What are your favorite Thanksgiving side dishes? We like the turkey at Thanksgiving, but what we really gravitate toward are the side dishes! We have this beautiful, browned turkey on the table, and it’s the centerpiece, right? What do you have around it to showcase that yummy bird?
One website has a listing of the most popular holiday side dishes searched for by the state. I never thought of that, but it looks like it’s about even between dressing and veggies being the favorites.
So what are the top ten Thanksgiving side dishes? Let’s take a look:
Favorite Thanksgiving side dishes – yummy starches
- Potatoes – sweet or candied sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes are a staple for many families. The states that search for potato recipes are Arizona, Delaware, Hawaii, Kansas, Maine, Nebraska, Oregon, Virginia, and Wisconsin!
- Gravy – making a good gravy can be challenging, but I found this easy, no-fail turkey gravy recipe that sounds yummy!
- Bread or rolls – which one does your family like best? Pumpkin bread or my gluten-free pumpkin muffins are always a hit. Wyoming residents search for crescent roll recipes!
- Stuffing or dressing – do you stuff the bird or serve your dressing on the side? Do you make cornbread dressing or use a white bread recipe? There are so many options! Many states search for dressing recipes, including Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, and more!
Favorite veggie Thanksgiving side dishes
- Cranberry sauce – you either love it or hate it. There’s not much in-between, but lots of people like that tart taste it adds. Do you like the jelly or berry variety? Rhode Islanders often search for this tangy addition to a meal.
- Green bean casserole! We also love green beans cooked with just a little salt and pepper – Missouri, Montana, Nevada, and Washington state top the searchers’ list for this yummy side dish.
- Brussels Sprouts are big now, and there are many ways to cook them. This seems to be a love it or hate it veggie too, but people in New Hampshire seem to love it.
- Carrots – A great fall recipe that can be cooked in many ways. Glazed carrots are one of my favorites.
- Salad – The dish that is sometimes overlooked. For me, a fresh salad provides just the right balance. Many side dishes are more decadent and leave me feeling so full I can’t breathe. I like to fill half of my plate with salad and just a scoop of each side dish. A nice, simple salad is a favorite for many families. Iowans and residents of South Dakota search for salad more than any other state. I think I live in the wrong state ; )
- Stuffed mushrooms – One of my family’s favorites at Thanksgiving. They’re so yummy and go great with turkey! Looks like people from Ohio agree with us!
- Beets – My family and I have been obsessed with beets this past year (even my “picky eater”). We have experimented with everything from fresh-pressed beet juices to roasted beet salad with goat cheese. For Thanksgiving this year, I’m going to make roasted beets with thyme. I love the idea of this dish mixed into the medley of Thanksgiving side dishes because the beets’ deep Burgandy color and the fresh rind of the orange have me dreaming of the most wonderful time of the year – the Christmas Holiday season. Stay tuned; I start my Christmas decorating the day after Thanksgiving.
What are your favorites?
A few of the other favorites I’ve seen listed are macaroni and cheese (California, Maryland, and Michigan), cream corn (Tennessee), squash (Massachusetts and New Mexico), fruit salad (Texas), and North Dakota residents search for keto soup.
Where do you live, and what do you and your family like for Thanksgiving side dishes? Do you have any favorites not mentioned on my list? Let me know in the comments!
