21 Thanksgiving Sides That Get More Compliments Than the Turkey

Every Thanksgiving table has a turkey, but let’s be honest—it’s the sides that steal the show. These 21 recipes bring the kind of flavor and comfort that keep everyone talking long after the plates are cleared. From creamy classics to fresh twists, each dish earns its spot as the real star of the meal. This year, make the turkey nervous with sides that guarantee all the compliments land your way.

Golden fondant potatoes coated in garlic butter and arranged neatly in a skillet. — Garlic Butter Fondant Potatoes. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Garlicky Green Beans with Fried Onions

A delightful side dish of green beans topped with crispy fried onions, perfect for pleasing both adults and kids alike. — Garlicky Green Beans with Fried Onions. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Garlicky Green Beans with Fried Onions bring crunch and brightness to a table full of rich dishes. The fresh beans get a quick sauté before being topped with crispy fried onions for texture that pops. Ready in 25 minutes, they taste fresher and sharper than any casserole. Once these show up, no one’s asking for the canned version.
Get the Recipe: Garlicky Green Beans with Fried Onions

Cranberry Apple Stuffing

A glass baking dish filled with a baked stuffing sits on a wooden cutting board. A serving spoon is in the stuffing, and a red cloth is draped to the left, perfect for cozy fall recipes. — Cranberry Apple Stuffing. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Cranberry Apple Stuffing strikes the perfect balance of savory and sweet in one comforting dish. Apples and cranberries mix with bread and herbs, creating that nostalgic holiday aroma in about an hour. The soft middle and golden crust make every bite feel complete. It’s the kind of stuffing that makes the turkey look like a sidekick.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Apple Stuffing

Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts win over even the skeptics with their crisp edges and tangy sweetness. Roasted for 30 minutes, they caramelize beautifully while the balsamic glaze turns glossy and rich. They’re easy to pull together but look straight off a restaurant plate. These sprouts are proof that sides can steal the spotlight.
Get the Recipe: Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad keeps things bright and fresh amid all the casseroles. Crisp apples, cranberries, and nuts add crunch and contrast while the sprouts hold their shape long after dressing. It’s a 25-minute side that travels well and keeps its flavor. Even the anti-salad crowd ends up asking for seconds.
Get the Recipe: Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

A bowl of mashed potatoes with gravy and sprigs of thyme and sage. — Creamy Mashed Potatoes. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes are the backbone of every Thanksgiving spread. Yukon Golds blend smoothly with cream and butter for that silky, rich texture everyone’s expecting. They stay fluffy even when made ahead, so you’re never stressing at the last minute. It’s the one side that always disappears first for a reason.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Honey Garlic Carrots

Honey Garlic Carrots prove that simple ingredients can turn into something worth talking about. Roasted for 30 minutes, the carrots turn tender while the honey caramelizes and the garlic brings depth. The glaze shines under the lights of the Thanksgiving table. This quick side pulls more compliments than most main dishes.
Get the Recipe: Honey Garlic Carrots

Brown Sugar Baked Sweet Potato Slices

Baked sweet potato slices on a cutting board with a spoon. — Brown Sugar Baked Sweet Potato Slices. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Brown Sugar Baked Sweet Potato Slices taste like dessert dressed up as dinner. Each slice gets a coat of brown sugar and cinnamon before roasting into crisp-edged perfection. Ready in 35 minutes, they smell like Thanksgiving before they even hit the plate. Somehow, these sweet potatoes always outshine the pie.
Get the Recipe: Brown Sugar Baked Sweet Potato Slices

Hearty Penna Dutch Potato Salad

A bowl of creamy potato salad with specks of pepper, garnished with cherry tomatoes and lettuce on a decorative white plate. — Hearty Penna Dutch Potato Salad. Photo credit: Not Entirely Average.

Hearty Penna Dutch Potato Salad adds tang and nostalgia to the mix of holiday sides. Made with mustard, eggs, and vinegar, it’s creamy with just the right bite of sharpness. It’s best made ahead so the flavors have time to come together. This is the kind of old-fashioned side that makes everyone stop for another scoop.
Get the Recipe: Hearty Penna Dutch Potato Salad

Roasted Cabbage Steaks

Roasted cabbage steak topped with tomatoes, bacon, goat cheese, and more. — Roasted Cabbage Steaks. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Roasted Cabbage Steaks turn humble cabbage into something bold and rich. Thick slices roast in bacon fat until crisp on the edges, then get topped with a creamy garlic dressing. It’s smoky, hearty, and surprisingly simple to make. The kind of side that gets more comments than the bird itself.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Cabbage Steaks

Basic Polenta

Basic Polenta brings easy comfort to the table in under an hour. It’s creamy, hearty, and just waiting for gravy or roasted vegetables on top. This corn-based side feels old-fashioned in the best way—simple, steady, and always welcome. When you need something grounding between bites of everything else, this is it.
Get the Recipe: Basic Polenta

