51 Best Thanksgiving Vegetable Side Dishes
Nobody will turn their nose up at these veggie side dishes.
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Torie Cox
From the corn pudding cooked to perfection to the classic green bean casserole, we've rounded up some of our favorite vegetable recipes to help round out your Thanksgiving dinner menu. With these Thanksgiving vegetable recipes, you'll see there's more than one way to cook up a delicious holiday casserole.
If you're looking to save valuable oven space for that gorgeous Thanksgiving turkey, try one of our stovetop or slow-cooker recipes, like Southern fried corn or slow-cooker sweet potatoes with bacon. You can't go wrong with a classic green bean casserole—Mama knows that your Thanksgiving table isn't complete without this time-tested dish.
Creamed Spinach
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
This incredibly rich side is ready in less than 30 minutes. It'll be a favorite, even among people who think anything green is a no-go.
Cranberry-Glazed Green Beans
Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Micah Morton, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner
Save oven space and make these sweet, salty, smoky, and tart green beans on the stovetop.
Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Micah Morton, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner
A lightly sweetened alternative to classic sweet potato casserole and its layers of marshmallow. Brown butter makes the overall flavor more savory and nutty than sweet.
Southern Braised Greens
Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Micah Morton, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner
This classic holiday side dish gets a little spice from crushed red pepper, and tyou can offer guests a few dashes of hot sauce too. Just make sure you have some cornbread on the table to serve with it.
Related: Get The Recipe
Classic Green Bean Casserole
Rob Culpepper; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Assistant Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
If you think that green bean casserole isn't for you, you'd be wrong. This combination of tender green beans and crispy topping will convince any skeptics.
Stovetop Broccoli Casserole
Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Micah Morton, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner
Replace your classic 9x13 version of this dish with a lighter, fresher version that's made entirely on the stovetop.
Butternut Squash Mac And Cheese
Antonis Achilleos; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner
You could do a classic macaroni and cheese, but this version sneaks in a vegetable and is every bit as creamy and decadent as the traditional version.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
A quick seasoning mixture of balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, onion and garlic powders, and salt and pepper coat these Brussels sprouts, helping them caramelize and turn richly flavorful in a high-temp oven. A drizzle of honey balances those sharp flavors for an unforgettable side.
Shoepeg Corn Casserole
Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Micah Morton, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner
You can make this corn casserole up to the point of baking, then freeze it or keep is in the fridge for a few days before Thanksgiving. When it's nearing time to eat, let the casserole thaw in the fridge, then bake it. This is a serious timesaver.
7-Layer Salad
Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke
Instead of a basic green salad, mix things up with this layered delight. It's fresh, creamy, and bright, especially against the many creamy casseroles.
Broccoli Salad
Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Amid a sea of warm casseroles and dressing, serve up this crisp, chilled broccoli casserole to an audience of happy eaters. The dressing is a just-right blend of sweet and savory. The toppings, too. This may be more popular than the desserts.
Oven-Roasted Asparagus
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
You can't go wrong with a classic like roasted asparagus. Want to know the best part? It takes little to no effort. Simply trim the ends of the asparagus, season, and pop the crispy green veggie in the oven.
Roasted Delicata Squash
Jessica Furniss
This petite winter squash has a delicately sweet but nutty flavor, and the skin is entirely edible. When roasted, this side dish is tender and contrasts nicely with richer Thanksgiving sides.
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Mashed potatoes are essential Thanksgiving fair, but this version lightens things up (but is every bit as fluffy and decadent) with mashed cauliflower. Serve it with butter, herbs, or any other toppings you'd have on the all-potato side.
Loaded Cauliflower Casserole
Stacy K. Allen; Props: Julia Bayless; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
Skip the potato version of this classic casserole, but don't skip the savory flavors of bacon, cheese, and chives.
Baked Acorn Squash
Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Some people serve stuffed squash for Thanksgiving as a main dish, but this baked squash side makes for an excellent, sophisticated side dish. Keep it simple with a little butter and sugar.
Slow-Cooker Green Beans
Stacy K. Allen; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
If you want to skip the green bean casserole, try these home-style green beans instead. Nothing gets more Southern than these bacon-topped slow-cooker green beans. Plus, since they are made in the slow cooker, it saves high-demand stovetop and oven space on Thanksgiving Day.
