These easy Thanksgiving side dishes are the key to the perfect holiday dinner. Cook up the turkey, add any of the side dish ideas from this list, and you’ll have a delicious Thanksgiving menu. Make sure you add green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, butternut squash, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, and plenty of easy recipes from this Thanksgiving food list!
Side Dishes for Thanksgiving Dinner
Thanksgiving dinner might revolve around the turkey, but it’s the delicious side dishes circling around it that makes it a true feast! I mean, what would the holiday be without the mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, veggies, green bean casserole, and sweet potatoes?
I’ve gathered all of these easy Thanksgiving side dishes into one list, so you can find the best recipes in one place. Keep the traditional foods on the table (the true crowd pleasers), then try something new and unique for this year’s Thanksgiving menu so you can impress guests.
I’ve included plenty of holiday side dishes you can make ahead of time, some that are extra quick and easy to make for last minute cooking, and some side ideas to bring with you to Thanksgiving dinner for potluck feasts and extended family gatherings.
Traditional Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Go for a classic Thanksgiving dinner with a turkey and these popular side dishes! Comforting, delicious, and sure to please.
- Green Bean Casserole: This is one of those Thanksgiving recipes that you don’t need to reinvent–it’s creamy, crunchy, and so comforting!
- Mashed Potatoes: This recipe makes the best mashed potatoes! They’re quick and easy to make, and they come out deliciously creamy.
- Sweet Potato Casserole: Creamy sweet potatoes are mixed with warm spices, then baked with a cozy marshmallow pecan topping.
- Turkey Stuffing: This classic stuffing is a must-make side dish for Thanksgiving because it pairs perfectly with turkey.
- Cranberry Sauce: Delicious cranberries with a bit of orange and cinnamon is the perfect complement to the rest of your plate, and it’s ready in 15 minutes!
- Turkey Gravy: Your plate of turkey and sides isn’t complete without a heap of gravy covering it all!
- Candied Sweet Potatoes: This classic Southern dish only requires 3 ingredients, and makes the most mouthwatering potatoes.
Thanksgiving Vegetable Sides
Get your veggies in with these Thanksgiving side ideas. Cheese, breadcrumbs, bacon, and more dress up these vegetables!
- Honey Glazed Carrots: These beautiful carrots are roasted with a tasty glaze made with cinnamon, brown sugar, ginger, and honey.
- Sauteed Leeks: This underrated fall vegetable becomes tender and delicious when sauteed and sprinkled with cheese.
- Sauteed Brussels Sprouts: Adding pears, blue cheese, and walnuts is our favorite way to dress up a healthy side dish for the holidays.
- Three Cheese Asparagus: This recipe couldn’t be easier–gently cook asparagus, then broil it under a blanket of cheeses, and it’s ready to eat!
- Brussels Sprouts Gratin: Bake this veggie with cheese and bacon, and you’ll have a delicious side dish ready for Thanksgiving in no time.
- Asparagus Almondine: 15 minutes and a few ingredients make a beautiful side dish idea that will impress your guests. Sometimes the simplest is the best!
- Crispy Baked Zucchini: Both crunchy and cheesy, this is an easy vegetable side dish that’s ready in just fifteen minutes!
- Broccoli Cauliflower Gratin: Broccoli, cauliflower, breadcrumbs, and lots of cheese make a delicious 30-minute side dish.
Potato Side Dish Ideas
If classic mashed potatoes aren’t exciting enough, these dishes are a great option. Sweet potatoes, cheesy potatoes, baked potatoes…we just love potatoes around here.
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes: This is one of my favorite Thanksgiving side dish ideas because it’s creamy, buttery, and easy to make in just 30 minutes!
- Loaded Scalloped Potatoes: Potatoes are baked with lots of bacon and a cheesy sauce that really sends them over the top.
- Au gratin Potatoes: Thinly sliced potatoes and onions are baked in a rich, creamy sauce with a cheesy crust. This dish will melt in your mouth!
- Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potatoes, maple syrup, and pecans are baked together to make this simple side dish idea.
- Chantilly Potatoes: The creamiest potatoes are baked with the cheesiest topping to make the most indulgent holiday side dish.
- Sheet Pan Scalloped Potatoes: This side dish recipe makes enough cheesy potatoes to serve everyone at your Thanksgiving table.
- Baked Sweet Potatoes: After roasting, just add a bit of cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter to make the perfect sweet potatoes.
Quick and Easy Thanksgiving Sides
These easy side dishes are so quick to make, so you can focus on the turkey and the other Thanksgiving foods you need to cook.
- Air Fryer Roasted Vegetables: This mix of fall vegetables are tossed with pecans and cranberries, then cooked to crispy perfection in 15 minutes.
- Sauteed Carrots: These flavorful, herb-y carrots are a great accompaniment to turkey or ham, and they’re ready fast, with just a few ingredients.
- Green Beans with Bacon: You only need 20 minutes to make this simple veggie side dish for Thanksgiving!
- Instant Pot Sweet Potato Casserole: This recipe allows you to make a traditional Thanksgiving side in just 30 minutes, and frees up space in your oven.
- Corn on the Cob: This traditional side dish is quick and easy to boil on the stovetop!
- Creamed Green Beans: A creamy garlic parmesan sauce coats these fresh green beans for another quick side dish.
- Creamed Corn: Add a creamy, cheesy twist to frozen or canned corn for a 10 minute Thanksgiving side dish!
