Move over, turkey; Southern Thanksgiving side dishes are the real stars of the holiday table, at least in my house! From creamy casseroles and old-fashioned cornbread dressing to buttery mashed potatoes and sweet potato favorites, these easy recipes bring plenty of Southern comfort to Thanksgiving dinner.
I’ve gathered 27 of my favorite side dish recipes, including family traditions, make-ahead favorites, and a few dishes that are just a little different. Every recipe comes from my own kitchen, so you’ll find plenty of tried-and-true options for feeding family and friends.
Whether you’re hosting the whole family or bringing a dish to a Thanksgiving potluck, there’s something here to help make your holiday meal delicious and a little less stressful.
Need Help Planning Your Entire Thanksgiving Dinner?
A Southern Thanksgiving Made Easy
I’ve created a free Thanksgiving Menu Guide with my favorite Southern recipes, printable shopping lists, a make-ahead cooking plan, and a Thanksgiving Day timeline. Everything you need for a delicious holiday without losing your mind (or your oven space)!
Whether you’re a first-time host or a Thanksgiving veteran, this guide will help you stay organized and enjoy the day.
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5 Southern Thanksgiving Side Dishes Worth Trying
Not sure where to start? These five Southern Thanksgiving favorites are a delicious place to begin, from old-fashioned classics to creamy, comforting casseroles.
- Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes – Buttery, caramelized, and kissed with pecans - a decadent, old-fashioned favorite.
- Southern Cornbread Dressing – Moist, savory, and steeped in tradition, the South's answer to stuffing.
- Broccoli Cheese Casserole with Ritz Crackers - Rich, creamy, and topped with buttery crackers, this broccoli bake is comfort food at its best.
- Southern Baked Mac and Cheese – Golden, cheesy comfort baked to perfection, a non-negotiable at every Southern table.
- Southern Cornbread Pudding – Creamy, custardy, and pure Southern comfort, this crowd-pleaser disappears fast!
Jump to:
- Need Help Planning Your Entire Thanksgiving Dinner?
- A Southern Thanksgiving Made Easy
- 5 Southern Thanksgiving Side Dishes Worth Trying
- Southern Thanksgiving Casseroles and Dressing
- Thanksgiving Potato and Sweet Potato Sides
- Southern Thanksgiving Vegetable Sides
- Cranberry Sauce, Relish Trays, and Gravy
- Thanksgiving Sides FAQs
- Need a Little Help Planning Your Thanksgiving Sides
- For More Southern Holiday Inspiration
- Join the conversation
Southern Thanksgiving Casseroles and Dressing
The backbone of every Southern holiday table – creamy, crunchy, and downright irresistible.
Baked Pineapple Cheese Casserole
Sweet, tangy pineapple mingles with cheddar – an unexpected hit that pairs beautifully with ham or turkey.
Broccoli Cheese Casserole with Ritz Crackers
I always serve this easy, make-ahead Broccoli Cheese Casserole as one of my Thanksgiving side dishes. It features crisp, fresh broccoli florets smothered in a smooth and creamy cheese sauce, topped with buttery crushed Ritz crackers.
Southern Green Bean Casserole without Mushroom Soup
Elevate your holiday spread with a fresh take on the beloved Southern Green Bean Casserole! Ditch the classic recipe, which uses canned cream of mushroom soup, and savor the taste of homemade goodness with this easy-to-make side dish. It’s ideal for Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner, special occasions, potlucks, or a cozy family dinner.
Easy Southern Cornbread Pudding
Southern Cornbread Pudding is a beloved traditional Thanksgiving side dish in the South! You would be hard-pressed to find a Thanksgiving dinner table without some version of this decadent and creamy corn pudding front and center.
Old-Fashioned Southern Cornbread Dressing
There are many things to love about my classic, make-ahead Traditional Southern Cornbread Dressing, and I can’t imagine Thanksgiving without it.
Southern Sweet Onion Casserole
Easy Southern Sweet Onion Casserole features caramelized Vidalia onions paired with sour cream and two types of cheese. Topped with buttery Ritz cracker crumbs, this decadent, creamy onion casserole melts in your mouth and is a must-have savory Thanksgiving side dish.
