Side Dish Recipes

A scrumptious side dish made with lentils and chopped onions.

Carrot soup with North African spices: velvety pureed carrots warmed with cumin, coriander, and ginger, brightened with orange juice, and finished with a swirl of creme fraiche. A vibrant vegetarian bowl.

A hearty spinach stuffing with Swiss cheese, eggs, and breadcrumbs built to fill a 20-pound turkey. Make it ahead and refrigerate, then bring to room temperature before stuffing the bird on the big day.

Classic Southern candied sweet potatoes: thick-sliced sweet potatoes baked low and slow in a brown sugar glaze until the edges caramelize. Four-ingredient Thanksgiving side, no marshmallows required.

Mexican beans and barley casserole baked with green chilies, cumin, canned tomatoes, yogurt, and melted Monterey Jack. A hearty, high-fiber vegetarian main or side dish.

Mashed sweet potatoes whipped with bourbon, butter, and vanilla, then baked under a golden marshmallow topping. The Thanksgiving side dish everyone fights over.

Fluffy quinoa tossed with black beans, ripe tomatoes, scallions, and cilantro in a zesty lime-butter dressing. High-fiber, vegetarian, and packed with protein. Great as a side or a light main.

Lebanese bulgur wheat salad with marinated chicken, fresh herbs, and crisp vegetables. This protein-packed tabbouleh makes a hearty, healthy main dish bursting with lemon, mint, and garlic.

Carrot soup with coriander purees sweet carrots and potato in chicken broth, finished with milk and a splash of sherry. Topped with sour cream and cilantro for a vibrant orange starter.

Pumpkin soup gently spiced with whole cloves, sweetened with honey, and finished with cream. Smooth, autumn-bright puréed soup that holds up overnight for make-ahead dinner parties.

Nothing is better than a warm pumpkin soup at your Thanksgiving menu.

Refreshing Bulgar salad with garbanzo beans (chickpeas).

Italian green beans and potatoes mashed together with garlicky olive oil. A rustic two-vegetable side from Puglia that turns humble Yukon Golds and fresh beans into something soulful, silky, and endlessly versatile.

Cuban black beans and rice cooked in one pot with sofrito, cumin, and bay leaf. The classic congri-style side, vegetarian and vegan, ready in 30 minutes from already-cooked beans.

Lentils and brown rice with Canadian bacon, red bell pepper, and a soy-vinegar finish. One pot, 50 minutes, and packed with protein and fiber.

Grilled baby artichoke and white bean salad with thyme, red onion, and a lemon-Dijon vinaigrette with olives. A make-ahead Mediterranean side that improves as it sits in the fridge.