48 Delicious Thanksgiving Side Dishes to Try This Year

Spicy Green Bean Casserole

Fresh string beans meet jalapeno peppers, minced garlic, and onion in this flavorful green bean casserole recipe. Chicken broth and cream balance out the spice, while a thick layer of bread crumbs adds a light crunch.

Buy It: White Oval Casserole ($20, The Home Depot)

Mashed Red Potatoes with Feta and Kale

With bits of crumbled bacon and crushed red pepper, these kale-filled cheesy mashed potatoes give your Thanksgiving dinner a flavorful upgrade. Balance the zesty flavors with extra spoonfuls of sour cream and butter for your creamiest mashed potatoes yet.

Gluten-Free Harvest Rice Stuffing

The walnut and cranberry pork is the uncontested highlight of this easy Thanksgiving stuffing recipe. Butternut squash, green apples, and cranberries are simmered together for a light sweetness that offsets the meat, while parsley and sage tie the mouthwatering flavors together.

Sweet Potato Casserole

With its rich, sweet taste and crunchy crumb topping, this casserole combines six pounds of sweet potatoes for your new favorite side dish. Fresh cranberries sprinkled atop the lightly golden casserole gives creamy potatoes an extra sweetness.

Pomegranate-Glazed Sweet Potatoes

This vibrant Thanksgiving side recipe adds fresh flavors to your holiday spread. Dress up spiralized sweet potato ribbons with cardamom, mint, and pomegranate.

Test Kitchen Tip: If you do not have a spiralizer, thinly slice potatoes, then cut into narrow matchsticks.

Salt-Roasted Beets with Tehina Sauce

For a twist on your classic beet dish, this tahini sauce provides a delicious, nutty infusion. Top the roasted beets with mint leaves to balance the beet's earthiness while adding an extra hint of freshness.

Grilled Broccoli and Orzo

This healthy (and delicious) dish takes only 35 minutes from start to finish. Grill seasoned broccoli until crisp, then layer with garlic-orange orzo. Toss crunchy pine nuts and fresh Parmesan cheese on top to finish off this side dish.

Sage-Embossed Fingerling Potatoes

Fresh sage adds a sweet and savory flavor to your potato bites. Lightly coat fingerling potatoes with olive oil and hickory smoked salt, then press a sage leaf against the potato. They'll be a light golden-brown after just 15 minutes.

Green Beans with Shallots, Thyme, and Shiitake Mushrooms

Sauteed mushrooms and seasoned shallots make this green bean dish a savory side perfect for any holiday dinner. Don't have shallots? Substitute garlic in this 100-calories-per-serving dish.

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Fresh chives and garlic add a savory taste to these smooth and creamy potatos. Our homemade mashed potato recipe takes only 30 minutes from start to finish, making your mashed potato side dish something you don't need to stress over.

Creamy Corn Casserole

The secret to this perfectly crunchy and creamy casserole? Mix cream-coated corn with crushed saltine crackers. The best flavor comes from the fried chopped sage and roasted sweet peppers, so add liberally.

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes with Gouda and Crispy Pancetta

Pancetta adds a bacon-like twist to our extra-creamy mashed potato recipe. Add Gouda or mozzarella cheese for smooth, melty flavor.

Glazed Onion Foil Pack

To trap the flavor into your veggies, cook them in foil. These sweet, carmelized onions pair perfectly with stuffing or potatoes, and they only take 15 minutes of prep time.

Twice-Baked Pesto Mashed Potatoes

Cheesy twice-baked potatoes are back and better than ever! We've added savory pesto—mix it in or drizzle it on top for garlicky basil flavor.

Ancho Pomegranate Caramelized Acorn Squash

A splash of pomegranate molasses gives this spicy squash a sweet side. For pretty Thanksgiving dinner presentation, top the squash with fresh parsley and pomegranate seeds.

Blue Cheese-Garlic Potatoes

What could be better than mashed potatoes, you ask? How about our tangy, spicy twist on the classic Thanksgiving recipe, which features creamy blue cheese and smoky red pepper flakes. Crushed garlic adds a savory spin to this new holiday side dish favorite.

Blistered Green Beans

Roast your green beans in a super hot oven this Thanksgiving season—the elevated temperature will leave them perfectly charred and smoky. Balance the depth of their flavor with a smattering of pistachios and fresh orange zest.

Savory Collard Greens

This easy Thanksgiving side dish recipe will teach you how to love collard greens (really!). Instead of bacon, we're using pancetta as a crispy topping—no mushy forkfuls here.

Caramelized Onion and Capocollo Rye Stuffing

Sweet caramelized onions contrast salty chopped capocollo in this unusual Thanksgiving stuffing recipe. When that salty-sweet combo teams up with the subtle bite of rye bread and amber beer, you get a rich layered flavor that's worth ditching tradition.

Brined Skillet-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Soaking your Brussels spouts in a salt brine infuses them with flavor before cooking. Finish this easy holiday side dish with grainy mustard and a drizzle of olive oil.

Buy It: Cast Iron Skillet ($30, Target)

Lemon-Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Turn your top-notch Thanksgiving mashed potatoes into a showstopping side dish with just a sprinkle of bold flavors, such as capers, lemon peel, and fresh parsley. The potatoes are cooked with garlic before mashing for an even more intense layer of flavor.

Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts and Apple

Crisp-tender Brussels sprouts, sweet apple slices, and toasted walnuts? Your Thanksgiving table won't know what hit it! We took this standard vegetable side dish a step further with in-season ingredients and trendy veggies to make a wow-worthy Thanksgiving side.

