Best Thanksgiving Vegetable Side Dishes (Over 50 Recipes!)

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Find all the Thanksgiving Vegetable Side Dish recipes you could ever need from classic sides to make ahead dishes to salads, soups, perfectly roasted vegetables, and even some surprises to make for the best Thanksgiving menu.

Everyone thinks about the turkey, but I am here for the veggie side dishes. In fact, I would happily fill my plate with all the tasty holiday vegetables. From roasted fall vegetables to classic casseroles, there is nothing better than Thanksgiving side dishes. 

I love creating new recipes for my family, especially at Thanksgiving! When it comes to feeding a large extended family, the more side dishes you can cook, the better!

In this guide, I'll share all of my favorite side dishes - from the really creative to the classic ones that you've probably tried before.

Browse this list and start putting together the menu for your big meal.

Easy Roasted Vegetables

First, let's look at some recipes that everyone is used to seeing at Thanksgiving - delicious roasted veggies. These classic veggie sides make an appearance on almost every holiday table and are easy to make. 

Did you know you can prep roasted vegetables in advance? Just take them out a few minutes early so that they will finish the day off. You don't want to lose that delicious roasted veggie crunch. 

This easy Roasted Cauliflower is made with just three simple ingredients and it will be some of the best cauliflower you've ever had. Nutty, crispy on the edges, and perfectly cooked.

Roasted Acorn Squash is wholesome, savory, and beyond delicious. Made with squash, butter, brown sugar, and a few simple spices, this mouth-watering dish is insanely easy to make and oh-so-satisfying!

Roasted Parsnips

117 CAL 35 MIN
Roasted parsnips with browned edges in a bowl with dried herbs and spices.

These Easy Roasted parsnips made with just 5 ingredients come out crispy and full of natural sweetness! This vegetable side dish will soon be a family favorite.

These Easy Roasted Mushrooms are made with baby bella coated in a flavorful combination of butter, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce. This tasty side dish comes together in under 30 minutes and pairs beautifully with any dish!

Easy Roasted Beets

132 CAL 55 MIN
Easy roasted beets with balsamic vinegar and honey in a dish with fresh herbs.

The best easy roasted beets with honey, balsamic vinegar, and shallots. Delicious as a side dish, in a salad, or for an appetizer with goat cheese.

These Easy Roasted Potatoes are the perfect side dish for any meal, ready in just 25 minutes with only 3 ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. Crispy on the outside, tender on the outside, and crazy delicious every time.

Roasted green beans transform a standard green bean into something amazingly delicious. They get brown and crispy. No more boring canned or steamed green beans here.

Ready to make the most delicious crispy potatoes? These Oven Roasted Fingerling Potatoes are the answer! Easy to prep, versatile, and perfectly tender in just 30 minutes.

These four ingredient Honey Garlic Roasted Carrots that come out browned and caramelized are some of the best carrots you will ever eat. If you aren't roasting carrots, it's time to start!

The most delicious Crispy Balsamic Brussel Sprouts taste like your favorite restaurant sprouts but are healthy and easy to make at home. An easy weeknight side dish and a holiday staple.

Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash is a simple side dish that screams fall with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg! It's easy to throw together and fits right in at holiday gatherings or any night you want a little extra autumn flavor!

Thanksgiving Classics: Mashed Potatoes, Casseroles, and More

There are certain dishes that are on almost every Thanksgiving dinner! Find spins on classic recipes like mashed potatoes, creamed corn, butternut squash, classic Thanksgiving casseroles, and more. 

Sauteed Vegetable Side Dishes

If you need to free up oven space, make your vegetable side dishes on the stove instead! These sauteed vegetable recipes have all the classic flavors including garlic, butter, fresh herbs, and more. 

Quickly elevate any of these sauteed vegetable recipes for the holidays by adding cranberries, fresh thyme, bacon, maple syrup, or a touch of cream. 

The best sauteed carrots with honey, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and butter. Easy enough for a weeknight but special enough for any holiday table.

