My Favorite Thanksgiving Sides

T-11 days until Thanksgiving! Are you ready? All of my favorite Thanksgiving sides are here for you, all of which would make a great addition to your holiday table. So, let’s get down to business! Thanksgiving Sides, the best part about Thanksgiving!

What’s on your menu? Where are you headed for Thanksgiving this year? So many questions! Thanksgiving this year is starting to look a little more normal, but I think we’re all still being cautious. My Thanksgiving will be a small affair, but I am excited to cook and have a spread. Leftovers for me are necessary, so the more you prepare the better!

I do not eat turkey and many people ask me, “well then what do you eat?” All of the sides!! They’re the best part in my opinion and I honestly don’t feel as though I’m missing out. Remember, I don’t like/never have really liked turkey, so it’s not something that I feel as though I’m missing out on. & don’t get me started on ‘tofurky’ that’s going to be a hard NO for me too.

But the sides, all the sides, they’re really my favorite! Over the years we’ve had a few staple side dishes, but recently we’ve been trying a few new ones too. The recipe round-up I have here really are my favorites. There are others that didn’t make the cut (since they’re not my recipes) and they’re good. But I’m sharing with you a few that are easy, that will make you look ‘fancy’, and that don’t take too much work. Everyone will be raving. & if you need a turkey recipe, I’ll leave a few below. Don’t worry, I got you!

1. Cheeseboard or Mezze Board. H’orderves are a must for ANY holiday gathering. Depending on when your guests arrive this can be a great focal point for people to gather around and get them OUT of your kitchen – which is a good thing. Not to mention this helps stave off the hunger so there’s no hangry people. The key is not to fill up too much and save room for the main dishes!

• 

• 

• 

2. Pear, Pecan, and Blue Cheese Salad. I use this salad dressing for everything. It is my go-to! There are so many different salad combinations you can make. I use a leafy green, a fruit, a nut, and a cheese. That’s the flavor profile you’re looking for here. Enter this combo of pear, pecan, and blue cheese. Phenomenal. And if you think you don’t want a salad at Thanksgiving, think again!

3. Sweet Potato Casserole. This recipe was passed down to us from an old family friend and I honestly am unsure of who created the original. I use less sugar and butter and have adapted it as my own now. Sweet potatoes are just so sweet (naturally) they really don’t need too much. But the topping is what makes it just like a dessert – and that’s where I might be calling it a side, but it’s ‘dessert’ for me! (I’ll eventually get around to making this an actual post, but for now recipe below!)

• 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes (you can roast these ahead of time!)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• Mix all together and bake at 350 F for about 45 minutes.
• 1/2 cup crumbled corn flakes (or bran flakes)
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• This is the topping. Mix all together and add to the top of the casserole – you can bake it all at once, but the topping is best added in the last 15 minutes of baking time (this way it doesn’t get overcooked).

4. Twice-Baked Potatoes. Is there any way a potato doesn’t taste good? I think not. And while mashed potatoes are a staple at Thanksgiving, let me convince you to try these twice-baked potatoes. Traditional twice-baked potatoes are scooped out and then baked back in the potato skin. I used to watch my mom make these growing up and I have to say, too much work. Enter this lazy version – boiling with the skin first and then throwing everything together to bake in one dish – that’s why they’re called ‘twice-baked’. There’s cottage cheese in these potatoes and that just makes them creamier than ever. It’s become tradition for our family to have these every year.

5. Roasted Green Beans. I know I was due to give you guys a ‘better for you’ version of a green bean mushroom casserole, but alas, life got busy and I didn’t get to recipe test. Regardless, roasted green beans are simple, flavorful, and another way to add a non-starchy veggie to the table. I know, I know, not your ‘dish you gotta have’, but in all honesty there’s just something about simple sometimes. My mom will parboil the green beans and then sauté them for just a minute or two with a few sliced almonds and top with lemon zest. My recipe is simple roasted green beans, but I often do add some grated Parmesan to make them go from good to great!

6. Roasted Acorn Squash with Pomegranantes and Pumpkin Seeds. Butternut Squash Soup is coming this Thursday but in the meantime another squash recipe that will dazzle the crowd. Winter squash is a favorite: delicata, butternut, and the last but not least forgotten acorn squash. If you too have forgotten to throw it into the mix, this will be a reminder for you to do so. & while I used a tablespoon of maple syrup, the truth is it doesn’t really need any.

7. Homemade Cranberry Sauce. I’ve found over the years that cranberry sauce is quite divisive – you either love it or hate it, but then there’s the other side that either love canned cranberry or actually do prefer it, just homemade. No judgement with how you like to include it, but I do believe it’s a staple part of the plate at Thanksgiving. My version has 1/3 of the amount of added sugar, so it is still tart, but just right for me. & I also use ‘juice’ which is technically added sugar instead of water, but I do this to give more flavor and it definitely does. Are you team canned or homemade?

8. Roasted Carrots – Garlic, Walnuts, & Goat Cheese Another roasted veggie, but anything but ordinary. I sautéed garlic and walnuts in a bit of olive oil to bring out a nutty, garlicky taste that I then drizzled over the carrots. Added parsley and feta cheese and boom, flavor explosion! The only hard part with these side dishes is the timing and making sure your food comes out at the proper time.

And as promised, a few turkey recipes from a few food bloggers that I follow. Trust me when I say you wouldn’t want a turkey recipe from me. These are reliable and have been tested. Enjoy!

• Mark Bittman’s 45 minutes Roast Turkey
• Ina’s Perfect Roast Turkey
• Alton Brown’s Deep-Fried Turkey
• Ree Drummond’s Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey
• And for those serving a smaller crowd, this Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast will fit the bill!

There you have it. All my favorite Thanksgiving sides. More will be added in the coming years, but this is a few to get you started and be your ‘keeper’ favorite Thanksgiving sides too! Happy (early) Thanksgiving. So much gratitude to you all for following along.