Sunset Sunset
35 classic Thanksgiving side dishes
  • Food & Drink
    • Recipes
    • Wine & Drinks
    • Holidays
    • Parties & Menus
    • Garden to Table
    • Grilling
  • Home & Garden
    • Garden Basics
    • Edible Gardening
    • Landscaping
    • Green Living
    • Flowers & Plants
    • Home Tours
    • DIY Projects
    • Decorating & Design
    • Beverly Hills Idea House
    • Silicon Valley Idea House
    • Outdoor Living
  • Lifestyle
    • Gifts & Shopping
    • Weddings
    • Pets
    • Tech
    • Family
    • Wellness
    • Videos
  • Travel
    • Destination Guides
    • Outdoor Adventure
    • Camping
    • National Parks
    • Culinary Travel
    • Wine Country
    • Road Trips
    • Hotels
  • Subscribe
  • Food & Drink
    • Recipes
    • Wine & Drinks
    • Holidays
    • Parties & Menus
    • Garden to Table
    • Grilling
  • Home & Garden
    • Garden Basics
    • Edible Gardening
    • Landscaping
    • Green Living
    • Flowers & Plants
    • Home Tours
    • DIY Projects
    • Decorating & Design
    • Beverly Hills Idea House
    • Silicon Valley Idea House
    • Outdoor Living
  • Lifestyle
    • Gifts & Shopping
    • Weddings
    • Pets
    • Tech
    • Family
    • Wellness
    • Videos
  • Travel
    • Destination Guides
    • Outdoor Adventure
    • Camping
    • National Parks
    • Culinary Travel
    • Wine Country
    • Road Trips
    • Hotels
  • Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Magazine Customer Service
  • Marketplace
  1. Sunset
  2. Food & Drink
  3. Holidays

35 classic Thanksgiving side dishes

Our favorite mashed and sweet potatoes, savory stuffings, rolls, and cranberries

Sunset
Thomas J. Story
1 of 34 Thomas J. Story

Roasted Turkey Gravy

Roasted Thanksgiving vegetables and drippings from the turkey pan, plus toasted roux for thickening, make for a deeply flavored gravy.

Recipe: Roasted Turkey Gravy

Erin Kunkel
2 of 34 Erin Kunkel

Rye and Butternut Squash Dressing

The caraway from the rye bread is delicious with the roasted squash. If you like the flavor, use a darker rye. If you’re not a fan, you can easily use a good-quality sourdough. This makes a good main dish for vegans (use kosher rye, which excludes dairy). But it’s good with sausage too; add about 1 pound, casings removed, browned and crumbled.

Recipe: Rye and Butternut Squash Dressing

More Videos From Sunset
Leigh Beisch; Dan Becker
3 of 34 Leigh Beisch; Dan Becker

Artichoke Parmesan Sourdough Stuffing

Every November, we're asked again and again for this recipe, created by reader Leslie Jo Parsons of Sutter Creek, California. (Sunset readers from all over the West have actually called Parsons to thank her for it too.)

She still makes the stuffing every year, and she agrees with us: It's even better with extra parmesan, so we added some more here.

Recipe: Artichoke Parmesan Sourdough Stuffing

Thomas J. Story
4 of 34 Thomas J. Story

Buttermilk Cornbread Stuffing

If you’re juggling turkey and stuffing in one (small) oven, make the stuffing first, then reheat it while the turkey rests before carving.

Recipe: Buttermilk Cornbread Stuffing

Photography by Leigh Beisch; food styling by Dan Becker
5 of 34 Photography by Leigh Beisch; food styling by Dan Becker

Pancetta, Sourdough, and Apple Stuffing

Tangy Western sourdough bread, flavorful pancetta, and sweet apples combine for a mouthwatering stuffing.

Recipe: Pancetta, Sourdough, and Apple Stuffing

Leigh Beisch; Dan Becker
6 of 34 Leigh Beisch; Dan Becker

Italian Chard Stuffing

If we could have only one other dish besides turkey for Thanksgiving, this would be it: Hunks of juicy sausage, good bread, and lots of chard―a stuffing that works as a side dish too.

Recipe: Italian Chard Stuffing

Annabelle Breakey
7 of 34 Annabelle Breakey

Cornbread Stuffing with Sage and Dried Fruits

You can buy cornbread, but we prefer to use homemade muffins with fresh corn kernals for added sweetness and flavor.

