviled eggs are a must at Easter but many families also serve them for other holiday gatherings, such as Thanksgiving. After all, wen they are a favorite family recipe, why not have them more than once a year?! Get the recipe: Deviled Eggs 10 of 12 Deep-Fried Turkey Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Have you ever tasted Friday turkey? For many Southerners, it's a staple on the Thanksgiving table whether it's served alongside an oven-roasted turkey or not. Lovers of deep-fried turkey will say this cooking style makes the dark meat juicer, the white meat even more tastier, and the outside crispier. Get the recipe: Deep Fried Turkey with Creole Spices 11 of 12 Cranberry Sauce Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Torie Cox; Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen While Southerners can agree that cranberry sauce belongs on the table, we're divided about how it must be made. Some of us swear by Grandma's recipe while others want it right out of the can. Get the recipe: Cranberry Sauce 12 of 12 A Pitcher of Sweet Tea Beth Dreiling Hontzas You didn't think we'd forget the tea, did you? No Thanksgiving would be complete without a glass or two of Southern iced tea. Get the recipe: Classic Southern Sweet Tea Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit