31 Thanksgiving Sides Worth Making Before the Big Day

The holidays are creeping up fast, and it’s the perfect time to think about all the dishes that make a Thanksgiving table truly unforgettable. From creamy, cheesy casseroles to crisp, flavorful vegetables, there are plenty of Thanksgiving sides worth making before the big day that will have everyone asking for seconds. Planning ahead means less stress in the kitchen and more time enjoying the company around the table. Let’s dive into some ideas that will make the feast both delicious and memorable.

Spicy Cauliflower Side for Thanksgiving

Roasted cauliflower with brown butter in a serving bowl. — A bold cauliflower side with browned butter perfect for your feast. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Roasted Cauliflower is even better with some browned butter. Add a little spicy and some pumpkin seeds for a great side dish.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Roasted Cauliflower With Browned Butter

Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole for the Holidays

A spoon full of hashbrown casserole. — Cheesy potatoes with a crunchy topping, perfect for Thanksgiving. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

My All-American Summer Menu 🇺🇸

FREE EMAIL BONUS: Delicious summer recipes just in time for the season

An old fashioned casserole with cheesy potatoes and a crunchy cornflake topping. Frozen hashbrowns make this cheesy hashbrown potatoes recipe a breeze to make.
Get the Recipe: Hash Brown Casserole With Corn Flakes

Crispy Au Gratin Potatoes for Thanksgiving

Potatoes au gratin in a baking dish with a serving spoon. — Creamy, golden potatoes with crispy edges for your holiday table. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Crispy Au Gratin Potatoes are thinly sliced potatoes stacked on their side for the creamiest potatoes with crispy edges in every bite.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Potatoes Au Gratin With Gruyere

Homemade Green Bean Casserole Recipe

A serving spoon in a green bean casserole made from scratch, — Fresh green beans baked in a creamy sauce, no canned soup. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Follow these steps at home to make this creamy casserole with fresh green beans. No canned mushroom soup here! A homemade cream sauce is used.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Green Bean Casserole Without Canned Soup

Roasted Cabbage With Sweet Cherries

Cabbage roasted in the oven with cherries on a platter. — Sweet and savory roasted cabbage, a light Thanksgiving side. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Slice up a couple of cabbage wedges and season them for a perfect roast cabbage recipe, a light side dish for dinner.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Cabbage In The Oven With Dried Cherries

Crispy Pimento Potatoes Side Dish

A spatula full of crispy skillet potatoes. — Golden breakfast-style potatoes with creamy pimento cheese. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

These EASY 3-ingredient breakfast potatoes with pimento cheese are golden brown and crispy on the outside and perfectly tender on the inside.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Breakfast Potatoes With Pimento Cheese

Gruyere Scalloped Potatoes for Thanksgiving

A close-up of homemade scalloped potatoes with a golden, bubbly cheese and cream topping, sprinkled with black pepper. A serving spoon rests in the dish, and a small bowl of grated cheese is visible in the background. — Rich scalloped potatoes baked with gruyere cheese. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This side dish casserole for cheesy scalloped potatoes is made with thinly sliced Yukon gold potatoes and fresh garlic, milk and cream, plus gruyere cheese.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes Casserole With Gruyere

Butternut Squash Casserole With Wild Rice

A serving spoon in a baking dish of butternut squash casserole. — Creamy squash casserole with wild rice for holiday tables. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Butternut squash casserole is a comfort food dish that includes flavorful wild rice and a crunchy parmesan topping baked together in a creamy sauce.
Get the Recipe: Butternut Squash Casserole With Wild Rice

Fresh Green Beans & Mushrooms Side

Crisp green beans and earthy mushrooms make a simple side. Photo credit: Intentional Hospitality.

Learn how to prepare fresh green beans and mushrooms that are crisp, not soggy, with these easy-to-follow steps and tips.
Get the Recipe: Easy Fresh Green B

Broccoli Salad With Cranberries & Honey

A bowl of broccoli salad on a serving tray. — Healthy broccoli salad with cranberries and honey yogurt. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

You’re going to love this healthy broccoli salad served with a yogurt dressing that’s sweetened with honey. An old fashioned salad you’ll love.
Get the Recipe: Broccoli Salad With Cranberries And A Honey Yogurt Dressing

Classic Scalloped Potatoes With Ham

A serving spoon removing some potato and ham casserole. — Creamy scalloped potatoes baked with ham chunks. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Scalloped potatoes and ham is a comforting casserole of potatoes and tasty chunks of ham in a creamy white sauce under a layer of gooey gruyere.
Get the Recipe: Old Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes And Ham

Quick Broccoli & Cheese Side

A spoon full of cheesy broccoli casserole in a baking dish. — Bubbly broccoli casserole with cheddar, perfect holiday side. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This baked, bubbling broccoli and cheddar cheese sauce casserole is a quick and simple side dish made with fresh broccoli — and without soup or rice!
Get the Recipe: Quick Broccoli & Cheese Sauce Casserole

Twice Baked Mashed Potato Side

A spoon full of twice baked mashed potatoes. — Cheesy baked mashed potatoes with green onions for the table. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

All the flavors of a twice baked potato in a casserole. Baked mashed potatoes with cheese and green onions are the perfect side dish.
Get the Recipe: Twice Baked Mashed Potato Casserole

Bacon Ranch Potato Salad for Holidays

Southern style Ranch potato salad in a glass bowl next to green onions. — Creamy ranch potato salad with crispy bacon for Thanksgiving. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Ranch potato salad loaded with bacon, cheese and a sour cream ranch dressing is just what you need for your next potluck.
Get the Recipe: Bacon Ranch Potato Salad

Fluffy Mashed Potato Rolls

mashed potato rolls in a white towel. — Soft, airy rolls made from leftover mashed potatoes. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Heavenly Mashed Potato Rolls are my family’s favorite. Great for using up leftovers, light, fluffy and perfect every time.
Get the Recipe: Leftover Mashed Potato Rolls

Creamy Red Cabbage Slaw for Thanksgiving

A bowl of creamy coleslaw with shredded purple cabbage, carrots, and herbs sits on a gray cloth napkin next to vintage silver utensils—perfect as one of your favorite dinner side dishes. — Creamy Red Cabbage Slaw for Thanksgiving. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This vibrant red cabbage coleslaw is creamy, tangy, and perfect for your Thanksgiving table. Make ahead for easy prep!
Get the Recipe: Creamy Red Cabbage Slaw for Thanksgiving

Balsamic Roasted Asparagus & Mushrooms

A platter of asparagus with mushrooms next to a container of balsamic vinegar — Balsamic Roasted Asparagus & Mushrooms. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Sweet and tangy balsamic-roasted asparagus with mushrooms makes a flavorful, easy Thanksgiving side.
Get the Recipe: Balsamic Roasted Asparagus & Mushrooms

Broccoli Rice Casserole Without Soup

A serving of chicken rice and broccoli casserole. — Broccoli Rice Casserole Without Soup. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This creamy broccoli rice casserole is rich, cheesy, and completely homemade—no canned soup needed. Perfect for Thanksgiving sides!
Get the Recipe: Broccoli Rice Casserole Without Soup

Cheddar Pea Salad for Holiday Tables

A bowl of pea salad with a serving spoon. — Cheddar Pea Salad for Holiday Tables. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This creamy pea salad with cheddar is an easy make-ahead side with a hint of spice—perfect for Thanksgiving or fall gatherings.
Get the Recipe: Cheddar Pea Salad for Holiday Tables

Crispy Grilled Potato Wedges

Someone dipping a potato into a bowl of sauce. — Crispy Grilled Potato Wedges. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

These grilled potato wedges are crispy outside, soft inside, and ready in 20 minutes—an easy Thanksgiving side everyone will love.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Grilled Potato Wedges

Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole

A spoon taking out a serving of cauliflower casserole. — Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This creamy cauliflower casserole is loaded with cheese and smoked paprika for a comforting side dish your Thanksgiving crowd will adore.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole

Quick Loaded Mashed Potatoes

A serving spoon in a bowl of microwaved mashed potatoes. — Quick Loaded Mashed Potatoes. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

Microwave these loaded mashed potatoes for a fast, cheesy, comforting side—perfect for busy Thanksgiving prep.
Get the Recipe: Quick Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes

Butter on top of a bowl of mashed potatoes. — Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

These make-ahead Yukon Gold mashed potatoes with mascarpone are creamy, dreamy, and perfect for stress-free Thanksgiving sides.
Get the Recipe: Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes

Crockpot Mac & Cheese

A bowl of crock pot mac n cheese in a bowl next to a spoon. — Crockpot Mac & Cheese. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This easy 6-ingredient Crockpot mac & cheese is creamy, cheesy, and perfect for feeding a Thanksgiving crowd.
Get the Recipe: Crockpot Mac & Cheese

Slow Cooker Asparagus

Prep fresh asparagus in minutes and cook in the slow cooker for a perfectly tender Thanksgiving side.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Asparagus

Crockpot Green Bean Casserole

Make this classic green bean casserole in the slow cooker for a hands-off, crowd-pleasing Thanksgiving side.
Get the Recipe: Crockpot Green Bean Casserole

Creamed Corn Skillet

A skillet filled with creamy, cooked corn kernels being stirred by a wooden spoon. The creamed corn appears to be seasoned and mixed with a rich, creamy substance, creating a luscious texture. The background is a grayish cooking surface. — Creamed Corn Skillet. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This homemade creamed corn is rich, buttery, and ready in 10 minutes—an easy Thanksgiving classic.
Get the Recipe: Creamed Corn Skillet

Green Bean & Potato Salad

A platter of green bean and potato salad. — Green Bean & Potato Salad. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This green bean and new potato salad is tossed in a honey vinaigrette for a refreshing, make-ahead Thanksgiving side.
Get the Recipe: Green Bean & Potato Salad

Classic Carrot & Raisin Salad

A bowl of carrot raisin salad with a serving spoon. — Classic Carrot & Raisin Salad. Photo credit: Butter and Baggage.

This old-fashioned carrot and raisin salad is lightly sweet and easy to make ahead—a perfect Thanksgiving addition.
Get the Recipe: Classic Carrot & Raisin Salad

Crock Pot Cowboy Casserole

This hearty slow cooker cowboy casserole is filled with veggies and smoked sausage, making it a cozy addition to your Thanksgiving feast.
Get the Recipe: Crock Pot Cowboy Casserole

New Potatoes, Crushed And Roasted

Crispy smashed red potatoes topped with melted cheese and seasoning, arranged on a parchment-lined baking sheet—perfect for anyone who loves flavorful potato side dishes. — New Potatoes, Crushed And Roasted. Photo Credit: Butter and Baggage.

New Potatoes, Crushed and Roasted are first boiled and then crushed before roasting in the oven. They are like mashed potatoes with crispy edges. Easy to make and everyone can top the way they like. A great versatile side to almost any dish.
Get the Recipe: New Potatoes, Crushed And Roasted

27 Thanksgiving Dishes Guests Secretly Want More Than Turkey

A collage of four images showcases dishes that smell like Thanksgiving morning: pumpkin pie with whipped cream, a bowl of cranberry sauce, candied sweet potatoes, and a lattice-topped mixed berry pie with a slice removed.

Let’s be honest, when the big feast rolls around, turkey might get all the spotlight, but it’s those irresistible side dishes and desserts that everyone secretly craves. From creamy casseroles to perfectly baked pies, guests often pile their plates high before the bird even makes its way around.
Grab it here: 27 Thanksgiving Dishes Guests Secretly Want More Than Turkey

Explore Recipes

MSN Slideshows