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The turkey may take center stage, but everyone knows it’s the sides that make the meal. Whether you’re looking for a familiar favorite or something new and different, you’ll find something to love on this list of over 50 Thanksgiving Side Dishes.
Thanksgiving is the one day of the year when it’s ok to fill up your plate with mounds of delicious food. Calories don’t count on Thanksgiving, right?
In that case, these beautiful Thanksgiving side dishes will make the perfect accompaniment to your Thanksgiving dinner. Who said TURKEY has to be the star?
There are over 100 recipes on this list and I’ve broken it up into sections (stuffing, potatoes, veggies, etc.). Easily find what you’re looking for by scrolling to the side dish category you’re interested in. Have a favorite that I missed? Let me know about it in the comments. I’m always looking for new easy Thanksgiving side dishes to try and share!
Salads
Here are some gorgeous salads, classics like a spinach salad and some new ideas like a crunchy wedge with homemade dressing. Having a salad as part of the spread is a great way to balance out all of the heaviness of traditional Thanksgiving sides.
Spinach Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette is the best weekday salad! It's easy and fast, made with fresh spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers and crunchy walnuts.
Mediterranean Green Bean Salad is full of bright flavors and colors, with Feta cheese, Kalamata olives, chickpeas, tomatoes and a tangy Greek vinaigrette.
7 Layer Salad is a classic potluck dish great for feeding a crowd. These layers of deliciousness can be made ahead of time for these easiest side dish ever!
Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad is a perfect side dish for your fall get-togethers and especially Thanksgiving! Serve it hot or cold – it's sure to please!
This crunchy, flavorful broccoli salad has shaved broccoli, crisp apples, tart cherries, sunflower seeds and a tangy dressing for an easy year-round favorite.
This delicious combination of roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, and grains topped with a creamy apple vinaigrette is the perfect Thanksgiving Salad!
Casseroles
Easy to throw together and easy to transport, the casserole is an absolute staple of Thanksgiving! From sweet potato casserole to cornbread casserole and everything in between, choose a new side to make it’s debut or pick a classic that you know will be a sure winner.
Scalloped Corn is a classic casserole filled with creamy corn, topped with crushed butter crackers. A simple side dish for the holidays or a weeknight meal.
Copycat Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole is an easy, cheesy recipe with frozen hashbrowns, cheese sauce and a crunchy corn flakes topping. Perfect for potlucks, brunch or as a simple side dish.
Zucchini Casserole is a delicious side dish with tender zucchini, a creamy white cheddar cheese sauce and a crunchy panko breadcrumb topping.
Vegetables
At least one veggie dish should be present in the line-up, and there are lots to choose from! Try a hearty, cheesy casserole or keep it simple with some steamed green beans.
This One Pan Cauliflower “Mac” & Cheese recipe is a healthy, low-carb recipe that will satisfy your cheesy cravings. Makes a delicious and quick meal or a perfect Thanksgiving side dish.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad is a perfect side dish for your fall get-togethers and especially Thanksgiving! Serve it hot or cold – it's sure to please!
Garlic Green Beans are a simple, flavorful side dish that's fast and easy to make. Green beans cooked in garlic butter until tender with a squeeze of lemon.
Southern Green Beans are simmered low in chicken broth until they are nice and tender. Crispy bacon adds the perfect texture to the dish.
Potatoes
Potatoes are a staple side for Thanksgiving, and you just need to basics – milk, cram, butter and salt. But if you want to up your potato game this year, try some roasted red potatoes or try making some mashed taters in the slow cooker!
This is the ULTIMATE Red Skinned Mashed Potatoes recipe! This simple, easy-to-make recipe gives you perfectly creamy mashed potatoes in 30 minutes or less.
These Garlic Mashed Potatoes are creamy and delicious. Made with minced garlic and cream cheese, it’s the best side dish and one that everyone will love!
Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes are the perfect side dish! Par-boiled instead of baked raw, these cheesy potatoes will always be cooked to creamy perfection.
Roasted Purple Potatoes are a delicious, simple to prepare and full of health benefits! Roasted in olive oil and seasonings and ready in about 30 minutes.
Crispy, fluffy and delicious Easy Breakfast Potatoes are baked in the oven and are the perfect side dish for any meal | Potato Recipes | Breakfast Recipes
Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes are the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving. Mashed sweet potatoes mixed with cream cheese, brown sugar and spices and topped with mini marshmallows and chopped nuts!
Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes are coated in a cinnamon honey sauce and roasted until they are crispy and caramelized on the outside and tender on the inside.
Homemade Stuffing has dried bread cubes tossed with celery, onions, fresh herbs and broth, then baked until it's moist and fluffy, and crispy on the outside.
Sausage Stuffing has savory Italian sausage, bread, vegetables, herbs and spices. It's the perfect side dish for all of your holiday meals.