Brioche Rolls

Brioche Rolls are soft, golden, and unapologetically rich. The dough takes time to rise, but the result is worth every minute. With buttery flavor and a hint of sweetness, they round out the meal perfectly. They’re the rolls everyone reaches for before the turkey’s even carved.
Get the Recipe: Brioche Rolls

Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots

Red, yellow, and orange honey glazed carrots on a slate board. — Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots bring a glossy, sweet note to the plate in just 25 minutes. The honey deepens in flavor as it roasts, and the thyme adds a touch of freshness. The carrots come out tender with crisp edges that keep them interesting. They’re simple but they always get noticed first.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots

Sweet Potato Fritters with Sweet & Spicy Sauce

A serving basket of sweet potato fritters next to a bowl of dipping sauce and a single serving on a plate. — Sweet Potato Fritters with Sweet & Spicy Sauce. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Sweet Potato Fritters are a fun way to sneak a little crunch into the spread. Pan-fried until golden, they balance sweet potatoes with a sauce that hits both sweet and heat. They’re quick to make and easy to eat while chatting around the table. A side this playful earns compliments before the turkey does.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Fritters with Sweet & Spicy Sauce

Oven Roasted Root Vegetables

A dish of beets, sweet potatoes, and parsnips roasted in the oven with sprigs of sage. — Oven Roasted Root Vegetables. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Oven Roasted Root Vegetables bring color and depth to the table in 45 minutes. Carrots, parsnips, and potatoes caramelize until crisp-edged and soft inside. They’re earthy, cozy, and impossible to mess up. The kind of side that feels as classic as the holiday itself.
Get the Recipe: Oven Roasted Root Vegetables

Brown Butter Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Brown Butter Garlic Mashed Potatoes are what happen when a simple side decides to show off. The nutty brown butter and mellow garlic take regular potatoes to another level. They’re rich, velvety, and ready in 45 minutes. Once people taste these, the gravy becomes optional.
Get the Recipe: Brown Butter Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Easy Scalloped Potatoes

Small baking dish with scalloped potatoes. — Easy Scalloped Potatoes. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

Easy Scalloped Potatoes bring that nostalgic baked comfort everyone hopes for. Layers of soft potatoes melt together with cream and cheese in just about an hour. The top turns golden and crisp while the inside stays velvety. It’s one of those dishes that disappears before you can even sit down.
Get the Recipe: Easy Scalloped Potatoes

Cranberry Fluff

Cranberry Fluff adds a pop of color and sweetness that balances all the savory plates around it. It’s quick to mix, sets up in the fridge, and doubles as dessert if you run out of pie. Tart cranberries and creamy filling keep it light and nostalgic. It’s the side that quietly steals attention from the main course.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Fluff

Fruit Salad with Pecans and Honey Dressing

A closeup is shown of Thanksgiving Fruit Salad with apples, grapes, pears, oranges, and pecans. — Fruit Salad with Pecans and Honey Dressing. Photo credit: Two Cloves Kitchen.

Fruit Salad with Pecans and Honey Dressing brings a refreshing pause between bites of heavier food. Crisp apples, juicy pears, and grapes get tossed with honey and crunchy pecans. It’s bright, simple, and ready in 20 minutes. The side that reminds everyone you thought of everything.
Get the Recipe: Fruit Salad with Pecans and Honey Dressing

Almond, Cranberry and Sweet Potato Stuffing Casserole

Baked almond, cranberry, and sweet potato stuffing with oats and rosemary in a glass dish. — Almond, Cranberry and Sweet Potato Stuffing Casserole. Photo credit: At the Immigrant’s Table.

Almond, Cranberry and Sweet Potato Stuffing Casserole adds color, texture, and a hint of sweetness to the table. It bakes up hearty with toasted nuts and tart cranberries that break through the richness of other sides. Ready in about an hour, it’s the unexpected hit of the meal. A Thanksgiving stuffing that doesn’t need the turkey to shine.
Get the Recipe: Almond, Cranberry and Sweet Potato Stuffing Casserole

Orange Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Roasted sweet potatoes coated in glossy orange glaze on a baking sheet. — Orange Glazed Sweet Potatoes. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Orange Glazed Sweet Potatoes brighten the plate with color and citrusy aroma. The glaze caramelizes as they roast, wrapping each slice in glossy sweetness. They take about 40 minutes but taste like you planned all week. The kind of side that earns compliments long after dinner’s over.
Get the Recipe: Orange Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Garlic Butter Fondant Potatoes

Garlic Butter Fondant Potatoes look fancy but come together easily in about an hour. The slow roast gives them golden tops and buttery, soft centers that melt in your mouth. They bring restaurant energy to a family table without any stress. One bite in, and suddenly everyone forgets about the bird.
Get the Recipe: Garlic Butter Fondant Potatoes

Once the plates are clear, make room for these dessert ideas.