Hosting Thanksgiving for friends and family can be really overwhelming. Not only is there usually a large number of mouths to feed, but there's an entire menu to put together, complete with enough options for all of those people — and let's not forget all those food preferences to take into account. It's just too much! The good news is that there are incredible recipes that take a short amount of time, many of which can be made ahead.
Some family and friends may offer to bring something to the table to help alleviate the stress of cooking for a big group as well. And that's where this list also comes in handy.
Send them one of these choices — or two — without guilt. These recipes not only take a short amount of time, but many also have simple instructions and few ingredients. Side dishes have never seemed more complex and delicious and yet so simple to make. There are meat and vegan options, too.
Thirty minutes goes by fast — and no one wants to spend all their time prepping and cooking without enjoying the company of loved ones at the Thanksgiving table. This year, these quick sides dishes are the answer to entertaining and feasting the right way without sacrificing taste.
Sauteed Spinach With Garlic & Lemon
Add some more greens to the table with this simple yet delicious sauteed spinach with garlic and lemon recipe from Martha Stewart magazine. This side dish works perfectly with the meal's main star, the turkey. If there are any leftovers after the Thanksgiving meal, they can be stored in the fridge and are delicious for that next day turkey sandwich.
Honey Butter Creamy Skillet Corn
Creamy corn is a must for Thanksgiving and this honey butter creamy skillet corn recipe by Together As Family is supreme. Honey mixed with cream cheese and butter make this dish sweet, which means the kids will love it. The amount of honey can also be adjusted to taste.
Massaged Kale & Avocado Salad With Pumpkin Seeds
With all the rich dishes on the table, balance it out with something fresh. We love this massaged kale and avocado salad with pumpkin seeds recipe by Savory Lotus. The avocado is smashed and coats the kale. Dress with a simple lemon, salt, and pepper mix and the Thanksgiving table just got healthier without sacrificing deliciousness.
Fresh Corn Salad
Corn salad isn't just for summer and barbecues and this fresh corn salad from Barefoot Contessa adds the perfect zing to a Thanksgiving table. The cold crisp corn is the star of this side dish, but the basil, onion, and cider vinegar give it a memorable punch. (Fresh corn optional, of course. We won't tell if you use frozen or canned.)
Turnips With Garlicky Breadcrumbs & Parmesan
Panko breadcrumbs make all the difference in this turnips with garlicky breadcrumbs and Parmesan dish from Bon Appetit. Try Japanese hakurei turnips if you can find them, but this sweet dish comes alive with the garlic, lemon, parsley, and Parmesan sprinkle, no matter what kind of turnips you use.
Vegan Green Bean Casserole
Minimalist Baker's vegan green bean casserole recipe takes only 30 minutes total with prep and cook time. The crispy fried onions are the perfect topper and almond milk gives it a really great taste so it's creamy but not mushy. Since this is a casserole, it can be prepared ahead of time so there's less to juggle on Thanksgiving Day.
Green Peas & Mushrooms
When you add in portobello mushrooms to peas with onions, the taste is just perfect and something that the whole family will love. Plus, it's a super quick side dish — following this green peas and mushrooms recipe from Paula Deen. This can also be leveled up by adding garlic or bacon to take it to a whole other level.
Garlic-Roasted Beets
This is Laura Prepon's recipe for garlic-roasted beets as seen on The Rachael Ray Show and this side dish is as colorful as it is tasty. With just 25 minutes of roasting time, it is easy to add into the cooking prep time. This beet side dish is perfect for this year's bountiful Thanksgiving table and one the guests will ask for again.
Leeks in Vinaigrette
While it is a classic, when was the last time there were leeks in a side dish? For many of us, it was a long time ago. Bon Appetit's leeks in vinaigrette recipe calls for mustard, thyme, and vinegar so it's simple to put together. It can be made a day ahead as well, which gives the guest time to juggle life.
Quick & Easy Drop Biscuits
Not all biscuits take a long time — these quick and easy drop biscuits from Serious Eats are also called "Emergency Biscuits" because they take 25 minutes and use five basic ingredients. But may we suggest adding a teaspoon of fresh rosemary to the recipe to take it to next-level savory.
