Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Blue Cheese Garlic Potatoes

Good morning! My husband and I have been discussing Thanksgiving the last few days and thinking of our favorite traditions, recipes and parts of the day. I won’t lie the turkey is our least favorite part, if we could just have one slice to accompany the leftovers we would be perfectly happy. 

Butter Bean Ragout BHG

Mashed Potatoes with Gouda

My favorite part of Thanksgiving, aside from family and friends, is planning the menu using a mixture of both old and new recipes. We always like to add one or two new things. 

Wild Rice

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

For me the most important side dish is the mashed potatoes! I love them made with browned butter, or garlic, or cheese. You can add anything to a potato and it tastes fabulous. 

Roasted Green Beans

Roasted Sweet Potato Gratin

I also love roasted vegetables like cauliflower or broccoli and steamed asparagus. Green beans and peas are not on the menu unless it is the traditional green bean casserole that my husband remembers from childhood. 

Roasted Asparagus

Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes

In addition to potato’s and roasted vegetables I love cranberries. Odd actually because until about 5 years ago I did not like them. They say your tastes change every five years, I do not know if that is true but I do find myself eating things that I did not eat as a child. 

Beets and Greens Salad

Sweet Potato Casserole

Of course we always have stuffing but that is another post because there are so, so many recipes that I want to explore before I pick the one or ones we may try.

Bacon Topped Green Bean Casserole

Harvest Mashed Potatoes

The great thing about all of the side is that you can come up with some interesting leftover combinations using them, aside from the traditional afternoon sandwich, you could make a pot pie, or a Shepard’s pie if you have any potato’s left. Or perhaps soup and a delicious salad using the roasted vegetables. 

Roasted Root Vegetables

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

I am getting hungry just thinking of all of the things I will see on my Thanksgiving table and the next day. 

Cranberry Preserves

Caramelized Onion Mashed Potatoes

Glazed Carrots with Pistachios

Potato and Celery Root Gratin

What are your favorite side dishes for Thanksgiving? Do you use your traditional family recipes only or do you add new things year after year? 

Roasted Cauliflower

Cranberry Orange Mostarda

I think that whatever you make to accompany your turkey you cannot go wrong using the vegetable and fruits of the season, and making the dishes that make you happy! Life is too short to eat things you don’t like on such a special day.

If you are looking for more Thanksgiving ideas I have thousands of pins on my Fall Pinterest board. You can also check out a couple of my favorite places for recipes, Southern Living, Better Homes and Gardens and Williams Sonoma Recipes.