Recipe: Cornbread Stuffing with Sage and Dried Fruits

Monica Buck
8 of 34 Monica Buck

Southwest Cornbread and Chorizo Dressing

A medley of Thanksgiving vegetables including bell peppers, butternut squash, and mushrooms and a generous helping of spicy chorizo make this hearty dressing a crowd-pleaser.

Recipe: Southwest Cornbread and Chorizo Dressing

Monica Buck
9 of 34 Monica Buck

Cornbread and Gorgonzola Dressing

Like a cross between a dressing and a savory bread pudding, this rich mix of slightly sweet cornbread, earthy dried mushrooms, and creamy, sharp blue cheese had Sunset's staff clamoring for seconds.

Recipe: Cornbread and Gorgonzola Dressing

Monica Buck
10 of 34 Monica Buck

Basmati Rice Dressing with Dried Fruit, Toasted Almonds, and Coconut

Dried fruits, nuts, and array of seasonings make this rice dressing stand out from the pack during holiday entertaining.

Recipe: Basmati Rice Dressing with Dried Fruit, Toasted Almonds, and Coconut

James Carrier
11 of 34 James Carrier

Marmalade- and Ginger-glazed Sweet Potatoes

This simple recipe highlights the sweet potato's bright flavor with hits of orange and ginger.

Recipe: Marmalade- and Ginger-glazed Sweet Potatoes

Erin Kunkel
12 of 34 Erin Kunkel

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Goat Cheese

This is a decadent yet savory way to serve sweet potatoes. If you’re expecting vegetarians, make a couple of potatoes without the bacon. One potato can be enough for at least four people, depending on its size.

Recipe: Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Goat Cheese

Aya Brackett
13 of 34 Aya Brackett

Coconut Pan-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Sesame Seeds

Virgin coconut oil is unrefined and cold-pressed, like extra-virgin olive oil, and isn’t hydrogenated. It has a clean, slightly nutty taste that’s delicious in this dish. Deborah Madison, who adapted this recipe from one in a new revision of her book Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (1997), likes to use a mix of sweet potatoes, but it’s fine to go with just one kind. Paler sweet potatoes tend to be drier, so if you use them, add more oil.

Recipe: Coconut Pan-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Sesame Seeds

James Carrier
14 of 34 James Carrier

Chili-Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Spicy red jalapeno jelly plays perfectly against sweet potato's sugary flavor in this easy side dish.

Recipe: Chili-Glazed Sweet Potatoes

David Prince
15 of 34 David Prince

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Apricots and Bourbon

Dried apricots and a hint of bourbon are mashed with creamy sweet potatoes in this crowd-pleasing side.

Recipe: Baked Sweet Potatoes with Apricots and Bourbon

Erin Kunkel
16 of 34 Erin Kunkel

Whipped Potatoes with Three-Onion Butter

The tricks to achieving very creamy mashed potatoes are to not overcook them and to whip them just until smooth (if you overwhip, they’ll get gluey). Serve some of the butter on the side, so guests can determine their level of richness.

Recipe: Whipped Potatoes with Three-Onion Butter

Photography by James Baigrie; styling by Randy Mon
17 of 34 Photography by James Baigrie; styling by Randy Mon

Browned Butter and Hazelnut Mashed Potatoes

Rich, brown butter infused with the flavor of hazelnuts makes a decadent, but easy addition to mashed potatoes.

Recipe: Browned Butter and Hazelnut Mashed Potatoes

Photo by Annabelle Breakey
18 of 34 Photo by Annabelle Breakey

Green Onion Mashed Potatoes

We’ve used two low-calorie tricks in here: broth instead of whipping cream, and neufchâtel cheese for rich creaminess with one-fourth the fat of butter.

Recipe: Green Onion Mashed Potatoes

Thomas J. Story
19 of 34 Thomas J. Story

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

This dish has Southern roots but omits the usual candied syrup.

Recipe: Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Aya Brackett
20 of 34 Aya Brackett

Celery Root and Potato Mash

Mashed potatoes are even better blended with celery root, which has a gentle but penetrating flavor. Don’t be deterred by the root’s hairy exterior; just trim it off with a knife. This recipe is adapted from one in Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (1997), by Deborah Madison.

Recipe: Celery Root and Potato Mash

Iain Bagwell; Karen Shinto
21 of 34 Iain Bagwell; Karen Shinto

Sage-infused Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips

Sage adds an earthy flavor to these mashed potatoes, parsnips lend sweetness, and sour cream brings a bit of tang.

