Thanksgiving Sides That Don’t Suck (Everything But The Bird!)

Thanksgiving Sides That Don’t Suck (Everything But The Bird!) - 1 Thanksgiving Sides That Don’t Suck (Everything But The Bird!) - 2

By Emily Richter

11/16/2025

If you’re not making the bird this Thanksgiving , you’re likely bringing a side dish to pass — I don’t want you settling for a boring dish, so I rounded up all my favorite Thanksgiving sides for you right here. Every one of these recipes are tried and true Fit Foodie recipes that you all (and our families!) have been passing around holiday tables for years.

A bowl of mashed potatoes topped with two pats of butter, chopped herbs, and ground pepper sits amid autumn-themed decorations—one of the best Thanksgiving sides for your holiday table. - 3 Loading - 4 Loading - 5
  • All the Potatoes
  • Yummy Salads to Serve a Crowd
  • Veggies That Aren’t Boring
  • Stuffing and Dressing
  • Bread, Rolls and Biscuits
  • Pies, Bars and Other Sweet Treats

<img loading=“lazy” src=“https://fitfoodiefinds.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Thanksgiving-Side-Dishes.jpg" onerror=“this.onerror=null;this.src=‘https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhe7F7TRXHtjiKvHb5vS7DmnxvpHiDyoYyYvm1nHB3Qp2_w3BnM6A2eq4v7FYxCC9bfZt3a9vIMtAYEKUiaDQbHMg-ViyGmRIj39MLp0bGFfgfYw1Dc9q_H-T0wiTm3l0Uq42dETrN9eC8aGJ9_IORZsxST1AcLR7np1koOfcc7tnHa4S8Mwz_xD9d0=s16000';" alt=“A collage of the best Thanksgiving sides, featuring mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, cornbread, salad, green beans, dinner rolls, pie, and sweet potatoes. Text reads “Thanksgiving Side Dishes. - 6”>

All the Potatoes

I love a classic mashed potato as much as the next girl, but sometimes it’s nice to jazz things up a bit for Thanksgiving! Whether it’s my whipped cottage cheese mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes au gratin , all of these recipes are a great addition to your Thanksgiving spread.

Sliced sweet potatoes topped with cranberries and garnished with a sprig of rosemary, served in a white dish. - 7

Maple Cranberry Sweet Potatoes Recipe

A bowl of mashed potatoes with cheese and herbs. - 8

Whipped Cottage Cheese Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Smashed red potatoes on a plate. - 9

Smashed Red Potatoes

potatoes in crock pot - 10

Crockpot Mashed Potatoes

A baking dish filled with roasted potatoes and a wooden spoon. - 11

Sweet Potato Au Gratin recipe

mashed sweet potatoes - 12

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Yummy Salads to Serve a Crowd

You won’t find a single boring salad on Fit Foodie Finds, and these Thanksgiving salad recommendations are no exception! Each of these salads are bright, flavorful, and can either be completely prepped ahead of time, or many of the elements can be — aka no one needs to be stressed on Thanksgiving Day making complex salads from start to finish in a busy kitchen.

A vibrant couscous salad recipe featuring chickpeas, kale, roasted butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, Israeli couscous, red onion, dried cranberries, lentils, and crumbled cheese served with utensils. - 13

Autumn Couscous Salad Recipe

A bowl containing cooked gnocchi, kale, shredded parmesan, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, sliced red onions, and breadcrumbs. - 14

Roasted Gnocchi Kale Salad with a Garlic Parmesan Dressing

A plate with butter beans, sliced onions, kale, shredded cheese, toasted slivered almonds, and a small cup of dark dressing. - 15

Butter Bean Lemon Kale Salad Recipe

Apple burrata salad in a bowl. - 16

Apple Burrata Salad

Farro salad in a bowl. - 17

Farro Salad with Kale and Butternut Squash

A Thanksgiving salad featuring kale, apples, and walnuts. - 18

Favorite Thanksgiving Salad

A butternut squash massaged kale salad with blackberries and walnuts. - 19

Roasted Butternut Squash and Blackberry Harvest Salad

Veggies That Aren’t Boring

Move over canned veggies! Every Thanksgiving table needs some veg, and these recipes are all unique, delicious, and flavor-packed. Personally, I’m making these parmesan crusted Brussels sprouts this year, and THOUSANDS of you make my healthy green bean casserole during the holidays. You really can’t go wrong with these veggie sides!

Sheet pan with roasted Brussels sprouts and melted, golden brown cheese, some pieces torn apart from the main section. - 20

Parmesan Crusted Brussels Sprouts

Garlic glazed carrots. - 21

Garlic Glazed Carrots

green bean casserole in dish. - 22

Healthy Green Bean Casserole Recipe

delicata squash roasted on a pan - 23

Roasted Delicata Squash (with Creme Fraiche)

Bacon wrapped brussels sprouts on a plate. - 24

Bacon Wrapped Brussel Sprouts Recipe

A plate of green beans topped with shaved almonds and cheese, accompanied by a fork and knife. - 25

Green Bean Sauté Recipe

roasted carrots and garlic on a baking tray - 26

Honey Balsamic Roasted Carrots

green beans in casserole dish - 27

Green Beans Almondine

Stuffing and Dressing

You don’t have to be making the bird to do the stuffing! I have 3 go-to stuffing recipes on Fit Foodie Finds, and each of them brings a unique flavor profile. I’ll be making my cornbread stuffing this year 😋.

Sausage stuffing in a white baking dish with a wood spoon. - 28

Sausage Stuffing

cornbread dressing in a bowl - 29

Homemade Cornbread Stuffing Recipe

Quinoa with cranberries and nuts in a white bowl. - 30

Quinoa Stuffing with Butternut Squash

Bread, Rolls and Biscuits

Whether you’re team savory or team sweet when it comes to the bread on your Thanksgiving table, I’ve got something for you! My high-protein dinner rolls are made in the air fryer (aka they won’t take up precious oven space!), and my cranberry orange bread just screams fall flavors. You really can’t go wrong here!

Close-up of savory pastry rolls topped with shredded cheese and herbs, arranged in a metal basket lined with white parchment paper. - 31

Garlic Parmesan High Protein Rolls

Close-up of freshly baked, golden-brown dinner rolls with a soft, fluffy interior. - 32

Air Fryer Dinner Rolls Recipe

cornbread in skillet - 33

Healthy Skillet Cornbread

A close-up of cheesy baked biscuits with melted cheddar cheese on top, served on a white plate. - 34

Cottage Cheese Breakfast Biscuits Recipe

A loaf of delectable cranberry orange bread topped with icing. - 35

Cranberry Orange Bread

Pies, Bars and Other Sweet Treats

Thanksgiving is NOT THE TIME to skip dessert! And I have literally hundreds of yummy dessert recipes — many of which aren’t your traditional pies! You’ll find everything from bars to tarts to cakes to galettes. Yummy!

A slice of pumpkin pie on a plate with a fork. - 36

High-Protein Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Cheesecake

Easy pecan bars on a piece of paper. - 37

Pecan Pie Bars

a white plate topped with a piece of cake. - 38

Coconut Cream Pie Bars

slice of apple galette on plate. - 39

Brown Butter Apple Galette

healthy cheesecake - 40

Best Healthy Cheesecake Recipe

slice of pumpkin sheet cake on a plate - 41

Pumpkin Sheet Cake

A stack of four chocolate chip oatmeal bars with a crumbly texture is placed on a white surface. Chocolate chips are scattered around the bars. - 42

Carmelita Bars Recipe