Scalloped Corn Casserole
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Sweet corn, savory cheese, and crispy cracker topping—there's nothing your Thanksgiving guests won't love about this corn casserole.
Candied Sweet Potatoes
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
Need proof that all classic Thanksgiving side dishes don't have to be Southern? These candied sweet potatoes are plenty evidence of that fact. Sorghum and bourbon provide just enough bitterness to keep the sweetness from being overwhelming, but the dish is so good, we won't blame you if you eat this for dessert.
Brussels Sprouts With Bacon And Shallots
Stacy K. Allen, Food Stylist: Ali Ramee, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Brussels sprouts may get a bad rap, but they're an essential veggie on our Thanksgiving tables. Bacon and shallots offer bursts of flavor to complement the simple vegetable. Panko adds the desired crunchy texture.
Southern Fried Cabbage
Alison Miksch; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray; Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
A handful of humble ingredients turns into a classic side dish. It's more commonly a weeknight side dish, but there's no reason to keep it off the Thanksgiving table.
Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole
When we're constructing our Thanksgiving menu, we try to incorporate a few slow-cooker dishes that we can leave to go low and slow all day long. It's oh-so-easy and saves you so much time!
Home-Style Butterbeans
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Frozen butter beans cook until tender and delicate, while making a flavor-filled broth that you'll require extra rolls for sopping up every drop.
Honey-Glazed Spiced Carrots
As colorful as they are delicious, the naturally sweet and earthy flavor of these honey-glazed carrots will complement any main dish. Purchase a variety of colored carrots for added brightness to your spread. Young carrots with tops will taste the best.
Sweet Potato Soufflé
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Sweet potatoes are a must on the Thanksgiving table, but they don't always have to be served as a casserole. Try our fluffy sweet potato soufflé this year. It's the perfect pairing for your Thanksgiving turkey and captures the same sweet and savory flavor as the classic casserole.
Classic Candied Yams
Antonis Achilleos, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
These baked sweet potatoes turn out perfectly caramelized and tender every time. They are sweet enough to classify as a dessert, which may be why they are a fan-favorite side dish. They can be made up to three days in advance, which saves you time.
Broccoli Cheese Casserole
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Sure, we'll have some broccoli, but we'll take it with a whole lot of cheese. This broccoli cheese casserole is a must-have dish this season. Plus, it can be made ahead and refrigerated until there is room in the oven to bake it!
Smashed Baby Red Potatoes
Emily Laurae / Southern Living
Crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, these are the best baby potatoes around. They are buttery, tender, and garlicky—the ultimate combination for delicious roasted potatoes. To top it all off, the potatoes are brushed with a tasty mixture of melted butter and herbs just before serving.
Savory Sweet Potato Casserole
We love sweet potatoes for their versatility. If your family loves savory sides, swap the marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole for this savory version. Place the sweet potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet to cut down on clean-up time.
Skillet-Roasted Carrots
Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Save oven space with these skillet-roasted carrots. You can adjust the herbs to whatever you have on hand or flavors you prefer.
Southern Fried Corn
While we love creamed corn, we just can't resist the pop and texture of this southern fried corn. Only taking 15 minutes, this fried corn is made with butter, onions, garlic, salt, and pepper, and garnished with chives.
Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
No Thanksgiving spread is complete without a classic sweet potato casserole! Our version is topped with toasted marshmallows (of course), but we also add pecans and cornflakes for some nice crunch. Plus, it will only take 20 minutes of hands-on time, giving you more to spend with your loved ones (who are surely hovering in the kitchen area).
Sautéed Squash and Zucchini
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
When you're coordinating an elaborate Thanksgiving dinner, there are some things you'll just want to keep simple, like this sautéed squash and zucchini. While there are destined to be many casserole options on the Thanksgiving dinner table, this easy 20-minute side takes a lighter approach. Yellow squash, zucchini, onion, and garlic blend together flawlessly for this healthy and easy side.
Make-Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole
Make this casserole ahead of time and pop it in the oven on Thanksgiving morning to save you prep hassle and leave more time to spend with your family. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, this side will surely be a crowd-pleaser.