Easy Cornbread Dressing with Sausage
One bite of my flavorful, make-ahead dressing, and you will be in Thanksgiving side dish food heaven. This easy recipe epitomizes everything good about the holidays; the aroma wafting through your house while it bakes in the oven is intoxicating.
Southern Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe
Southern Mac and Cheese is synonymous with entertaining in the South and is the ultimate comfort food. You would be hard-pressed to find any holiday or celebration involving food without a homemade, baked, mac n cheese casserole full of creamy melted cheese front and center on the table.
Thanksgiving Potato and Sweet Potato Sides
From creamy mashed potatoes to sweet potato classics, these hearty Thanksgiving potato recipes are comfort food at its finest.
Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes
Because you can make them ahead, this mashed potato recipe makes the perfect make-ahead Thanksgiving side dish, or whenever you want a truly delicious and indulgent side dish, you can just reheat and serve.
Southern Potato Salad
A classic Southern Potato Salad, just like Grandma used to make, this easy, old-fashioned side dish is a creamy, tangy, delicious side dish and the perfect make-ahead Thanksgiving side dish.
Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes
Old-fashioned Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes with crunchy pecans is a dazzling Thanksgiving side dish with rich flavors and textures.
Southern Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole
This classic Southern Thanksgiving side dish, Southern Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole, is made with baked sweet potatoes and topped with pecans and brown sugar. Its delightful combination of flavors is sure to draw rave reviews from everyone.
Terry’s Traditional Sweet Potato Casserole
Terry's Traditional Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping is a family tradition, and the stuff legends are made of. It's indescribably delicious and decadent beyond measure. It will have your family or guests clamoring for more. And it's the perfect make-ahead side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter.
Old-Fashioned Creamed Potatoes
This quick and easy recipe for Old Fashioned Creamed Potatoes features cubed potatoes cooked to perfection, blanketed in a silky bechamel sauce made with heavy cream. It makes an impressive side dish that is perfect for serving at holiday meals.
Easy Scalloped Potatoes
Southern Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes are melt-in-your-mouth tender potatoes baked in an ultra-decadent and cheesy bechamel sauce. These easy-to-make creamy scalloped potatoes make an incredible side dish for holidays and special occasions; even your pickiest eaters will love them.
Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes
These rich, creamy, buttery, make-ahead mashed potatoes are so easy that they practically make themselves. Simply peel, chop, and toss everything into your slow cooker, and enjoy fluffy, garlicky goodness with just the right amount of tang from cream cheese. Plus, it frees up valuable oven space.
Twice Baked Potato Casserole (Make-Ahead Favorite)
This Twice Baked Potato Casserole is a creamy, cheesy, bacon-loaded mashed potato side dish that combines the flavors of a loaded twice-baked potato and twice-baked mashed potatoes into an easy, make-ahead casserole. It’s the ultimate comfort food, serves six, and is perfect for holidays, family dinners, or your next BBQ.
Best of all, you can make this Southern classic ahead of time, so there’s no last-minute scrambling when the rest of your meal is coming together.
Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter
Savory mashed sweet potatoes with brown butter are a creamy, lightly seasoned side dish in which the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes is balanced by butter, cream, and warm spices. Browning the butter adds a rich, nutty depth that transforms this simple mash into something elegant and crave-worthy.
If you’ve only ever had sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows, this version is about to change your mind.
Deviled Egg Potato Salad
This make-ahead deviled egg potato salad recipe combines two cookout classics into one creamy, crowd-pleasing Thanksgiving side dish. Buttery Yukon Gold potatoes are tossed in a rich dressing made with mashed egg yolks, mayo, mustard, and relish for that unmistakable deviled egg flavor.
Southern Thanksgiving Vegetable Sides
No Thanksgiving spread is complete without a little green; smothered, sautéed, or baked with cheese, of course.
Broccoli Cauliflower Cranberry Salad with Bacon
This easy, make-ahead Broccoli Cauliflower Cranberry Salad with Bacon is the perfect low-carb holiday side dish! Packed with healthy veggies, smoky bacon, and tangy-sweet cranberries, it's a tasty, quick-to-prepare crowd-pleaser for any occasion.
Sweet and Sour Green Beans
A popular Thanksgiving side dish in the South, Sweet and Sour Green Beans combines canned green beans with smoky, crumbled bacon, crunchy water chestnuts, sweet onions, and a tantalizing sweet and sour sauce made with granulated sugar and vinegar.
