Our 8 Favorite Thanksgiving Side Dishes (Quick, Easy & Budget-Friendly)

These 8 Thanksgiving Side Dishes are our family’s favorites, from classic stuffing with raisins and walnuts and creamy mashed potatoes to honey glazed carrots, cozy soups, and colorful fall salads. Each one takes 15 minutes or less of hands-on prep and uses simple, budget-friendly ingredients, making it easy to find the perfect side for your Thanksgiving table!

A serving bowl of creamy mashed potatoes made with russet potatoes, milk, butter, and salt, and garnished with black pepper and chives

If you ask us, the side dishes are the real stars of Thanksgiving. The turkey gets all the attention, but it’s the stuffing, the mashed potatoes, and that one bowl of something bright and green that everyone actually goes back for. Over the years, our little kitchen has become a test lab every November, and we’ve slowly built a lineup of easy Thanksgiving side dishes that we make again and again. They’re cozy and crowd-pleasing, and best of all, budget-friendly without skimping on taste!

So this year, we’re sharing all of our favorite Thanksgiving side dish recipes in one place to help you find the perfect sides for your own holiday table. Whether you’re hosting a big family feast, looking for Friendsgiving side dishes, or just want a few fresh ideas to round out your menu, there’s something here for you, from classic Thanksgiving stuffing and easy mashed potatoes to fall salads and cozy soups. Every recipe takes 15 minutes or less of prep and uses simple pantry ingredients, and many are make-ahead Thanksgiving sides, so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time at the table with the people you love.

Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes

A photo of traditional Thanksgiving stuffing being served out of a baking dish

1. Best Thanksgiving Stuffing

Our favorite Thanksgiving stuffing starts with toasted bread cubes that soak up a buttery, herby broth with onion and celery, while sweet raisins and crunchy walnuts make every forkful a little more special. It bakes up golden and crisp on top and soft in the middle, and one 9×13 dish feeds about 12, making it one of the best budget-friendly Thanksgiving sides for a crowd. You can even assemble it the day before, so Thanksgiving morning stays calm.

A serving bowl of creamy mashed potatoes made with russet potatoes, milk, butter, and salt, and garnished with black pepper, 2 pats of butter, and chives

2. Easy Mashed Potatoes

No Thanksgiving plate is complete without a big scoop of creamy, buttery mashed potatoes. Our easy mashed potatoes use just 6 simple ingredients and are ready in 30 minutes, thanks to thinly sliced potatoes that cook fast and evenly. They’re one of the most affordable holiday side dishes you can make, and you can make them up to 2 days ahead and reheat with a splash of milk.

Roasted carrots drizzled with honey-butter glaze on a serving plate with a fork

3. Honey Glazed Carrots

Carrots roast in the oven until tender and caramelized, then get tossed in a glossy honey-butter glaze right out of the oven. With 10 minutes of prep and a handful of pantry staples, it’s one of the best cheap Thanksgiving sides on this list, and it brings a pop of warm orange color to the table that pairs beautifully with turkey and ham.

A serving plate of roasted sweet potato and arugula salad, combined with arugula, scallions, almonds, and feta, and topped with a cumin and lime dressing

4. Sweet Potato & Arugula Salad

Caramelized roasted sweet potatoes get tossed warm with peppery arugula, toasted almonds, and tangy feta, then finished with a smoky cumin-lime dressing. It’s just as good at room temperature, so there’s no stressing over timing when the turkey comes out, and it’s one of our favorite healthy Thanksgiving vegetable side dishes.

Crispy Brussels sprouts arranged on top of cottage cheese and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds and crushed pistachios

5. Brussels Sprouts & Pomegranate Salad

This jewel-toned salad is the showstopper your holiday table needs. Deeply caramelized Brussels sprouts are piled over creamy cottage cheese and topped with crushed pistachios and juicy pomegranate seeds for a festive pop of red and green. It’s ready in 25 minutes on the stovetop, which makes it one of the quickest Thanksgiving side dishes in the lineup and keeps your oven free for the turkey.

A serving plate with kale, roasted butternut squash and chickpeas, apple slices, pecans, and goat cheese

6. Roasted Butternut Squash & Kale Salad

This salad tastes like fall on a plate. Maple-roasted butternut squash and crispy chickpeas are tossed with kale, crisp apple, pecans, dried cranberries, and creamy goat cheese, all brought together by a tangy maple cider dressing. Roast the squash and whisk the dressing a day or two ahead, then simply toss everything together before guests arrive. It’s a make-ahead Thanksgiving side dish that saves you time without skimping on flavor.

7. Butternut Squash Soup

Start your Thanksgiving feast with a warm, velvety bowl of this cozy soup. Roasted butternut squash is blended with ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg for a silky soup that tastes like the holidays, finished with a swirl of cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds. It takes only 10 minutes of prep and makes an elegant first course, proof that easy Thanksgiving salads and soups belong on the menu alongside the classics.

A serving bowl of roasted cauliflower soup, topped with cauliflower florets, chopped parsley, and ground allspice

8. Roasted Cauliflower Soup

This creamy soup earned a permanent spot on our Thanksgiving table. One head of roasted cauliflower blends into an incredibly silky soup with no heavy cream, and warm hints of nutmeg and allspice give it a festive feel. With 10 minutes of hands-on prep and simple pantry ingredients, it’s a budget-friendly Thanksgiving side dish you can make up to 2 days ahead and gently reheat right before guests arrive.