Hi friends,
If you’re looking for the very best Southern side dishes to round out your Thanksgiving table this year, I’ve gathered some of my all-time favorites for you. I’ve been in the kitchen all month testing, tweaking, and tasting and let me tell you, it was almost impossible to narrow this list down. But these 12 tried-and-true holiday sides are the ones my family asks for year after year.
From old-fashioned casseroles to creamy potatoes, from sweet potato magic to nostalgic Southern salads, these dishes are the heart and soul of a good Thanksgiving feast. I hope you find a new favorite (or two!) from this list.
And don’t miss the bonus recipe at the end. My Sour Cream Angel Biscuits because no Southern holiday table is complete without homemade bread. 🧡
12 Thanksgiving Side Dishes
1. Southern Cornbread Dressing
Moist, savory, perfectly seasoned, and deeply traditional. This is the centerpiece of every true Southern Thanksgiving table — rich, comforting, and impossible to replace.
👉Get the recipe Southern Cornbread Dressing
2. Sweet Potato Crunch Casserole
(My favorite side dish!)
Creamy sweet potatoes topped with a buttery brown-sugar pecan crumble. Almost like a dessert, it’s the classic everyone goes back for seconds of… and sometimes thirds.
👉Get the recipe Sweet Potato Crunch Casserole
3. Broccoli Cheese Casserole
The definition of comfort food, tender broccoli in a creamy, cheesy sauce with that irresistible golden topping. Crowd-pleasing and so easy to make ahead.
👉Get the recipe Broccoli Cheese Casserole
4. Southern Squash Casserole
Tender yellow squash baked in a creamy, buttery filling with a crunchy cracker topping. This is a true church-supper classic and a holiday must.
👉Get the recipe Southern Squash Casserole
5. Jiffy Corn Pudding
A quick, no-fail version with Jiffy Mix that’s creamy, comforting, and unbelievably easy. Perfect for busy holiday mornings.
👉Get the recipe Jiffy Corn Pudding
6. Classic Green Bean Casserole
Creamy, savory, and topped with those iconic crispy fried onions. A Thanksgiving legend for a reason.
👉Get the recipe Green Bean Casserole
7. Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Light, fluffy, creamy, and baked to perfection. This is the kind of mac and cheese that makes the whole table smile.
👉Get the recipe Baked Macaroni & Cheese
8. Perfect Mashed Potatoes
Smooth, buttery, rich, and perfectly seasoned. These are the mashed potatoes you dream about — velvety soft and holiday-worthy.
👉Get the recipe Perfect Mashed Potatoes
9. Sweet Potato Soufflé with Marshmallows
Fluffy, silky sweet potatoes topped with toasted gooey marshmallows. A nostalgic, dessert-like side everyone loves.
👉Get the recipe http://Sweet potatoes soufflé with marshmallows
10. Southern Deviled Eggs
Creamy, tangy, and always the first thing to disappear at any gathering. A Southern staple that belongs at every holiday table.
👉Get the recipe Southern Deviled Eggs
11. Original Watergate Salad
Fluffy, cool, and beautifully green with pineapple, pistachio pudding, marshmallows, and pecans. Retro, refreshing, and surprisingly addictive.
👉Get the recipe The Original Watergate Salad
12. Strawberry Pretzel Salad
A beloved Southern “salad” with layers of salty pretzels, sweet cream cheese filling, and fresh strawberries in a glossy Jell-O topping. It’s a holiday classic.
👉Get the recipe Strawberry Pretzel Salad
BONUS RECIPE: Sour Cream Angel Biscuits
Soft, tender, and impossibly fluffy!
These heavenly biscuits are part roll, part biscuit, and totally fail-proof. And I’ll let you in on a little secret… they’re made with Bisquick.
Don’t you love an easy recipe that tastes like you spent all morning in the kitchen? These rise tall, bake beautifully, and pair with every single dish on your Thanksgiving table.
,👉Get the recipe Easy Sour Cream Angel Biscuits
So light and fluffy! Absolutely heavenly!😋
For more delicious Southern recipes, be sure to order an autographed copy of my best selling cookbook Deliciously Southern with over 370 recipes. Click here to order your copy Deliciously Southern (Autographed Edition)
A perfect gift to yourself or to someone you love.