Sauteed Leeks

140 CAL 15 MIN
Sauteed leeks in a bowl with garlic, butter, black pepper, and parmesan cheese.

These sauteed leeks transform the humble leek into a super delicious vegetable side dish. Ready in just 15 minutes with only a few ingredients, these leeks deserve a spot at the table.

The best garlic sauteed spinach with crispy garlic, fresh lemon juice, and some seriously delicious spinach. This side dish is easy and packed with flavor.

Sauteed Broccoli

78 CAL 15 MIN
Sauteed broccoli with Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, and olive oil in a ceramic bowl with a wooden spoon.

Delicious sauteed broccoli with garlic and lemon that comes out perfectly tender-crisp every time. No more mushy broccoli, this side dish is easy and some of the best broccoli you'll ever eat.

Best Sauteed Peas

111 CAL 15 MIN
Sauteed peas with garlic, shallots, lemon, and shredded Parmesan cheese in a ceramic dish.

The most delicious Sauteed Peas with garlic, butter, shallots, and Parmesan cheese. This ten minute side dish goes great with any main course.

Sauteed Cauliflower with garlic, lemon, parsley, and Parmesan cheese is ready in less than 15 minutes for a star side dish that tastes amazing.

Sauteed Kale

101 CAL 15 MIN
Sauteed kale with garlic, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper in a ceramic dish.

This easy sauteed kale is the quickest and easiest way to prepare kale. It comes out tender with tons of garlic flavor and without any bitterness. Plus it only takes 10 minutes.

Thanksgiving Salads You’ll Love

Another very popular side dish to serve on Thanksgiving is a salad or two. Salads will feed a huge crowd and they are pretty easy to throw together. Try one, or all, of these salads.

Need something to make ahead of time? Choose a hearty option like kale salad, brussel sprout salad, or a chopped vegetable salad. 

This Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad with apples, and goat cheese all tossed in a Dijon honey vinaigrette is the perfect side dish for any meal. It's also great for the holidays.

Easy Arugula Salad

160 CAL 10 MIN
Arugula salad with sliced pears, toasted walnuts, red onions, goat cheese, and vinaigrette tossed in a ceramic bowl.

This easy Arugula Salad is packed with goat cheese, walnuts, red onions, and a delicious lemon balsamic vinaigrette. It makes a delicious side dish or meal with chicken or shrimp.

This Roasted Squash Salad is made with tender butternut squash, arugula, almonds, feta cheese, and a zesty vinaigrette. Loaded with the most irresistible flavors of the season, this butternut squash salad recipe is the perfect addition to your weekly rotation.

Wild Rice Salad

324 CAL 55 MIN
Wild rice salad with acorn squash, cranberries, arugula, and a lemon dressing.

The best Wild Rice Salad with acorn squash, cranberries, fresh arugula, and a delicious lemon tahini vinaigrette. This salad is packed with fall flavors and is perfect for holiday meals.

Easy Spring Mix Salad is a quick and easy way to enjoy your favorite veggies. Coated in a homemade creamy balsamic dressing, this vibrant salad is bound to become a new staple in your kitchen.

This beet salad with goat cheese recipe features beets, crunchy pears, walnuts, goat cheese, and arugula tossed in a simple Dijon honey vinaigrette. It’s fresh, flavorful, and super easy to make. It’s the ultimate salad!

Celery Salad

118 CAL 10 MIN
Celery salad with sliced celery stalks, fresh herbs, vinaigrette, apples, almonds, and red onion served in a white bowl.

In the world of salads, Celery Salad often flies under the radar, but we're here to change that! Crisp chunks of celery are tossed with fresh herbs and homemade vinaigrette, resulting in a light, zesty, and refreshing dish.

Wild Rice Salad

324 CAL 55 MIN
Wild rice salad with acorn squash, cranberries, arugula, and a lemon dressing.

The best Wild Rice Salad with acorn squash, cranberries, fresh arugula, and a delicious lemon tahini vinaigrette. This salad is packed with fall flavors and is perfect for holiday meals.

