Every year I make the side dishes, and I also want to fit in a workout before anyone shows up. So I do almost all of it on Tuesday and Wednesday, while the kitchen is still quiet. These are the sides that hold up in the fridge and reheat without tasting like leftovers. That leaves less to do on Thursday.
These sides are sorted by how much of the work happens before Thanksgiving Day.
| Group | Dishes |
|---|---|
| Cooked fully in advance | Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Potatoes au Gratin, Homemade Creamed Corn, Garlic Mashed Parsnips, Lemon Parmesan Orzo, Cornbread Squares, Cheddar Bay Biscuits, Baked Cinnamon Apples, Butternut Squash Soup, Slow-Baked Beans, Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Salad, Rosemary Focaccia |
| Assembled ahead and baked on the day | Thanksgiving Stuffing Casserole, Creamy Mac and Cheese, Texas Roadhouse Rolls, Herb Roasted Baby Red Potatoes, Loaded Twice-Baked Potatoes, Broccoli Cauliflower Bake, Parmesan Spaghetti Squash Boats |
| Prepped ahead and cooked on the day | Green Beans with Almonds, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Carrots and Green Beans |
| Put together at serving time | Roasted Butternut Squash Arugula Salad, Roasted Beet Salad, Pear Pomegranate Salad, Acorn Squash Salad, Spinach Salad with Feta |
Cooked fully in advance
These are cooked ahead and either reheated or served cold or at room temperature.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
I make these 2 days out. Stir a scoop of plain Greek yogurt in with the butter and you get extra protein plus a tang that keeps them from tasting flat after reheating. Warm them covered at 350°F with a splash of milk, stirring once halfway. They come out as creamy as the day you made them.
Potatoes au Gratin
Layered potatoes, cream, and a lot of cheese. This one improves after a night in the fridge, because the slices soak up the sauce and set. Bake it fully on Wednesday, then reheat at 325°F under foil until it bubbles at the edges. Gruyère and sharp cheddar add some protein too.
Homemade Creamed Corn
This is a homemade version of creamed corn. Sweet corn simmered with butter, a little cream, and Parmesan comes together in 15 minutes and keeps in the fridge for 4 days. Reheat it low on the stovetop and loosen it with milk as you go. The kids go back to it for seconds.
Garlic Mashed Parsnips
This is an alternative to potatoes. Parsnips mash up sweet and a little peppery, and roasted garlic makes them richer. They reheat exactly like mashed potatoes, so make both batches on the same afternoon. A spoonful of Greek yogurt folded in at the end keeps them light.
Lemon Parmesan Orzo
Orzo works well on a make-ahead menu. Toss it warm with lemon, Parmesan, and a handful of herbs, and it holds up in the fridge for 2 days. Fold in white beans or shredded chicken to add protein. Serve it at room temperature so it doesn’t take up oven space.
Cornbread Squares
Bake it on Wednesday, cut it into squares, and wrap the whole pan in foil. A 10-minute warm-up in the oven reheats it. I swap some of the milk for Greek yogurt, which gives it a tender crumb and a little more protein. I serve it with honey butter.
Cheddar Bay Biscuits
These freeze well. Bake them up to 2 weeks early, freeze them flat, and reheat at 350°F for 8 minutes. The garlic butter goes on after they’re warm, not before. Sharp cheddar carries the flavor and brings some protein along with it.
Baked Cinnamon Apples
This can be a side dish or a dessert. Apples bake down with cinnamon, a little brown sugar, and butter, and they hold for 3 days in the fridge. Reheat them in a covered dish and serve them next to the turkey. Leftovers go on top of Greek yogurt the next morning for a protein breakfast.
Butternut Squash Soup
I like having a pot of this going for the people who show up hungry before dinner. Soup is simple to make ahead, and it tastes better on day 2. Blend in a can of white beans and you add protein and body without changing the flavor. Serve it in mugs so people can sip while they mingle.
Slow-Baked Beans
Beans are a protein source on a holiday table. These bake low and slow with bacon, onion, and a little brown sugar, and they only get better in the fridge. Make them 3 days out and reheat them in a slow cooker so they stay warm all afternoon. This also frees up oven space.
Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Salad
Chickpeas add protein to this side. Roast them with the cauliflower until crisp, then dress everything with lemon, parsley, and olive oil. It holds for 3 days and is served at room temperature, so there’s no reheating.
