21 Crowd Pleasing Thanksgiving Sides
Along with your Thanksgiving dinner recipe, you also need sides to complement it. I have got you covered with the best Thanksgiving sides that are easy to make but also look and taste great.
Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes
1. Cranberry Pistachio Cheese
It is one of the most gorgeous sides and tastes super fantastic. This is a perfect appetizer for Thanksgiving and a great side dish.
To make this recipe, you need a food processor, measuring cups, and a mixing bowl set.
The recipe takes around half an hour to make, including 30 minutes of prep time and 10 minutes of cooking time.
With a mix of goat cheese, cranberry, pepper, cranberry pistachio coating mixture, and salted pistachios, you can make this lovely side dish.
2. Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts
This is a sure-shot crowd pleaser. The outer layer is caramelized. The sweet and savory flavor makes it a winner.
The tools required are non-slip cutting board, rimmed baking sheets and a chef’s knife.
You can make this side dish not only on Thanksgiving but on other occasions too. There are two stars of the recipe, maple syrup and bacon.
The recipe takes around 30 minutes to make. Preheat the oven to 400°F and bake for 30 minutes.
The ingredients include Brussel sprouts, pepper, bacon, extra virgin olive oil, and maple syrup. It is best served with roast turkey or steak.
You can also keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and it will be good for up to 4 days.
3. Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
It is one of my favorites, and I make it every Thanksgiving. But I don’t wait for Thanksgiving to make these; in fact, I make them every 2 weeks.
You can use Yukon Gold potatoes or Russet potatoes. Though it takes a couple of hours to make but is worth it. You need a saucepan and a 2-quart baking dish.
It requires 15 minutes of prep time and 1 hour 30 minutes of cooking time. To make it, you need to preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 90 minutes.
With a combination of russet potatoes, cheddar cheese, onion, all-purpose flour, and whole milk, you can make one of the most popular Thanksgiving sides.
4. Roasted Mushrooms
It is a low-carb, keto-friendly recipe, so it’s a win-win situation. These are one of my favorite appetizers.
You can make it with pantry staples. It hardly takes 20 minutes to make, including 5 minutes of prep time and 15 minutes of cooking time.
To make it, you need to preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and roast for 20 minutes. You can use any mushroom of your choice.
The ingredients include mushrooms. garlic, thyme, balsamic vinegar, butter, and soy sauce. It is best served with roast beef tenderloin or grilled steak.
5. Roasted Parmesan Green Beans
This is a great side dish for Thanksgiving. You can make this side dish with only pantry staples.
It is healthy and rich in fiber and protein. To make it, you need to preheat the oven to 400°F and roast for 20 minutes.
With a mix of green beans, panko bread crumbs, garlic, parmesan cheese and salt, you can make this lovely recipe.
Keep the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge and it will be good for 4 days.
6. Corn Casserole
This is one of the easiest Thanksgiving recipes. Corn casserole recipe is one of the most sought-after recipes, and this recipe is highly rated. This can be a perfect make-ahead recipe.
It is a perfect side dish for holidays. It takes almost an hour to make, including 15 minutes of prep time and 45 minutes of cooking time.
You need to preheat the oven to 350°F. Sour cream is a must as it makes the casserole creamy.
The ingredients include whole kernel corn, eggs, dry cornbread mix, sour cream and can creamed corn. Keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, and it will be good for 2 days. It freezes well for 3 months.
7. Sweet Potato Souffle
This is one of the best holiday side dishes. It is comfort food at its best. You need a hand mixer and a 9×13 baking dish.
The best thing is you can even make it ahead of time. You need to preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
The recipe requires 25 minutes of prep time and 50 minutes of cooking time. The ingredients include sweet potatoes, butter, salt, sugar and vanilla extract.
For toppings, you can use pecans, butter, sugar streusel and cinnamon. You can replace pecans with almonds.
8. Fried Apples
This is one of the best fall recipes. You can make it on the stovetop or in the crockpot. The tools required are an apple slicer and a crockpot.
As it is a slow cooker recipe, it takes a little over two hours to make. You can use any apple of your choice, but Granny Smith apples top the list.
The ingredients include apples, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract and cinnamon. You can enjoy it as a standalone dish, but I like to use it as a topping for ice cream.
9. Maple Bacon Carrots
These are pretty easy to make. I don’t wait for fall to make it; in fact, I make it throughout the year.
Choosing the right corrects is the key to getting the best out of the recipe. They should not be too thick or too thin.
The recipe takes almost an hour to make, including 20 minutes of prep time and 40 minutes of cooking time.
You need to preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The ingredients include carrots, maple syrup, bacon, parsley and pepper.
10. Maple Bacon Roasted Butternut Squash
This dish is rich in protein and veggies, so apart from being delicious, it’s healthy too. I make it for Thanksgiving and on Christmas too, as everyone loves it.
The recipe takes around 40 minutes to make, including 15 minutes of prep time and 25 minutes of cooking time.
You need to preheat the oven to 400°F and bake for 25 minutes. With a mix of butternut squash, maple syrup, bacon and rosemary, you can make this lovely recipe.
11. Sweet Potato Casserole
The recipe can be made ahead of time, infact you can make it up to two days in advance. The tools required are a hand mixer, a casserole dish, and a potato masher.
It requires 25 minutes of prep time and 30 minutes of cooking time. If you don’t like nuts, you can replace them with rolled oats.
The ingredients include eggs, sweet potatoes, butter, pecan salt and vanilla extract. I like to top it up with brown sugar pecan.
Keep the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge and it will be good for 3 months. It freezes well for 3 months.