This easy Greek Yogurt Broccoli Salad with fresh broccoli florets, crispy bacon, raisins, and sunflower seeds in a creamy Greek yogurt dressing has all the flavor of the classic summer salad, just lightened up!

Edamame Salad

252 CAL 15 MIN
Edamame salad with shelled edamame, kale, carrots, red bell peppers, peanuts, cilantro, and mint served with peanut dressing.

This Edamame Salad is fresh, nutritious, and bursting with flavor. It's made with a blend of crunchy vegetables (that stand up to summer heat!), creamy peanut butter dressing, and lots of fresh herbs. Serve this versatile salad as a side dish, a light lunch, or a full meal with your favorite protein on top.

Creative Side Dishes To Serve At Your Thanksgiving Dinner

Sometimes, you want something extra special and unique for Thanksgiving! These side dishes are something you won't find on every table. 

Grilled Butternut Squash coated with cinnamon, chili powder, salt, and pepper is easy to make and packed with flavor. Trust me, grilled sweet butternut squash is a must-have.

Blackened Corn

190 CAL 15 MIN
Blackened corn with homemade seasoning served in a skillet with lime wedges and cilantro.

Blackened Corn is the ultimate side dish to liven up your next weeknight dinner or backyard barbecue. All you need is fresh corn, melted butter, blackening seasoning, and a piping hot skillet to bring it all together.

Roasted Vegetable Couscous and white beans is a wholesome and delicious dish packed with fresh veggies, herbs, and flavor. This nutritious vegan-friendly dish makes the ultimate side dish or main course for any occasion. Bonus: It’s ready in just 30 minutes!

Creamed Kale

123 CAL 20 MIN
Creamed kale with tender kale cooked with cream cheese, milk, and Parmesan cheese in a white baking dish,

Creamed Kale is a delicious and healthy side dish made with fresh kale, parmesan cheese, milk, butter, and cream cheese. Not only is it loaded with essential nutrients, but this 20-minute dish is full of mouth-watering flavor that the whole family will love.

The best Crispy Baked Zucchini rounds with Parmesan cheese, Panko breadcrumbs, garlic, and spices. Never mushy, ready in 15 minutes, so much flavor!

Honey Mustard Brussels Sprouts that are roasted until crispy and brown and then tossed with the most amazing 3 ingredient sauce are a side dish that will have everyone eating their veggies.

Roasted Bok Choy

62 CAL 15 MIN
Roasted bok choy with soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and sesame seeds on a plate with a gold fork.

This roasted bok choy is the perfect Asian side dish with soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and a touch of heat. Ready in just 10 minutes, it's a dish you will make again and again.

Spaghetti Squash Au Gratin

82 CAL 1 HOURS, 30 MIN
Spaghetti squash gratin in a glass baking dish with parmesan cheese and basil.

This Spaghetti Squash Au Gratin packed with a combination of Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses with garlic, onion, and fresh herbs is absolutely delicious and surprisingly healthy,

Thanksgiving Vegetable Side Dishes Everyone Loves

When it comes to Thanksgiving, it's important to keep everyone's individual tastes in mind. That doesn't mean you have to sacrifice the healthiness of the side dishes that you make. You just have to use whole ingredients and fresh vegetables. You'll be surprised at how much better everything tastes when you use the freshest ingredients and don't take shortcuts.

I hope you were able to find a few new recipes to try from this list. Remake a classic recipe (like green bean casserole) into a healthier version. I bet everyone will love it even more than the original!

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the most common questions about making veggie sides for Thanksgiving.

Generally speaking, dishes like mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, vegetable casseroles, and soups are bets to make ahead of time since they reheat well.

You can also make roasted vegetables and sauteed vegetables in advance, just make sure to cook until tender-crisp so they don't get soggy when you reheat them. Always let them cool completely before serving.

Fresh vegetables will almost always taste better than canned vegetables and frozen vegetables. They have more texture, flavor, and taste. The only exception to this is out-of-season vegetables, like corn, which may taste better frozen. 

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