20 Perfect Dishes To Bring To Thanksgiving This Year
Outshine the Turkey With These Dishes
Thanksgiving is a time to shine—the only holiday we can truly put our best plate forward with dishes that put everyone to sleep. But with so many options, how do you narrow down which one to make? We’ve got you covered with these 20 ideas!
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1. Crispy Roasted Potatoes
We all love a heaping scoop of mashed potatoes, but there’s nothing quite like oven-roasted potatoes. Golden on the outside and fluffy on the inside, these little mouthfuls burst with red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and fresh rosemary.
2. Homemade Cranberry Sauce
No Thanksgiving dinner is complete without cranberry sauce (regardless of which kind you like)! You only need 20 minutes and a handful of simple ingredients for this one—orange zest, cinnamon, and a splash of vanilla.
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3. Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Thanksgiving is a time to stuff our faces with delicious food. What better way to get there than with mac and cheese? This dish is what you make it, a proven versatile recipe that works well with nearly any cheese. Our personal favorites are gruyere and cheddar, though you can always mozzarella.
4. Sausage and Herb Stuffing
Not everyone likes stuffing, but this recipe ought to bring them around. Sweet Italian sausage, fresh herbs, and a bit of chicken broth (among a few other ingredients) are all you need to wow guests. Forget the boxed stuff, you’ve got it covered!
5. Pumpkin Soup
What’s a hearty dinner without a hearty appetizer first? Cold weather and cable-knit sweaters call for soup—nothing gets mouths watering like a creamy bowl of blended pumpkin, yellow onions, and fresh ginger. Don’t forget the coconut milk garnish.
6. Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
It’s time to end the Brussels sprout slander! This leafy green is not only good for you, but it’s a delicious side packed with flavor. All it takes is balsamic vinegar, honey, and a pinch of salt and pepper to bring people to the good side.
7. Roasted Squash and Carrots
Carrots get a bad rap, often dismissed as a simple veggie that’s only good with Ranch. Turn it around this year! With a little brown sugar, cinnamon, and ground nutmeg, squash and carrots suddenly become everyone’s favorite.
8. Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
We know the boxed stuff is easy, but make-ahead mashed potatoes reap far better rewards. The best part about this recipe is its simplicity—you won’t need more than Russet potatoes, butter, and salt. Of course, you can always bring in more herbs or some fresh chives, but the dish is just as good without them.
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9. Stuffed Mushrooms
Mushrooms are a little polarizing, but this recipe unites everyone at the table. After all, it’s hard to hate something stuffed with cheese and pine nuts! Red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper also kick things up a notch.
10. Pear Salad
Sliced pears, pecans, and freshly grated cheese serve as the base for this honey-sweet salad. You can also use any greens for the salad bed, though we prefer mixed greens to get the best crunch.
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11. Cream Corn
Cream corn is a classic side dish, and we can’t do Thanksgiving without it. It’s a tasty, simple dish made with nothing but butter, milk, and parmesan cheese. You can also add a pinch of cayenne pepper if you’re feeling adventurous.
12. Cranberry-Brie Bites
Bring two classic Thanksgiving flavors together in an easy side that’s ready in half an hour. Guests will gobble down this delicious appetizer, made with only dough, cranberries, brie, and fresh rosemary sprigs.
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13. Garlic-Parmesan Broccoli
Poor broccoli, the oft-ignored vegetable people avoid every year. No more! Toss those florets in olive oil, garlic cloves, and freshly grated parmesan cheese. You’ll have an incredible side in 10 minutes—and one that people love.
14. Spinach and Artichoke Dip
For larger gatherings, look to spinach and artichoke dip. It’s easy to make, it’s ready in under an hour, and doesn’t need more than basic ingredients like parmesan cheese, mozzarella, and garlic cloves. Finish it off with mayo and cream cheese!
15. Red Pepper Green Beans
You love bell peppers, you love green beans, so why not combine them in the ultimate side? Aside from your veggies, you’ll need slivered almonds, salt and pepper, and grated parmesan cheese. Everything’s ready in under an hour!
16. Pumpkin Cheesecake
We had to close this list with popular holiday desserts! You can’t go wrong with cheesecake, certainly not one brimming with pumpkin and brown sugar. Forget your everyday topping too—cinnamon-flavored whipped cream ties the whole thing together.
17. Carrot Cake Cupcakes
As scrumptious as carrot cake is, it’s a bit heavy after all that turkey. Its cupcake cousin remedies that. You’ll need all the usual suspects like walnuts, sugar, grated carrots, and cinnamon, but you’ll also have a lighter version of this crowd favorite.
18. Gingerbread-Pumpkin Cookies
End the holiday with a mouthful of pumpkin, crystallized ginger, and nutmeg. You can make everything from scratch, including the delicious vanilla drizzle, with a handful of ingredients. What’s left is several dozen in roughly an hour.
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19. Pecan Pie Brownies
As much as we hate to admit it, pecan pie is way too polarizing. However, that doesn’t mean you have to turn away from them altogether! Try your hand at brownies instead, a mouth-watering option made with semi-sweet chocolate, dark chocolate pieces, and topped with crushed pecans.
20. Old-Fashioned Apple Pie
There’s never a bad day for apple pie, least of all on Thanksgiving. Sure, you can indulge in the store-bought kind, but homemade is way better and doesn’t need more than basic ingredients. Even first-time bakers can handle it!
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