48 Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes That Go Beyond the Usual

This is serious comfort food. Southern baked soul food mac and cheese that's so cheesy, creamy, rich and deliciously gooey with crispy browned edges. It's irresistible.

Skillet cornbread made Southern-style - except it's eggless and dairy-free. It has a crisp crust and a moist interior. Note that this one is savory, not sweet. If you've never had savory cornbread, you're in for a treat!

You don't have to make your stuffing inside the turkey. This is a simple oven-baked recipe that calls for sourdough with apples, mushrooms, sausage, leeks and celery.

This delicious caulifower snack is just a tiny bit spicy, with a wonderful hint or garlic. It's quick to make, and it works wonderfully as a finger food or a side dish.

This roasted sweet potato and wild rice salad is healthy and filling, packed with nutritious ingredients. It makes a great side dish for Thanksgiving.

Bacon wrapped dates have never been easier. This air fryer recipe takes just three ingredients and makes a great appetizer or snack. And they can be made in just 20 minutes!

This recipe is another wonderful, mashed potatoes substitute. It's a cauliflower mash that's low on carbs but not on flavor. Great for anyone trying to avoid starchy carbs in potatoes!

This classic stuffing recipe uses onions, peppers, and fresh herbs for lots of flavor. Serve it alone or stuff it into your holiday bird.

A recipe for baked sweet potatoes that resembles sweet potato jackets filled with a delicious mix of caramelized onions, brown rice, cranberries, pecans, and bell peppers "“ all baked and topped with a balsamic maple glaze. These are twice-baked sweet potatoes modified to be vegan-friendly and gluten-free, making them ideal for brunch, lunch, dinner, and even for the Thanksgiving table or other holiday celebrations.

A holiday classic has never been more delicious than this gluten-free green bean casserole topped with homemade fried onions. This easy recipe captures the flavor of the traditional dish you cherish at every Thanksgiving. You'll never have to forgo the tender green beans, cream of chicken soup, and crunchy onion topping again.

These tear-apart, soft and scrumptious vegan dinner rolls with active dry yeast are an extremely easy Thanksgiving side dish or serve with any dinner. Sprinkle them with Everything Bagel seasoning to give them extra flavor!

Make this amazing pumpkin version of mac and cheese for the holidays or anytime you're in the mood for savory pumpkin. Think sage pumpkin ravioli.

This casserole is a mix of sweet and savory flavors, with a hearty egg base. It's the perfect side dish for your holiday! Even if you're a beginner cook, you'll love this one.

This charcuterie board makes a great appetizer that's a lot of fun. You can choose whatever meats, cheeses, veggies and fruits you like for it. Nuts are great, too. Kids can help assemble it.

These carrots will win over kids and adults who don't like carrots. They're pan glazed with cinnamon brown sugar to bring out their natural sweetness.

These are a fascinating blend of savory and sweet, with flavors like apple and rosemary combined into a delicious side dish.

Try these roasted balsamic mushrooms for your next holiday meal. They are quick and easy to make, yet full of savory flavor. These would be a great side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Here's a vegetarian side dish that's a combination of sweet and tart flavors. It's an acorn squash stuffed with cranberries, pecans, chickpeas and more, with delicious savory herbs.

With just 25 minutes, you can make this delicious cranberry sauce from fresh cranberries, orange juice, Amaretto and sugar.

This made from scratch giblet gravy can be partially made ahead of time, so your cooking on the day will be easier.

Think of your classic, creamy macaroni and cheese, but with a deep, smoky flavor that elevates this beloved dish into a remarkable new flavor. Ssmoked mac and cheese is a side dish that seamlessly combines the coziness of gooey cheese and soft pasta with the earthy appeal of wood-fired cooking.

This butternut squash recipe emphasizes the natural sweetness of the squash while adding just a touch of heat. Jazz it up with a little sage for that quintessential Fall flavor. Using the hasselback cutting technique on butternut squash allows every bit of flavor to get into all the nooks and crannies while ensuring a perfectly cooked squash.

These Pressure Cooker Collard Greens with smoked turkey provide the same delectable smoky flavor as collard greens made with bacon, but in under half the time. Discover how to prepare collard greens in a pressure cooker, such as the Instant Pot or Ninja Foodi, along with tips to reduce the bitterness of the greens. This straightforward Southern-style recipe features basic ingredients and takes less than 30 minutes to cook.

This cauliflower au gratin recipe offers a twist on the classic potatoes au gratin, a warm side dish featuring thinly sliced potatoes enveloped in a delightful cheese sauce. The cauliflower alternative is more lightweight yet remains full of flavor and all the textures you anticipate. The cauliflower mimics the texture of the potatoes, while the cream and cheese provide the rich flavors you crave.

This cranberry sauce is made with honey instead of sugar for a natural sweetener. Also includes tangy orange juice and zest.