Medley of Roasted Root Vegetables

Roasting is one of the easiest ways to draw out the natural sweetness of root vegetables. Make the most of your faves (we love beets, carrots, potatoes, and turnips) with a simple herbed olive oil dressing.

Flash-Braised Vegetable Medley

Perfectly cooked veggies are as easy as getting ingredients in the pan. Melt butter in a large skillet, toss in veggies, add wine, finish with chicken broth, and serve with lemon wedges.

Chimichurri-Tossed Mushrooms with Hazelnuts

Forget your old roasted mushroom recipe. Give this fresh no-cook Thanksgiving salad a try and we guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Creamy Rosemary Mashed Potatoes

Our rich and creamy rosemary mashed potatoes come with an unexpected secret: white chocolate! The mild addition melts into the potatoes, adding a subtle sweetness and an oh-so-luscious texture.

Chardonnay-Glazed Carrots

Verjuice, an acidic juice made from unripe grapes, adds a fresh twist to this classic Thanksgiving side dish. It gives a sweet-tart flavor similar to but less sharp than vinegar.

Thanksgiving Side Dish Tip: Look for verjuice at your local specialty grocery store or from an online seller.

Double-Corn Corn Bread Stuffing

Try our take on traditional Thanksgiving stuffing. With both hearty corn bread and off-the-cob kernels, the holiday side offers twice as much feel-good flavor. Red onion, baby spinach, and crushed red pepper help balance corn's cozy-sweet flavor.

Browned Butter Fennel Gratin

This Thanksgiving, indulge in a rich and creamy gratin. Sweet onion and fennel bake with luscious brown butter and Gruyere cheese until golden and bubbly.

Buy It: Oval Gratin Dish, ($10, Sur La Table)

Broccoli & Cheese Air-Fried Baked Potatoes

Cheesy potatoes, a bit of heat, and chives upgrade ho-hum broccoli. Turn to your air fryer ($37, Target) to make this crispy Thanksgiving side dish.

Cranberry and Pear Conserve

Satisfy your holiday sweet tooth with this sweet fruit preserve. As a side, its tart fruit flavor balances out a rich Thanksgiving menu. Have leftovers? Spoon a little into a homemade vinaigrette for a sweet salad.

Garlic Rosemary Dressing

There are two standouts in this garlicky stuffing. First, a combo of rustic white and whole wheat bread gives it tons of texture. Second, fresh colorful cranberries cut through the richness.

Spiced Sweet Potato Biscuits

What makes these fluffy biscuits special? They feature our favorite fall spice duo—cinnamon and nutmeg.

Roasted Green Beans with Beets, Feta, and Walnuts

Your guests will love beets when they're featured alongside our crispy green bean and crumbly feta pairing. The earthy combination is an excellent alternative to traditional Thanksgiving side dishes, such as green bean casserole.

Roasted Squash with Spiced Pistachios

With its nutty flavor and gorgeous color, this squash recipe makes a great addition to your Thanksgiving menu—and no one has to know how easy it is to make. Finish the dish with a generous scoop of full-fat yogurt.

Cheesy Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

What could make mashed potatoes better? Plenty of sour cream and sharp cheddar. An effortless slow cooker method doesn't hurt.

Buy It: Hamilton Beach 6-qt. Slow Cooker ($25, Kohl's)

Brown Butter and Sausage Quick Bread

Bites of Italian sausage and sage-infused browned butter make this savory quick bread a unique and hearty Thanksgiving side. A hint of lemon zest and a handful of golden raisins keep the flavor fresh and light.

Candied Orange Sweet Potatoes

Thinly sliced oranges are the key to freshening up this classic Thanksgiving side. The bright citrus flavor keeps the combination of sweet potatoes, sugar, and vanilla from tasting too sweet.

Wine-Poached Beets

Deepen the already sweet quality of beets with a touch of brown sugar. Poach the beets in dry red wine to balance the caramelized flavor.

Hasselback Potatoes with Seasoned Breadcrumbs

These wow-worthy spuds can be partially prepared before the big day. Cut potatoes as directed, then store in water up to 24 hours.

Cream Cheese Mashers with Kale Pesto

A drizzle of homemade kale pesto keeps these cream cheese and Parmesan potatoes from being too rich.

Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare the kale pesto up to one month ahead of serving and freeze. Simply thaw before using in this easy Thanksgiving side dish recipe.

Caramelized Veggie Lentil Salad

You're looking at one of our Thanksgiving day secret weapons. Make it ahead and chill, then turn your attention to roasting that turkey.

Challah Stuffing with Fennel and Dried Fruit

Fans of sweet stuffing will fawn over this fruit-filled recipe. A bounty of dried apricots, figs, cherries, and plums tastes so rich alongside chunks of challah bread and crispy chopped walnuts.

Cranberry-Orange Spread

Jazz up your holiday spread with our healthy orange-berry pairing. Get a boost of antioxidants and vitamin C from fresh cranberries and orange juice. This delightfully light recipe has only 50 calories per serving.

Arugula Pesto with Spaghetti Squash

A recipe for that perennial low-carb dieter at the table. Customize this Thanksgiving side dish recipe with your favorite leafy greens and fresh herbs.

Spicy Green Beans with Herb Salad

A salad made with fresh parsley, dill, mint, and cilantro cools down this spicy Thanksgiving green bean side dish. Toss the beans with anchovies, crushed red pepper, and garlic for big, bold flavors.

Tart Cherry Cranberry Relish

The perfect recipe for those who want to mix up their relish game. We've added fresh rosemary, white wine, and tart cherries for the win.

Sweet Potato Cauliflower Fritters

These make-ahead fritters need just a quick warmup the day of Thanksgiving. Roasting the veggies first ensures they are full of rich flavor.