Top 10 Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes
We all know the big buzz about Thanksgiving is the bird, but there are many delicious side dishes that complement and indeed enhance a turkey. From everyday vegetables like peas to less common harvest veggies like parsnips, here are the top 10 Thanksgiving side dish recipes to make your meal bountiful and superbly delicious.
10. Mushrooms
These earthy fungi are great sauteed with herbs and spices. Although they aren’t the most visually appealing part of the meal, you can also sneak them into the stuffing – which is especially good if they’re wild. (Please, don’t pick your own wild mushrooms unless you know exactly what you’re doing. Buy a wild mushroom variety from your local market instead.) Try this saute recipe with balsamic vinegar and oregano.
9. Peas
Boiled peas are a simple but timeless way to add some green to your Thanksgiving meal. Of course, you can cook them more creatively, but boiled with butter and seasoning to taste is certainly a classic. For something a little heartier, try this comfort food recipe for creamed peas with butter and onions.
8. Beets
Arguably the most colorful of Thanksgiving veggies, beets are a sweet treat that some consider an acquired taste, but many just plain love. Word of warning: watch your precious linens around beet juice! Want to use every part of the beet to avoid waste? Try this recipe for roasted beets with sauteed beet greens.
7. Parsnips
These strange looking root vegetables appear to be white carrots, but taste very little like carrots. Parsnips have their own distinct taste and texture, which makes them an unforgettable addition to Thanksgiving meals. If you’re looking for something soft like a puree to serve as a side, look no further than this recipe for pureed roasted parsnips.
6. Turnips
Turnips are a radish-like root with a very distinctive flavor. They are not always the most popular vegetable, but they are a vegetable that screams Thanksgiving. There’s an air of authenticity to them when it comes to imagining an old fashioned Thanksgiving dinner. Not crazy about the way they taste? Try this recipe for scalloped turnips that’s sure to change your mind.
5. Cauliflower
Most of Thanksgiving sides come in a monotonous drone of tans, whites, and browns, so you’ll have to excuse the inclusion of so many similarly colored veggies on this list. But cauliflower, for all its bland appearance, provides a highly unique taste that’s quite versatile. Simply steam it and melt butter on it for a traditional preparation, or mash it like mashed potatoes for a low carb alternative to potatoes. To bring out the most in cauliflower’s natural taste, try this recipe for roasted garlic cauliflower, with the option of adding more herbs and spices to your liking.
4. Carrots
Roasted, glazed, or mashed – these are the most time-honored preparations for Thanksgiving side dishes. It just so happens that carrots are versatile enough to submit to almost any method of cooking. A snappier orange than sweet potatoes, carrots also add a flair of color to an otherwise monochrome meal. Plus, they are well received by almost everyone. Try this roasted carrot recipe from Food Network’s Ina Garten.
3. Brussel Sprouts
While they aren’t everyone’s favorite, brussel sprouts are a deeply earthy addition to any holiday meal. Considered by children to be “tiny trees”, they have a certain unique visual appeal, as well. They submit very well to steaming or roasting, and are easily dressed up with delicious additives like bacon. Try this golden crusted brussel sprouts recipe with a hint of cheese.
2. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are definitely a Thanksgiving classic. Whether eaten as a side dish or enjoyed in a dessert like sweet potato pie, just about everybody adores their sweet taste and smooth texture. Perhaps the most classic preparation is candied sweet potatoes, which along with cranberry sauce, packs Thanksgiving’s saccharine punch. Try this recipe for candied sweet potatoes with marshmallows.
1. Potatoes
Plain old potatoes, be they roasting potatoes, red potatoes, golden potatoes, or another variety, are the #1 side dish we think of when we think of a Thanksgiving meal. Particularly mashed potatoes, which are almost universally accepted by palates – picky and open-minded alike. Try this recipe for buttermilk mashed potatoes that will give you a traditional mashed potato with a restaurant quality taste.
