89 Thanksgiving Side Dishes That’ll Outshine the Turkey
Thanksgiving side dishes are what turn a good holiday meal into an unforgettable one. Sure, roast turkey is the centerpiece, but the true stars are the family favorites that round out the holiday feast.
This year let our guide to the best Thanksgiving side dish recipes help you plan a menu everyone will rave about. From staples like our superstar cranberry sauce recipe and Ultra-Creamy Mashed Potatoes to emerging favorites like sour-cream-and-onion mashed potatoes and fried sweet potato tempura, there’s something here for every palate. You’ll also find plenty of Thanksgiving vegetable sides like gratins and salads to keep non-meat eaters feeling full and festive.
Whether you’re craving balsamic-roasted brussels sprouts, cornbread muffins fresh from the oven, make-ahead options to ease day-of stress, or a last-minute Thanksgiving salad, these recipes ensure no one leaves hungry.
The list below is divided into sections for easier browsing. Scroll on for potato side dishes, followed by stuffings and dressings, sweet potatoes and squash, vegetable side dishes, creamy and cheesy things, holiday-worthy salads, breads and rolls, and cranberries and other sauces.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Spencer Richards, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman1/89Ultra-Creamy Mashed Potatoes
This is one of our favorite Thanksgiving recipes for good reason. There are no tricks, no toppings, and no bold ingredient choices. Just potatoes, heavy cream, garlic, rosemary, butter, salt, and pepper—creating the creamiest and silkiest version of this comfort food classic.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Christina Allen2/89Potatoes au Gratin
Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski3/89Burnished Potato Nuggets
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Styling by Molly Baz4/89Crispy Smashed Potatoes With Walnut Dressing
We don’t really need to sell the crispiest-ever smashed potatoes. But this version deserves a hype man. They boast the ultimate umami dressing made of walnuts, anchovies, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by JoJo Li5/89Sour Cream and Onion Mashed Potatoes
Photograph by Joe Lingeman, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Maggie DiMarco6/89Loaded Scalloped Potatoes
Old-fashioned scalloped potatoes are good, full stop. But when they are fully loaded like a baked potato–with scallions, sour cream, cheddar, and bacon–they’re exponentially better.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, Food styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop styling by Sophie Leng7/89Cacio e Pepe Rösti
The classic Roman cacio e pepe pasta meets Swiss hash browns in this impressive side—and by that, we mean it can be sliced into elegant wedges, bringing civility to a plate otherwise occupied by blobs and scoops.
Bobbi Lin8/89Duchess Baked Potatoes
If you’ve ever asked if mashed potatoes can be more, the answer is yes. The recipe is this one. The texture is like that of a twice-baked potato.
Photograph by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Sophie Strangio9/89Crispy Potatoes With Bay and Scallions
Photo by Chelsie Craig10/89Mashed Baked Potatoes With Chives
A sheet pan isn’t typically used for making mashed potatoes, but baking the potatoes—something you can do ahead—rather than boiling them is a game-changer.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Jillian Lehner, Prop Styling by Emilie Fosnocht11/89Creamy Yukon Golds With Crispy Potato Skins
This twist on the classic Thanksgiving potato dish will have you saving your potato peels from their usual destiny, the compost bin. Instead, transform them into a crunchy, salty garnish.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne13/89Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
If you always feel rushed, this make-ahead Thanksgiving recipe is a lifesaver. This mashed potatoes recipe can be prepared two full days in advance without compromising the supremely velvety results.
Photograph by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Sophie Strangio15/89Cornbread and Salami Dressing
Picture this: A buttery hunk of cornbread and a slice of salty salami, both skewered on a fork with a piece of turkey and doused in gravy. It’s the perfect Thanksgiving bite.
Photograph by Chris Simpson, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Gözde Eker16/89Pumpkin and Cheddar Strata
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Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Beth Pakradooni17/89Sausage-and-Herb Stuffing
Breakfast sausage is a cheat code to luscious stuffing that’s deeply imbued with classic sage flavors. Here, we bump it up with fennel seeds, fresh herbs like thyme and parsley. It doesn’t need turkey gravy on top, but we wouldn’t stop you from a long pour.