Creamy Mashed Parmesan Cauliflower
Kirbie's Cravings' mashed Parmesan cauliflower is the perfect low-carb alternative to traditional mashed potatoes this Thanksgiving. It's ultra creamy and cheesy so there's no missing out on any flavor swapping the potato with cauliflower. This whole thing comes together in less than 30 minutes.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Turkey Bacon Vinaigrette
This simple roasted Brussels sprouts with turkey bacon vinaigrette recipe from Honeysuckle White combines the medium-spicy flavor of Dijon mustard with tasty turkey bacon for the perfect Thanksgiving side. Additionally, this can be a great side dish for later in the week if there's any leftover turkey.
Light Turkey Sausage & Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
For an easy-to-make and serve Thanksgiving holiday side, try this savory light turkey sausage and cheese stuffed mushrooms recipe with lean ground turkey from Shady Brook Farms. From start to finish, it takes just about a half hour but it looks so impressive on the table. The flavors blend so perfectly and it is exactly what's needed to complete the meal.
Pomegranate Coleslaw
Kosher in the Kitch takes a classic side dish and gives it a Thanksgiving twist with the addition of sweet and tart pomegranate seeds. That one ingredient change in this pomegranate coleslaw recipe brings the right amount of texture and taste to help it work with the whole meal while standing out, too.
Fresh Cranberry Sauce
The Lean Green Bean's fresh cranberry sauce is the classic addition to the Thanksgiving table. To cook it takes just 15 minutes, and it is full of flavor and tastes great on turkey. It will wow the other guests because they'll assume a lot of time went into preparing it. If there are any leftovers, they can be used to top sandwiches, oatmeal, and more!
Honey Roasted Carrots With Thyme
These honey roasted carrots with thyme from Feed Me, Phoebe are truly nature's candy! A little honey and a trip to the oven brings out the natural sweetness of this versatile vegetable. With no marshmallows required, the kids will likely be asking for seconds — and the adults, too. It's surprisingly easy to cook, but will taste like it took hours.
Cast Iron Cornbread
For many families, dinner rolls are a crucial side dish for any holiday meal, including Thanksgiving. But if someone is looking to flavor bump the whole meal, cornbread is totally the way to go. Baking cornbread up in a cast iron skillet means crunchy outer crusts while keeping the inside nice and fluffy. Consider making two for a larger group because it will be eaten up.
Sauteed Asparagus With Mint & Lemon
SoulBeet's sauteed asparagus with mint and lemon is a quick, fresh side dish that comes together in minutes. The recipe calls for walnuts, red pepper flakes, and lemon, which means it's got a full punch of different flavors that all work well together. Add a little green to your Thanksgiving meal!
Low FODMAP Cranberry & Walnut Quinoa Salad
This cranberry walnut quinoa salad from dietitian Lauren Renlund offers a great mix of protein and fruits in one dish. The cranberry vinaigrette gives an extra pop of festive flavor and works well into the whole meal. It's easy to make and gives guests with IBS food sensitivities something to enjoy as well!
Grilled Zucchini
Zucchini is one of the vegetables that doesn't get as much love as it deserves. Grilled is a very simple way to prep the side dish and it's got a surprising amount of taste without having to do a whole lot to it. It takes about 10 minutes to cook and it's hard to beat that. These can be flavored up with garlic, balsamic vinegar, or seasoned with just salt and pepper.
Spinach Artichoke Mini Quiches
These little quiches are a fine way to start Thanksgiving meal, but would be just as good on the side of the plate with all the classic fixings. These spinach artichoke mini quiches are a delicious way to get a little extra veggies in and surprisingly, they don't take a lot of time to make, just 30 minutes total.
Bacon-Wrapped Dates
There is something incredible about the combination of the sweet dates and the salty bacon. If it's not something anyone in the family has eaten before, they're about to get a huge obsession. This recipe, which is more like an appetizer but still works as a side, is simple to follow and doesn't take up too much time. All that's needed are dates, bacon, and some brown sugar.
Warm Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
For some reason, when we think of salad we think more cold and refreshing than warm and satisfying. But that's what makes this warm roasted butternut squash salad perfect for Thanksgiving. It gives that hearty feel without being to heavy and it uses one of the most traditional Thanksgiving ingredients: butternut squash. Yes, it's a salad, but it's a perfect combination of flavors and textures that will make it stand out.
Orange-Glazed Beets
We've tried garlic-roasted beets but this orange-glazed beet recipe isn't something we should miss out on. Since the recipe calls for using sliced and canned beets, the prep and cook time is significantly lower than if it called for fresh beets. But don't dismiss this because it's canned, the addition of orange juice and orange marmalade takes these lowly root vegetables to a whole new (and delicious) world.
