Holiday Sides That Pair Perfectly with Turkey

Jenny deRemer

Nov 25, 2025

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Thanksgiving is all about the main course, but it’s the sides that make the meal truly unforgettable! From the creamy comfort of Homemade Creamy Mac and Cheese to the nutty richness of Brown Butter French Green Beans with Toasted Pecans, these dishes elevate the holiday table. Don’t forget the indulgent Easy Cheesy Tennessee Onions, the savory elegance of Creamed Pearl Onions, or the kid-friendly crowd-pleaser A Tasty and Kid-Friendly Pickle Macaroni Salad—each one brings flavor, tradition, and a little extra magic to your Thanksgiving feast!

Table of Contents

Baked Stuffed Sugar Pumpkin with Gruyère & Sourdough

A baked pumpkin with its top off, filled with creamy herbs, sits on a platter with sliced pumpkin pieces around it.
Image Credit: Not Entirely Average

Baked Stuffed Sugar Pumpkin with Gruyère & Sourdough brings together sweet pumpkin, melty cheese, and hearty bread for a nostalgic nod to old-school Yankee holiday tables. It feels impressively festive yet stays simple enough for any home cook to pull off!
To learn more: Baked Stuffed Sugar Pumpkin with Gruyère & Sourdough

Southern Deviled Eggs with Pimento Cheese

A wooden board holding nine deviled eggs, each with a yellow yolk mixture and a sprinkle of herbs and spices.
Image Credit: Not Entirely Average

Southern Pimento Cheese Deviled Eggs turn deviled eggs into a standout holiday party appetizer or festive side dish. Creamy pimento cheese blended with seasoned yolks creates rich, tangy bites that disappear fast. These two-bite beauties bring instant charm to every celebration!
To learn more: Southern Deviled Eggs with Pimento Cheese

S​​​​autéed Beet Greens with Crispy Prosciutto & Croutons

Sautéed beet greens topped with golden raisins, pine nuts, crispy croutons, and slices of prosciutto on a patterned plate, with a fork beside the food.
Image Credit: Not Entirely Average

Sautéed Beet Greens with Crispy Prosciutto & Croutons make a flavorful, festive side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any holiday meal! Tender greens sizzle with garlic and olive oil, then get topped with crisp prosciutto, crunchy croutons, and sweet golden raisins for a perfect balance of textures and flavors!
To learn more: S​​​​autéed Beet Greens with Crispy Prosciutto & Croutons

A Tasty and Kid-friendly Pickle Macaroni Salad

Macaroni salad in a bowl with a wooden spoon.
Image Credit: Not Entirely Average

A Tasty and Kid-Friendly Pickle Macaroni Salad is the perfect holiday side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas! With just the right mix of flavors kids love, it avoids the extras that get pushed aside, ensuring everyone enjoys every bite. It’s simple, crowd-pleasing, and never leaves leftovers!
To learn more: A Tasty and Kid-friendly Pickle Macaroni Salad

Southern Style Corn Pudding

A slice of corn casserole with fresh herbs on top, placed on a white plate next to a spoon.
Image Credit: Not Entirely Average

A classic Southern Corn Pudding starts with fresh corn, cream-style corn, sour cream, butter, and eggs, rounded out with flour, sugar, salt, and pepper. Baked until beautifully golden, it serves up pure creamy corn-pudding bliss. It’s the kind of simple, comforting side that never lasts long on the table!

To learn more: Southern Style Corn Pudding

Creamy Sweet Potato and Muenster Gratin

The image shows a casserole dish with sliced potatoes and melted cheese, topped with herbs. A portion has been served, revealing its creamy texture.
Image Credit: Not Entirely Average

Creamy Sweet Potato and Muenster Gratin is a holiday side dish that combines Southern comfort with French elegance! Creamy, cheesy, and utterly delicious, it’s a potato bake that can steal the spotlight from your main course. Minimal effort, maximum crowd-pleasing flavor!
To learn more: Creamy Sweet Potato and Muenster Gratin

Brown Butter French Green Beans with Toasted Pecans

Green beans cooked and topped with chopped pecans on a white plate.
Image Credit: Not Entirely Average

Brown Butter French Green Beans with Toasted Pecans is a holiday side dish that feels gourmet but comes together in just 20 minutes! Nutty browned butter, toasted pecans, and tender-crisp green beans create a simple, delicious, crowd-pleasing treat!
To learn more: Brown Butter French Green Beans with Toasted Pecans

Homemade Creamy Mac and Cheese

Creamy macaroni and cheese with a breadcrumb and melted cheese topping, shown in a close-up view.
Image Credit: Not Entirely Average

Homemade Creamy Mac and Cheese is the holiday side dish kids WILL eat! Creamy sauce, tender noodles, and a crispy breadcrumb topping make this baked mac a crowd-pleaser, perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any festive meal!
To learn more: Homemade Creamy Mac and Cheese

Best Creamy and Easy Squash Casserole

A baking dish with a golden-brown casserole topped with bread pieces and vegetables. Whole onions and a kitchen towel sit beside it.
Image Credit: Not Entirely Average

This make-ahead Easy Holiday Casserole is the perfect Thanksgiving side dish! It comes together quickly, can be prepped in advance, and baked just before dinner for a comforting, stress-free addition to your holiday table!
To learn more: Best Creamy and Easy Squash Casserole

Creamed Pearl Onions

A bowl of caramelized pearl onions with a spoon, served in a decorative dish.
Image Credit: Not Entirely Average

Creamed Pearl Onions are a savory holiday side dish that shine on Thanksgiving and Christmas tables! Sweet onions in a rich, nutty cream sauce get a flavor boost from Cognac and a touch of Tabasco, making this Southern-inspired dish unforgettable!

To learn more: Creamed Pearl Onions

Autumn Cranberry Apple Chutney

A bowl filled with a cranberry and apple chutney similar to whole berry cranberry sauce containing cranberries, apple pieces, and various other mixed fruits in syrup sits on a wooden table next to a spoon.
Image Credit: Not Entirely Average

This make-ahead Cranberry Apple Chutney (up to five days!) is perfect served warm, room temp, or chilled alongside Thanksgiving turkey or a Christmas beef tenderloin roast. Its sweet-savory flavor deepens as it rests, and leftovers are delicious over pork, salmon, or chicken!
To learn more: Autumn Cranberry Apple Chutney

Easy Cheesy Tennessee Onions

The image shows baked onion slices topped with melted cheese and herbs in a dish. A wooden spoon is placed next to the dish, and fresh onions and herbs are arranged beside it.
Photo credit: Not Entirely Average

Tennessee Onions make an irresistible side dish for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, delivering that rich, savory, cheesy comfort everyone expects on a holiday table. Baked until caramelized and gooey, they bring big flavor with almost no effort, pairing perfectly with turkey, ham, or any festive spread. It’s the kind of crowd-pleaser that quietly steals the spotlight year after year!
To learn more: Easy Cheesy Tennessee Onions

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About Jenny deRemer

I am a Charleston, South Carolina-based culinary novice, an ardent authority on all things travel, a designer by trade, and the creator of Not Entirely Average. I have a weakness for farmers' markets, delight in adventures way off the beaten path, enjoy documenting my many moods through photography, and have been known to conquer the occasional yard sale with gusto!

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