8 Easy and Delicious Thanksgiving Dishes to Serve or Bring

Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving this year or bringing a side dish to someone else’s home, you gotta cook! In either case, it’s best to make something that’s not only delicious, but also easy to make and re-heat. 

These eight fast and tasty side dishes for Thanksgiving may seem luxurious to those who eat it, but the minimal effort you put into making it will be our little secret. (You can thank us later)

Make Thanksgiving a little bit easier and a lot more flavorsome with our top eight picks for quick, easy, and unique side dishes below.

Cornbread Stuffing

Stuffing is a given, but this sweet twist on a Thanksgiving classic will make heads turn and mouths water.

Everyone loves cornbread and everybody certainly loves stuffing, so mixing the two together is a no-brainer.

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

If you have vegans coming, this cheesy, hearty take on classic mac & cheese will blow their minds.

First, heat ¼ cup of coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, 2 tsp mustard, ½ tsp turmeric, ½ tbsp tomato paste, 2 minced cloves of garlic, and a pinch of salt for about a minute. 

Next, add 3 ½ cups of almond or oat milk and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add 3 tbsp miso, 1 chopped cauliflower, and ¾ cup of chopped cashews to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiled, bring it down to a medium-low heat and let sit for about 20-30 minutes partially covered, stirring occasionally.

Once the cauliflower is tender, carefully blend the contents to a thick, creamy consistency.

Lastly, cook one box of pasta, drain it, save a mug of pasta water, and carefully pour the cheese sauce onto the pasta over a low heat until the sauce sticks to the pasta.

Voila! An unexpectedly filling, surprisingly healthy, and incredibly delicious vegan take on classic mac & cheese.

Green Bean Casserole

This classic crowd pleaser is not only easy to make, but is also quite filling.

When made from scratch, this dish can satisfy the growling bellies of many friends and family members due to the fresh green beans, creamy mushroom sauce, and crispy baked onions. 

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Instead of just tossing a stick of butter into a bowl with some salt and pepper, add a flash of flavor with this delectable twist on a Thanksgiving favorite.

Instead of adding sour cream or butter, this unique dish gets its lush texture and bold flavor from roasted garlic, olive oil, and potato cooking water.

Jalapeno Cornbread

This is admittedly a risky one to put on the table, so make sure a majority of your guests like spicy food - otherwise, you may be left with disappointed faces when they realize the standard cornbread isn’t on the menu.

On top of adding jalapenos to your favorite cornbread recipe, mix in some cheddar cheese and scallions for a super  savory bite.

Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Garlic Aioli

While the cooking time is a bit on the longer side, the preparation work is quite minimal and everyone can’t keep their hands off of it!

First, boil small potatoes to be very tender. Layer a baking sheet with parchment paper and olive oil and place the boiled potatoes on the sheet. With the bottom of a mug, “smash” the potatoes and bake at 400° for 45 minutes.

While they’re baking, mix 1 large avocado, 2 minced small garlic cloves, ½ tbsp of fresh squeezed lemon juice, and ¼ cup of mayo in a bowl to make the aioli.

Once the potatoes are done baking, place a dollop of the aioli on each smashed potato and serve!

Honey Roasted Carrots with Yogurt Sauce

This sweet and tangy take on this classical carrot dish will be your guests’ new favorite side.

When seasoning the carrots, toss them with honey, olive oil, mint, dill, parsley, and cilantro before baking for a slightly sweet tickle.

Add a tangy yogurt sauce made of greek yogurt, salt, EVOO, and fresh squeeze lemon juice on the side for dipping and sprinkle the carrots with dukkah for an aromatic, crunchy finish.

Garlic Knots

Last but not least, everyone’s absolute favorite - garlic knots! While there’s nothing especially spectacular or unique about this dish, it is a welcome surprise to a Thanksgiving spread. 

Everyone’s used to dinner rolls, corn bread, and stuffing, but adding this into the mix will be a crowd pleaser this and every year.

Got any quick and easy recipes you’d like to send our way? Let us know in the comments!

Thanks for reading, have a happy Thanksgiving!

Elizabeth, TheFamilyGifts