This Thanksgiving Fruit Salad is an ideal fruity treat for the holiday. It's a light, creamy dish that delights everyone and fits perfectly into any festive meal. It's simple to prepare from scratch, without any Jell-O or Cool-Whip.

This Air Fryer Frozen Vegetables dish is an excellent choice if you're looking for a quick and easy side. It's ready in less than 30 minutes, so you can have crispy, delicious vegetables on the table with minimal effort. Add your favorite seasoning to make this dish your own!

This nutritious and flavorful butternut squash casserole is enhanced with the sweetness of dried fruits and sweet potatoes, paired with the earthy tones of brown and wild rice, all finished off with hints of balsamic. Enjoy a burst of harvest flavors in each mouthful of this dish. This butternut squash casserole is naturally vegan, and your guests are sure to love it if you serve it at your Thanksgiving lunch or dinner.

This easy and affordable side requires only a handful of ingredients and delivers a robust flavor. With the help of the air fryer, this dish cooks perfectly in just 20 minutes and can be easily adapted to fit various dietary requirements. Prepare to wow your family and friends with this delightful and healthy side "“ you won't regret it!

If you're in search of a tasty alternative to mashed potatoes, this creamy mashed rutabagas recipe might be exactly what you need. It makes for an ideal side dish and can be prepared in just 30 minutes.

Ditch your plain old dinner roll recipe; these garlic butter rolls come with a delightful twist. Coated generously in garlic herb butter and fully topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese, they're ideal for your holiday dining!

Here's the perfect side dish to complement your Thanksgiving turkey dinner! It's so easy to simply throw all the ingredients into your slow cooker and let it do its thing! Plus, making this frees up your oven and stovetop space!

This delightful recipe for chestnut stuffing with sausage is truly the perfect side dish to complement your roast turkey during the Thanksgiving feast. The ingredients that come together to create this scrumptious stuffing include succulent sweet Italian sausage, aromatic fennel, a medley of fresh herbs, and rich chestnuts. Each component adds its own unique flavor and texture, making this stuffing an unforgettable addition to your holiday table. The combination of savory and sweet elements ensures that every bite is bursting with deliciousness and warmth, inviting your guests to indulge in the festive spirit of the season.

You cook russet potatoes with garlic cloves, then mashed it all together with butter, milk and Parmesan. Then you top it with some more Parmesan  before baking to give it a crunchy topping. This is truly the ideal side dish for Thanksgiving celebrations and other festive holiday gatherings! This delicious casserole features creamy, buttery russet potatoes that are expertly prepared with fresh garlic cloves, which add a delightful depth of flavor. The potatoes are then blended with a generous amount of butter, rich milk, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, creating a luxurious and smooth texture that will have everyone coming back for seconds.

Truffle Mashed Potatoes are truly the ultimate decadent side dish recipe that you can create! This is the perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving. Everyone who tastes this truffle recipe will absolutely love it, and they will be talking about it for ages to come. There's something undeniably special about fresh truffles that elevates the flavor profile of this dish to extraordinary heights. The rich, earthy aroma of truffles combined with the creamy texture of mashed potatoes creates a side dish that is simply unforgettable.

Prepared with just a handful of basic ingredients, this Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts recipe is quick and effortless to make! Paired with crunchy bits of bacon, it serves as an ideal side dish for any meal, and the brussels sprouts may very well take center stage.

These buscuits are flaky and soft! They've got the flavor of corn and cheddar cheese, and you can make them ahead of time and even freeze them. These Cheddar Corn Biscuits offer an ideal mix of flakiness and tenderness! Bursting with flavor and the natural sweetness of corn, they can also be prepared in advance and frozen for convenience. They feature both cornmeal and creamed corn, making them an excellent choice for Thanksgiving!

Here's a side dish that's healthy and flavorful. Made with greens, balsamic dressing, and feta cheese.  This savory pumpkin salad is perfect served alongside roasted chicken or beef. And that's what makes it a great side dish for your roasted Thanksgiving turkey.

Learn how to prepare fluffy, tender, and tasty sweet potatoes using an Instant Pot. If you're a fan of sweet potatoes, you have to give this method a try. The results are delicious every single time!

Pumpkin butter is delicious to spread on rolls. Make yours the easy way - in the slow cooker. This recipe offers a simple and delightful flavor of autumn any time of the year. It's prepared with fresh or canned pumpkin puree alongside tasty, seasonal spices.

This recipe uses three types of bread to get stuffing a hearty flavor. You can bake it as a side dish or stuff the turkey with it. This delightful stuffing combines savory sausage with apples and walnuts, enhanced by aromatic fresh herbs. It features a blend of fresh pumpernickel, sourdough, and brown bread, creating a crispy, rich, buttery crust on top.