12. Brussels Sprouts With Bacons, Pecans & Cranberries
You can use this side dish for Thanksgiving and for Christmas too. This is rich in fiber and is quite quick and easy to put together. It can be a perfect make-ahead dish. You need parchment paper and a baking dish.
I like it even more as it is gluten-free. It requires 15 minutes of prep time and 30 minutes of cooking time. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
The ingredients include bacon, Brussels sprouts, cranberries, pecans, and salt. It is best served warm. If you don’t like pecans, replace them with walnuts.
13. Kale Salad With Cranberries & Apples
You can choose apple of your choice. I prefer Granny Smith apples. The honey mustard dressing makes it even more flavorful. I like this salad even more as it’s gluten free.
You can make it within half an hour. The salad recipe takes 25 minutes of prep time and 5 minutes of cooking time. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
The ingredients include kale, pecans, apple cider vinegar, cranberries, apples and goat. You can replace apple cider vinegar with white wine vinegar.
Keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and it will be good for 3-4 days.
14. BLT Dip
It is one of the highly rated sides. Apart from holidays, it is perfect for game days and movie nights too. The equipment needed are measuring spoons, kitchen tongs, and 9 inch pie pan.
It requires 20 minutes to make. The ingredients include Roma tomatoes, cream cheese, iceberg lettuce, sour cream, bacon, and shredded cheddar cheese.
Top it up with diced avocados. You can replace sour cream with mayonnaise or plain yogurt, It will still taste awesome.
It is best served cold with tortilla chips, pita chips or bread. Keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and it will be good for 2-3 days.
15. Baked Parmesan Zucchini
This is a healthy side dish and is great for regular days as well. I am a big fan of nutrient rich recipe, and this is one of those recipes.
Since it does not need deep frying, it is one of the most preferred sides in our family. Our friends and relatives are also health-conscious so it perfectly fits the holiday mood too.
Even the pickiest of eaters love this recipe. It requires 15 minutes of prep time and 20 minutes of cooking time.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. The ingredients include Parmesan cheese, olive oil, zucchini, oregano and parsley leaves.
16. Maple And Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
This is my favorite slow cooker recipe and is one of the most popular Thanksgiving sides. I like it even more as it is gluten-free.
It can be a great make-ahead recipe. You can make this recipe for picnics and for long drives too. I prefer baby carrots for this side but if it is unavailable go for regular ones.
The recipe requires 15 minutes of prep time and over 6 hours of cooking time. The ingredients include baby carrots, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter. You can replace maple syrup with honey.
If you want to make the recipe dairy free, replace butter with a dairy-free spread. It is one of my favorite Thanksgiving sides.
17. Baked Green Bean Fries
It is a protein-rich, healthy side dish. I am a big fan of baked dishes, and since it’s one of those dishes, I like it even more.
The recipe requires 20 minutes of prep time and 15 minutes of cooking time. Preheat the oven to 425°F and bake for 15 minutes.
The ingredients include all-purpose flour, Parmesan cheese, eggs, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. It is best served with Ranch dip.
18. Best Sweet Potato Casserole
It is one of the most popular Thanksgiving sides. You can make it even in advance, and this makes me happy as I am always busy.
The recipe is loved by kids and adults alike. You need a 9×13 baking dish. It is a perfect side with turkey. The recipe requires 20 minutes of prep time and over an hour of cooking time.
The ingredients include cinnamon, sweet potatoes, eggs, half & half, and pure vanilla extract. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Eggs help in binding, so it’s a must.
You can use yams if sweet potatoes are unavailable. Keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, and it will be good for up to 5 days.
19. Slow Cooker Maple Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
It is one of the most popular Thanksgiving sides. It is so good, I don’t wait for Thanksgiving and make it all year round. You need a 6-quart slow cooker.
I like it even more as it’s a slow cooker recipe and doesn’t take much effort to make. You can use regular carrots or baby carrots.
I like to keep the temperature low and meanwhile do other stuff so it takes almost 7 hours but you can keep the setting high and it will be done in 4 hours.
The ingredients include baby carrots, ground cinnamon, maple syrup, pepper and butter. You can replace maple syrup with honey. I tried agave nectar once and it works well too.
Keep the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge and it will be good for up to 4 days.
20. Southern Maple Sweet Potato Casserole
It is one of the highly rated Thanksgiving sides. I was introduced to this recipe two years back at a Thanksgiving Day party at my friend’s house, and I was blown away.
Since then, this side dish has always been on my Thanksgiving Day side dish menu. I even make it before and after fall too. You can make it even ahead of time. You need a 9×13 baking dish and a wooden spoon.
The recipe requires 25 minutes of prep time and 1 hour and 30 minutes of cooking time. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
The ingredients include sweet potatoes, vanilla extract, almond milk, maple syrup, and nutmeg. You can use whole milk if you are not vegan. Top it up with pineapple chunks, cranberries, or baked bacon.
Keep the leftovers ina sealed container in the fridge, and it will be good for 3-4 days.
21. Roasted Brussels Sprouts And Cinnamon Butternut Squash With Pecan And Cranberries
This is a top-rated side dish, and once you make it, you will want to make it again and again. The best thing is, it’s loved by people of all age groups. You need two baking sheets.
This fiber-rich recipe is gluten-free. It requires 25 minutes of prep time and 20 minutes of cooking time. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
The ingredients include Brussels sprouts, maple syrup, cinnamon, cranberries, and pecans. It is best served with roasted turkey.
The recipe is loved by everyone, and I get requests to make it all the time, so I make sure I make it on Christmas too.