Best Thanksgiving side dishes for your holiday table

When Thanksgiving comes around, it is time to plan your menu carefully. You have many delicious options to choose from, but the thanksgiving side dishes are where you can start experimenting with new flavors and textures. This blog post will give you some ideas for what type of side dishes to serve at your next holiday dinner.

What are the top 5 Thanksgiving dishes?

Thanksgiving is one of the most popular holidays in America. It’s a time to celebrate with friends and family, but it can also be stressful. There are so many dishes to prepare!

But don’t worry, we have you covered with this list of the top 5 Thanksgiving dishes that are sure to please everyone at your table this year. We have them ranked for you!

1. Stuffing

You probably have a hint as to why stuffings taste oh-so-good. The combination of spices, bread, and vegetables and placed inside the turkey is one of the best Thanksgiving foods you never want to miss. Some also add sausage for more outbursts of flavor.

2. Mashed potatoes

Although this is an all-time favorite, come holiday season and they’re one of the stars on your tables. The creamier or cheesier, the merrier! Dig in the middle and pour in gravy for that mashed potato volcano effect.

3. Cranberry Sauce

It may be just jam, but it adds flair to the holiday feast. Best paired with your homemade turkey, and your Thanksgiving dinner is a bomb.

4. Pumpkin Pie

While this serves as the finale of thanksgiving dinner, you can never go wrong with the flavor it exudes. Pair it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

5. Turkey

While this giant is the centerpiece of every Thanksgiving table, it’s not the main focus, and it’s just a guide that directs to the other dishes. Say, this tastes better with gravy or mashed potato.

Thanksgiving Side Dishes to Impress

If you are looking for a Thanksgiving side dish to impress this Thanksgiving, here is a list of five side recipes that will have your guests begging for seconds. From cheesy casserole dishes to rich macaroni and cheese, these options are perfect when you want something with just the right balance of flavor.

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Roasted Herbed Sweet Potato

Enjoy the softness and tenderness of the insides as you munch the crispiness of the skin. This herbed-roasted sweet potato is a bit of a twist to your traditional sweet potato recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsps olive oil
• Two cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes (cut into cubes)
• 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• Salt and pepper
• Parmesan cheese
• Parsley (chopped)

How to

1. Get your oven ready and preheat it to 400 F.
2. Mix all ingredients and toss in a casserole dish or baking tray.
3. Bake until tender and golden brown for about 35-40 minutes. Stir it halfway through the baking time.
4. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and parsley.

Tip: If aiming for crispier sweet potatoes, broil on high heat for 2-3 minutes in the end.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic

These mashed potatoes are deliciously flavorful. While its creaminess goes without butter or sour cream, this recipe will level up your mash potato.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp sea salt
• 2 pounds potatoes (peeled)
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Chives or rosemary (optional for garnish)
• Black pepper (grounded)
• Butter (optional when serving)

How to

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Prepare the roasted garlic:
3. Cut 1/4 inch off the top of the whole garlic clove.
4. Put the cut part up on foil, then drizzle with olive oil and add some salt.
5. Wrap garlic on the foil and roast until tender and golden brown for about 40-60mins.
6. Remove from the oven and let cool.
7. Mash the garlic into a paste before mixing it on the mashed potatoes.
8. Set aside.
9. Prepare the mashed potatoes:
10. Put the potatoes in a large pot. Then fill it with water enough to cover the potatoes by 1 inch.
11. Add 1 tsp of salt
12. Let it boil and cook until tender enough for about 20 minutes.
13. Drain and set aside 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
14. Using your potato masher, mash potatoes in a large bowl.
15. Get a rubber spatula to fold in the roasted garlic, 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid, olive oil, 1 tsp of salt and pepper.
16. Fold and stir until creamy while pouring 1/2 reserved cooking liquid.
17. Add liquid until you achieve desired creaminess.
18. Serve hot with butter and fresh herbs – chives, rosemary.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Whether it’s a holiday or not, this classic Thanksgiving side dish recipe is best cooked caramelized and tender. Let your guests feast on this holiday favorite.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 lbs. Brussel sprouts (cut in half lengthwise)
• 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp honey

How to

1. Preheat the oven to 415 F.
2. Combine Brussels sprouts, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
3. In a large, lined baking tray, spread the Brussels sprouts evenly.
4. Put the tray in the oven. Roast for about 20 minutes. Stir it quickly halfway through (10 minutes) so that the Brussels sprouts will brown equally.
5. When cooked, put back the Brussels sprouts in the large bowl.
6. Add honey and balsamic vinegar. Then toss to mix and serve hot.

