26 Thanksgiving Side Dishes That Always Steal the Show
Everyone knows it’s the side dishes that make Thanksgiving dinner fabulous! From Southern cornbread dressing to giblet gravy, these classic Southern Thanksgiving side dishes will have your guests raving!
Table of contents
⭐Southern Thanksgiving Dressing Recipes
It’s not a Southern Thanksgiving unless dressing is on the table! Many ask what the difference is between stuffing and dressing and it’s really simple. Stuffing is “stuffed” into the cavity of the turkey, where the dressing is cooked outside of the bird. In the South, you’ll hear most people use the term “dressing.”
SOUTHERN CORNBREAD DRESSING-Our popular cornbread dressing is made with both cornbread and biscuits. Watch our Step by Step cooking video. Don’t forget that giblet gravy.
SAUSAGE BISCUIT DRESSING-This southern dressing is made with biscuits and sausage. It’s moist and delicious! You can make our famous Cathead Biscuits a couple of days in advance to make this recipe.
SAUSAGE RICE DRESSING-Rice is prevalent in the South, and this rice dressing is always a good holiday idea.
⭐Thanksgiving Potato Side Dishes
Potatoes make a very popular side dish! Plus, you gotta have something to pour the gravy over.
CREAMY MASHED POTATOES-Is it even Thanksgiving if mashed potatoes aren’t on the table? If you happen to have any leftovers, I highly recommend making these mashed potato biscuits or fried potato cakes.
SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE-For many, Thanksgiving is the only time they eat sweet potatoes. This casserole has fantastic reviews.
SWEET POTATO PONE-it’s made with sweet potatoes and molasses and is a traditional holiday food. It can be served as a dessert or a side dish. We serve it as a side dish.
⭐Thanksgiving Vegetable Recipes
Can’t forget the vegetables. Thanksgiving dinner wouldn’t be complete without a few vegetbale dishes.
SOUTHERN BROCCOLI CASSEROLE-It’s definitely a staple! Probably one of the most popular side dishes for Thanksgiving.
BEST GREEN BEANS– This recipe for green beans is super simple to make and always a hit. You can make these a day in advance too!
EASY CORN CASSEROLE-This is a very popular Southern recipe. Plus, it’s a simple dish that always received wonderful reviews.
GREEN BEANS AND POTATOES-you can never go wrong with this recipe.
CORN PUDDING-This is an old-timey Southern dish that is popular for Thanksgiving. If you’ve never had corn pudding, it’s a must try.
GARLIC CHEESE GRITS-Mom made these for every holiday when we were growing up. It’s definitelya classic southern side dish.
SOUTHERN PEA SALAD-this classic dish is always a favorite!
⭐Thanksgiving Fruit Side Dishes
STRAWBERRY PRALINE SALAD-A good fluff salad is a must for the holidays! This strawberry praline salad is SO GOOD!
EASY CRANBERRY SALAD-just three ingredients and one of our most popular holiday recipes. If you love this one you may also love this Cranberry Celebration Salad!
PINEAPPLE CASSEROLE-this is a very popular southern side dish. If you’ve never had it, you gotta try it.
PISTACHIO SALAD AKA WATERGATE SALAD-it’s definitely an old fashioned favorite!
⭐Thanskgiving Side Dishes – Family Favorites
Every family has those dishes that always shows up during the holidays. Here are a few of our family favorites.
BARLEY CASSEROLE-Grandmother made it every year for Thanksgiving. Now Anne makes it and it’s a must for your holiday.
BUTTERMILK MACARONI AND CHEESE-when there is a holiday or a special occasion, macaroni and cheese will be served. Period!
SOUTHERN SPOON BREAD-This is also a dish that grandmother always served. It’s definitely a family favorite.
❤️Non-Traditional Thanksgiving Side Dishes
For many years we had a non-traditional Thanksgiving. We served different dishes and everyone loved it. You don’t have to go the traditional route.
A FEW MORE THANKSGIVING RECIPES
This pumpkin bread is easy to make and makes a wonderful gift during the holiday season.
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Being of French Canadian decent, my mom always made a stuffing recipe that I’ve never seen anyone else make. Your rice and sausage recipe looks similar to it, but most of the ingredients you use are missing from it. It’s a very simple recipe, really, only 2 ingredients and a bit of spice. Some onion, browned slightly in butter and a healthy dose of poultry seasoning, which adds a nice sage-y flavor, and plenty of black pepper are about all the seasonings needed for the meat. Potatoes are cooked separately and mashed before adding to the meat. The sausage is never drained, since the fat becomes the “glue” to bind the potatoes with the meat, makes them moist, and adds a ton of flavor. It’s not greasy tasting at all. Everyone who’s ever tasted it falls in love with it immediately.
When I was in college many moons ago, I invited a friend who couldn’t get home for the holiday to come home with me. She also fell in love with Mom’s stuffing, and we argued over the last remaining bits.
I continue to make this every year — it’s always been one of my favorite holiday dishes. Once in a great while, I’ll make it outside of Thanksgiving or Christmas, and it’s always a treat.
I’d love to hear whether anyone else is familiar with this.
A coworker made this for a potluck and I fell in love with it!
Love all these recipes – but – the picture at the beginning looks like rice and hamburger meat but there is no recipe for it. Please give name of recipe and the recipe for it. Thank you!
Hi Reba,
Please go back and look. I assume you are talking about the rice and sausage dressing and the recipe is linked above the photo. Thanks!
I just wish there was real hands on magazine. Love it.
Thank you, our magazine contains no advertising and is over 50 pages of content. We could never print it and keep the price point affordable.
I love all these recipes! They are the same dishes my grandmother served at her thanksgiving. Thank you so much for making this list.
I have this saved on my computer and come back to it every year to see what you have added! So many wonderful recipes!
LOVE all the goodies you give me to cook……..So yummy,not overly coplicated and soooo good .My husband loves them
I love all your recipes with the exception of a few that is bc I don’t like certain vegetables…..yams, carrots and cauliflower. Otherwise, all recipes look so delish!