Rosemary Focaccia
Bake it the day before and warm it for 5 minutes before dinner. Focaccia is forgiving, and a long overnight rise in the fridge gives it more flavor. Top it with flaky salt and fresh rosemary.
Assembled ahead and baked on the day
Thanksgiving Stuffing Casserole
I make the stuffing first. Assemble the whole casserole the day before, cover it tight, and bake it straight from the fridge with 10 extra minutes on the clock. I fold in browned turkey sausage, which adds protein. The top still crisps in the oven.
Creamy Mac and Cheese
Blend 1 cup of cottage cheese into the sauce. It adds protein and keeps the sauce silky after reheating, which is where most baked mac goes dry. Undercook the pasta by 2 minutes so it isn’t soft by Thursday. Hold the breadcrumb topping until right before it goes in the oven.
Texas Roadhouse Rolls
I make these sweet rolls from scratch once a year. Shape them the night before, let them rise slowly in the fridge, and bake them fresh on Thursday morning. The cinnamon honey butter keeps for a week, so make that early too.
Herb Roasted Baby Red Potatoes
Not everyone wants mash. Par-boil the potatoes on Wednesday, toss them in oil and herbs, and keep them covered in the fridge overnight. On Thursday they need 30 minutes at 425°F to get crisp and golden. Season them with rosemary and garlic.
Loaded Twice-Baked Potatoes
Scoop, mash, stuff, and refrigerate. Mix the filling with cheddar, bacon, and Greek yogurt in place of sour cream, which keeps the protein up. They bake straight from the fridge in about 25 minutes at 375°F, and each one is already its own serving.
Broccoli Cauliflower Bake
This green casserole doesn’t use canned soup. Toss broccoli and cauliflower with garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan, then load it into the baking dish the night before. It goes into the oven cold and comes out tender. Throw extra cheese on top for the last 5 minutes to get a golden crust.
Parmesan Spaghetti Squash Boats
Roast the squash halves on Tuesday, fluff the strands, and stuff them back in with ricotta, Parmesan, and garlic. They sit covered in the fridge until Thursday, then bake at 375°F for 20 minutes. Ricotta carries the protein, and it keeps the squash creamy instead of watery.
Prepped ahead and cooked on the day
The vegetables are cut or blanched early, then roasted or pan cooked before dinner.
Green Beans with Almonds
Blanch the beans on Tuesday, shock them in ice water, and dry them well before they go in a bag in the fridge. On the day, they need 5 minutes in a hot pan with butter, garlic, and toasted almonds. The almonds add crunch and a little plant protein. It’s the lightest dish on the table.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Trim and halve the sprouts up to 3 days ahead and store them dry. That’s the only make-ahead step, since the roasting only takes 25 minutes at 425°F while the turkey rests. Finish them with a drizzle of balsamic right out of the oven. Give them room on the pan so the edges crisp.
Roasted Carrots and Green Beans
This uses one sheet pan and two vegetables. Cut everything on Tuesday so it’s ready to go, then roast at 425°F while you carve. The carrots caramelize, the green beans blister a little, and a squeeze of lemon at the end brightens it.
Put together at serving time
Parts are prepped ahead, and the salad is tossed or plated right before dinner.
Roasted Butternut Squash Arugula Salad
A salad balances a heavy table. Roast the squash cubes ahead, keep the arugula and feta separate, and toss everything together right before dinner. Feta and toasted pepitas add protein. A simple maple vinaigrette ties it together.
Roasted Beet Salad
Beets work well here because they’re good cold. Roast and slice them up to 4 days out, then build the salad at the last minute with arugula and shaved Parmesan. It’s bright and peppery, which balances the rest of the meal. Add goat cheese if you want it creamier.
Pear Pomegranate Salad
This salad looks like more work than it is. Seed the pomegranate and shake up the dressing the day before, then slice the pears right before serving so they don’t brown. Candied walnuts bring crunch and a bit of protein. It’s fresh and balances the heavier dishes.
Acorn Squash Salad
Roasted acorn squash over a bed of greens looks more like a centerpiece than a side. Roast the squash on Wednesday and let it come to room temperature before plating. Top it with crumbled goat cheese and toasted pecans. Leftovers make a Friday lunch with sliced turkey on top.
Spinach Salad with Feta
Keep one thing on the table raw and crunchy. Spinach, feta, red onion, and a sharp vinaigrette come together in 5 minutes. Slice a few hard-boiled eggs over the top for protein. Boil the eggs and mix the dressing 3 days out, and the rest takes minutes.
