Irresistible Vegetable Side Dishes For Thanksgiving

Veggie side dishes don’t have to be boring — and for Thanksgiving dinner, they’d BETTER NOT BE! These quick and easy vegetable recipes will balance out the richness of this traditional meal and keep every bite interesting.

Thanksgiving isn't just about turkey, stuffing and pie... You gotta have a vegetable too, right? These Thanksgiving vegetable sides are right at home with any menu and they all focus on classic fall veggies and vegetable combinations. No marshmallows allowed in these holiday side dish recipes, thank-you-very-much.
Table of Contents
- 1 Tangy Glazed Stovetop Brussels Sprouts
- 2 The Best Oven Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
- 3 Roasted Duck Fat Potatoes
- 4 Holiday Cranberry Sauce
- 5 Fall Corn Saute
- 6 Maple Butternut Puree with Crispy Sage
- 7 Southern Greens and Potlikker
- 8 Browned Butter Sea Salt Mashed Potatoes
- 9 Balsamic Dijon Roasted Mushrooms
- 10 Homemade McIntosh Applesauce
- 11 Confetti Corn
- 12 Holiday Green Beans
- 13 Roasted Winter Vegetables
- 14 Lightly Spiced Cranberry Sauce with Apples
- 15 Snappy Moroccan Spiced Sous Vide Carrots
- 16 Easy Lemon Garlic Green Beans
- 17 Mashed Cauliflower with Roasted Garlic
- 18 Basmati Rice Pilaf with Roasted Fall Vegetables
- 19 oven-roasted butternut squash
- 20 Turnips, Potatoes and Greens
- 21 savory oven roasted root vegetables
- 22 Pin “21 Irresistible Thanksgiving Vegetable Side Dishes” for later!
Tangy Glazed Stovetop Brussels Sprouts
Use a combination of green and purple brussels sprouts (if you can find them) for a truly festive Thanksgiving veggie side dish. Seasoned wtih a little bit o' bacon, these aren't your Mom's brussels sprouts.
The Best Oven Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
Simplicity is king for this simple Thanksgiving veggie side dish. Just toss carrots, parsnips, onions and potatoes on a roasting sheet, sprinkle with olive oil and herbs and roast until they're golden and tender. They're a feast for the eyes and tastebuds.
Roasted Duck Fat Potatoes
These "smashed potatoes" have a crackly golden crust and creamy, plush interior. The key is DUCK FAT. Put this side dish of tender, crispy spuds next to your Thanksgiving turkey and I can promise you'll have NO LEFTOVERS.
Holiday Cranberry Sauce
Technically not a "vegetable", but absolutely mandatory for your Thanksgiving spread this holiday cranberry sauce is the one that is requested year after year. It's made with Red Zinfandel, whole spices and citrus. This cranberry sauce is sweet, tangy and truly addictive.
Fall Corn Saute
Kind of like a cross between a succotash and macque choux, but with a lot more going on, this Fall corn saute is flecked with fresh herbs and cooked in rendered bacon fat. Need I say more? Our tasters wanted this recipe beyond Thanksgiving dinner to go with a simple rotisserie chicken too.
Maple Butternut Puree with Crispy Sage
Mashed butternut squash with a hint of maple and crispy sage leaves is a Thanksgiving vegetable side dish that could replace mashed potatoes. It's a fluffy, healthy, slightly sweet side that goes really well with your holiday roast turkey breast or any other protein.
Southern Greens and Potlikker
For a Southern flair to your Thanksgiving meal, make a big pot of Southern Collard Greens for a side dish to go with everything from mashed potatoes to mac and cheese. I've honestly never had greens that tasted so good and the pot likker is perfect for cornbread dunking.
Browned Butter Sea Salt Mashed Potatoes
The holidays wouldn't be the same without a steaming bowl of creamy mashed potatoes. These spuds are tossed with browned butter and flaky sea salt for a richer, nuttier flavor. Use a potato ricer for the best texture with no lumps!
Balsamic Dijon Roasted Mushrooms
These roasted mushroom caps are seasoned with a zippy balsamic vinegar and dijon dressing. They're meaty and rich, perfect as a thanksgiving vegetable side dish. If you skip the worcestershire sauce this can also be a great vegan side dish.
Homemade McIntosh Applesauce
Some folks don't do cranberry sauce (who are you???) So, for those who prefer something a little less tart, how about a homemade applesauce? Though not a "veggie" side dish recipe, let's face it, we love applesauce to go with everything from pork chops and chicken to roast turkey. Find a spot for this side on your Thanksgiving table. It'll get eaten.
Confetti Corn
Want a light, bright, sunny veggie side dish for your Thanksgiving table? This lemony corn saute has zucchini and sweet bell peppers with fresh thyme and garlic.
Holiday Green Beans
We call these Holiday Green Beans because they've got everyone's favorite mix-ins, like caramelized onions, tender mushrooms and pancetta (or you can substitute bacon. This is one Thanksgiving vegetable side dish that should be on everyone's must have list.
Roasted Winter Vegetables
Sometimes simple is best. This winter vegetable medley includes onions, potatoes, carrots and brussels sprouts roasted in a hot oven for a crusty caramelized outside and tender, flavorful inside. Toss everything on a sheet pan and roast! Easy peasy.
Lightly Spiced Cranberry Sauce with Apples
This homemade cranberry sauce recipe uses apples and apple cider, white wine and Calvados (apple brandy) for the cran-apple side dish of your Thanksgiving dreams. It's awesome tucked into your turkey sandwich the next day too.
Snappy Moroccan Spiced Sous Vide Carrots
The spice blend on these carrots takes this veggie side dish in a completely different direction. With golden raisins and pine nuts to add texture sweetness plus multi-colored carrots for that visual wow-factor. This recipe could start a whole new Thanksgiving tradition.
Easy Lemon Garlic Green Beans
This is our standard green bean recipe. I make them all year long for small 2 person dinners and for groups of 15-20. This vegetable side dish always get raves because they're tangy, bright & garlicky and tangy. The lightness of perfectly cooked green beans brings balance to the heavier parts of your Thanksgiving meal.
Mashed Cauliflower with Roasted Garlic
Want the mash without the carbs? This is the ultimate mashed cauliflower recipe. It includes fresh thyme and a whole head of sweet roasted garlic. I'll be honest, we eat this all year round, it's THAT good.
Basmati Rice Pilaf with Roasted Fall Vegetables
Here's a rice and vegetable side dish that's colorful and tasty. With roasted acorn squash and brussels sprouts, I've added golden raisins in this recipe, but you can give this side a more Thanksgiving "vibe" with dried cranberries instead.
oven-roasted butternut squash
Butternut squash is tender, sweet and delicious on its own. Roast it in a hot oven with fresh herbs and it's even better. This healthy veggie recipe is really simple to make, especially if you use pre-cut squash. That color just screams fall too!
Turnips, Potatoes and Greens
You'll love this waste-not, want not mix of turnips, turnip tops and roasted potatoes. That's right, nothing goes to waste in this recipe and the flavors are pure, simple and delicious. Try this easy side dish for Thanksgiving, or for the next day with leftover turkey.
savory oven roasted root vegetables
If you love root vegetables, this simple sheet pan side dish is perfect for you. With a myriad of carrots, delicata squash, potatoes and fennel, the flavors in this thanksgiving veggie dish are warm and homey.
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Pin “21 Irresistible Thanksgiving Vegetable Side Dishes” for later!

The mashed cauliflower recipe is EVERYTHING!! Tastes just like the real thing!