17 Thanksgiving Side Dishes That Share the Oven Nicely (Make-Ahead, Stovetop, and No-Bake Picks)

Thanksgiving side dishes are where the real party happens. The turkey gets one platter, while the sides get the whole rest of the table. This collection brings 17 crowd-pleasing picks into one scroll, from bubbling casseroles to crisp apple salads. You can plan the whole spread in one sitting instead of opening a dozen Thanksgiving side dish recipes.

These 17 Thanksgiving side dishes cover creamy casseroles, two baked mac and cheese bakes, roasted and stovetop vegetables, fall salads, and a cheesy pull-apart bread. They suit hosts feeding a crowd, potluck guests, and vegetarian eaters. Many are also make-ahead Thanksgiving side dishes that you can assemble a day early. Each one earned its place because it shares the oven easily, skips the oven, or comes together while the turkey rests. That makes this a list of easy Thanksgiving side dishes built for real holiday kitchens.

Jump to:

• How to Plan Thanksgiving Side Dishes Around One Oven
• Loaded Green Bean Casserole
• Greek Yogurt Scalloped Sweet Potato Casserole
• Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa Gratin
• Wild Rice and Mushroom Casserole
• Pumpkin Sage Mac and Cheese Bake
• Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
• Bacon-Wrapped Brussels Sprouts
• Marry Me Broccoli
• Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa Filling
• Air Fryer Garlic Mushrooms
• Apple Celery Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts
• Apple Walnut Salad with White Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Maple Carrot Quinoa Salad with Toasted Pecans
• Warm Farro Salad with Roasted Veggies
• Broccoli and Bacon Salad
• Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread
• FAQs

How to Plan Thanksgiving Side Dishes Around One Oven

Start with the kind of night ahead. Pasta bakes like the tortellini and cordon bleu dishes suit rushed weeknights. Meanwhile, the mac and cheese bakes and green bean casserole make great fall potluck casseroles. The grain and vegetable gratins work as a main for vegetarian guests or as a side for everyone else. Therefore, matching the dish to the occasion is the fastest way to narrow down 20 fall casserole recipes.

• Sort into three piles. Pick two or three Thanksgiving side dishes from each group: oven bakes, stovetop or air fryer dishes, and no-cook salads.
• Group the 375°F bakes. The green bean casserole, scalloped sweet potato casserole, wild rice casserole, and both mac and cheese bakes can share racks while the turkey rests under foil.
• Slot the hotter dishes first or last. The broccoli cheddar quinoa gratin and the bacon-wrapped Brussels sprouts bake at 400°F.
• Assemble a day ahead. The green bean casserole (without its crumb), the quinoa gratin, the pumpkin sage mac and cheese, and the pull-apart bread can all be prepped the day before.
• Add time for cold dishes. Give any bake a few extra minutes when it goes into the oven straight from the fridge.
• Use the burners and the air fryer. The mushroom herb rice and the Marry Me broccoli sauce cook on the stovetop, and the garlic mushrooms cook in the air fryer.
• Dress salads late. Toast the nuts and whisk the dressings ahead. Then toss the apples and greens shortly before serving so these Thanksgiving side dishes stay crisp. Add a squeeze of lemon to cut apples to slow browning.
• Want weeknight versions? Several of these bakes also appear in the fall casserole recipes collection.

Loaded Green Bean Casserole

This from-scratch green bean casserole skips the canned mushroom soup. Instead, it uses a creamy sauce made with butter, onion, garlic, broth, cream, mozzarella, and white cheddar. Fresh green beans get a quick blanch first. As a result, they stay bright and tender instead of turning soft and gray in the oven. The fried onions are still folded through, and a garlic butter panko crumb bakes into a golden, crunchy lid on top.It is one of the most familiar Thanksgiving side dishes with a fresher finish. You can also assemble the base a day ahead.
Get the recipe: Loaded Green Bean Casserole

Greek Yogurt Scalloped Sweet Potato Casserole

Thinly sliced sweet potatoes layer into a baking dish with a creamy Greek yogurt sauce. Garlic, Dijon, thyme, smoked paprika, and Gruyère or sharp white cheddar add plenty of flavor. Blended white beans give the sauce enough body to hold everything together, so it slices into clean layers after a short rest. A long covered bake turns the potatoes tender, and the uncovered stretch at the end browns the cheese. It brings a savory, cheesy take to the sweet potato slot among Thanksgiving side dishes in place of the usual marshmallow topping.
Get the recipe: Greek Yogurt Scalloped Sweet Potato Casserole

Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa Gratin

Quinoa stands in for a bechamel here. It simmers with onion, garlic, and dill before being stirred with broccoli florets, heavy cream, and sharp white cheddar. Add the Parmesan and butter breadcrumb topping just before a short, hot bake. Then it comes out bubbling with a crisp golden crust.The quinoa binds everything together, which means clean scoops instead of a runny dish. It works as a main for meatless guests and as one of the more filling vegetarian Thanksgiving side dishes for everyone else.
Get the recipe: Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa Gratin

Wild Rice and Mushroom Casserole

A wild rice blend simmers in vegetable broth until tender. Then it gets folded together with onion, garlic, thyme, and browned mushrooms. Half the cheese goes into the mix and the rest melts over the top with Parmesan, so every scoop is earthy, nutty, and a little gooey. It makes an easy stand-in for stuffing and pairs naturally with roast turkey. It also holds its own next to richer Thanksgiving side dishes as a hearty plate for anyone skipping the meat.
Get the recipe: Wild Rice and Mushroom Casserole

Pumpkin Sage Mac and Cheese Bake

Pumpkin purée goes straight into a classic butter and flour cheese sauce with cheddar, mozzarella, and fresh sage. As a result, the flavor is savory and cozy rather than sweet.The elbows are cooked a couple of minutes short, which keeps them from going soft once the dish bakes. Extra cheddar, breadcrumbs, and herbs brown on top in the oven. It can be assembled and chilled up to 24 hours ahead, which makes it one of the easiest make-ahead Thanksgiving side dishes to bake straight from the fridge.
Get the recipe: Pumpkin Sage Mac and Cheese Bake

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Steamed butternut squash goes right into the cheese sauce with milk, cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, and a pinch of nutmeg. This gives the pasta a silky texture and gentle sweetness. A buttered breadcrumb and thyme topping bakes up crisp over the creamy noodles. The recipe also includes a stovetop-only shortcut for days when the oven is already full. Choose this one over the pumpkin version for a milder flavor, or set out both when the Thanksgiving side dishes need to feed a long guest list.
Get the recipe: Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Bacon-Wrapped Brussels Sprouts

Wrap each Brussels sprout in a slice of thin bacon and secure it with a toothpick. Then brush it with maple syrup before roasting it seam-side down. The bacon crisps while the sprout inside turns tender, and the maple glaze caramelizes into a sweet and salty coating. A drizzle of hot honey or a pinch of chili flakes adds a little heat for anyone who wants it. Even Brussels sprout skeptics tend to reach for one of these Thanksgiving side dishes. Plus, the air fryer option frees up the oven entirely.
Get the recipe: Bacon-Wrapped Brussels Sprouts

Marry Me Broccoli

butter, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, cream, broth, and Parmesan. The sauce turns a soft pink and clings to every floret, with fresh basil and a pinch of red pepper flakes to finish. The florets roast while the sauce simmers on the stovetop, so both are ready together. It turns a plain green vegetable into one of the richest Thanksgiving side dishes on the list.
Get the recipe: Marry Me Broccoli

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa Filling

Acorn squash halves roast cut side down until the flesh is tender and the edges caramelize. The filling mixes fluffy quinoa with dried cranberries, toasted pecans, maple syrup, thyme, and a little cinnamon, so it tastes sweet, tart, and savory all at once. The halves look striking on a platter, and each one doubles as a plated main. That makes it a smart pick among Thanksgiving side dishes when plant-based guests are coming to dinner.
Get the recipe: Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa Filling

Air Fryer Garlic Mushrooms

Mushrooms brown with onion, garlic, and thyme before short-grain rice goes into the same pot to toast, then everything simmers in vegetable stock. Butter, a little cream, and fresh parsley get stirred in at the end, so the finished rice is creamy and deeply savory without constant stirring. It rests covered for a few minutes to finish cooking through. Among stovetop Thanksgiving side dishes, it is the simplest way to add a grain to the table without touching the oven.
Get the recipe: Creamy Mushroom Herb Rice

Apple Celery Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts

Thinly sliced celery and crisp red apples toss with peppery arugula, shallot, and toasted hazelnuts in a honey-Dijon cider vinaigrette. The dressing is emulsified, so it coats the leaves without making them soggy, and a little lemon on the apples keeps them from browning. It is all crunch and brightness, a welcome contrast next to creamy Thanksgiving side dishes. The dressing and toasted nuts can be prepped ahead, with everything tossed together shortly before serving.
Get the recipe: Apple Celery Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts

Apple Walnut Salad with White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Toast the walnuts with honey and cinnamon until glossy and crunchy. Then scatter them over arugula with tart apples, thin red onion, and crumbled blue cheese. The white balsamic vinaigrette, whisked with honey, Dijon, and garlic, is light enough to let the fruit and cheese shine, and soaking the onion in cold water first mellows its bite. The white balsamic also slows the apples from browning. That means this salad holds up on a buffet of Thanksgiving side dishes longer than most fall salads.
Get the recipe: Apple Walnut Salad with White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Maple Carrot Quinoa Salad with Toasted Pecans

Carrot sticks roast with olive oil and maple syrup until tender and caramelized. Then they go over tri-color quinoa, baby spinach, dried cranberries, and crumbled vegan feta. A maple-Dijon cider dressing ties it together with a sweet and tangy finish. The mix of warm carrots and fresh greens makes it feel more like a dish than a simple side salad. The earthy sweetness sits naturally next to the turkey and the other Thanksgiving side dishes, and the vegan feta keeps it dairy-free.
Get the recipe: Maple Carrot Quinoa Salad with Toasted Pecans

Warm Farro Salad with Roasted Veggies

Farro simmers in vegetable broth until chewy and nutty, while Brussels sprouts and carrots roast until golden at the edges. Everything comes together under a tahini dressing with lemon and a touch of maple, finished with fresh parsley. It is warm, hearty, and full of texture, closer to a grain bowl than a leafy salad. It fills a plate for plant-based guests among the Thanksgiving side dishes, and it holds up well as leftovers the next day.
Get the recipe: Warm Farro Salad with Roasted Veggies

Broccoli and Bacon Salad

Bite-sized broccoli florets add plenty of crunch to this salad. They pair with crumbled bacon, cheddar, red onion, dried cranberries, and sunflower seeds. The creamy dressing balances mayonnaise and vinegar with a little sugar, so every bite is sweet, tangy, and smoky at once. It brings a cool, crunchy contrast to all the warm dishes on the table. It needs at least 30 minutes in the fridge before serving, which makes it a natural pick among potluck Thanksgiving side dishes.
Get the recipe: Broccoli and Bacon Salad

Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread

Cut a crusty round loaf deep in a crisscross pattern. Then stuff it with garlic butter, mozzarella or cheddar, parsley, and Italian herbs. It bakes wrapped in foil until the cheese melts, then unwrapped so the top turns golden and crisp. Everyone tears off their own piece, so it doubles as a centerpiece for the bread course. It replaces the dinner roll basket next to the other Thanksgiving side dishes, and it can be wrapped and refrigerated a day ahead or frozen before baking.
Get the recipe: Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread

FAQs

These answers cover the questions that come up most often when planning Thanksgiving side dishes for a crowd.