Let’s be honest: Turkey’s great, but Thanksgiving is about the sides. Some of us wait all year for stuffing, potatoes (sweet and regular), green beans and sprouts, mac and cheese — and even the cranberry sauce. To say nothing of rolls!
We’ve assembled some of our finest recipes, new and old, to round out your meal. These supporting players are so good, you’d be forgiven if you forgot about the turkey.
For many families, a potato dish on the Thanksgiving table is nonnegotiable. You may have a beloved recipe, but if you don’t, may we recommend this one from Alexa Weibel? Roasted garlic gives it deep flavor, while crisp garlic chips provide a little bite.
For some, the hallmark of Thanksgiving is stuffing — or dressing, as it may be. (The difference? Stuffing is, well, stuffed inside the bird. Dressing sits alongside.) This version, from Sam Sifton, is the Norman Rockwell ideal: bread, celery, apples, onions, chestnuts, thyme and sage.
This recipe, which Christine Muhlke adapted from the cookbook author Deborah Madison, pairs sweet potatoes with a versatile miso-ginger dressing. Take it from the comments section: “This sauce will taste great on ANYTHING!” Double it and use it on all kinds of things — soba noodles and rice, tofu and salads.
View our collections of Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes and Vegetarian Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes.
Some — ahem, Sam Sifton — say salad has no place on the Thanksgiving table. For those who disagree, there’s this recipe from Julia Moskin, with its super-easy dressing of lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and salt. Sliced almonds add a nice crunch at the end.
Cornbread fans, rejoice: For you, there’s this recipe from Melissa Clark, which is deeply flavored with brown butter and gets its crunchy, buttery crust from being cooked in a cast-iron skillet. (No cast-iron skillet? Use any ovenproof skillet, or a 9-by-13-inch pan.)
View our collections of Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes and Vegetarian Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes.