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Wouldn't it be fun to play the game "Family Feud" with the topic of Thanksgiving side dishes? If you haven't seen this American TV game show, two sets of extended family members square off against each other to try to predict what the most common responses are for a particular topic. I'm guessing the number one response for Thanksgiving side dishes would be mashed potatoes or stuffing, but after that, who knows?
Thanksgiving dinner may be the only holiday meal where the main course is taken for granted, and the real attention is on side dishes. Most people like roast turkey well enough, but it's menu items like mom's famous caramelized sweet potatoes or your favorite version of stuffing that really define this holiday. Coming up with a top ten list of Thanksgiving side dishes was a challenge, so let me start by clarifying that I'm defining "side dishes" as things that share the plate with juicy slices of turkey. I'm not including salads or homemade rolls, which I think have their own category, and in my mind, side dishes are most often vegetables, so that's what I'm focusing on.
Of course everyone probably has their own picks for a top ten list of Thanksgiving side dishes, but here are some dishes I'd suggest you take a look at and consider adding to your holiday table. And if I've missed something that you consider a "must-have" side dish for Thanksgiving, please let me know about it in the comments!
Photo of Horseradish and Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
from Life's Ambrosia
Thanksgiving Side Dish #1: Mashed Potatoes
At Thanksgiving mashed potatoes are what's under the delicious homemade gravy, and even if you don't need a recipe to make basic mashed potatoes, Crockpot Mashed Potatoes from Feels Like Home may be an idea you'd find useful. If you'd like something a bit more special, may I suggest Horseradish and Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes from Life's Ambrosia, Garlic Mashed Potatoes from Half Assed Kitchen, or Mashed Potato Casserole from Pinch My Salt?
Thanksgiving Side Dish #2: Stuffing
There are a lot of variations of stuffing, but when I asked people on Twitter about their favorite Thanksgiving side dishes, food blogger Madeline from Madeline's Adaptations gave two thumbs up to Mom's Turkey Stuffing from Simply Recipes. I also like the sound of Nana's Sausage Stuffing from Kitchen Parade, Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing from What We're Eating, and Wild Rice Stuffing with Hazelnuts and Dried Cranberries from Dawn's Recipes. A Year of Slow Cooking also has Perfect Homemade Stuffing in a Crockpot.
Photo of Brown Butter Greens Beans with Almonds
from Andrea Meyers
Thanksgiving Side Dish #3: Green Beans
Of course, there are those traditional canned green bean casseroles with mushroom soup that some people love, but fresh green beans are what I'd go for as a Thanksgiving option. Roasted Green Beans were even a hit with the kids at Rookie Cookie. For more ideas, Lisa is Cooking has a "made from scratch" Green Bean Casserole, Your Home Based Mom has Tropical Green Beans, and Andrea Meyers has Brown Butter Greens Beans with Almonds.
Thanksgiving Side Dish #4: Sweet Potatoes
I'm not a fan of those traditional "candied" sweet potatoes, but I do like the sound of Nikki's Sweet Potatoes from 101 Cookbooks, which use coconut milk to add flavor. I'm also drooling over Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Maple Smoked Bacon and Beer from Food Blogga, Candied Lime Sweet Potatoes from Vegan Yum Yum, and Lemon Glazed Sweet Potatoes from A Yankee in a Southern Kitchen
Photo of Lemony Quinoa with Butternut Squash
from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen
Thanksgiving Side Dish #5: Butternut Squash
I'm a huge fan of butternut squash, and I'd love to see it on the Thanksgiving table whether it was a roasted squash dish like Maple-Pecan Roasted Butternut Squash with Goat Cheese from The Inadvertent Gardener, a casserole like Butternut Squash Gratin from Dlyn or something non-traditional like the Lemony Quinoa with Butternut Squash from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen.
Thanksgiving Side Dish #6: Brussels Sprouts
You might consider brussels sprouts to be one of those "love 'em or hate 'em" types of vegetables, but in recent years roasted or pan-fried brussels sprouts dishes have been winning over a
