10 Unique Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes to Spice Up Your Table

Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away. This is the time when you want to begin thinking about your feast. While everyone knows turkey is the star of the show, your side dishes will make the meal feel truly special. You can spice up your table this year by moving away from the classic dishes and trying new recipes with a twist. Here are 10 of the best Thanksgiving side dish recipes that you should consider for your table if you are looking for something a little more unique for the holiday.

Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes

Getting tired of regular mashed potatoes? This creamy au gratin potatoes recipe will become a favorite for everyone in your family. Russet potatoes and onion form the base of the dish. The creamy sauce includes butter, flour, milk, and cheddar cheese. Feel free to experiment with the cheese of your choice. Gruyere makes a great option. Or add a bit of parmesan to the cheddar for a new flavor profile. Adding the milk slowly will help you to avoid the dreaded lumps in the sauce.

Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes

No holiday table is complete without sweet potatoes. While some people love the classic sweet potato casserole with brown sugar and marshmallows, others think this beloved Thanksgiving potato is sweet enough on its own. This mashed sweet potatoes recipe is the perfect balance of sweet and savory. The potatoes are mashed with sour cream, butter, parsley, and green onion. You can also choose to use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream. This dish will certainly brighten up your Thanksgiving table with its festive orange hue.

Apple Cranberry Walnut Stuffing

This apple cranberry walnut stuffing harnesses all of the best flavors of fall, including apples and cranberries. Other ingredients include dried sage, walnuts, celery, and shallots. There is a bit of prep work that goes into creating this goodness, however, it will all be worth it once you take your first bite. If you want to beef this recipe up a little, consider adding some cooked pork or chicken sausage to the dish prior to baking. This recipe is extremely forgiving and versatile, allowing you to experiment to suit your tastes and dietary preferences.

Stuffed Butternut Squash with Wild Rice

This stuffed butternut squash with wild rice dish makes a great addition to your feast if you need to satisfy a vegetarian or gluten-free diet with heartier fare. The roasted butternut squash is stuffed to the brim with a mixture of wild rice, onions, mushrooms, and peas. You can also choose to top it with mozzarella or cheddar cheese. This dish also makes a good stand-alone dish for any night this fall.

Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

If you are looking to cut calories and boost the nutritional profile of your turkey day side dishes, this recipe for garlic mashed cauliflower has you covered. The light texture of the mashed cauliflower pairs beautifully with the rich butter and garlic flavor. The addition of dijon mustard adds a bit of tang. Best of all, this dish comes together in less than 30 minutes. When you are busy pulling the rest of your Thanksgiving meal together, you will appreciate the convenience and nutrition of this easy side dish.

Creamed Spinach

Add some greens to your table with this decadent creamed spinach recipe. This recipe makes a good alternative to the traditional green bean casserole. The recipe includes fresh spinach, onion, garlic, and loads of butter. This creamed spinach is reminiscent of what you might eat at a premium steakhouse for a special occasion meal, making it a good choice for a Thanksgiving indulgence.

Corn Casserole

There will not be any leftovers with this delicious corn casserole recipe. In addition to the mixture of frozen corn and creamed corn, this recipe also includes onion, garlic, chives, and cheddar cheese. What really kicks it up a notch is the addition of crispy bacon. You can also prep this casserole up to two days ahead of time, making it a good choice if you know that you will be short on time on the holiday.

Sauteed Mushrooms

These sauteed mushrooms deliver an earthy and wholesome taste to your holiday dinner. The mushrooms are sauteed in olive oil with a mixture of fresh thyme and oregano. The addition of lemon juice, salt, and pepper at the end finishes off this simple yet amazing side dish. You can use a variety of mushrooms in this recipe. Good choices include baby bella or portabello. You will love this recipe so much that it will likely become a part of your regular meal rotation long after the holidays have passed.

Honey Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts

There is no shortage of ways that you can prepare your Thanksgiving brussels sprouts. From rich cheesy casseroles to the classic roasted variety, this is a versatile vegetable. However, you would be remiss to not try this unique honey balsamic glazed brussels sprouts version. After cooking the sprouts until they are perfectly golden, you add a glaze made with balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard, and garlic. Eating your green vegetables has never been so delicious.

Macaroni and Cheese Casserole

This creamy macaroni and cheese casserole is a side dish that both the kids and adults will go crazy over this Thanksgiving. The creamy goodness comes from the inclusion of copious amounts of butter, sour cream, milk, heavy whipped cream, evaporated milk, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, and mozzarella cheese. The dish is seasoned with mustard powder, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. The casserole is then topped with cracker crumbs and bacon for the ultimate indulgence. Feel free to leave out the bacon if you want a vegetarian dish.

Do not settle for an ordinary Thanksgiving this year. These 10 side dishes will help you to elevate your feast to a whole new level. Nobody will complain about eating leftovers for days when you serve a cornucopia of these dishes.

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