50 Unique Thanksgiving Side Dish Ideas

Give the classic sweet potato casserole a makeover with this buttery bourbon sweet potato casserole with bacon and pecans. Rich bacon pecans are layered on top of hearty potatoes, meaning your taste buds will get the perfect balance of sweet and savory.

If you're looking for a light but festive appetizer for your Thanksgiving table — or a unique side to make with the seasonal veggie — try this easy 30-minute butternut squash and cider soup.

Butternut squat is a traditional Thanksgiving side, but lasagna? Not so much. This creative butternut squash lasagna will surprise the whole family with its complex and savory flavor, thanks to mushrooms, Swiss chard, mozzarella, and parmesan.

Scalloped potatoes are a classic, and this recipe incorporates pumpkin, which makes it that much more perfect as a Thanksgiving side dish idea. With every bite of these pumpkin and cheddar scalloped potatoes, you'll get notes of sweet pumpkin puree and creamy cheddar cheese.

If we didn't have you at "goat cheese" and "mashed potatoes," get this: these rich and velvety spuds are made with just a few staple ingredients and can be prepped up to three days ahead of time. You can thank culinary queen Ina Garten for this genius make-ahead goat cheese baked mashed potatoes recipe.

You've heard of twice-baked potatoes, but have you heard of twice-baked acorn squash? These cute little cups are filled with all the best flavors of the season along with creamy maple butter and crunchy pecans. Make these twice-baked acorn squash with maple butter and pecans for a fall dinner or as a unique Thanksgiving side dish.

If you have a slow cooker, these slow-cooker sweet potatoes with thyme and blue cheese will be your new favorite Thanksgiving side dish. Blue cheese lends a sharp, pungent tang to the naturally sweet potatoes, and the thyme gives a fresh, earthy flavor to this tasty recipe. Even better, since these are made in a slow cooker, you can set it and forget it — giving you more time to focus on other important Thanksgiving prep.

Fresh, light, and bright, this Brussels sprout, beluga lentil, and cranberry holiday salad will be a gift to your taste buds. Nutritious kale, Brussels sprouts, and glossy black beluga lentils provide its wholesome base, while dried cranberries, toasted pecans, and clusters of clementine wedges are a festive nod to the season.

You can never have enough corn (especially on the Thanksgiving table!), and this slow-cooker corn pudding recipe will prove why. With sweet corn, sour cream, cream cheese, cheddar, and more, it's effortlessly rich and hearty.

Cream, fresh herbs, garlic, and crème fraîche work together to make these buttery herbed mashed potatoes the best of all time. Feel free to add as much gravy as you please.

Wild rice might not be quite as popular a stuffing base as cubes of a crusty boule or tender cornbread, but don't discount it quite yet. Made with wild rice, brown rice, mushrooms, and just enough butter and olive oil to make it crave-worthy, this wild rice stuffing with mushrooms is a worthy contender for your holiday table this year.

Rich in flavor yet light on the butter and cream, this curried pumpkin soup is an easy seasonal starter or side dish that can be stored in the fridge and reheated when you need it. This particular pumpkin soup has a twist with the addition of ginger, curry powder, and coconut milk.

Swap out the potatoes for some healthy healthy cauliflower in this mouthwatering recipe for white cheddar cauliflower gratin. If your family doesn't care for veggies but you'd like to get some more on your Thanksgiving table, this is a perfect way in.

Take your basic corn casserole up a notch with all the fixings in this loaded corn casserole recipe. This easy Thanksgiving side dish combines the best of a creamy casserole and cornbread to satisfy both cravings in one.

Savory, comforting, and craveably carb-heavy, these stuffing muffins are flat-out adorable. Not sold on the cute factor? No matter; stuffing muffins are also pre-portioned, easier to serve, have more of those delectable crispy edges, and if — and that's a big if — you have leftovers, they're easy to pop in the freezer to keep fresh for days down the line.

Give your Thanksgiving feast a touch of elegance with cranberry baked Brie. It also works well as an appetizer, if you can't wait until the main course to enjoy.

This fancy pomegranate-glazed carrots with whipped goat cheese recipe is just as good as it sounds, and is a major upgrade from the soggy, flavorless carrots you may be used to eating on Thanksgiving.

If your family loves having mac and cheese on the Thanksgiving table, but you want to give it a seasonal twist, try this recipe for butternut squash mac and cheese. Just be warned; this side dish will go fast.

Give your go-to sprouts new life with this easy recipe for tahini-thyme brussels sprouts. They're a creative and nutritious side dish for Thanksgiving that even the anti-veg will love.

After making this unique side dish for Thanksgiving, you'll want to eat this ooey-gooey baked parmesan creamed corn with every meal.

Canned cranberry sauce is a classic, but if you want to showcase the real flavor of this holiday fruit, try this recipe for cranberry relish. With just four ingredients, it mixes fresh cranberries, apple, orange, and sugar to make a must-have Thanksgiving condiment that's refreshingly tart.

