10 Must-Have Thanksgiving Side Dishes

When it comes to Thanksgiving, I think turkey and pumpkin pie get a little too much attention.

Don’t get me wrong I love a good hunk of roasted turkey and a creamy slice of pie to top things off, but there is so much more to love about Thanksgiving — especially when it comes to side dishes.

My parents are visiting us in Des Moines for Thanksgiving this year, and I’ve been working diligently on the menu for weeks. The hardest part about the menu planning process was figuring out which side dishes to choose! There are so many delicious recipes out there I couldn’t make a decision on which ones to make, so I made my mama pick for me.

Today I want to share a few of my favorite Thanksgiving side dish recipes with you. Some of these made our Thanksgiving meal cut, but I’ll let you try to guess which ones. 😉

Roasted Carrots with Green Tahini Sauce and Pomegranate
This is one of my favorite dishes from the Blogging Over Thyme blog. It doesn’t get much better than oven roasted carrots smothered in a creamy, dreamy tahini sauce.

Pumpkin Swirled Mashed Potatoes
Speaking of creamy and dreamy, let’s talk about these A-MAZ-ING potatoes from Amanda of Heartbeet Kitchen. Anyone else want to dive face first into this bowl with me? Mashed potatoes always get me in trouble at Thanksgiving because I cannot stop eating them. But it’s worth it every time.

Thanksgiving Salad with Wild Rice and Lemon Dressing
When Lindsay of Pinch Of Yum posted this (pictured above) earlier this week, I was absolutely speechless! Between the arugula, red onions, cashews, dried cranberries, wild rice and lemon dressing there is so much to love about this salad!

Caramelized Onion, Squash and Ricotta Tartines
I have a confession to make: I am obsessed with caramelized onions. So obsessed that sometimes I eat them as an afternoon snack with carrots and hummus. I just can’t get enough! These caramelized tartines are a favorite side dish of mine. I use gluten-free bread and swap the ricotta for dairy-free cheese to make it fit my dietary needs.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Who says soup can’t have a place at the Thanksgiving table? This thick, sweet and savory soup is a perfect for eating on its own or dunking your turkey, rolls and stuffing into. It’s healthy comfort food and won’t leave you feeling too stuffed after enjoying a full bowl.

Traditional Thanksgiving Stuffing
If you’ve never made your own stuffing, trust me when I say once you do you’ll never buy the store box version again! One taste of this traditional stuffing with mushrooms, celery and onions and you’ll be hooked on homemade — I guarantee.

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Bourbon Maple Candied Pecans
This irresistible mix of sweet potatoes, cranberries and pecans tossed in a maple-bourbon glaze is sure to be a crowd pleaser. The best part about this side dish from Julia of The Roasted Root? There’s a surprise dash of cardamom and cinnamon to give the potatoes an extra flare of flavor.

Fried Brussels Sprouts with Smoky Honey Aioli
Move over green bean casserole, there’s a new green vegetable taking your place at the Thanksgiving table! For the past several years, I’ve gotten in the habit of making Brussels sprouts for Thanksgiving. This year I’m making a dish with cranberries and orange zest (stay tuned for a recipe later this month), but in the past I’ve made this recipe from Jessica of How Sweet It Is. It’s always one of the first dishes gone.

Mom’s Baked Bean Casserole
There’s only one word to describe this dish from Stephanie of Girl Verses Dough: WOW. This baked bean casserole is packed with incredibly delicious ingredients and you want to know something funny? They all start with a B! Beef, bacon, beans, brown sugar and barbecue sauce. It’s simple and it’s darn good, too.

Honey Roasted Figs
These Honey Roasted Figs are a fantastic way to add some sweetness to an often savory-focused holiday. The grapes pair perfectly with the figs and can be enjoyed with the meal or as a first dessert course.