The Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes To Serve

We all look forward to November and Thanksgiving. Perhaps you spend the entire month dieting, so you can overload on carbs (or is that just me?) Maybe you are starting a new tradition, and plan to have dinner at your house this year. What dishes will you serve this Thanksgiving? Are you going to stick with the family favorites, try something new, or mix it up this November? We have the top sides from all over the country for you to consider this Thanksgiving.

Green bean casserole

Did you know this Thanksgiving favorite is turning 62 years old this year? Not everyone loves this side dish. Some people cannot get enough of it while others hate the taste and would not eat it if it were the only dish on the table. This Midwest favorite is now a classic across the country. While many variations of the side are out there, the traditional version calls for Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup, soy sauce, green beans, milk, a little pepper, and French’s French Fried Onions.

Brussel sprouts with Bacon

Martha Stewart makes this classic side dish an easy endeavor by wrapping sprout halves with a small piece of bacon. The sprouts go on a wire rack and bake in a 400-degree oven for about 45 minutes. A tasty dipping sauce with apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and Dijon mustard provides a tart contrast to the savory bacon flavor in this Thanksgiving dish. You may know that we love us some bacon.

Sweet potatoes

Yams are very popular for Thanksgiving. These tubers can go in a bath of honey and butter or get a glaze of brown sugar. Many popular recipes include a marshmallow topper that comes out of the oven with a golden brown crust. This gooey dish is more like a dessert with cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple variations.

Cranberry sauce

The roasted flavor of turkey pairs well with the bright and vibrant taste of cranberry sauce. Whether you slather a little sauce on your turkey during the meal, or you save it for leftover turkey sandwiches, this holiday favorite finds its way to the table in one form or another. Did you know that Marcus Urann made the first canned cranberry sauce? Farmers can only harvest this fruit for about six weeks each year, so Urann came up with a way to can the product and make cranberry jelly a year-round product.

Creamed cornbread

This traditional favorite has many names. Creamed cornbread, corn pudding, and cornbread pie use cornmeal, buttermilk, creamed corn, and a little sugar to make this side dish right in the iron skillet. Some variations use stick butter or sour cream to give the corn pudding a creamier texture, but either way, you make it, this cornbread is not dry.

Stuffing

There is no more famous Thanksgiving side than stuffing. In some areas, they call this classic recipe a filler or dressing, but it often ends up inside the turkey as it cooks. Day old bread, crumbled cornbread, and even French loaves are useful for this Thanksgiving dish. The History Channel says that New Englanders like to use chestnuts in their stuffing recipes. Boston natives prefer to add oysters and Mennonite communities in Pennsylvania may use mashed potatoes and cubed bread to make this dish. In the South, biscuits often make up the base of stuffing recipes especially the day after Thanksgiving.

Roasted vegetables

This side dish can include any vegetable from the garden. From red peppers to cauliflower, and butternut squash, roasting any veggie can add flavor and put another dish on the table during the holidays. Bacon, honey, and chives are favorite toppers for these sides. Corn on the cob, potatoes, carrots, garlic, and string beans are other veggies that work well as a roasted dish.

Mashed potatoes and gravy

Whether you prefer sour cream and chives as a potato topper or you want a sweeter version with yams and honey, every holiday dinner table must have a potato dish of some sort. Mashed potatoes can include Parmesan cheese, a whiskey glaze, bacon bits, mushrooms, shallots, and anything else you can think of as long as you pile on the gravy. Brown, country, white, beef, turkey, and pepper gravy go well with smashed, boiled, baked, and buttery potatoes. You might want to keep extra gravy on hand just in case your guests decide to come back for seconds. This side dish does not last long when paired with turkey and cranberry sauce.

Unusual sides

Creamed onions are not something you might think of as a popular side, but it can be a favorite depending on who you ask. Onions are one of the vegetables that people can take or leave, so do not get offended if every guest does not put a spoonful on the plate. Stuffed mushrooms, chili sprouts, spinach gratin, and scalloped potatoes are more dishes that let you add some variety or try something new this year.

Yeast rolls

No Thanksgiving dinner is complete without a hearty yeast roll, a slice of homemade bread or crescent to sop up the syrup from your sweet potatoes or the creamy goodness of brown gravy spilling over homemade mashed potatoes. Every family has a yeast recipe that grandma or mom makes each year.

The Food Network has all these side dish recipes and more. To be sure that your holiday dinner is a hit, you may want to add a few of our Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes to the menu. If you have trouble picking a few favorites, then smaller batches of several items can provide a variety for your range of guests. When you want classic and traditional, you cannot go wrong with a potato, veggie, and cranberry side. Just remember to stuff the turkey or make some cornbread stuffing on the side. Green bean casserole might not be your favorite, but someone at your table is most likely a fan. You can always ask your guests to bring a favorite dish too.