Whether you're seeking classic Thanksgiving recipes or something totally new, you're sure to love one (or more!) of these 50 Thanksgiving side dishes.

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Can we agree that Thanksgiving side dishes are the best part of the holiday meal? No offense to roast turkey and pumpkin pie, but the stuffing, mashed potatoes, and other sides are what I look forward to most.

I’m sharing 50 of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes below. They include all the classics (think green bean casserole and dinner rolls) as well as inventive veggie sides, crowd-pleasing potatoes, and more. If you’re still planning you holiday menu, check them out! You’re sure to find some recipes you love.

Our Best Classic Thanksgiving Sides

Best Stuffing

Based on my mom’s classic recipe, this rich, savory stuffing is my favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner. It’s moist and gooey in the middle, crisp on top, and brimming with flavor from leeks, celery, and fresh herbs.

Best Mashed Potatoes

These are the best mashed potatoes I’ve tried! Loaded up with butter, milk, and sour cream, they’re ultra-rich and blissfully creamy.

Sweet Potato Casserole

You won’t miss the marshmallows in this savory sweet potato casserole! It has a flavorful pecan crumble topping, which offers a delicious crunchy contrast to the creamy sweet potatoes.

Green Bean Casserole

No canned cream of mushroom soup here! This from-scratch casserole features fresh green beans, crispy baked onions, and a rich, creamy homemade mushroom sauce.

Cranberry Sauce

This maple-sweetened sauce is thick, tart, and jammy. It’s SO much better than cranberry sauce from a can.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

A zingy lemon Parmesan dressing takes these crispy roasted Brussels sprouts over the top.

Homemade Dinner Rolls

These homemade dinner rolls are soft, fluffy, and flavorful. Careful—they might upstage the turkey!

Easy Vegetable Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Green Beans Almondine

Skip the green bean casserole this year, and add these glossy green beans to your Thanksgiving menu instead!

Roasted Root Vegetables

This easy side dish will be a sleeper hit on your Thanksgiving table. A fragrant sage oil adds rich, earthy flavor to the humble medley of roasted root veggies.

Wild Rice Pilaf

This simple pilaf is flecked with tender roasted sweet potatoes, shaved Brussels sprouts, dried cranberries, and herbs.

Roasted Acorn Squash

Roasted with maple syrup, olive oil, herbs, and salt and pepper, this acorn squash is a simple, elegant Thanksgiving side dish.

Creamed Spinach

This recipe is the perfect last-minute Thanksgiving side dish. You can make it in 15 minutes, and it’s fresh, bright, and delicious. Use coconut milk instead of heavy cream to make it dairy-free!

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

Oven at its max? Sauté your Brussels sprouts instead of roasting them.

Roasted Carrots

Honey brings out the natural sweetness of these tender, caramelized roasted carrots.

Mashed Cauliflower

This creamy mash is lighter than mashed potatoes, but it’s just as delicious.

Mushroom Gravy

Even meat lovers will fall for this velvety (vegan) mushroom gravy! It’s perfect for ladling over mashed potatoes, stuffing, and more.

Roasted Delicata Squash with Apples & Sage

This recipe is one of my all-time favorite Thanksgiving side dishes! It features a sweet and savory combination of roasted squash, apples, kale, and fresh herbs.

Roasted Vegetables

Sage, rosemary, and an apple cider vinaigrette add bold autumn flavor to these colorful roasted veggies.

Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

Roasted with honey and balsamic, these sprouts are crispy, caramelized, and packed with sweet and tangy flavor.

Roasted Beets

If you love Thanksgiving sides that you can make ahead, this recipe is for you. Roast the beets up to 3 days before the big meal. Then, toss them with herbs and a squeeze of lemon when you’re ready to eat.

Honeynut Squash

Roasted with a maple glaze and served over whipped ricotta, this sweet, creamy squash is a stunning Thanksgiving side dish.

Roasted Cauliflower

Dressed up with lemon zest and fresh herbs, roasted cauliflower is an easy, delicious Thanksgiving side dish! It’s good warm or at room temperature, so feel free to roast it up to a few hours in advance.

Sautéed Green Beans

This recipe is one of the simplest Thanksgiving side dishes, and if you ask me, it’s also one of the best. Featuring a lemon dressing and fresh thyme, it’s bright, colorful, and easy to make.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

This stuffed squash is a versatile addition to a Thanksgiving menu. It makes a fantastic meatless main or hearty side dish!

Roasted Butternut Squash

A sprinkle of herbs is all it takes to make roasted butternut squash a Thanksgiving-worthy side dish.

Salad Recipes for Thanksgiving

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

I bring this salad to my family’s Thanksgiving dinner every year. It has 8 ingredients, it’s lemony and bright, and it keeps well if you make it ahead of time. What’s not to love?

Spinach Salad

This autumn salad plays well with classic Thanksgiving side dishes like stuffing and sweet potato casserole. It features candied pecans, crisp apples, dried cranberries, and a tangy apple cider vinaigrette.

Farro Salad

Nutty farro plays off sweet apples and dates, a tangy dressing, and bitter greens in this simple, yet unexpected, salad.

Beet Salad with Goat Cheese & Balsamic

For a gorgeous Thanksgiving side dish, make this salad with as many types of beets as you can find. Filled with jeweled yellows, pinks, and reds, it’ll be a stunning addition to your holiday menu.

Green Bean Salad

A simpler, fresher alternative to green bean casserole.

Wheat Berry Salad

This salad is basically fall in a bowl! It’s packed with roasted squash, nutty wheat berries, dried cranberries, and fresh sage.

Pear Salad with Balsamic and Walnuts

Whisk together the balsamic vinaigrette a day or two ahead of time. This salad will be a breeze to assemble right before you eat!

Butternut Squash Salad

A lightly creamy, cumin-spiced dressing adds earthy, aromatic flavor to this roasted squash salad.

Kale Salad

Add tons of color to your Thanksgiving table with this rainbow kale salad! To get ahead, you can toss the kale with the carrot ginger dressing up to two days in advance. Then, sprinkle on the toppings right before you eat.

Best Broccoli Salad

This recipe only gets better if you make it ahead of time, so it’s a perfect Thanksgiving side dish.

Kohlrabi Slaw

This sweet and tangy slaw is one of my favorite last-minute Thanksgiving sides. The recipe calls for 10 ingredients and comes together in no time.

More Thanksgiving Recipes

Looking for more holiday menu ideas? Check out these Thanksgiving recipes next:

50 Thanksgiving Side Dishes: Easy Mashed Potatoes

rate this recipe:

5 from 38 votes

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 1 10

Serves 4 to 6

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Ingredients

1 bulb roasted garlic
2 pounds Yukon gold or butterball potatoes, peeled
2 teaspoons sea salt
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Butter, optional, for serving
Chopped fresh chives and/or rosemary, optional, for sprinkling

Instructions

Use the back of a chef’s knife or a small masher to mash the roasted garlic into a paste before incorporating into the mashed potatoes. Set aside.
Place the potatoes and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a large pot and fill with enough water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
Use a ricer or a potato masher to mash the potatoes in a large bowl. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the roasted garlic, olive oil, ½ cup of the reserved cooking liquid, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of pepper. Continue folding until creamy, adding up to ½ cup more cooking liquid if desired for creamier potatoes. Serve hot with butter, chives, and/or rosemary, if desired.