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.)
Sunset Staff
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.
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!
1 /20Erin Kunkel
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.
2 /20Leigh Beisch
Roasted Long Beans with Herb Butter
You can make this dish with regular green beans, but long beans look more handsome.
3 /20Annabelle Breakey
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.
4 /20 Leigh Beisch
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.
5 /20 Yunhee Kim
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.
6 /20James Baigrie
Spicy Brussels Sprouts with Fried Capers
This quick recipe for piquant brussels will save precious time this Thanksgiving, without sacrificing on taste.
7 /20Annabelle Breakey
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.
8 /20Annabelle Breakey
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.
9 /20Ray Kachatorian
Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta
Tender, thinly shaved Brussels sprouts are sautéed with salty, crispy pancetta in this simple, crowd-pleasing side dish.
10 /20Romulo Yanes
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.
11 /20Shelly Strazis
Roasted Chile-Lime Broccolini
Ancho chile powder and lime coat roasted broccolini, and stays crisp even if made a day ahead.
12 /20Romulo Yanes
Roasted Broccoli
Roasting, as opposed to steaming, deepens the flavor and color of broccoli, and makes it a nice change from familiar steamed broccoli.
13 /20Aya Brackett
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.
14 /20Alex Farnum
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.
15 /20Annabelle Breakey
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.
16 /20Yunhee Kim
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.
17 /20James Baigrie
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.
18 /20Aya Brackett
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.
19 /20Aya Brackett
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.
20 /20Thomas J. Story
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.
1 /7Courtesy of Made In Cookware
Made In Cookware’s Blue Carbon Steel Roasting Pan
Cheaper than the competition and induction-burner-compatible.
Made In Cookware's Blue Carbon Steel Roasting Pan, $139
2 /7Courtesy of Willams Sonoma
Shun Classic Blonde 8-Inch Chef’s Knife
Don’t bother with the single-purpose carving knife. Buy this chic, blonde, Pakawood-handled, Japanese-made chef’s knife that’s got all the ceremonial swagger but year-round usefulness.
Shun Classic Blonde 8-Inch Chef's Knife, $180
3 /7Courtesy of Sur la Table
John Boos Cutting Board
You’re going need that little juice groove. Made of antimicrobial maple, it’s handsome enough to use as a rustic serving platter.
John Boos Cutting Board, $110
4 /7Courtesy of Filson
Filson Tin Cloth Apron
Sturdy and large enough to protect you from errant cranberry juice, spattering turkey fat, and spilled Pinot Noir.
Filson Tin Cloth Apron, $125
5 /7Courtesy of OXO
OXO 9-Inch Pie Plate with Lid
Slightly deeper than competition, this updated version of the classic glass pie plate also comes with a handy domed lid that’ll protect even the loftiest cream pies.
OXO 9-Inch Pie Plate with Lid, $15
6 /7Courtesy of Amazon
OXO Good Grips 4-Cup Fat Separator
Gotta love a fat separator for easily discarding the lipids while tidily reserving the drippings (which have about 10 times the flavor of the turkey itself). Plus it doubles as a measuring pitcher you can use the rest of the year.
OXO Good Grips 4-Cup Fat Separator, $33
7 /7Courtesy of Anthropologie
How to Style Your Thanksgiving Table
The finishing touch your Thanksgiving feast needs might not be another pie—it might be one of these stylish and functional accessories.
Essential Thanksgiving Tools
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1 of 7Courtesy of Made In Cookware
Made In Cookware’s Blue Carbon Steel Roasting Pan
Cheaper than the competition and induction-burner-compatible.
Made In Cookware's Blue Carbon Steel Roasting Pan, $139
2 of 7Courtesy of Willams Sonoma
Shun Classic Blonde 8-Inch Chef’s Knife
Don’t bother with the single-purpose carving knife. Buy this chic, blonde, Pakawood-handled, Japanese-made chef’s knife that’s got all the ceremonial swagger but year-round usefulness.
Shun Classic Blonde 8-Inch Chef's Knife, $180
3 of 7Courtesy of Sur la Table
John Boos Cutting Board
You’re going need that little juice groove. Made of antimicrobial maple, it’s handsome enough to use as a rustic serving platter.
John Boos Cutting Board, $110
4 of 7Courtesy of Filson
Filson Tin Cloth Apron
Sturdy and large enough to protect you from errant cranberry juice, spattering turkey fat, and spilled Pinot Noir.
Filson Tin Cloth Apron, $125
5 of 7Courtesy of OXO
OXO 9-Inch Pie Plate with Lid
Slightly deeper than competition, this updated version of the classic glass pie plate also comes with a handy domed lid that’ll protect even the loftiest cream pies.
OXO 9-Inch Pie Plate with Lid, $15
6 of 7Courtesy of Amazon
OXO Good Grips 4-Cup Fat Separator
Gotta love a fat separator for easily discarding the lipids while tidily reserving the drippings (which have about 10 times the flavor of the turkey itself). Plus it doubles as a measuring pitcher you can use the rest of the year.
OXO Good Grips 4-Cup Fat Separator, $33
7 of 7Courtesy of Anthropologie
How to Style Your Thanksgiving Table
The finishing touch your Thanksgiving feast needs might not be another pie—it might be one of these stylish and functional accessories.