Top 5 side dishes for Thanksgiving

I have been doing a lot of research to find the top 5 side dishes for Thanksgiving. I am sure it varies a lot, but as far as traditional Thanksgiving side dishes, there are some clear winners. I have also included numbers 6-10 just for fun in case you want to mix it up a little. Thanksgiving dinner is always fun to bring you together with family and friends to enjoy a delicious meal. Most of these top 5 side dishes for Thanksgiving are pretty easy to make and are actually great to have year-round!

Whether you enjoy cooking and baking or like to get a meal catered, or even eat out, here is what are the Top 5 side dishes for Thanksgiving. Serve these up with a delicious turkey or ham, and you will have the perfect meal. If you just aren’t a fan of the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, mix it up with chicken, fish, pork or even go meatless and have some fun sides and pies/desserts.

1. Mashed Potatoes and Gravy – this delicious combination is perfect for meals year-round, but especially on Thanksgiving, with creamy mashed gold potatoes and homemade gravy to go along with your turkey and ham.

2. Stuffing – there are so many ways to make stuffing, so be sure to customize it to your liking. We always add diced hard-boiled eggs, bacon bits, celery, and other delicious foods to our stuffing to make it that much better. How do you like it?

3. Sweet Potatoes – You can make these creamy or more chunky, add toppings like brown sugar, nuts, and marshmallows, or serve them more plain, but either way, this is a delicious addition to your Thanksgiving table.

4. Macaroni and Cheese – you can make it homemade, bake it, buy it, or skip it – but macaroni and cheese is always great with turkey and ham, and I think it is perfect to add to your Thanksgiving table.

5. Dinner Rolls – we have had rolls that were homemade, store bought, and made from frozen dough, but they all tasted delicious and I wouldn’t be able to have a Thanksgiving meal without rolls. These are a must!

Other favorite Thanksgiving side dishes:

6. Green Bean Casserole – I love to make my green bean casserole with frozen or fresh green beans and crumbled bacon bits. I start by pan-frying them so they are tender and crisp at the same time. Then I put them into a casserole dish, mix with bacon, and top with some fried onions.

7. Cranberry Sauce – This is always made from scratch with fresh cranberries. Easy to make on the stovetop and tastes great!

8. Vegetable tray – This is always a hit and easy to put together. Ideas for the tray are mini sweet peppers cut and seeded, mini cucumbers cut in fourths, midge pickles, olives, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and celery. Don’t forget a tasty ranch dip to go along with it.

9. Roasted vegetables – These are fun to make with squashes, sweet potatoes, and red potatoes. Dice them up, coat in olive oil and seasonings, and then bake. Super easy and delicious.

10. Bacon-Wrapped Smokies – These are probably one of my kids’ favorites. And while they are time-consuming to make, they are easy and taste SO GOOD. Just get raw bacon, and a bag of lil’ smokies and toothpicks. Cut the bacon into thirds, wrap one piece around a smokie, toothpick, and repeat. I love to coat mine with brown sugar before baking.

Now that you have seen the top favorites for Thanksgiving side dishes, what do you think? Did your favorites make the list? What else would you add? I admit that the desserts are my favorite part. We always have pumpkin pie for breakfast; it’s been a tradition for years.

If you are in charge of planning Thanksgiving this year, we have shared a 14-day planning series. Be sure to check that out here:

14 Days to an Easy Thanksgiving – Day 1: Plan your Guest List and Menu

14 Days to an Easy Thanksgiving – Day 2: Plan your Date and Food Assignments

14 Days to an Easy Thanksgiving – Day 3: Arrange and Organize

14 Days to an Easy Thanksgiving – Day 4: Shopping Day (Get your Turkey or Ham)

14 Days to an Easy Thanksgiving – Day 5: Plates, Silverware, and Glasses

14 Days to an Easy Thanksgiving – Day 6: Tablecloths and Serving Dishes

14 Days to an Easy Thanksgiving – Day 7: Place Cards and Decorations

14 Days to an Easy Thanksgiving – Day 8: Pie/Pastry Crust and Thawing your Turkey

14 Days to an Easy Thanksgiving – Day 9: Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce, and Green Beans

14 Days to an Easy Thanksgiving – Day 10: Shopping Day + Traditional Thanksgiving Menu

14 Days to an Easy Thanksgiving – Day 11: Gravy, Onions, & Vegetables