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Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro19/89Make-Ahead Sausage and Caramelized Onion Stuffing
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Pearl Jones20/89Crispy Black Rice and Chinese Sausage Dressing
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski21/89Cornbread Dressing With Sausage and Corn Nuts
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni22/89Almost-Classic Sweet Potato Casserole
Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski23/89Shingled Sweet Potatoes With Harissa
The classic savory-sweet side gets a makeover with the addition of harissa for an extra hint of spice. We promise you won’t miss the marshmallows.
Photograph by Chris Simpson, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Gözde Eker24/89Sweet Potato and Onion Tempura With Chive Mayo
Skip the casserole and give your spuds the crunchy tempura treatment instead. Just don’t forget the tart, chive-studded dip.
Alex Lau25/89Savory Sweet Potato Casserole
Make your own breadcrumbs from a sourdough loaf or use store-bought, but every component of this recipe is essential to make this Thanksgiving side dish shine.
Photograph by Jenny Huang, Food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Martha Bernabe26/89Sweet Potato Tian
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Sophie Leng27/89Twice-Roasted Squash With Vanilla, Maple, and Chile
Wrangling winter squash can be tricky. So, we’ve chosen to roast one whole until tender. You can wait overnight, then tear it into large pieces, discard the seeds, and glaze and roast it a bit more.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Emilie Fosnocht, prop styling by Emma Ringness28/89Roasted Delicata Squash With Crispy Onions
Top caramelized delicata squash with juicy pomegranate seeds and store-bought fried onions tricked out with cumin, garlic powder, and paprika.
Christopher Testani30/89Winter Squash Agrodolce
While this Thanksgiving side dish recipe calls for kabocha and delicata squashes, feel free to use whatever type of squash is available at your market, such as carnival or acorn squash.
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness32/89Green Beans With Tahini Sbagliato
An accidental recipe (sbagliatio means mistaken in Italian) from cookbook author Samin Nosrat yields a delicious herby tahini dressing that is excellent poured over lightly blanched green beans.
Photograph by Joe Lingeman, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Maggie DiMarco33/89Hazelnut Green Beans With Prosciutto and Dates
Photograph by Chris Simpson, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Gözde Eker34/89Charred Green Beans With Brown Butter Vinaigrette
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Beth Pakradooni35/89Green Beans With Almond Butter Sauce
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Sophie Leng36/89Green Beans and Mushrooms With Crispy Shallots
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni38/89The Easiest Glazed Carrots
These sticky carrots take just 20 minutes to prepare, so you can focus on making that 3-ingredient pomegranate spritz.
Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski41/89Shaved Carrots With Charred Dates
Photograph by Joshua Kissi, food styling by Roscoe Betsill, prop styling by Amy Wilson42/89Roasted Carrots With Ayib and Awaze Vinaigrette
Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Cyd McDowell, Prop Styling by Paige Hicks43/89Air Fryer Crispy Brussels Sprouts With Honey Butter
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kate Buckens44/89Charred Brussels Sprouts With Warm Honey Glaze
You could make a streamlined recipe for brussels sprouts, or you could make this one, which features pleasantly charred veggies dressed in honey, red wine vinegar, lemon zest, spicy chile flakes, and a good dose of butter.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Beth Pakradooni45/89Teriyaki-Style Brussels Sprouts
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Carla Gonzalez-Hart46/89Balsamic-Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Photograph by Jenny Huang, Food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Martha Bernabe47/89Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Gochujang Brown Butter
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime48/89Brussels Sprouts With Cranberry Mostarda
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Nicole Louie49/89Roasted Cauliflower With Turmeric Sauce
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Erika Joyce, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams50/89Caramelized Shallots
Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski51/89Glazed Shallots With Chile and Thyme
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Gerri K. Williams53/89Parsnip Purée
Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski54/89Parsnip Confit With Pickled Currants
Sturdy parsnips soften in a warm bath of olive oil, then get seared and bejeweled with pickled currants. In other words, you’ll never look at these root vegetables the same way again.