Pasta and Rice
If potatoes and stuffing aren’t your thing, or you have some picky potato-haters (like I do!), you’ll want to have some yummy options for them too. Plus bread is just good pretty much any time.
Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto is a rich and delicious recipe made with your pressure cooker for an easy vegetarian dinner or decadent side dish! Fresh thyme, Parmesan and white wine take the flavors in this dish to the next level!
These one hour dinner rolls are soft and fluffy, and really do take only about an hour from start to finish, including rising time. They are the perfect compliment to any meal.
These super easy and incredibly delicious Parmesan Rosemary Rolls look beautiful, and will be the hit of your celebrations, and no one will now just how easy they were to make!
Mini Parmesan Garlic Knots are a poppable appetizer that flies off the plate! Serve them small, or make bigger knots to serve up with your favorite dinners!
Garlic Cheese Biscuits are a copycat of Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits. They are cheesy, garlicky and salty yet still tender and flaky – you definitely won't want to share.
Parker House Rolls are a soft and buttery, melt-in-your-mouth dinner roll. They are brushed with butter before and after baking making them even more irresistible. Your family is going to love these amazing homemade rolls.
Sweet Side Dishes
We always have a few staple sweets to go with all the savory food. Our family favorite is the Sour Cream Salad, but of course, traditional cranberry sauce is a must!
Seal and store in the fridge for up to a week or the freezer for up to 6 months. Be sure to leave at least an inch of space above the sauce for freezing.
Jello Salad is a vintage recipe that's part side dish & part dessert. This Green Jello Salad is deliciously creamy and perfect for sharing with friends!
Got Turkey?
Got the sides, now you need the TURKEY! Try our recipe for the best Thanksgiving Turkey (with video!). If you’re feeding a smaller group, try our Turkey Breast recipe in the Instant Pot, oven roasted, or air fryer. It’s got simple ingredients and a ton of flavor – and there are lots of tips to help you out!
You’ve got the roast turkey breast, you’ve got the turkey gravy, but it can get boring with the same old traditional mashed potatoes and green bean casserole every year. That’s why I’ve put together this incredible collection that showcases the MANY different options you have to help round out your Thanksgiving feast. I can wait to try them all! Wherever you start, you won’t be disappointed with these Thanksgiving recipes!
What is the most popular Side Dish at Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving is THE food holiday of the year! Some think that the turkey is the star, but really, it’s the sides. The side dishes have always been my favorite part of Thanksgiving – from the sweet potatoes to the rolls to the stuffing to the green beans. Mashed Potatoes are my all-time favorite, and they’re one of the most popular Thanksgiving side dishes of all.
How many side dishes should you have at Thanksgiving?
Lots of them! Of course, it depends on how many people you will have at dinner, but the more options you can provide, the better. You want to have at least 2 of each type of side – 2 vegetable sides, 2 starches, 2 desserts. Make sure to include a variety of flavors and textures.
How far ahead can I make Thanksgiving sides?
Most of the dishes on your menu can probably be made ahead of the big day. Things like casseroles, desserts, and even gravy can be made in advance to save you time on Thanksgiving Day. Prepare the side and bake it or cook it through, then wrap it up and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 300℉ oven for 5-10 minutes, depending on the dish.
Before deciding to prepare a recipe in advance, be sure to read the instructions and any tips that may have been included to make sure you’re doing it safely.
Kristin Maxwell is the creator and main recipe developer, writer, and photographer of Yellow Bliss Road. A self-taught cook and self-appointed foodie, she specializes in easy, flavorful and approachable recipes for any home cook.
You left out fried sauerkraut as one of the side dishes for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. My mother use to fix this dish for 60 years until her death 6 years ago coming up this Oct 31st. She got this from my grandmother who is full blooded German she even has the tattooed numbers on her arm from the Holocaust. She would tell us this was all she and her sister had to eat for those holidays. That’s why we have still to this day. I’m carrying on my mom’s and grandma’s tradition. Thought I’d share it with you.
YES!!! Rhodes rolls. I have said year after year now, it’s not Thanksgiving without them!
My family agrees!
SO MANY GREAT RECIPES. WHERE DO I START? THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING ALL OF THEM.
You are so welcome Rebecca! Thanks for stopping by.
You left out fried sauerkraut as one of the side dishes for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. My mother use to fix this dish for 60 years until her death 6 years ago coming up this Oct 31st. She got this from my grandmother who is full blooded German she even has the tattooed numbers on her arm from the Holocaust. She would tell us this was all she and her sister had to eat for those holidays. That’s why we have still to this day. I’m carrying on my mom’s and grandma’s tradition. Thought I’d share it with you.
Hi Ray – I appreciate you sharing your story. Those kinds of memories are precious.
Oh yum! With side dishes this yummy, I wouldn’t need a main dish. 😉
I do add sausage and fry it all up at once and eat it as a meal. Wife can’t stand it lol