Sweet Potato Casserole

As one of the essential Thanksgiving side dishes, the secret to this savory recipe is adding plenty of fresh herbs. The nutty pecan topping adds up to the burst of sweetness and flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 large-sized sweet potatoes
• 1 tsp ginger (grounded)
• 1 1/4 cup almond milk (add more when needed)
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup fresh sage leaves

For the pecan crumble topping

• 1/4 cup pecans (add more for garnish)
• 1/4 cup walnuts (add more for garnish)
• 1/3 cup whole oats
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• 1/2 garlic clove
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1/4 tsp fresh rosemary (minced)
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp sea salt

How to:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F.
2. Arrange a baking sheet with foil. Then brush the baking dish with olive oil.
3. By using a fork, poke a few holes in the sweet potatoes.
4. Put the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet. For 60 minutes, roast until tender.
5. Prepare the pecan crumble topping:
6. Combine oats, walnuts, pecans, garlic, olive oil, maple syrup, rosemary, thyme, and salt in a food processor.
7. Beat until fully combined. Set aside when done.
8. Scoop out the sweet potato flesh from its skin—place in a food processor.
9. Pour in the olive oil, ginger, almond milk, salt, and pepper in the food processor together with the sweet potato flesh. The process is to mix evenly.
10. Spread the combined mixture into the baking dish.
11. Sprinkle the crumble topping, sage, and additional nuts.
12. Sprinkle with olive oil and bake until the topping is crisp and brown for 20 minutes.

Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole is a Thanksgiving side dish favorite, but it can also be enjoyed during any season. It has been around since the 1950s and was created by Campbell’s home economists to use up canned green beans that were about to expire.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 lbs green beans (ends cut in half and trimmed)
• 3 cups brown mushrooms (sliced)
• 1 medium-sized onion
• 1/4 tsp black pepper (grounded)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp garlic (minced)
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 2 cups of heavy cream ( can be half and half cream)
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups fried French onions (store-bought or homemade)

How to

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. For about 5 minutes, put green beans in a large pot of boiling water. Blanch until almost softened but still bright green.
3. Wash green beans on running cold water to cool off. Drain in a colander and set aside.
4. Using a large skillet, melt butter on medium-high heat for about 1 minute.
5. Add onion and mushrooms, then season with salt and pepper. Saute and continue occasionally stirring until browned.
6. Toss in the garlic, then cook until fragrant for 1 minute. Add in flour and stir until mixed evenly—Cook for another minute.
7. Pour in heavy cream, add Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Mix well and let the sauce simmer.
8. Lower heat to medium and continue stirring until sauce is thick for 5-7 minutes. Then turn off the heat and set it aside.
9. Put green beans in a casserole pan, then pour cream sauce evenly on top.
10. Bake at 350 F for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
11. Sprinkle fried French onions on top, then bake for an additional 5 minutes until crispy. Set aside and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve warm.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Maple syrup

This simple yet elegant Thanksgiving side dish has a flavor enhanced with maple syrup and other ingredients.

Ingredients

• Extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
• 3 acorn squash (seeded and cut in halves)
• Fresh sage or rosemary (chopped)
• Maple syrup (for drizzling)
• Sea salt
• Black pepper (freshly grounded)

How to

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a parchment paper over a baking sheet
2. Arrange the acorn squash halves on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, maple syrup. Then sprinkle a dash of salt and pepper.
3. Use your hands to coat the squash. Sprinkle sage or rosemary on the center of the squash.
4. Roast for about 25-40 minutes (depending on the squash size) or until tender and golden brown.
5. Season with salt and pepper. Then serve hot.

Key Takeaway

The list goes on for the best Thanksgiving side dish. From instant pot recipes, air fryer broccoli, roasted cauliflower to roasted beets, it’s almost endless. While there are tons of options for the most scrumptious Thanksgiving side dishes, the list above is one of your must-tries.