Hello, November 13th! Gosh, I feel as if it was only yesterday that we said goodbye to the ghouls and goblins of October, but with Thanksgiving next week (yes, it falls on the 22nd this year!!) it’s time to get serious about the menu for the most anticipated and calorie-busting meal of the year. Armed with an arsenal of easy side dish recipes, you can create a memorable Thanksgiving dinner that won’t linger on your waistline for months. Naturally, there’s the iconic centerpiece of our celebration of thankfulness: a glistening, golden brown, hopefully still moist, roasted, grilled, or fried turkey, but this post is dedicated to the supporting cast that is often upstaged and overlooked because we’re busy basting and tending to the golden bird.
Don’t get me wrong, I love turkey and think its fame should not be relegated to one day; but what gets my taste buds tingling is the aroma of celery, onion, and sage as the dressing bakes to its savory, moist, edges crispy goodness and a colorful array of tempting side dishes. And, by this, I don’t mean the ubiquitous green bean casserole consisting of canned mushroom soup, canned green beans and fried onions. Sorry if you’re someone who loves that version, then it might be time to change it up!
From Greg at Sippity Sup who thinks carrots are sadly under-represented at the Thanksgiving table: stunning and simple to prepare Perfect Glazed Carrots, or an elegant Savory Carrot and LeekTart:
Pamela of My Man’s Belly whips up this incredibly delicious Roasted Cauliflower Hummus that makes her man happy!
Wendy at La Phemme Phoodie thinks basic ingredients like olive oil, salt and pepper can bring out the flavor of almost any vegetable. Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts are no exception.
Lana from Never Enough Thyme shared her Roasted butternut squash tossed with pecans and blue cheese. Easy, quick, and full of flavor!
Patty over at Patty’s Food says this quiche is fantastic (do you doubt it?)and an easy-to-make warm appetizer for the holidays. She recommends serving small slices of Point Reyes Original Blue Cheese, Apple and Walnut Quiche with some bubbly and let the party begin!
Lana W. shares her vivid storytelling at Bibberche along with family recipes from Serbia and new traditions born in the U.S., like her Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes:
When Jean from Lemons and Anchovies serves these Pumpkin Cheddar Scones they always draw raves, plus, they’re excellent for a post-Thanksgiving brunch, if there are any left!
Alisha at The Ardent Epicure concocts some of the most vibrant salads around and, if you’re like me, a refreshing salad is necessary to balance all the richness at the Thanksgiving table.
Christmas Bean and Wilted Green Salad with Cranberry Dressing
Similar to a chutney, Liz the Chef’s recipe for Cranberry-Walnut Conserve is based on heritage recipes handed down from her mother and grandmother – give up the can, it’s so easy to make and soooo much better!
Be thankful for the simple things in life, like these Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Apples from Suzanne of You Made That? Like I always say, Simple = Sensational!
Laura of Tutti Dolci graciously shared her Pumpkin Spice Biscuits: these flaky and tender biscuits are flavored with maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice. Simple to make and always delicious, they’re a perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving meal.
Not only are these vibrant Spice Glazed Carrots from Liren at Kitchen Confidante a gorgeous dish to bring to the table, but they are a breeze to make!
No one does Brussels sprouts better than Lisa at Authentic Suburban Gourmet and, trust me, you and your guests will be going for seconds of her Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts.
And, finally, here are two simple and sensational family favorite sides from yours truly:
My Creamy Cauliflower casserole is a lower calorie version of a cauliflower gratin with a barely-there creamy Manchego cheese sauce and a touch of salty pancetta. Yes, please!
Mushroom, Apple and Sage Stuffed Onions offer a creative twist on traditional dressing along with flavors of earthy mushrooms, tart Granny Smith apples and aromatic sage to tempt your tastebuds.
Hope this helps you Stress Less this Thanksgiving and offers inspiration to add more veggies and homemade goodness to your Thanksgiving spread. Tell me, which of these scrumptious dishes caught your eye?
What a lovely roundup, Priscilla; everything looks great. I actually wish I were hosting Thanksgiving this year–all I would have had to do is print this list. Thanks for including my pumpkin-cheddar scones, too. 🙂
But hey, there’s no reason not to make your Creamy Cauliflower Gratin now–I have tons of manchego and Italian meats in the fridge right now and have been trying to figure out a good way to use them up. Your dish is the perfect answer. Will be making it this week. Thanks!
Thanks, Jean. Manchego is my favorite cheese and I’d be glad to help you with that Italian salumi! Let me know what you think of my Skinny Cauliflower Gratin 🙂
What a scrumptious round-up, I’m ready for a Thanksgiving feast! Thanks for including my biscuits :). I’m especially loving your stuffed onions – what a fun idea!
You’re welcome, Laura – thank you for contributing. I love the vibrant color that red onions add to my favorite side dish 🙂
Wonderful inspiration for our Thanksgiving meals- I see so many dishes I would love to recreate here!
Thanks for including my savory quiche;-) I will be sharing your stress-less sides for Thanksgiving with a few of my friends- thanks for putting this together 😉
Patty – Your quiche is calling my name! Thank you for contributing 🙂
Hi Priscilla,
Gosh it’s been far too long since I last stopped by. Hope you are doing well:) Where does all our time go? I can’t believe Thanksgiving is next week.
I have always been a bigger fan of the side dishes too. What a great roundup and also perfect for those that don’t celebrate the holiday.
Wow, love love ALL of your gorgeous recipes!! Heading to pin this post for sure, AND I so need to make the cauliflower hummus:-) Hugs, Terra
What an amazing roundup! I love the stuffed red onions the most!
A great roundup! Thanks so much for including my butternut squash recipe.
oh gosh it is a week away. I don’t have my house in order much less a menu. These beautiful recipes are great help in organizing my thoughts! 🙂 Happy early Thanksgiving!
What a great round up of side dishes for the holiday, those stuffed onions looks so yummy along with everything else too. Thanks for including me Priscilla 🙂
Great round-up, Priscilla! I most certainly need a few stress free dishes this year! I’m used to Thanksgiving being the last Thursday of every month. I just realized it’s not this year..OUCH. So much to do – so little time!
Love this round-up! You’ve just inspired to me to at least change up a couple of traditional Thanksgiving Day recipes!
Thanks for including my carrots! GREG
Oh my goodness!! What a fabulous round up you have!!! This is going to take me awhile to wade through and schedule into my menus. Thanks for doing the legwork!
I LOVE this post! It is perfect for anyone who wants have a “one stop shop” for thanksgiving day sides! Thank you for including me!! I am absolutely loving the cauliflower dish you made – next to brussels sprouts it is among one of my favorite veggies. I have had Patty’s tart at her house and I can confirm that it is delicious! Hope that you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day Holiday!!!
What a great round-up from talented bloggers! Even if we don’t have Thanksgiving here, this list would surely be a big help to any upcoming party.
What a lovely way to celebrate the holiday. Australians don’t celebrate Thanksgiving (obviously) but the American in me certainly does. Lots of dishes I’d like to try in that list.
What a delicious roundup! Thank you for including me at the table. Hope you and yours have a very Happy Thanksgiving, Priscilla!