When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, everyone knows that the true star of the meal isn’t the oven-roasted turkey alone, but the sides. From sweet potato casserole to cornbread dressing and macaroni and cheese, we want to help you pick tasty recipes that will make your Thanksgiving a success.
That’s why Southern Living has pulled together some of our favorite 9×13 side dishes that will make your holiday as hands-free and make-ahead as possible. These recipes will round out the menu for anyone hosting a large family gathering or bringing a side to a potluck feast. Thanksgiving is all about gratitude, and we promise you’ll be mighty thankful for these sides.
Rob Culpepper; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Assistant Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
No Thanksgiving spread is complete without Green Bean Casserole. With just 5 ingredients, this one’s easy to make and serve up for a crowd.
Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
Known for its creamy sauce and buttery cracker topping, a classic squash casserole like this one is a Southern family favorite. It’s also a perfect Thanksgiving side, and it fills a 9×13 dish to go a long way at any gathering. It’s often an option as a meat-and-three side, but it’s hearty enough to stand alone.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Decadent and rich, there’s a reason why this is called a “million dollar” casserole. Each and every bite it cheesy, savory, and buttery. This’ll be a Thanksgiving side dish for the books.
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
This tasty mash-up of squash casserole and cornbread dressing is a nice alternative to your usual dressing recipe.
Atonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer
We love plain-old mashed potatoes, but mashed potato casserole is a step above. This recipe’s broiled top contrasts with its smooth, creamy interior for a flavor and texture you’ll come back to again and again.
Photographer: Stacy K. Allen. Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
You can never go wrong with a classic. Southerners are firm believers that this dish belongs on every holiday table, and Thanksgiving is no exception. Made with both white and yellow cheddar and a little bit of onion, this recipe can be made up until step two a day in advance.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Does it get any more traditional than a scalloped side? We don’t think so. With frozen corn, buttered crackers, and mayonnaise, this dish makes us feel at home.
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
Brown sugar, sorghum syrup, bourbon, and butter make these sweet potatoes extremely rich and decadent. Don’t skimp on the rosemary; it brings the dish together.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Add a welcome dose of veggies to your holiday table with this cheesy corn and squash casserole topped with golden breadcrumbs.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Combine cornbread with silky, creamy creamed corn in this crowd-pleasing cornbread casserole. It starts with a box of corn muffin mix and turns into a side dish perfect for the Thanksgiving spread.
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ana Kelly, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Tomato pudding is a savory version of the classic bread dish. Brown sugar elevates the savory tomato sauce flavors, herbs, and sourdough bread. The fresh tomatoes on top are a nice addition amid the rest of the Thanksgiving feast.
Will Dickey; Prop Styling: Christina Daley; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners
This dish’s melty, gooey goodness isn’t just chance. It’s a tried-and-true balance of flavors: savory bacon, white Cheddar and Gruyere cheeses, and panko topping; sweet corn kernels and scallions; and spicy dry mustard and cayenne pepper.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
It’s always good to have a casserole recipe in your back pocket, and this is the perfect one to have on hand. Cheese and broccoli never disappoint, but this dish also has a crunchy cracker topping going for it.
Emily Laurae / Southern Living
We love this corn pudding for its delicate, dessert-like quality that just keeps us coming back for more. You can make this dish three or four days in advance, or you can freeze it for up to a month if (for some odd reason) you have leftovers.
VICTOR PROTASIO; PROP STYLING: GINNY BRANCH STELLING; FOOD STYLING: EMILY NABORS HALL
Brussels sprouts might not be your go-to dish for Thanksgiving, but this recipe will make you reconsider. Make this casserole up to three days in advance (prepared up to step four), and then add the toppings and bake the day you’re planning to serve.
Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Amy Burke
Let’s face it, potatoes and cheese make everything better. After only 20 minutes of hands-on work, sit back and let the oven do the cooking. We recommend stirring gently every 10 minutes so the potatoes cook evenly, then adding a layer of cheese to brown at the end.
Iain Bagwell; Styling: Amy Burke
Sweet potatoes and carrots: Who knew? Topped with spiced pecans and mini marshmallows, this dish is sure to delight. Tangy sour cream and lemon zest add a little more sparkle than the average sweet potato casserole.
Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis
This recipe comes from chef and restaurateur Kelsey Barnard Clark’s great-grandmother’s kitchen. There is a reason Clark has held onto this recipe—not only is it delicious, but assembling this dish is just about as easy as it comes.
Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Micah Morton, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner
Guests with food allergies will love this cornbread dressing, and everyone else won’t be able to tell it’s gluten free.
Laurey W. Glenn
A favorite from 1993 that’s still in our holiday rotation, this recipe consists of savory cornbread, fragrant herbs, and—of course—classic grits. You can make the grits two days before you put the dressing together to cut down on Thanksgiving day prep.
Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
With homemade cornbread cooked in a cast iron skillet, this dressing is as true to tradition as they come. To achieve that classic dressing texture, let the cornbread dry out for two days before serving.
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Torie Cox; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Savory and sweet potato are usually not paired together during the holidays, but trust us when we say this dish is delish. Sprinkled with a Parmesan-herb streusel topping, this recipe has the bite we love about traditional sweet potato casserole without all the added sugar.
Photographer: Alison Miksch / Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn / Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
These delicate yeast rolls sprinkled with sea salt will please your crowd, but do not count on having too many left over. Good thing you can fit 24 of them in your 9×13.
Alison Miksch, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Macaroni and cheese is good on its own, but when you add bacon you have really made something special. This rich dish is perfect to serve your hungry guests and fill them up, too.
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
While there are other options for this dish on this list, we’ll never shy away from the classic, canned fried onion version. Make the base ahead of time, then add toppings and bake when you’re ready to serve.
