20 Great Thanksgiving Vegetable Dishes That Don’t Have Marshmallows
Bring color and fresh flavor to the Thanksgiving table with your picks from these fall vegetables. (And if you want to add marshmallows, we won’t judge.)
Thomas J. Story
Look, if sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top are what make your Thanksgiving dinner complete, do not let us stop you! Some dishes are classic for a reason, and we don’t want to stand in the way of a family tradition.
But if you’d like to try something a little more sophisticated, we’ve got some options below for holiday side dishes and veggies that have a little more than just plain sweet going on.
In the realm of the traditional, there’s green beans with crisp bread crumbs that hit many of the same notes that those canned fried onions do. Or roasted squash, jazzed up with pumpkin seeds.
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For something a little different, try cauliflower cooked with the Egyptian nut and spice blend called dukkah. Or turnips with maple-miso butter, which are earthy, rich, and a little sweet, just like you’ve always wished turnips could be.
We’ve even got a selection of Brussels sprout recipes that might change the mind of guests who think they don’t like this polarizing vegetable. Whether you go traditional or adventurous this year, we wish you a happy feast!
Green Beans with Chanterelles and Cipollini
Chanterelle mushrooms and cipollini onions are worth the splurge, but you can substitute halved cremini mushrooms and frozen pearl onions and the results will still be very tasty.
Roasted Long Beans with Herb Butter
You can make this dish with regular green beans, but long beans look more handsome.
Garlic and Thyme Green Beans
Sometimes the simplest of recipes are the most delicious. Plenty of garlic, some thyme, and really fresh green beans add up to more than the sum of their parts.
Green Beans with Crisp Meyer Lemon Bread Crumbs
For an easy upgrade on steamed green beans, flavor fresh bread crumbs with a touch of Meyer lemon zest and create a quick dressing with the citrus juice.
Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts and Bacon
Chestnuts are the quintessential holiday ingredient. Serving them with this popular vegetable and everyone’s favorite meat is a sure way to win devoted fans.
Spicy Brussels Sprouts with Fried Capers
This quick recipe for piquant brussels will save precious time this Thanksgiving, without sacrificing on taste.
Warm Brussels Sprout Leaves with Toasted Garlic and Lemon
These brussels sprouts are just 34 calories per serving, making them a healthy addition to your Thanksgiving meal. You need only a splash of oil on the leaves because you cook them quickly, like a warm salad, and they stay crisp.
Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan and Pine Nuts
Parmesan cheese and crunchy pine nuts will make a Brussels sprouts lover even out of those self-professed haters.
Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta
Tender, thinly shaved Brussels sprouts are sautéed with salty, crispy pancetta in this simple, crowd-pleasing side dish.
Roasted Broccolini with Almond Parsley Pesto
Broccolini is glorious roasted, and even more delicious with this hearty, unusual pesto. You can sub in roasted regular broccoli if you’d like.
Roasted Chile-Lime Broccolini
Ancho chile powder and lime coat roasted broccolini, which stays crisp even if made a day ahead.
Roasted Broccoli
Roasting, as opposed to steaming, deepens the flavor and color of broccoli, and makes it a nice change from familiar steamed broccoli.
Broccoli Romanesco with Green Herb Sauce
Whorled broccoli romanesco is an exotic treat, yet it’s very easy to prepare—just steam until tender. If you can’t find small heads, just break a full-grown head into florets (cauliflower works too). This recipe is adapted from one in Vegetable Literacy, by Deborah Madison.
Roasted Cauliflower and Shallots with Chard and Dukkah
The secret ingredient in this dish, inspired by one served by chef Matthew Dillon at the Corson Building in Seattle, is an easy-to-make Egyptian nut-and-spice blend called dukkah. Add protein-rich chickpeas for a more filling version.
Roasted Cauliflower with Capers
Instead of baking cauliflower in a classic cream sauce, we’ve sliced it thinly and roasted it (with very little fat) to get a nicely toasted flavor–and keep it just shy of 40 calories per serving.
Roasted Delicata Squash with Honey, Pomegranate Seeds, and Pepitas
The skin of delicata squash is tender when roasted and very flavorful, so try it along with the flesh.
Glazed Carrots with Pecans
Tender carrots and crunchy pecans get tossed in a sweet brown sugar and ginger glaze for a quick side dish that’s easy and delicious.
Wilted Red Cabbage with Mint
Wilting the cabbage briefly brings out its color and flavor, and softens it. This recipe is based on one in Deborah Madison’s book Vegetable Literacy. She likes to add small mint leaves right before serving—they’re aromatic and cheerful.
Jumble of Sweet-and-Sour Onions
Like cranberries, this colorful medley of small onions adds a sweet-tart note to a Thanksgiving dinner. Deborah Madison created this recipe for us based on one in her book Vegetable Literacy, and she vastly prefers small, regular shallots (about the size of a walnut in its shell) to the supersize ones. The small type are firmer and blend better with the other onions.
Japanese Turnips with Maple-Miso Butter
Mild white Japanese turnips are cooked with their greens along with white miso and butter for savory richness; maple syrup adds a touch of sweetness. If you can’t find Japanese turnips, use a mix of small radishes and mustard greens—regular turnips are too strong for this dish.