Recipe: Sage-infused Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips

Leigh Beisch; Dan Becker
22 of 34 Leigh Beisch; Dan Becker

Chipotle-Corn Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are good just about any way, but here they’re smoky, filled with crunchy bits of corn, and irresistible.

Recipe: Chipotle-Corn Mashed Potatoes

Erin Kunkel
23 of 34 Erin Kunkel

Fruit and Spice Cranberry Chutney

Once you taste this warm and spicy chutney that’s a snap to make, you’ll never go back to store-bought cranberry sauce.

Recipe: Fruit and Spice Cranberry Chutney

Iain Bagwell
24 of 34 Iain Bagwell

Spiced-Tea Cranberry Sauce

Earl Grey tea is the secret ingredient in this sweetly aromatic, lightly spiced sauce. Just pay close attention to the timing--too much steeping can turn the sauce bitter.

Recipe: Spiced-Tea Cranberry Sauce

James Carrier
25 of 34 James Carrier

Anise Pear-Cranberry Sauce

Anise, pear, orange, cinnamon, and honey flavor this unusual but outstanding take on cranberry sauce to serve beside the big bird.

Recipe: Anise Pear-Cranberry Sauce

David Prince
26 of 34 David Prince

Cranberry Port Sauce

The combination of cranberries, orange, and Port in this easy sauce makes a wonderful accompaniment for turkey.

Recipe: Cranberry Port Sauce

Thomas J. Story
27 of 34 Thomas J. Story

Spiced Pickled Quinces

Bright but not too sweet, this relish is great with turkey as an alternative—or addition—to cranberry relish. You’ll need three pint-size canning jars.

Recipe: Spiced Pickled Quinces

Photography by James Baigrie; styling by Randy Mon
28 of 34 Photography by James Baigrie; styling by Randy Mon

Cranberry Ginger Sauce

Fresh ginger and the zest and juice of an orange gives a tart and fresh kick to this Thanksgiving mainstay.

Recipe: Cranberry Ginger Sauce

Thomas J. Story
29 of 34 Thomas J. Story

Buttermilk Cornbread

This buttery, moist cornbread is the starting point for an amazing stuffing.

Recipe: Buttermilk Cornbread

Leigh Beisch; Dan Becker
30 of 34 Leigh Beisch; Dan Becker

Overnight Soft Herb Rolls

These rolls are so good, we could eat a dozen–and they rise overnight, so there's little to fuss with on the big day.

Recipe: Overnight Soft Herb Rolls

Leo Gong
31 of 34 Leo Gong

Squash Pull-apart Dinner Rolls

Soft, cheerfully orange, and slightly sweet, these rolls are perfect for the Thanksgiving table.

Recipe: Squash Pull-apart Dinner Rolls

Annabelle Breakey; Randy Mon
32 of 34 Annabelle Breakey; Randy Mon

Buttery Dinner Rolls

This dough is so easy to work with that we find ourselves making it over and over again, with slight variations.

Recipe: Buttery Dinner Rolls

James Carrier
33 of 34 James Carrier

Leek and Walnut Bread

Leeks and crunchy walnuts flavor this hearty whole-wheat loaf.

Recipe: Leek and Walnut Bread

Aya Brackett
34 of 34 Aya Brackett

Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread

For this moist, fragrant cornbread, based on a recipe in her classic Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (1997), author Deborah Madison searches farmers’ markets for interesting cornmeal, such as Floriani Red Flint (used here), Roy’s Calais, or blue corn. For a denser bread, you can use all cornmeal instead of mixing it with flour.

Recipe: Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread

You May Like

Food & Drink
15 Thanksgiving Day Menus
Food & Drink
25 No-Fail Recipes for Thanksgiving Turkey & Gravy
Home & Garden
10 Creative Fall Tabletop Ideas

Read More

Sign Up for our Newsletter

Get fresh recipes, wine pairings, weekend getaway ideas, regional gardening tips, home design inspiration, and more.
Sign up

Subscribe & Save

Subscribe today for as little as $1.34 per issue!
GET IT NOW

Sign Up for our Newsletter

Get fresh recipes, wine pairings, weekend getaway ideas, regional gardening tips, home design inspiration, and more.
Sign up
Sunset
Sunset
  • Food and Drink
  • Home and Garden
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Newsletters
  • Video
About
  • About Us
  • Events & Offers
  • Subscriptions
  • Site Map
Contact
  • Advertising
  • Careers
  • Email the Editors
  • Magazine Customer Service
Copyright © 2018 Sunset Publishing Corporation. SUNSET is a registered trademark of Sunset Publishing Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. SUNSET may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.