Cooking has always been a huge passion of mine, and for most of my life, I was set on going to the Culinary Institute of America.
Even though that’s no longer a major goal of mine, I still incorporate cooking into my everyday life.
One of my FAVORITE holidays is Thanksgiving because, besides giving thanks, it’s all about the food!
Not to toot my own horn but in my family, I carry a lot of the weight for this holiday, since I make most of the side dishes.
Over the years, I’ve tried a bunch of different recipes, but there’s always a few that I stick to every year because they are always a hit in my family.
If you want to contribute a side dish that will absolutely WOW your family this Thanksgiving, here’s a few ideas that you can try.
Stuffing
Even though I’m not the biggest fan of stuffing, my uncle made this bougie-looking stuffing one year and it was absolutely amazing.
This very similar recipe, made by one of my favorite TikTok chefs, is simple, fun, and doesn’t take super long.
The key to this recipe is to make sure you find a good sourdough bread, and if you have the time and want to get extra creative, you can make your own sourdough bread!
Focaccia Bread
This is by far one of my favorite types of bread, and although I still haven’t perfected this, it’s a cool recipe to try out if you have the time.
Side note: please don’t ask any of my hometown friends about Focacciagate of Friendsgiving 2019. It was a scary time.
This isn’t an easy thing to make, but it’s still worth giving a try because it’s AMAZING!
green goddess salad
This isn’t a side that I usually make for Thanksgiving, but whenever I make it, my family eats it right up.
It is by far my favorite salad to make and doesn’t take long at all (just lots of chopping).
It’s easy, healthy, and very yummy. If you have a nut allergy, you can substitute the cashews for peanuts if you also aren’t allergic to those or just take that ingredient out as a whole.
Please make sure that you don’t feed this to anyone with a nut allergy because sadly, I’ve made that mistake. Sorry, Ava (she’s fine now).
gravy
It’s truly not Thanksgiving without the gravy on top. Gravy is one of those sides that you can quickly whip up right before it’s time to eat and it’s always delicious.
I recommend roasting whole pearl onions to throw in there, as well as some of the turkey drippings. It’ll add even more flavor to your gravy and impress your guests.
P.S. you really can’t mess this one up because it’s just THAT easy!
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/best-gravy-ever-recipe-2009748
Roasted butternut squash soup
I can’t remember a Thanksgiving where I haven’t made this recipe. It’s a family favorite.
This soup is a very fun and seasonal recipe and is genuinely a mindless dish to make.
Funny enough, I found this recipe when I was little on a YouTube channel called “WhatsUpMoms.” Don’t ask why I was invested in a mom channel as a kid because I literally don’t know.
But besides all of that, you have to try this dish as a little appetizer for your family.
You might be surprised how tasty butternut squash actually is.
One quick tip that I would recommend is prepping/chopping your ingredients the night before so that you’re ready to just make it the next day, or if you’re like me, you can buy pre-chopped butternut squash and a mirepoix mix.
Stuffed Mushrooms
This is another super simple and delicious recipe that takes no time.
I usually prep them the night before Thanksgiving and just toss them in the oven for a few minutes before everything is done.
You can also serve these as an appetizer, since they’re a perfect finger food.
I’ve also seen premade stuffed mushrooms at the supermarket that you can also try, but I think it’s fun to make them yourself!
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/stuffed-mushrooms-recipe-1941818
Pecan Pie
Last but not least, you always need to bring a dessert to the table, and this is a classic.
I make this pecan pie every year and it never misses.
Courtesy of my favorite chef of all time, Ree Drummond (aka Pioneer Woman), this recipe is super quick and easy and can also be prepped the night before.
You can get creative with this one by making your own crust or buying a premade one. I also like cutting out little leaf shapes to put on top just to spice it up a little bit and make it look extra impressive.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/pecan-pie-recipe-2042433
Make sure to give some of these a try this Thanksgiving. You might just find a new dish that you love!
Happy Holidays!!