Holiday Side Dish Recipes

By The editors of MidwestLiving.com
Updated October 08, 2020

Memorable side dish recipes for Thanksgiving and other special occasions include scalloped corn, sweet potatoes, glazed carrots, dressing, soups and salads.

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Can-Don't Green Bean Casserole

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Is our all-natural, totally homemade version of the iconic Thanksgiving side more work than the one made with canned stuff? Well, yes. But wow, is it good.

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Candied Yams

Credit: Adam Albright
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A use-what-you-have cook, Gerard Klass's mom always put SunnyD in her yams. So, the chef and co-owner of Soul Bowl in Minneapolis does, too--along with plenty of butter, brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon

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Hidden Roots Mashed Potatoes

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This rich mash is more than just a vehicle for gravy. It's a subtly sweet blend of parsnip, celery root and two kinds of potato, plus plenty of butter, sour cream and nutmeg.

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No-Bake Harvest Stuffing

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We added walnuts, cranberries and seedy bread to classic sage-and-onion turkey dressing-and we did it in a slow cooker. The lidded appliance keeps the stuffing perfectly moist and, of course, frees up the oven for another pie.

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Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Orange and Mascarpone

Credit: Blaine Moats
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A pat of butter and a sprinkle of black pepper is all it takes to crown this rich and creamy sweet mash.

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Old-Fashioned Scalloped Corn

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Fresh or frozen whole-kernel corn blends with canned cream-style corn for a delicious take on this favorite side dish. Toasted and buttered crushed crackers add more texture to the top of the casserole.

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J Cole Cauliflower Mash

Credit: Adam Albright
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These mashed potatoes are a staple on the menu of Soul Bowl in Minneapolis. Chef and co-owner Gerard Klass roasts cauliflower to bring nutrition and nutty sweetness, but powdered ranch seasoning adds the real X factor.

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Mushroom Gravy with Sherry and Thyme

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This ridiculously flavorful vegetarian gravy will satisfy even the heartiest meat-eaters. Along with sherry and tomato paste, dried porcini mushrooms (available in the produce sections of large supermarkets) replicate the savory flavor of drippings. 

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Tuscan Kale with Brown Butter, Pecans and Golden Raisins

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The recipe makes more than enough of chef Anne Kearney's Spiced Pecans for this dish. Not to worry. They're fantastic for snacking or sprinkling on salad. Tuscan kale, sometimes called dinosaur or lacinato kale, has darker, smoother leaves than curly kale. It also has a more tender texture.

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Cauliflower Gratin

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Tossing cauliflower with bread crumbs, Dijon, cheddar, herbs and almonds makes this humble veg holiday-special.

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Maple-Butternut Puree

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Roasting brings out squash's natural sugars. Blending with maple syrup, butter and nutmeg makes it utterly addictive. Bonus: This dish reheats beautifully.

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Common Cornbread Dressing

Credit: Adam Albright
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Gerard Klass's dressing, made with his jalapeno-flecked Cornbread, is flavored with fresh sage, rosemary and thyme. This chef and co-owner of Soul Bowl in Minneapolis says he's still chasing his mom's holiday dressing. But by our measure, he's there.

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Lazy-Braised, Maple-Glazed Carrots

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Compared to traditional super sugary glazed carrots, our recipe bridges sweet and savory. Come Thanksgiving, this dish is well worth a spot on the holiday table. 

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Sweet Potatoes with Goat Cheese "Mallows"

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Laced with garlic and rosemary and topped with pecans and goat cheese, this easy casserole gives a savory wink to the traditional sweet-on-sweet Turkey Day staple.

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Mashed Sweet Potato with Melted Leeks

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Luxuriously silky leeks-slow-cooked in butter and seasoned with lemon juice and thyme-ripple through sweet potatoes. Feel free to substitute ordinary potatoes if you prefer.

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Mustard-Dressed Roasted Vegetables with Cranberries

Credit: Blaine Moats
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This pretty dish is perfect on a holiday table or alongside any roasted meats.