Hector Manuel Sanchez
Meet the new family favorite. This hearty recipe adds a welcome spin on classic bread pudding with sweet potato and a cheesy Parmesan custard. Eight thick-cut slices of bacon make it even richer.
Stacy K. Allen; Props: Julia Bayless; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
This cauliflower casserole recipe gets an infusion of flavor from multiple cheeses, bacon, chives, sour cream, and more. It’s like a lighter, loaded baked potato for the whole Thanksgiving crowd.
Greg DuPree
For some families, it just isn’t Thanksgiving without an oyster casserole on the table. If you’d like to try one this year, look no further than our classic take on the dish. Our Test Kitchen did some tinkering and came up with what we think is the best version ever: plump oysters baked in a rich Parmesan cream sauce and topped with buttery breadcrumbs.
Hector Manuel Sanchez
Full of flavor, this fan-favorite side dish combines sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and greens into a lively mealtime accompaniment. This casserole works well as a vegetarian main dish or a side dish.
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
If you’re looking to wow your crowd, this is the recipe to break out. Besides looking gorgeous, the meringue topping has a bonus: It contains a lot less sugar than marshmallows.
Photographer: Brittany Conerly; Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin
If you’re craving a traditional cornbread dressing for the classic flavors of sage, onion, and celery, we’re here for you. We’ve provided a recipe for the cornbread crumbles it is based on, but you can substitute your favorite cornbread instead.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Give your crowd a loaded baked potato in convenient casserole form. This comforting, cheesy dish can be prepared one day in advance and chilled unbaked in the refrigerator. Let the casserole come to room temperature before popping it in the oven.
Courtney West
This version of the classic Corn Pudding Casserole is made with fontina or Swiss cheese for an ultra-creamy, slightly sharp dish. Besides the specialty cheeses, the ingredients for this comforting casserole are all fairly basic: half-and-half and eggs provide the custard-like base, while fresh chives and thyme add a little brightness.
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell
This potato-less gratin frees you from careful slicing and delicate arranging. The only trick is to cook the savory cheese sauce until it thickens so that your gratin won’t be watery. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
Give your scalloped potatoes a meaty upgrade to satisfy big appetites. This recipe uses 8 ounces of pork, which you can set aside from your holiday ham. Otherwise, this is a very simple, classic recipe that will please the pickiest eaters.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
We put a Southern spin on this Thanksgiving favorite by using Conecuh smoked sausage. Use soft white bread with an open, tender crumb that can soak up the stock and spices. You can get a head start by toasting the bread a couple of days in advance and storing it in an airtight container.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
On Thanksgiving, a lot of dishes that could be classified as desserts are allowed to pass as sides. This sweet fruit and oat crumble definitely can be interpreted either way, but we think the tart cranberries will go perfectly with your turkey.
Emily Laurae/Southern Living
This slightly sweet, custardy corn pudding has been a reader favorite for decades. With only eight ingredients and very little hands-on time, the recipe is a busy cook’s dream. Instead of fresh corn, substitute frozen whole kernel corn or canned shoepeg corn, drained.
Courtney West
This is the kind of sweet potato casserole many of us grew up on: sweet and utterly decadent. The cornflakes add extra crunch to the marshmallow topping. Arrange it in diagonal lines with a little space in between, then pile on the marshmallows between rows.
ANTONIS ACHILLEOS; PROP STYLING: KATHLEEN VARNER; FOOD STYLING: EMILY NABORS HALL.
This recipe is for those who like to focus on the fresh, briny flavor of oysters complemented simply with crushed crackers. Oyster casserole has graced Southern Thanksgiving tables for decades (we published our first Oyster Casserole recipe back in 1967). Some recipes feature all kinds of extra ingredients, but this recipe distills it down to the basics.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
There isn’t a holiday dinner this popular hashbrown casserole hasn’t been invited to. Made creamy with canned cream of chicken soup and dusted with cornflakes for crunch, this comforting dish pairs well with any Thanksgiving menu.
Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham
This casserole rolls several side dish flavors into one with lots of vegetables, rice, spice, and crunchy croutons. Cut the okra into larger pieces to keep the slime under control.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
If you’re not familiar with this unique dish, you need to be. You’ll need sweet onions, smoked Gouda and mild Cheddar, butter, and herbs to make this simple but delightful side.
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
Sweet potatoes cook up tender in a sorghum glaze made with brown sugar, bourbon, rosemary, and cayenne for well-balanced flavor. The trick to even cooking is to stir the potatoes every 20 minutes during baking.
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
Give mac and cheese a glow up. A roasted tomato topping will attract the adults, and the kids will love that their old favorite is on the buffet.
Hannah Zimmerman / Southern Living
It’s just not Thanksgiving without mashed potatoes, and this make-ahead version can be made up to two days ahead so you can focus on other things on Turkey Day. Just let the prepared casserole sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Egg yolks and cream give this potato casserole ultra creaminess. Add in butter, white Cheddar cheese, and Parmesan for over-the-top cheesiness. One bite and you’ll realize it’s worth the splurge.
Helen Norman
This potato salad defies convention—it’s not your typical chilled picnic side. Served hot, this casserole is a combination of a potato salad and a gratin. The creamy potatoes are made even better with cheese, bacon, and Spanish olives.
Antonis Achilleos; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn
While these aren’t your typical side, on holidays, anything goes. And no one will question a casserole dish of these sweet and salty ham sliders topped with everything bagel seasoning.
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
This dish is a cross between several traditional Thanksgiving sides—cornbread dressing, cornbread, and a soufflé. It has the consistency of a pudding and is a good match for other holiday favorites.