25 Delicious Sides To Have On Your Thanksgiving Table

When it comes to celebrating Thanksgiving, the delicious food is often a focal point among the many things to be thankful for. While the roasted turkey takes center stage, the side dishes are just as important, providing a variety of warm, comforting flavors that complete a good holiday meal. Stuffing and sweet potato casserole may be the major crowd-pleasing favorites, but many other options can take your holiday spread to the next level.

Whether you're looking for something with rich umami notes, sweet undertones, or something in between, this list has you covered with dishes like citrusy-flavored veggies and Southern classics like collard greens. Since you're making a feast, you don't have to limit yourself to just one recipe. Instead, choose multiple so the meal is more versatile, creating options for everyone. The greatest part is that all of these recipes are easy to make, so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time with friends and family.

Crispy bacon, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes team up to impart these collard greens with a nice balance of savory flavor. When you first sauté the bacon in the pan, it benefits the greens because they can soak up all the delicious bacon grease.

When you plate it, sprinkle the greens with grated or shredded parmesan cheese to elevate the flavor and display. Although you can make this Southern side dish any time of year, it undoubtedly pairs with classic Thanksgiving foods like roasted Turkey and mashed potatoes.

Recipe: Quicky Bacony Collard Greens

When you want to make a stovetop vegetable recipe, broccolini is much quicker than broccoli because it doesn't involve any blanching beforehand. This is because the broccolini has much thinner, more tender stalks. You can make this delicious, citrusy broccolini in about 20 minutes, which takes some of the stress out of holiday cooking.

Simply sauté the garlic in an oiled skillet over medium heat before you add the broccolini and seasonings. Finish it with a small dash of lemon juice to contrast with the tangy yet umami minced garlic.

Recipe: Sautéed Garlic Broccolini

It's impressive how delicious this creamed corn dish is since it only requires a handful of ingredients. However, since you first sauté the butter and shallots together until they're aromatic, it creates a more complex flavor. After that, you can pour in the corn and seasonings.

Since this recipe uses frozen corn, it's a good idea to wait a few minutes for it to fully thaw before you finish it by introducing the heavy cream. Finally, fresh chopped chives add an herbal taste and give more color to the dish's presentation.

Recipe: Easy Creamed Corn

Forget the plain dinner rolls and make this scrumptious garlic bread instead. No, you don't need to spend time mixing, kneading, and baking dough. Purchase a long baguette and slice it lengthwise to convert it into this bread. The garlicky mixture consists of butter, minced garlic, and chopped parsley.

Smother the spread on the bread, bake it until its edges are crispy and the butter is golden, then scatter parmesan cheese atop it for a finishing touch. Although you can enjoy this at room temperature, it's best fresh out of the oven.

Recipe: Easy Garlic Bread

This recipe ensures that your baked potatoes have the ideal consistency, both inside and out: A tender, fluffy interior while seasoned and crispy on the outside. Because you cook the potatoes at such a high temperature, they only need to bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, which prevents the inside from drying out.

Before you put them in the oven, drizzle the rinsed and dried potatoes with olive oil, which helps the seasonings adhere. This is a phenomenal choice if you need a holiday dish that doesn't require numerous ingredients and measuring.

Recipe: Classic Oven-Baked Potato

Say goodbye to gluey or bland mashed potatoes when you make this exquisite, foolproof recipe. Use Yukon or russet potatoes and boil them in salted water for about 10 minutes. Then drain them, transfer them back to the pot, and add the other ingredients.

After thoroughly mashing the potatoes till they're smooth and creamy, throw on fresh herbs like chives or parsley when you plate them, which gives them a better presentation. The key is to use real butter, not a butter substitute here, as it gives a richer flavor.

Recipe: Buttery Mashed Potatoes

Cast-iron cookware produces fantastic baked goods since it bakes the food evenly, which is why this cornbread turns out so darn delicious. Even if you're not a pro baker, this recipe is easy enough to make from scratch.

Measure the wet and dry ingredients separately before you combine them into a smooth batter. Coat the cookware with melted butter, add the dough, and bake for approximately 20 minutes. Use regular butter or make homemade honey butter to spread atop the warm cornbread slices to take it up a notch.

Recipe: Cast-Iron Cornbread

The maple Dijon sauce transforms these Brussels sprouts into an indulgent side with sweet and acidic undertones. This recipe is different to most because you toss the veggies in the homemade dressing instead of drizzling it. As a result, every Brussels sprout gets coated with a tasty glaze.

When you transfer the veggies to a baking sheet, don't forget to spread them out for more uniform cooking. After 30 minutes, you can dig in. Sprinkle on red pepper flakes to add a slight kick that accentuates the sweet maple.

Recipe: Maple-Dijon Brussels Sprouts

The first step in making perfect Thanksgiving green beans is skipping the canned stuff, and the next step is bringing this incredible, nutty side dish to life. For this recipe, you'll blanch the vegetables in advance, so you don't need to worry about them being unpleasantly tough.

Then, sauté the almonds in butter until their flavor becomes more pronounced. Next, cook the herbs, garlic, and shallots before reintroducing the green beans and remaining ingredients. The end result? Tender veggies with toasted nuts, sumac, and fresh, bright lemon slices as garnishes.

Recipe: Green Beans Almondine

Between all the meats, veggies, and casseroles, your holiday spread can benefit from a simple grain dish like this one. There are numerous ways to season it, but this recipe sticks to classic flavors of parsley, oregano, thyme, and salt, leaving room for the quinoa's earthy taste to shine.

For a deeper flavor, you can also use chicken stock instead of cooking it in water. If you plan to make this for the family, keep in mind that the recipe is for two servings, so you'll need to make some adjustments.

Recipe: Perfectly Seasoned Quinoa

Rather than tending risotto by gradually adding broth to it on the stovetop, you can make this Instant Pot risotto, which is a walk in the park. At 25 minutes from start to finish, the recipe is quick and produces tasty results. Moreover, it doesn't take up oven or stovetop space.

The risotto has a rich flavor from the chicken broth, butter, and parmesan, which makes it a perfect match for other indulgent Thanksgiving foods. Use Arborio rice to achieve the classic creamy risotto texture for the best outcome.

Recipe: Instant Pot Risotto Alla Parmigiana

With all the extremely heavy foods we eat on Thanksgiving, it's nice to have a few lighter options, too, such as these delicious baked kale chips. You only need curly kale, olive oil, garlic granules, and flaky salt to make crispy, flavorful chips.

However, you can also experiment with the recipe and make it your own by adding other preferred seasonings. These chips taste incredible when you sprinkle granulated parmesan cheese over them. You can also serve them with dips and sauces since they pair with all sorts of flavor profiles.

Recipe: Easy Baked Kale Chips