55 Classic Thanksgiving Side Dishes To Impress Your Guests (2024)

Cheesy Creamed Corn Casserole

Are you planning a large dinner party? Kickstart the night of festivities with one of the most popular Thanksgiving side dishes! As equally delicious as it is visually appealing, this corn casserole’s creamed corn filling is balanced with the crunch from colorful bell peppers.

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Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Sweeter than traditional mashed potatoes, these mashed sweet potatoes have an added savory taste thanks to the Parmesan cheese and sour cream.

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Garlic Green Beans

Another popular Thanksgiving side dish is garlic green beans! Drizzle the beans with oil to enhance the taste before seasoning with salt, pepper, garlic, and parmesan. Remember to coat each bean evenly and roast until fork tender!

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Glazed Carrots

Nothing beats a warm plate of tender glazed carrots. While we suggest serving them fresh, one can prepare glazed carrots a day in advance. This Thanksgiving side dish promises a deeper, richer flavor than when served raw. It also features a sweet piquancy with a smooth buttery texture.

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Roasted Butternut Squash

Flavored with a hint of thyme, the roasted butternut squash showcases soft and tender flesh with a robust flavor, crispy texture, and golden brown appearance.

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Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Topped with sugared pecans, these twice-baked sweet potatoes make a filling Thanksgiving side dish. Here’s a tip: make sure to avoid overmixing the potatoes, as doing so could result in a gummy texture. We suggest using a hand mixer to create the ideal fluffy whipped potatoes!

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Broccoli Casserole

This broccoli casserole is topped with crushed crackers! Bite into this tasteful Thanksgiving side dish for a delightful crunch followed by a pleasant custardy mouthfeel.

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Roasted Sweet Potatoes

It’s no secret that roasted sweet potatoes taste ten times better than boiled ones. Just tasting the nutty sweetness of this Thanksgiving side dish’s caramelized edges will leave you wanting more.

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Carrot Apple Soup

Nothing is cozier than a warm fall soup during Thanksgiving. The carrot apple soup presents an ideal balance between sweet and savory. It combines sage and bay leaves to create a final aromatic product in just under 45 minutes.

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Garlic Parmesan duch*ess Potatoes

Impress your guests with these cloud-like Garlic Parmesan duch*ess Potatoes. These Thanksgiving side dishes may take a while to create, but their fancy meringue appearance will be more than worth it!

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Roasted Carrots

This no-fuss Thanksgiving side dish only requires a mere 25 minutes of cooking time. Seasoned generously with thyme and black pepper, you’ll fall for the rich aromatic taste of the roasted carrots.

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Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

These rosemary roasted potatoes and onions are a quick and easy fix that only requires 20 minutes of cooking. Plus, they are a highly versatile Thanksgiving side dish that can be paired with any of your favorite mains!

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Sweet Potato Souffle

This is not any normal sweet potato souffle! The combination of crunchy pecan streusel topping with fluffy marshmallows over the souffle makes this one of the best Thanksgiving side dishes ever.

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Hasselback Potatoes

This Thanksgiving side dish is the savoir-faire your dining table has been missing! Its unique appearance is complemented with a crispy exterior and tender filling sure to impress every guest.

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Creamed Spinach

A combination of milk and cheese makes this creamed spinach Thanksgiving side dish ultra-creamy. If your creamed spinach turns out too watery, fret not for a little bit of cornstarch or all-purpose flour will reverse the mistake!

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Grilled Baby Potatoes

These grilled baby potatoes showcase a rich buttery and earthy flavor which pairs perfectly with the Dijon mustard’s sharp and tangy piquancy. You won’t be able to stop yourself from munching on this tasty finger food!

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Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Love both roasted potatoes and mashed potatoes? Why settle for one alternative when you can have both! The spicy garlic flavor is intense and beautifully complemented with the buttery taste of the creamy mashed potatoes.

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Green Bean Casserole

Entirely worth the effort, this Thanksgiving side dish promises an explosion of flavors. You’ll first taste the fragrant crispy onions, followed by the creamy mushroom sauce and tender green beans.

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Sweet Potato Casserole

An easy-bake Thanksgiving side dish, this sweet potato casserole is topped with a savory sweet brown sugar and pecan crumble. And beneath the crispy streusel topping lies a sweet velvety inside for a truly perfect holiday dish.