Healthy Side Ideas for Thanksgiving
Add something fresh and healthy to your Thanksgiving menu to balance out the rest of the dishes. Simple veggies or a delicious salad make the perfect sides!
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts: Incredibly crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and served with optional toppings like balsamic and bacon.
- Sauteed Vegetables: An array of colorful and fresh veggies are cooked simply with herbs, spices, and a bit of cheese. You can easily swap in your favorite veggies with this recipe.
- Cucumber Salad: Fresh cucumber and red onion slices with a homemade dressing make a side salad that pairs wonderfully with turkey and other Thanksgiving dishes.
- Mashed Cauliflower: This makes a delicious, creamy, and healthy alternative to mashed potatoes.
- Roasted Butternut Squash: Easy to prep, this squash is finished with a browned butter and sage sauce for a delicious Thanksgiving side dish.
- Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad: Toasted almonds, cheese, and a honey dijon vinaigrette turn a simple vegetable into a flavorful and beautiful salad.
- Roasted Mushrooms: Fresh herbs and simple seasonings lend incredible flavor to oven roasted cremini mushrooms that pair perfectly with turkey, ham, or beef.
Thanksgiving Casseroles
Hot, cheesy, baked casseroles make the best side dishes for the holidays, because they’re easy to prep and always tasty!
- Mac and Cheese Casserole: Macaroni is a quintessential Thanksgiving side dish, and this casserole version with a crunchy breadcrumb topping will be the best part of your plate.
- Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole: Using frozen veggies and instant rice make this classic casserole super quick and easy to make.
- Green Bean Corn Casserole: Green beans, corn, cheese, a crispy cracker topping, and some other tasty ingredients make this delicious casserole.
- Butternut Squash Casserole: This veggie casserole is filled with butternut squash, warm spices, melty cheese, and a panko breadcrumb topping to make the coziest side dish.
- Loaded Cornbread Casserole: This moist cornbread is filled with ham, corn, cheese, and more to make a tasty side dish for Thanksgiving.
- Mashed Potatoes Casserole: Creamy potatoes are loaded with bacon, cheese, and chives in this easy casserole. You can make this ahead of time too!
- Loaded Cauliflower Casserole: This vegetable side dish is baked with lots of cheese, bacon, and sour cream.
Make Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes
I’m always looking for dishes I can make ahead of time to make my Thanksgiving cooking a little simpler. These sides can be prepped or even fully cooked the day before for convenience.
- Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes: You can make this side dish up to 2 days ahead of Thanksgiving, then simply bake and serve on the day of.
- Make Ahead Turkey Gravy: This stress-free gravy recipe doesn’t require any turkey drippings and it reheats beautifully, so it’s easy to make days ahead.
- Butternut Squash Stuffing: Squash, Italian sausage, cubes of bread, and savory herbs & spices make this amazing stuffing recipe. You can prep it the day before and keep it in the fridge until ready to bake.
- Parmesan Creamed Potatoes: This rich and creamy potato casserole can be prepped the day before, and it serves about 10 people.
- Buttermilk Biscuits: These flakey, Southern-style biscuits can be made and frozen a month ahead of time, then baked fresh for Thanksgiving day.
- Ambrosia Salad: A bright mix of fruit, marshmallows, and a creamy dressing makes a sweet side dish that rounds out your Thanksgiving dinner. It tastes even better when made the day before.
Don’t Forget the Bread!
When it comes to Thanksgiving side dishes, you can forget the bread! There are so many easy bread, biscuit, and roll recipes to choose from to help you scoop up that gravy.
- Dinner Rolls: This simple, made-from-scratch roll is the best side for your Thanksgiving meal.
- Crescent Rolls: These buttery, flakey rolls are easy to make from scratch, and they’re ready in just 40 minutes!
- Hawaiian Rolls: If you’re always looking for the Hawaiian rolls on holidays, try making them yourself for the freshest version.
- Sweet Potato Rolls: These soft and fluffy rolls have a great texture and flavor thanks to the sweet potatoes mixed right into the dough.
- Cornbread: These hearty, moist squares of deliciousness are a great Thanksgiving recipe. Try serving them with this honey butter.
- Spoon Bread: This super soft and moist bread is served and eaten with a spoon for a super comforting dish that pairs well with turkey, potatoes, and veggies.
Keep this list of Thanksgiving side dishes handy year after year, so you always have something new to try, while keeping your favorites in the rotation. These recipes are all easy to make and so delicious–the best of the best–so your Thanksgiving menu is sure to be a hit!
More Thanksgiving Recipes
Round out your Thanksgiving menu with pies, desserts, and plenty of dinner ideas to choose from!
thanks for your meal happy thanks giving too!
The Apple Pie Brie looks “fabulous”! Also love the brussel sprouts and asparagus recipes! I will definitely be trying these!
Love all these ideas! I’ve been meaning to make that moscow mule since you posted it!
What a perfect round-up! Loving all of these recipes!
Is it bad that I want them all?
So many great recipes here, I want to try each and every one of those cocktails! I’m bookmarking this post to give many of these recipes a try , first up will have to be that Apple Pie Brie – YUM!!
Simple is great for Thanksgiving. Great post, and very helpful!
All of these dishes will create one gorgeous and delicious holiday dinner! Love love love!
What a great round up! Can’t wait to eat, haha!
These all look FABULOUS! The Pumpkin Pie Chimichangas?? Yowza!