Vegetable Side Dish Recipes & Ideas

It's not Thanksgiving without them.

I kept going back for more.

I’ll be honest: I don’t often get creative with my salads. If you come over for a weeknight dinner, I’ll likely be serving a big bowl of greens tossed with a basic vinaigrette. You could either call me a purist or boring; I like to think it’s the former. When I want to glam it up without really trying, I make this spinach salad. This is the kind of salad you make once and never have to look at the recipe again after that.

No holiday table is complete without sweet potatoes. Some people like theirs mashed and marshmallow-ed, while others serve theirs for dessert, but me? I prefer mine souffléd. In this sweet potato soufflé, sweet potatoes are puréed until silky-smooth, topped with a candied pecan crumble, then baked until light and puffed. They’re elegant yet rich and always hit the spot — and it’s high time they made an appearance on your spread.

It’ll steal the spotlight.

One scoop is never enough.

And it’s perfect on the leftovers sandwich, too!

It's the only side dish you need this fall.

They’re gonna be, gonna be golden.

Everyone will demand seconds.

We tried every method out there to come up with the very best.

The salad that will steal the show.

If your vegetable drawer is still stuffed with squash after you’ve already grilled it, made gratin, or packed it into a quick bread, it’s time to take a cue from Southern potlucks and holiday spreads, and make a cheesy yellow squash casserole. Squash casserole is a classic meat-and-three side dish in which mild yellow squash is baked in a creamy cheddar cheese sauce, and topped with a buttery cracker topping.

We all know that the best part of Thanksgiving dinner are the side dishes. And I have really great news when it comes to sticking with vegetarian Thanksgiving sides: Nearly all of the most crowd-pleasing side dishes are naturally meat-free. From the mashed potatoes and stuffing to the cranberry sauce and everything in between, we’ve got 40 can’t-miss vegetarian sides for your Thanksgiving dinner.

Spoiler: it’s because of brown butter, garlic, and Parm.

Only better!

Don’t forget the crispy herbed topping.

Who doesn’t love mini marshmallows?

You'll never guess the secret ingredient.

While summer may be “corn season”, I welcome a serving of creamed corn on my plate any time of the year. Whether I’m holding a paper plate at an outdoor cookout or my grandmother’s fine china during the holidays, there’s nothing better than sweet corn simmered with rich butter and cream. If you’ve only been served creamed corn from a can, it’s time to see how simple and comforting homemade creamed corn can be. Here’s how to do it.

Sweet heat, crispy-creamy sweet potatoes simply can’t be beat.

These creamy, caramelized coins are almost too good to be true.

Everything I know about cornbread dressing — and Thanksgiving — I learned from my mother, which she in turn learned from her mother. It is a long line of resourceful Southern cooks, and I trust them with this important meal completely. The secret? It’s all about the butter! My very wise nanna once said, “Whatever the amount of butter called for in a dressing recipe, double it, triple it, heck, even quadruple it!

It results in perfect squash every time.

I married into a family that believes pretty much everything is made better with cheese. I can’t say I blame them, because these potatoes are so decadent and showstopping that I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to go back to the original. What’s more is that these mashed potatoes are the ideal make-ahead side dish.

With one delicious twist.

It’s all about the salty, crispy Parm.

It’s no secret that one of the best ways to enjoy Brussels sprouts is when they’re deeply crispy and caramelized. While there are several paths that can get you there — including high-heat roasting and air frying — there’s nothing quite like the taste and texture of Brussels sprouts that have been deep-fried.

The sweet and tangy miso glaze is a Brussels sprout's best friend.

Ah, pumpkin pie. It’s a recipe filled with nostalgia, a creamy combination of sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and custardy filling, baked in a homemade pie crust and topped with a dollop of whipped cream. Thanksgiving isn’t the same without it.

They're not just for meatless Mondays.

Ready in a jiffy.

This easy vegan number won't wilt like more fragile salads.

Mashed potatoes are a requirement on most Thanksgiving tables, and we set a high bar. They must be lush and creamy with enough flavor to stand on their own, but not so assertive that they clash with the turkey gravy. I don’t like to brag, but I think this is the ultimate potato side dish you’re looking for. It’s the perfect make-ahead side dish.

The crispy bacon and creamy potatoes are simply made for each other.

Calling all pumpkin spice lovers!

It's classic and potato perfection.

Crispy outside + ultra-creamy inside = your new signature sweet potato.

Bacon and maple syrup make everything better.

A one-ingredient wonder.

Cabbage is the unsung kitchen hero. Some people wait until St. Patrick’s Day rolls around to make it, but cabbage is delicious any time of the year! And it’s one of the most versatile vegetables in your arsenal. Let’s start with a quick refresher: When it comes to buying a head of cabbage, you’ve got some choices.

Pommes aligot is more than just a cheesy twist on mashed potatoes. This incredibly magical blend of creamy potatoes and cheese was born in the French region of Midi-Pyrénées, and it is a celebration of regional cheese, served on special occasions alongside sausage or roasted meat.

It’s so tangy.

You'll never make broccoli another way.

Add these easy meatless dinners to your meal plan ASAP.

The sweet potato is arguably the most versatile veggie in the produce department. It can easily be the star of any meal, from pancakes for breakfast to the main event of dinner and can even do dessert. While baking sweet potatoes in the oven can take up to an hour, microwaving a sweet potato takes a mere five minutes. Here’s the very best way to do it, so that you can dig into your tender, steaming sweet potato ASAP. It’s lightning fast.

I’m on the record as saying Thanksgiving leftovers are perfectly good reheated. I don’t need too many ways to eat leftover Thanksgiving stuffing, for instance; straight out of the dish is generally quite good enough (although pan-frying as a reheating method is pretty sublime).But mashed potatoes often aren’t as good reheated as they were fresh, so here’s what I made: crispy, creamy, cheesy mashed potato puffs.

You definitely have time to make a one-minute tomato sandwich.

I used to be obsessed with discovering new ways to cook potatoes. Now I’m just obsessed with creating new varieties of smashed potatoes. Ever since I first came upon the brilliant technique, in which small boiled potatoes are smashed, slathered with oil, and baked until crispy, I can’t stop experimenting. My kitchen has turned into a smashed potato factory, and each piping-hot batch is better than the last. It’s all about the garlic butter.

They’re legendary.

At the intersection of easy and fancy.

You don't even have to peel it!

Crackly edges and creamy centers every single time.

Cooking eggplant is quite easy and works in a million different ways: grilled eggplant, roasted eggplant cubes, stir-fried eggplant, and stuffed eggplant, to name a few. (You just want to know what mistakes to avoid when cooking it!)But whenever fall rolls around I find myself consumed by an abiding drive to cook everything in the oven. And baked eggplant is one of the best and easiest things to do! Here’s how to make it. This method is incredibly easy.

Are you convinced that the only way to enjoy a perfectly smooth and creamy smoothie is a trip to the smoothie shop? While a good blender helps, I’ve found an ingredient that can turn any thin and icy smoothie into a super-rich and satisfying one — and no, it’s not a frozen banana. Frozen bananas or thick Greek yogurt are often added to smoothies to make them creamier, but I prefer avocados! Bananas have a distinct flavor that not even the tartest berry can hide.

Sometimes the only thing that can solve a long, hectic weekday is a splash of cream. In those cases, turn to this comforting creamy tomato pasta. Al dente short noodles, such as penne pasta, are tossed in a quick tomato cream sauce and finished with lots of chopped fresh basil and grated Parmesan for the kind of meal the whole family can agree on. It will put a smile of everyone’s face, no matter the kind of day they had! Here’s how to make it.

You might want to make a double batch.