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Cranberry Sauce

This side dish has been a staple component of all Thanksgiving meals for over a hundred years. As culturally significant as it is, cranberry sauce is unsurprisingly easy to perfect. The secret to this crowd-pleasing side dish boils down to the act of rhythmic stirring, low heat, and generous seasoning.

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Sausage Stuffing

The traditional turkey stuffing is given the upgrade with Italian sausages in this sausage stuffing recipe. Crumbled Italian sausages are mixed into the typical turkey stuffing ingredients like chicken broth, celery, butter, and bread cubes for a deeper, more robust finish.

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Turkey Gravy

This light and flavorful turkey gravy will make the perfect dip for your meat-based mains. One of the easiest and quickest Thanksgiving side dishes, it will only require an estimated 15 minutes of your undivided attention. Infused with rich turkey juices, it is gloriously thick, smooth, and aromatic.

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Sour Cream Cornbread

This Thanksgiving side dish is revered particularly in the South and is extremely easy and affordable to make. This particular recipe is made special with the addition of sour cream which gives the cornbread a tart piquancy accentuated by a thick creaminess.

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Corn Pudding

Arguably most popular in the South, corn pudding is the perfect Thanksgiving side dish for those who seek a sweet yet filling snack. With no other vegetables thrown in to compete with it in flavor, you’ll savor the complete sweetness of the corn.

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Dinner Rolls

Be it Thanksgiving or not, dinner rolls are a great staple to serve at any dinner party. Baked to a beautiful golden brown, you’ll love these fluffy, sweet, and buttery buns!

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Deviled Eggs

Despite its questionable name, deviled eggs are an eye-catching addition to any Thanksgiving dinner spread. Topped by a mixture of egg yolk, crispy bacon, and hot sauce, this dish is relatively easier to make than it looks.

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Cornbread Stuffing

Besides serving cornbread in traditional slices, you can also transform them into stuffing! You can choose to simply have it as a side or have it stuffed in a turkey. Whatever way you have it, you’ll always enjoy the crunchy sweet flavor of this unique stuffing.

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Candied Yams

These candied yams are a nutritious and fun Thanksgiving treat. A classic Southern Thanksgiving side dish, the pumpkin pie spice adds a zesty boost of aroma to the sweet candied yams.

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Baked Mac and Cheese

We all love a good mac and cheese. This comforting Thanksgiving side dish which features tender macaroni coated in a rich and creamy cheese sauce will have your guests circling the table for more!

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Cornbread Muffins

Pretty much a cuter rendition of the traditional cornbread, these cornbread muffins are also lighter and fluffier! And these are even topped with whipped honey butter for an even more delectable taste.

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Roasted Acorn Squash

Whether you’re a home-cooking pro or a beginner, this four-ingredient acorn squash recipe is guaranteed to be a hit! Oven-roasted with simple seasonings, this roasted acorn squash exudes a natural citrusy and nutty aroma with rich buttery vanilla notes.

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Roasted Brussel Sprouts

For those who loathe the raw taste of brussels sprouts, this recipe is for you. Get ready to munch on crispy tender roasted brussels sprouts in 30 minutes! Add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar to further elevate its natural sweet nutty taste!

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Sweet Potatoes Au Gratin

Cheese and sweet potato lovers, this sweet potatoes au gratin is for you. This simple four-step recipe sees our favorite sweet potatoes doused in parmesan, heavy cream, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

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Roasted Cauliflower

Great on their own as a side, these roasted cauliflowers also make great toppings for pasta and salads. Its mildly nutty and sweet flavors with a crunchy texture also make it easy to pair with other festive Thanksgiving side dishes.

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2-Ingredient Pumpkin Soup

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Sweet Potato Hash

This sweet potato hash is not just beginner-friendly, but also a feast for the eyes. And all you need to do is just to make a few wells in between the hash, crack some eggs, and voila! A visually stunning yet absolutely simple masterpiece.

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Easy Arugula Salad

When you’re feeling nauseous from the overload of meat and potato-based options, consider balancing the menu with an easy arugula salad! With the bitter greens mixed with fruity goodness, this multi-textured arugula, berry, and walnut salad is certainly a great palate cleanser!

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Creamy Turkey Wild Rice Soup

Unfortunately, most festive get-togethers rarely end without food wastage. Thankfully, with a little bit of creativity, last night’s leftovers can quickly form the base of a new side dish, keeping you one step ahead of the party. This 30-minute creamy wild rice soup recipe is sure to be the answer to all your leftover turkey worries!