When it comes to carbs for your Thanksgiving dinner table, think beyond bread and potatoes. Try this nutritious rice pilaf with cranberries and pears that offers a pop of tart sweetness and fruity flavor.

What's better than plain Brussels sprouts? Brussels sprouts mac and cheese. Cheesy, savory, and full of different textures, this Thanksgiving side dish is sure to be a win.

Instead of serving plain roasted acorn squash this Thanksgiving, try this ntritious quinoa stuffed acorn squash as a non-traditional Thanksgiving side.

Did someone say garlic and bacon in the same sentence? These garlic bacon sautéed green beans with roasted mushrooms give the classic Thanksgiving vegetable tons of complex, savory flavor.

Roasted asparagus is a great Thanksgiving side dish on its own, but when you turn this veggie into fries, it'll really impress. For a fun, unique Thanksgiving side dish this year, try these backed asparagus fries.

Boxed stuffing has a quintessential Thanksgiving taste, but once you try this upgraded garlicky vegan sourdough stuffing, you'll never go back. This recipe includes leeks, mushrooms, soy sauce, and sourdough bread, to give it tons of umami flavor.

Instead of making separate Brussels spouts and butternut squash dishes, combine the two classics to make a one-and-done unique Thanksgiving side. An easy way to do it is with this cheesy Brussels sprouts gratin with butternut squash recipe.

This chopped autumn salad with apple cider dressing is sweet, tangy, and savory, with crunchy apples, pears, and candied pecans, plus savory bacon and feta cheese. Just a few minutes of easy chopping yields a healthy Thanksgiving side anyone will love.

Stuffed with Italian sausage, apples, mushrooms, and spices, this sausage stuffed acorn squash side dish will be the unexpected hit of Thanksgiving dinner.

Caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, a splash of sherry vinegar, and a toasted almond topping give unexpected flavor and texture to these simple blistered green beans. Make these for an easy, dairy-free green you can feel good about eating.

This cinnamon butter baked carrots dish looks like something you'd see at a restaurant, but it will be the easiest thing you make this Thanksgiving. Carrots are left whole, drizzled with a fragrant and simple mixture of butter and cinnamon, and baked until perfectly tender. They're sure to disappear — even at the kids' table.

Want a gussied-up version of green bean casserole with zero extra work? Try this creamy and crunchy green bean casserole with bacon and fried onions.

These wholesome, cinnamony pumpkin cornbread drop biscuits satisfy a savory craving for pumpkin before dessert even makes it to the table. They're also perfect for mini Thanksgiving sandwiches the next day (on the off chance that there are any leftovers!).

Normal mashed potatoes are always good, but change things up with these salt and pepper smashed potatoes. They're crispy and smooth at the same time, which is why they will be everyone's favorite dish after just one bite.

A few hours in the slow cooker brings out an unbelievable depth of flavor from rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley, and, of course, juicy sausage in this make-ahead slow-cooker sausage stuffing. While it hangs out in the slow cooker and makes your kitchen smell dreamy, you can prepare the rest of your feast in bliss.

Want a super-simple dish? Look no further than these steamed carrots with olive oil and lemon. They're tasty, delightful, and one of the easiest Thanksgiving side dishes on the menu.

You've seen — and may love — sweet potato casseroles with marshmallow topping. But give this deliciously easy, irresistibly crumbly, sweet potato casserole with butter pecan crumble topping a chance, and your Thanksgiving just might change for the better.

Almost everyone loves garlic bread, and it's even better when it's festive and easy to eat! This pull-apart garlic butter bread wreath is prefect for sharing and for avoiding a crumbly mess, whether presented as a Thanksgiving side dish or appetizer.

If corn is a non-negotiable on your Thanksgiving dinner table, give this slow-cooker creamed corn a shot. Not only is it easy to make, but it will also make everyone's mouth water.

Sneak in vegetables and bacon at the same time by making these tasty bacon green bean bundles. They're rich in flavor and have plenty of good-for-you nutrients, too!

With fresh mint, parsley, dried cranberries, and feta, this butternut tabbouleh pairs fall flavors with some unexpected twists — making it a great option for a unique Thanksgiving side dish. Even better, with veggies and whole grains, it packs tons of fiber and other important nutrients.

When is cornbread not the perfect side dish? This creamy cheesy cornbread is great on its own or can be eaten with other Thanksgiving sides, like gravy or cranberry sauce.

Looking for a healthier Thanksgiving side dish that will still steal the show? These harvest roasted vegetables are exactly what you're looking for. Flavorful, in-season, and nutritious make the perfect combination.

With a creamy homemade roux and a crunchy French onion topping, these French onion scalloped potatoes are a rich (and easy) side dish to make for Thanksgiving.