Top 10 Thanksgiving side dishes

Turkey is the main course for many Thanksgiving dinners. Bloggers and chefs give advice on how long to cook the bird, how to prepare it and how it should be presented on the table. After all, ruining the turkey can disrupt the entire meal.

However, side dishes also can make or break the Thanksgiving meal. According to Better Homes and Gardens, at least eight other foods are also part of the traditional menu. These include but are not limited to mashed potatoes, green beans, sweet potatoes, salad, rolls and cranberry sauce.

Side dishes bring diversity to the meal as well as health benefits by adding nutrients from other food groups. Dietian Melissa Herrmann Dierks told The Columbian, “The bigger variety you eat, the bigger variety of vitamins and minerals you’re going to get.”

Therefore, these dishes are not only fun to bring to the Thanksgiving table but important for the health. Here are some unique twists on classic dishes to add some novelty and deliciousness into this holiday. Hopefully, a few can be added to the eaters’ list of gratitude.

[ new page = 10. Crockpot Green Bean Potatoes and Ham ]
10. Crockpot Green Bean Potatoes and Ham from Family Fresh Meals

Side dishes do not need to be light; sometimes, a filling one is desired. This recipe is simple to make in a crockpot but has plenty of nutritional value with protein, vegetables and starches combined. For those interested in a heartier side, this will be just the right dish.

[ new page = 9. Warm Beet Salad with Goat Cheese ]
9. Warm Beet Salad with Goat Cheese from Design, Dining and Diapers

Some salads are healthy but boring and chilled. This recipe breaks that stereotype. Spring mix is warmed along with beets to make this wilted salad. Goat cheese, pine nuts and a balsamic dressing top the dish. Healthiness is combined with deliciousness in this heated salad.

[ new page = 8. Creamy Corn ]
8. Creamy Corn from Coordinately Yours

Cheese can make almost any food taste better. Combining Velveeta cheese, cream cheese and butter with corn makes a deliciously creamy side dish. Cubed ham adds some protein while garlic seasons the recipe. Now, even picky eaters might try some corn.

[ new page = 7. Parmesan Garlic Asparagus ]
7. Parmesan Garlic Asparagus at Chef in Training

Vegetables are a great side dish but can be a bit bland. Although still very simple, this recipe transforms vegetables into a tasty side. Butter, garlic, salt and parmesan cheese are all that is needed. With only 20 minutes of cooking, one can surprise family or friends with these delicious asparagus.

[ new page = 6. Cream Cheese Cranberry Salad ]
6. Cream Cheese Cranberry Salad from Unsophisticook

Cranberries are popular during the Thanksgiving holiday although neglected for the rest of the year. Instead of simple sauce, one can use these berries to make a Jell-O salad. Hints of raspberry and pineapple add to the sweetness. Pecans add some crunch while a layer of cream cheese, sugar and sour cream blends nicely with the fruit. This brings a Thanksgiving twist to Jell-O salad.

[ new page = 5. Green Bean Casserole ]
5. Green Bean Casserole from Anderson + Grant

Here is another great way to bring vegetables to the Thanksgiving table. Crispy French fried onions top this creamy mixture with green beans to make a filling dish. Not only is this a great way to have children eat their veggies, it also is simple to make with few ingredients.

[ new page = 4. Roasted Pear and Potato Fritter Harvest Salad ]
4. Roasted Pear and Potato Fritter Harvest Salad from City Farmhouse

Looking for a unique salad? This pear and potato salad has a rustic look and flavor that sets it apart from other recipes. Three delicious foods are combined into one for this dish: rosemary potato fritters with parmesan cheese, honey goat cheese dressing and roasted pears. Then, this all tops a harvest salad that consists of greens, dried cranberries and a garnish of mint. This might be a bit more of a time-consuming process, but the end result will be worth to work.

[ new page = 3. Spinach Mashed Potatoes ]
3. Spinach Mashed Potatoes from Chef in Training

Mashed potatoes are a Thanksgiving staple. However, why not twist things up a bit this year? Jazz up the plain potatoes with some fresh spinach, Parmesan cheese and cheddar cheese. This side dish will go from good to awesome.

[ new page = 2. Rustic Kale and Bacon Stuffing ]
2. Rustic Kale and Bacon Stuffing from Today’s Parent

Few things taste as good with turkey as a mouthful of stuffing. That makes this an essential side dish for this holiday. A harvest flavor makes this stuffing recipe especially satisfying. Bacon, onion, apple, kale and rosemary are a few of the ingredients used. The result goes wonderfully with turkey, gravy and mashed potatoes.

[ new page = 1. Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Crumble ]
1. Super Easy Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Crumble from Pinch of Yum

Almost good enough to eat for dessert, this recipe takes sweet potato to a new level of deliciousness. Vanilla and sugar sweeten the potatoes. Then, this is topped with a pecan crumble. The result is a side dish that is basically pre-dessert while still fitting in well with the Thanksgiving meal.