20 Ultimate Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes

Let’s be honest, most of us load up our Thanksgiving plates on the sides and leave just a little room for turkey. These are the Thanksgiving side dishes that disappear first at our house, from creamy mashed potatoes and candied sweet potatoes to Grandmama’s crock pot cornbread dressing and a pot of slow-simmered collard greens.

You’ll find make-ahead casseroles, slow cooker sides that free up the oven, and a few appetizers to keep everyone happy while the bird rests. When you’re ready for dessert, our best Thanksgiving desserts are waiting, and our Thanksgiving menu ideas help you put it all together.

Potato and Sweet Potato Sides

No Southern Thanksgiving table is complete without at least one potato dish, and most of us need two.

1Homemade Mashed Potatoes with Evaporated Milk

1

Homemade Mashed Potatoes

A Southern specialty, these homemade mashed potatoes with evaporated milk are the perfect side dish, with a rich and creamy flavor.

Check out this recipe

Evaporated milk is the old-fashioned secret to these extra creamy mashed potatoes. They serve about 10, so they’re ready for a crowd.

2Easy Candied Sweet Potatoes

2

Easy Candied Sweet Potatoes

Easy Southern candied sweet potatoes made with canned sweet potatoes, sugar, butter and cinnamon. Bake at 350°F until syrupy. Perfect for Thanksgiving.

Check out this recipe

Canned sweet potatoes bake in a buttery brown sugar glaze, so this classic is on the table in about 45 minutes.

3Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes

3

Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes

These quick and easy mashed sweet potatoes are deliciously creamy and fluffy with just the right amount of sweetness and spice, thanks to honey and cinnamon.

Check out this recipe

Creamy, fluffy mashed sweet potatoes with just the right amount of sweetness, ready in about 30 minutes.

4Hash Brown Casserole with Sour Cream

4

Hash Brown Casserole With Sour Cream

This Hash Brown Casserole is made with a sour cream, cheddar, frozen hash browns, and condensed soup base and topped with a melted butter and Ritz cracker topping. It's the heart and soul of any Southern social gathering and always hits the spot.

Check out this recipe

Frozen hash browns, sour cream and cheddar bake into a cheesy casserole you can assemble the night before.

5Butter Dill New Potatoes

5

Butter Dill New Potatoes

Check out this recipe

Tender little new potatoes tossed in butter and fresh dill make a lighter side that’s ready in 30 minutes.

6Sweet Potato Fritters

6

Golden, Crispy Sweet Potato Fritters

Crispy, golden brown on the outside and tender in the middle, these Sweet Potato Fritters are packed with flavor and come together in just 25 minutes! They make a perfect breakfast appetizer, side dish, or savory snack.

Check out this recipe

Crispy outside, tender inside, these little fritters are a fun twist on sweet potatoes that kids love.

Vegetables and Salads

A little color and tang balance out all that richness.

13Traditional Southern Collard Greens

13

Traditional Southern Collard Greens

Tender, slow-simmered Southern collard greens, a must for any holiday feast.

Check out this recipe

A pot of slow-simmered collard greens is tender, savory and exactly what a holiday feast calls for.

14Candied Carrots

14

Candied Carrots

This candied carrots recipe is a popular Southern holiday side dish. It includes tender baby carrots cooked in the most delicious honey and brown sugar syrup. 

Check out this recipe

Tender baby carrots in a buttery brown sugar glaze, ready in about 40 minutes.

15Mustard Slaw

15

Mustard Slaw

Take coleslaw to the next level with this tangy mustard slaw recipe, made even better with crisp green onion, cabbage, and radish slices.

Check out this recipe

A tangy mustard slaw that cuts through the richness of a holiday plate.

16Cranberry Fluff Salad

16

Colorful Cranberry Fluff Salad

This Cranberry Fluff Salad is a creamy, fruity classic that brings a pop of color to any holiday table. Tart cranberries are sweetened and blended with pineapple, marshmallows, and whipped cream for a light, fluffy treat that tastes like dessert but pairs perfectly with your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.

Check out this recipe

Tart cranberries, marshmallows and whipped cream make this fluffy salad half side dish and half dessert. Make it ahead so it can chill.

Tips for Planning Thanksgiving Sides

• Make casseroles like hash brown casserole a day ahead and bake them while the turkey rests.
• Use your slow cooker for dressing or greens to save oven space.
• Plan at least one potato, one green vegetable and one bread so every plate is balanced.
• Leftover turkey and sides make great handheld pot pies the next day.

Thanksgiving Side Dishes FAQs

How many side dishes do I need for Thanksgiving?

For most families, 5 to 7 sides is plenty: a couple of potato dishes, dressing, a green vegetable, rolls and a cranberry dish.

What Thanksgiving sides can I make ahead?

Hash brown casserole, cranberry fluff salad, dinner roll dough and collard greens can all be made a day ahead.

What are the most traditional Southern Thanksgiving sides?

Cornbread dressing, candied sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, mac and cheese and collard greens are the classics.