Photo by Marcus Nilsson, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski55/89Coconut Creamed Greens
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Beth Pakradooni56/89Cheesy Roasted Cabbage Wedges
Some of the best Thanksgiving side dishes have main dish energy—which works well for vegetarians, or anyone who just isn't wowed by turkey, no matter how bronzed and beautiful.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman58/89BA’s Best Mac and Cheese
Photo by Marcus Nilsson, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski60/89Cheesy Cabbage Gratin
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Gerri K. Williams61/89Extremely Cheesy Corn Casserole
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Paola Andrea62/89Cheesy Broccoli Casserole With Butter Cracker Crunchies
Photo by Alex Lau, styling by Rick Martinez63/89Cheesy Brussels Sprouts Gratin
You really can’t go wrong with cream and cheese. This is a holiday-worthy, crowd-pleasing side dish—and it might even convince a few skeptics to peruse our favorite brussels sprouts recipes after their second helping.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni64/89Cheesy Corn Pudding
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Maya Rossi65/89Yellow Squash Casserole With Easy Cheesy Cream Sauce
This recipe blurs the line between side dish and vegetarian Thanksgiving entree. You can use yellow squash or zucchini for this Southern-style favorite featuring a cheddar-Parmesan cream sauce and a buttery crushed cracker topping.
Photo and Food Styling by Emma Fishman66/89One-Pot Kimchi and Squash Mac and Cheese
If you're a macaroni and cheese family on Thanksgiving, we urge you to try this version with Napa cabbage kimchi, butternut squash, and scallions all mixed in.
Photograph by Joe Lingeman, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Maggie DiMarco67/89Festive Red Cabbage and Radicchio Salad
Photograph by Emma Fishman, Food styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop styling by Sophie Leng68/89Kale Salad With Pecan Vinaigrette
The ideal Thanksgiving salad is sturdy enough to dress ahead of time—you have enough to handle at the last minute.
Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski69/89Broccoli Caesar
You’ve never met a better, brighter variation of classic Caesar salad than this broccoli and Napa cabbage twist, and if you leave the broccoli raw, there’s one less thing to cook.
Photograph by Chris Simpson, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Gözde Eker71/89Radicchio and Apple Salad With Mustardy Croutons
Photograph by Emma Fishman, Food styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop styling by Sophie Leng72/89Bitter Greens With Cranberry Dressing
Your Thanksgiving menu needs this salad. It’s got everything: pleasantly bitter endives and frisée, a tangy cranberry dressing, crunchy candied pecans, and salty shavings of Manchego cheese.
Photo by Stephen Kent Johnson, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski73/89Shaved Fennel Salad With Croutons and Walnuts
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Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Thu Buser, prop styling by Gerri Williams74/89Buttery Milk Buns
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75/89Pull-Apart Sour Cream and Chive Rolls
The melt-in-your-mouth quality of these dinner rolls is thanks to butter and sour cream. Just imagine them as the bun for a turkey-cranberry slider with all your leftovers.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Ines Anguiano77/89Cornbread Cheddar Biscuits
What’s that? Looking for a biscuit that wows? Check out these sky-high beauties. Or, if you prefer a more traditional choice, check out our classic buttermilk biscuit recipe.
Photograph by Laura Murray, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Sophie Strangio78/89Brown Butter and Sage Parathas
Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski79/89Buttermilk Cornbread
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Sean Dooley, Food Styling by Thu Buser80/89Upside-Down Cornbread
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Molly Baz, Prop Styling by Emily Eisen81/89Extra-Corny Corn Muffins
Photograph by Laura Murray, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Sophie Strangio82/89Tahdig With Cranberries and Herbs
Most of our favorite Thanksgiving dinner side dishes are, we admit, fairly uniform in texture. There are creamy mashed potatoes, creamed vegetables, buttery stuffing...you get the idea. Add a tahdig for some much-needed crunch.
Photograph by Laura Murray, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Sophie Strangio83/89Citrus-Ginger Raita With Spice Oil
What’s that on top of the raita? It’s a DIY chile oil with coriander seeds, turmeric, and either Kashmiri chile powder or cayenne pepper. Make double.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski86/89Fancy Jellied Cranberry Sauce
We dreamed up a cranberry “sauce” as sliceable and jiggly-wiggly as the retro canned stuff, but with deeper fruit flavor and more nuance thanks to cardamom and bay leaves.
Photograph by Alex Lau, food styling by Sue Li, prop styling by Sophie Strangio87/89Hibiscus Cranberry Sauce
Inspired by sorrel—a festive Caribbean punch—this sauce, flavored with ginger and allspice, is sweet, tangy, and floral.
Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski88/89Cranberry Orange Sauce With Cinnamon
Photograph by Emma Fishman, Food styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop styling by Sophie Leng89/89Cranberry and Golden Raisin Relish
Gild your holiday table with this simple, gingery Thanksgiving side dish that looks like a bowl of rubies. It’ll be a perfect addition to your leftover turkey sandwich the next day.