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Boozy Jellied Cranberries

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Flavored with port wine, orange juice, cloves and cinnamon, our real-fruit mold packs holiday spice and a jiggly punch of throwback glamour. (And don't worry; the alcohol cooks off, so it's actually family-friendly.)

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Spicy Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

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For a gloriously orange update to scalloped potatoes, we layered sweet potatoes, sharp cheddar and chipotle peppers. But the luscious creamy goodness? Still the same.

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Sweet Potato Biscuits

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Orange zest, nutmeg and smoked paprika add layers of flavor to these tender biscuits.

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Bourbon-Ginger Glazed Carrots

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The carrots from chef Edward Lee’'s cookbook Smoke and Pickles are sweet, buttery-and, yes, boozy.

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Lemony Green Beans

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Garlic, shallots and lemon brighten crisp-tender beans. Save time by parboiling the green beans a day early.

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Cranberry-Apple Sweet Potatoes

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Mix pantry ingredients-canned apple pie filling, canned sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, apricot preserves, orange marmalade and chopped pecans-for a quick-and-easy side dish with a crunchy nut topping.

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Cranberry Chutney

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Cranberries and apple simmer with red onion, ginger and mustard seeds for a spiced variation on traditional sauce. Try it on a sandwich with leftover turkey.

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Cinnamon Carrots with Maple Thyme Butter

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These sweet oven-roasted carrots are a perfect complement to a holiday menu, but they're easy enough to be a weeknight side. This comfort food recipe comes from Big Cedar Lodge in Ridgedale, Missouri.

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Sweet Potatoes with Toasted Pecans

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Toasted pecans and melty marshmallows top whipped sweet potatoes in this classic holiday side dish.

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Southwest Corn Pudding

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Buttery onions, cheddar and green chilies lace our stuffinglike pudding. Inspired by traditional skillet corn bread, this recipe works as a side or as a meatless main served with a salad or garlicky sauteed kale.

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Bacon-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

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Frying bacon in the skillet, then tossing sprouts and red onion in the drippings before roasting means you'll only dirty one pan making this elegant side dish.

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Pappa’s Pear Stuffing

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You can serve this hearty, fruit-studded dressing with roasted or grilled pork, poultry or ham. The recipe comes from the historical Story Inn in Nashville, Indiana.

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Fresh Cranberry-Apple Relish

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This fresh alternative to canned cranberry sauce is flecked with festive green pistachios and flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg. Serve it with turkey (of course!), or pan-fried pork chops.

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Spiced Apple-Cranberry Chutney

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Fresh and dried fruits simmer in an aromatic mix of brown sugar, onion, cinnamon and star anise. This chunky chutney pairs well with roast pork and poultry, but we also recommend serving it as part of a cheese tray.

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Browned Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Feta

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Give Brussels sprouts a fresh taste with this colorful side dish. The trick to preserving the vegetables' mild flavor is to avoid overcooking.

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Calico Corn Bread Dressing

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Homey corn bread meets woodsy sage, thyme and shitake mushrooms. Carrots and apricots add color and sweetness.

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Spiced Cranberry Sauce

Credit: Adam Albright
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This shortcut recipe from Minneapolis chef Gerard Klass starts with a can of jellied cranberry sauce. It's a great holiday condiment alone, or use it as a glaze on the chef's Juicy J Salmon recipe.

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Popovers

Credit: Brie Passano
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Pastry chef Emily Marks learned all the tricks to making popovers during her five years at The Bachelor Farmer in Minneapolis, which closed during the pandemic in 2020. Serve them with the restaurant's signature honey butter or swap chopped fresh herbs, black pepper, or shredded cheese for the honey.

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Garlic Mashed Potatoes

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Quivey's Grove in Madison, Wisconsin, whips up this version of mashed potatoes that matches plenty of dairy richness with garlic, Parmesan, black pepper and green onion.

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Orange-Glazed Baby Carrots

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Need a side dish in a hurry? Just melt together butter and orange marmalade, and toss with tender steamed carrots to create this super-easy side.