If you’re looking to cook up an unforgettable feast that will please even the pickiest palates this holiday, remember it’s all about what you serve on the side. Let’s admit it: some Thanksgiving side dishes are so mouthwateringly good that it’s tempting to skip the turkey altogether. While grandma’s recipe box might be the go-to for classic crowd-pleasers year after year, adding a few updated favorites to the menu will take your table to the next level this Thanksgiving.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon and Honey
Ingredients:
- 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- On a roasting tray, line up the sweet potatoes in a single layer.
- Drizzle honey, oil, cinnamon, salt, and freshly ground black pepper over the potatoes.
- Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until tender.
- Remove from oven, and drizzle with more olive oil before serving.
Brussels Sprouts and Bacon
Ingredients:
- 4 strips thick-sliced bacon
- 2 tbsp butter, unsalted
- 1 lb. Brussels sprouts halved
- ½ onion, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
- Fry bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels, then chop roughly.
- Melt butter over high heat in the same skillet with bacon fat. Add Brussels sprouts and onion, and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, occasionally stirring, until vegetables are golden brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer bacon back into the pan, and serve immediately.
Quick Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients:
- 12 oz. bag cranberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 strip lemon or orange zest
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
- Empty bag of cranberries into a saucepan, transferring ½ cup into a small bowl.
- Add sugar, zest, and 2 tbsp water to the pan and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes, occasionally stirring until the cranberries are soft and the sugar dissolves.
- Reduce heat, and stir in the reserved cranberries. Add sugar, salt, and pepper as needed.
- Allow sauce to cool to room temperature before serving.
Sauteed Carrots
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs. carrots
- 2 tbsp butter, unsalted
- 1½ tbsp chopped fresh dill or flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
- Peel carrots, and slice diagonally into ¼ inch slices until you have about 6 cups.
- Transfer carrots, ⅓ cup water, salt, and pepper into a large saute pan and bring to a boil.
- Cover the pan, and cook over medium-low heat for about 7 to 8 minutes, until carrots are softened.
- Add the butter, and saute for about one more minute, until the rest of the water evaporates and the carrots are glazed with butter.
- Remove pan from heat and toss with dill or parsley. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.
Mashed Potatoes with Mascarpone Cheese and Roasted Garlic
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs. potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 ½ cup whole milk
- 8 oz. mascarpone cheese
- ½ stick butter, unsalted
- 6 cloves roasted garlic, pureed
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
- Transfer diced potatoes to a large saucepan and add cold water to cover along with 1 tbsp salt.
- Over high heat, bring to a boil, and cook until tender.
- While potatoes are cooking, combine milk, butter, and pureed garlic in a small saucepan and simmer over low heat.
- Run cooked potatoes through a food mill over a large bowl, then stir the milk mixture into the potatoes until combined.
- Fold in the mascarpone cheese, and season with salt and pepper.
- Keep warm in a double boiler or bain-marie until ready to serve.
Dump-and-Go Corn Casserole
Ingredients:
- 1 15-oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
- 6 oz. smoked ham, diced
- 1 14.75-oz. can creamed corn
- 1 8-oz. package corn muffin mix
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 ½ cup grated sharp cheddar
- 4 scallions, chopped
- Nonstick spray, for the baking dish
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 325°F, and coat a 9-inch square baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Combine whole-kernel and creamed corn, corn muffin mix, melted butter, and sour cream in a large bowl. Stir in the smoked ham and half of the chopped scallions until just combined, and pour into the prepared baking dish.
- Bake until golden brown, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and sprinkle the cheddar evenly over the top, then continue to bake until 5 minutes until the cheese is melted. Sprinkle with scallions and serve.
Lemon-Maple Squash
Ingredients:
- 4 lbs. butternut squash, sliced into thick wedges, seeds removed
- 4 tbsp butter
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place sliced butternut squash into a baking dish. In a separate bowl, combine the maple syrup with ⅓ cup water, lemon zest and juice, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper, and pour over the squash. Dot with butter.
- Bake 20 minutes, then flip the squash, and bake 25 more minutes until caramelized and tender, making sure to baste halfway through. Serve immediately.
Creamed Pearl Onions
Ingredients:
- 1 bag frozen pearl onions
- 1 tbsp butter, unsalted
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions:
- Thaw pearl onions, then saute in butter until golden, then add a little water at a time to deglaze.
- Add cream, reduce heat, and stir until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan and Truffle Oil
Ingredients:
- 2 spaghetti squashes, split lengthwise, seeds removed
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tbsp truffle oil
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Drizzle flesh of split spaghetti squash with olive oil and salt and pepper, then place cut-side down on a large baking sheet and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until squash is tender and can be scraped with a fork into “spaghetti.”
- Allow to cool slightly, then use a large fork to scrape strands of spaghetti squash into a large bowl, making sure you roughly separate them as you go.
- Drizzle with truffle oil and sprinkle with parmesan, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently, and serve warm.
Oven-roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients:
- 1 head cauliflower (approx. 2 lbs.), cut into bite-sized florets (approx. 8 cups)
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
- 2 tsp kosher salt
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- On a baking sheet, toss the cauliflower florets with olive oil, chopped garlic, and red pepper. Sprinkle with chopped thyme and salt, and toss again.
- Roast until tender and golden brown, approximately 20 minutes.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.