Old-School Squash Casserole
Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
Creamy, cheesy, and full of thickly-cut squash, this casserole is an essential part of any holiday feast. Crunchy, buttery crackers top this mouth-watering casserole. It can serve as both a scrumptious side or as a hearty vegetarian main dish.
Boiled Corn on the Cob
A side of fresh boiled corn, instead of a casserole, may be a welcome change amid the Thanksgiving spread. Keep butter and salt on the table so everyone can season their ears.
Bacon-Brussels Sprout-Green Bean Casserole
Come one, come all, and pack those veggies into this casserole. It's bound to please any hungry audience. This Brussels sprouts and green bean casserole combo side is topped with fried onions and bacon bits, so you know it won't last long on the dinner table.
Sweet Potato Cobbler
This casserole can be adapted as a savory side or a sweet dessert. No matter how you serve it, we can't resist the biscuit dough topping. Plus, it's made entirely in a skillet.
Reunion Pea Casserole
Packed with lots of veggies and with some surprising ingredients inside (like green chiles), this Reunion Pea Casserole has a little bit of everything. Crescent roll dough ensures a buttery golden crust. Black-eyed peas are a great choice for this recipe, but any pea type will do.
Slow-Cooker Collard Greens with Ham Hocks
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Give your Thanksgiving that home-style touch with these slow-cooker collards. Plus, using a a slow-cooker means you'll have more space on the stovetop and in the oven for other sides. Make sure to remove the ham hock's tiny bone bits before serving.
Zucchini, Squash, and Corn Casserole
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
This easy casserole can go from summer to winter in a snap. It's a great way to bring some bright veggies to your Thanksgiving meal.
Easy Creamed Spinach
With butter, cream, and Parmesan cheese, this creamed spinach is anything but ordinary. Serve over grits or cornbread, or on its own. The toasted pine nuts add an earthy and nutty flavor and contrast perfectly with the creaminess of the dish.
Pan-Fried Okra With Cornmeal
Bite-sized, pan-fried okra coated with cornmeal will be a new family classic. With just six ingredients and two skillets, this side will have your whole family wanting more. It whips up in just under 30 minutes.
Smashed Brussels Sprouts
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Boiled, then smashed and roasted, brussels sprouts get a serious makeover in this recipe. We just can't resist these crispy, crunchy veggies. Top with parmesan and chopped bacon for the ultimate Southern veggie dish.
Corn Pudding Casserole
Courtney West
Who doesn't like a cheesy side? Creamy and cheesy, this side dish is so good that it will become a family favorite.
Skillet Squash Blossom
Everyone will want a big helping of this gorgeous and delicious dish. Butternut squash slices become caramelized and sweet when roasting. Maple syrup and bacon complement each other and blend flawlessly with the butternut squash.
Savory Corn Pudding
This corn pudding recipe puts a savory spin on the classic with the addition of chopped onion and fresh thyme. It's crave-worthy and the perfect addition to your holiday dinner spread. Be sure you make enough of this corn pudding for everyone to have seconds.
Old-School Green Bean Casserole
Take some time with your green bean casserole this year and make homemade mushroom cream sauce. While you may make this recipe for the first time on Thanksgiving Day, you may find yourself making it throughout the year—it's just that good. Prepare this recipe up to three days in advance. Add the toppings, and bake when you are ready!
Brussels Sprout Slaw with Apples and Pecans
You've always roasted Brussels sprouts for Thanksgiving, try something new with this fresh take on the vegetable. This dish has all the crunch of coleslaw, plus pieces of sweet and tart Honeycrisp apples and salty Parmesan cheese. Let salad stand for five minutes prior to serving to let all the flavors blend together and for the sprouts to soften.
Garlic Parmesan Green Beans
Bacon makes everything better, even vegetables. In this dish, the bacon serves as a savory base for green beans also flavored with garlic and Parmesan. As impressive as these beans look, they come together quickly and easily.
Crusty Broiled Tomatoes
Juicy tomatoes are thought of as a summer thing, but some tomatoes, like Romas, are flavorful year-round. Use them to make this unique side dish that will stand out amid the sea of casseroles.
Related: 40 Potluck Dishes to Bring This Thanksgiving
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Read the original article on Southern Living.