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Roasted Green Beans

Bring your roasted green beans to another level with a sprinkle of garlic powder. As one of the easiest Thanksgiving side dishes, it takes just 25 minutes to complete.

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Apple Bacon Cranberry Salad

A combination of fresh spinach, apples, salty bacon, and dried cranberries creates an unmatched salad in terms of texture and taste. Savor an explosion of flavors and complex textures in this unique cranberry salad!

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Parmesan Focaccia Bread

Looking for an Italian flair to your dinner table? Try some focaccia bread instead of the traditional dinner roll! Often likened to pizza dough, it can be made both sweet or savory depending on your preference. This version gives it a cheesy spin with a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

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Southern Collard Greens

Old school Southern dishes are incredibly popular come holiday season. Slow-cooked to perfection, these Southern-style collard greens have an extra smoky and earthy flavor due to the inclusion of ham hocks.

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Scalloped Potatoes

These scalloped potatoes are significantly easier to make than they look. All you need for this classic holiday side dish is just some patience. You won’t regret tasting the layers upon layers of potatoes and ham enveloped in a rich creamy sauce!

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Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

This Thanksgiving side dish can be served on its own or alongside any soup of your choosing. Made easy with Bisquick, you can bake a fresh batch of buttery garlic cheddar biscuits in just 25 minutes.

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Fall Apple and Delicata Squash Salad

Every dinner table needs at least one communal salad bowl. Stack up your vitamins with this apple and delicata squash salad complete with chicken breasts and plenty of greens! This sweet and nutty Thanksgiving side dish is further accentuated by the tangy piquancy of dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar dressing.

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Gluten-Free Stuffing

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Autumn Quinoa Salad

Rich in antioxidants and high in fiber, quinoa may be the best ingredient to incorporate into your Thanksgiving diet. And with more nutritious add-ons like kale, apple, cranberry, and walnut, you’re in for a sumptuous but healthy gluten-free treat.

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Brussels Sprouts Salad

This brussels sprouts salad features a diverse variety of ingredients like apples, pumpkin seeds, and bacon for a well-rounded diet. The maple dijon dressing also adds a touch of sweet and tart flavor, giving even more depth to this Thanksgiving side dish.

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Harvest Cobb Salad

If any dish could ever fully reflect the joyful festivities of Thanksgiving, it would be the harvest cobb salad. This vibrantly colored bowl of roasted squash, crisp bacon, arugula, feta cheese, chicken slices, and crunchy apples will instantaneously set the scene for a picture-perfect holiday dinner party.

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Fall Harvest Salad

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Avocado Salad with Kale and Apple

In need of vegan-friendly Thanksgiving side dishes but don’t know where to start? This avocado salad with apple and kale is here to save the day! Complete with a spicy and tangy balsamic dressing, this super quick 15-minute dish will have you looking like an expert salad tosser in no time, but the classy kind!

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Apple Herb Stuffing

Get creative with your turkey stuffing and Thanksgiving side dishes! This apple herb stuffing recipe combines tart apples, pecans, and fresh herbs to create an aromatic and flavourful dish. It’s sure to grasp the attention of the room!

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Apple Walnut Salad

Filled with protein from chicken breast and bacon, this apple walnut salad is ideal even as a Thanksgiving main dish for weight watchers. The combination of fruits, nuts, and greens also provide you with high fiber and vitamin-rich diet. But while it may be healthy, it certainly doesn’t lose out on the taste! The honey mustard balsamic dressing adds a kick of zesty flavor to this colorful salad.

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Kale Salad with Apple and Pecans

When in doubt, always remember that one can never go wrong with a simple kale salad. Power-packed with an abundance of vitamins, kale is one of the healthiest leafy greens today. By just adding apples, radishes, cranberries, and pecans, this simple salad turns deliciously sweet with a crunchy texture.

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Gluten-Free Cream of Mushroom Soup

Who doesn’t love a classic cream of mushroom soup? But have you ever considered a gluten-free alternative? With just a few tweaks, this crowd-pleaser of a dish is now ten times healthier than ever. Made using light cream, chicken broth, and gluten-free sweet rice flour, this creamy smooth soup will have your friends begging for the secret recipe!

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