70 Classic Thanksgiving Side Dishes That Are Easy to Make for Turkey Day
From roasted veggies to stuffing to healthy options and more!
Turkey may get all the glory on Thanksgiving, but several classic side dishes are show stoppers, too! Everyone is always happy to see piles of fluffy mashed potatoes, crisp green beans, savory stuffing, and plenty of roasted vegetables on the Thanksgiving table. And if you can manage to include some healthy Thanksgiving sides and vegetable side dishes to balance out the heaviness of turkey dinner, even better! Luckily, we've rounded up our favorite Thanksgiving side dishes that will complete your Turkey Day feast and are sure to impress everyone this year.
Plus, there are side dishes on this list suitable for every diet. So if you happen to be serving guests who prefer vegan Thanksgiving dishes, need keto-friendly Thanksgiving recipes, or want to include meatless options, you're good to go. In addition, there are plenty of classics on this list if you're trying to keep things traditional, but we've also included plenty of creative sides that will mix things up this year.
So once you have the Thanksgiving sides planned, it's time to start thinking about the rest of your menu, like festive appetizers, fall cocktails, and of course, Thanksgiving desserts to fully complete your day of feasting!
Herb Stuffing Ring
There's only one word for this Thanksgiving side dish: show-stopping. All the flavors of stuffing, but it comes together in a bundt pan for that extra something special.
Get the Herb Stuffing Ring recipe.
Roasted Carrots and Chickpeas With Marinated Feta
This vegetable side dish adds tons of flavor and color to the Thanksgiving table. It brings together the sweetness of roasted carrots with salty, creamy feta cheese and flavorful shallots for a dish everyone will rave about.
Get the Roasted Carrots and Chickpeas With Marinated Feta recipe.
Escarole Salad With Red Wine Vinaigrette
Add some greens to the Thanksgiving spread with this elegant salad. The pomegranate seeds add the perfect amount of color and flavor to this side dish.
Get the Escarole Salad With Red Wine Vinaigrette recipe.
RELATED: 21 Thanksgiving Salads That Compliment Your Turkey Perfectly
Air Fryer Squash Soup
This cozy, comforting dish comes together mostly in the air fryer, leaving your oven open for the important things (like the Thanksgiving turkey!)
Get the Air Fryer Squash Soup recipe.
RELATED: 46 Easy Air Fryer Recipes That Are Fast and Super Delicious
Soda Bread
Sure, this might be better known as a St. Patrick's Day dish, but just think how impressed everyone will be with this gorgeous loaf of homemade bread when you set it down on the Thanksgiving table.
Get the Soda Bread recipe.
Roasted Asparagus With Anchovy Breadcrumbs
Roasted asparagus gets an extra boost thanks to the flavorful toasted breadcrumbs in this recipe.
Colcannon
Give the mashed potatoes an extra boost this year with this Irish-inspired recipe that makes sure everyone eats their greens.
Get the Colcannon recipe.
Rosemary Roasted Carrot Salad
This simple salad with rosemary, lemon, and arugala is the perfect way to balance all the starchy dishes on the table.
Get the Rosemary Roasted Carrot Salad recipe.
Crispy Roasted Potatoes
These potatoes are nice and crispy on the outside, but soft and fluffy inside. They can be loaded up with any toppings you can think of, making them the perfect Thanksgiving side dish.
Get the Crispy Roasted Potatoes recipe.
Creamy Cauliflower Soup With Almond-Thyme Gremolata
A cup of this elegant, creamy soup with a perfectly crunchy topping is sure to impress any guest at your Thanksgiving table.
Get the Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Almond-Thyme Gremolata recipe.
Polenta with Mushrooms
Mushrooms add the perfect amount of fall flavor to this creamy dish. While it's a perfect side, it's also filling enough to be a main dish for any vegetarian Thanksgiving guests who are skipping the turkey.
Get the Polenta with Mushrooms recipe.
Hasselback Butternut Squash With Maple Brown Butter
If this doesn't steal the show, we don't know what will.
Get the Hasselback Butternut Squash With Maple Brown Butter recipe.
Spicy Acorn Squash With Feta
Add a kick to simple roasted squash with our recipe that uses smoked paprika and ground cayenne pepper.
Get the Spicy Acorn Squash with Feta recipe.
Balsamic Roasted Red Onions
Not only does this side dish add some gorgeous color to the table, it comes together using just six ingredients (that includes salt and pepper!).
Get the Balsamic Roasted Red Onions recipe.
Easy Zucchini Bread
Give people the option of rolls or cornbread or zucchini bread! Spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, the bread has a similar flavor profile to carrot cake.
Get the Easy Zucchini Bread recipe.
Mushroom and Chile-Garlic Green Beans
Not into the typical green bean casserole? This fresh version with chile-garlic butter will spice-up the Thanksgiving table.
Lemony Brussels Sprout Salad
Add a fresh, crunchy side salad for your fall table. There's no heating involved and only seven ingredients needed.
Get the Lemony Brussels Sprout Salad recipe.
Roasted Pears
This festive holiday side dish pairs well with turkey.
Get the Roasted Pears recipe.
Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy
Make this up to two months in advance and store it in the freezer.
Get the Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy recipe.
Vanilla Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Toss fresh vanilla bean seeds with sweet potatoes to bring out vanilla's savory side.
Get the Vanilla Roasted Sweet Potatoes recipe.
RELATED: 56 Best Sweet Potato Recipes That Are Perfect for Any Fall Occasion
Samantha (she/her) is an Assistant Editor in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, where she writes about tasty recipes, must-try food products and top-tested secrets for home cooking success. She has taste-tasted hundreds of products and recipes since joining GH in 2020 (tough job!). A graduate of Fordham University, she considers the kitchen to be her happiest place.
Kate Merker (she/her) is the Chief Food Director of the Hearst Lifestyle Group, overseeing the team that produces food content for several Hearst titles, including Good Housekeeping, Women’s Health, Prevention, Woman’s Day and Country Living. She has clocked nearly 20 years of experience in food media and before that, worked at some of New York City’s finest restaurants.
Jamie Ballard (she/her) is a freelance writer and editor who covers news, lifestyle, and entertainment topics, including sex and relationships, TV, movies, books, health, pets, food and drinks, pop culture, shopping, and personal finance. She regularly contributes to Cosmopolitan, Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, and YouGov, among other publications. When she’s not working, you can find her running, traveling, or scrolling TikTok. Follow her on Twitter.
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