Baked Cauliflower with Gruyere Cheese
Baked Cauliflower with Gruyere Cheese is a rich, creamy, company-worthy vegetable side dish perfect for Sunday dinner or a holiday meal. This cheesy baked cauliflower casserole is a low-carb wonder, and it's ideal for treating your family or guests to something special!
American Coleslaw
One taste of my creamy Old-Fashioned American Coleslaw will remind you of holiday dinners, country picnics, potlucks, dinner on the grounds, and Sunday dinner at Grandma's house. It also makes a perfect dish to take to a Thanksgiving potluck.
Garlic Parmesan Green Beans
Cranberry Sauce, Relish Trays, and Gravy
Every great Southern Thanksgiving plate needs something sweet, tangy, or saucy to tie it all together.
Easy Cranberry Sauce with Fruit and Nuts
This is an elegant version of the Thanksgiving and Christmas classic cranberry sauce we all know and love, dressed up for the holidays. With only fifteen minutes and a handful of ingredients, you can transform a bag of cranberries into a unique, make-ahead, and easy Thanksgiving side dish.
Relish Tray Ideas: What to Include and How to Arrange It
Check out my ultimate guide for making an old-fashioned, easy Thanksgiving side dish that is beautiful, family-friendly, and flavorful!
Southern Homemade Turkey Neck Gravy (Make Ahead)
It's all about the gravy on Thanksgiving, and this easy and delicious Southern Homemade Turkey Gravy recipe is foolproof. This make-ahead gravy recipe is also a perfect base for giblet gravy, and you can substitute chicken stock for turkey stock to make chicken gravy.
Thanksgiving Sides FAQs
Classic Southern sides like cornbread dressing, macaroni and cheese, sweet potato casserole, and candied yams always top the list - hearty, comforting, and full of flavor.
Some of my favorite make-ahead options include Broccoli Cheese Casserole, Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes, Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry Sauce, Southern Potato Salad, Deviled Egg Potato Salad, and both of my Cornbread Dressings. Some can be assembled ahead and baked or reheated before dinner, while cold sides can be made in advance and kept refrigerated until serving. Always follow the make-ahead and storage instructions in each recipe.
For a Thanksgiving dinner with 6-8 people, I recommend serving 4-5 side dishes, plus rolls and cranberry sauce. For a larger gathering of 10-12, plan on 5-6 sides. I like to include a potato dish, cornbread dressing, a green vegetable, and one or two family favorites. The trick is to offer variety without making so much food that you’re eating leftovers until Christmas! 😂
I use my two slow cookers and two chafing dishes to keep hot side dishes warm and free up valuable oven space. Electric warming trays are another option. For food safety, keep hot foods at 140°F or above and check with a food thermometer. I also make a few cold sides ahead of time so everything doesn’t need to be heated at once.
Need a Little Help Planning Your Thanksgiving Sides
Need help planning your Thanksgiving sides? Click the green button below, and when that box opens, click the white arrow in the blue circle below to get started. You don’t need to type anything yet! Just answer a few simple questions, and ChatGPT will help you plan your menu.
For More Southern Holiday Inspiration
Still in the holiday spirit? Keep the celebrations rolling with these reader-favorite Southern Christmas recipes and make-ahead holiday ideas
Planning Ahead? Don't miss my favorite Christmas sides and holiday dinner ideas below.
And, if you are searching for the perfect hostess gift or gift for the foodies in your life, please take a look at my collection of Homemade Edible Christmas Gifts.
Join the conversation
⭐ If you make any of these Southern Thanksgiving side dishes, please leave a comment and a star rating on the recipe post!
I love hearing which ones make it to your holiday table, and if your family has a favorite twist, share it below so we can all try it!
G&P Wisdom
"In the South, side dishes aren't just an afterthought - they're the stories, the memories, and the reason everyone comes back for seconds."
Thank you for visiting Grits and Pinecones!
Wishing you a warm, laughter-filled Thanksgiving surrounded by good food and good company.
Linger
Oh My Goodness!! This is a fantastic repertoire of recipes. Where do you start? They all look so good! Thanks for posting just in time for Thanksgiving.