HAPARI’s Favorite Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, it’s time to start planning the big feast! Whether you’re hosting this year or just bringing a dish over to your in-laws, you’ll need a tasty recipe to contribute to the big dinner. Well, good news, you’ve come to the right place -- we’ve curated a list of five of the tastiest Thanksgiving side dishes out there.

These recipes aren’t just your standard cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, they’re new on-trend holiday-themed side dish recipes that will help you and your family try something new this year. We’re talking delicious dishes like: Fried Mash Potato Balls, Thanksgiving Cauliflower, and Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes. Sounds pretty mouth-wateringly delicious right?!

Check them out below and add some new dishes to your Thanksgiving tradition!

5. Fried Mashed Potato Balls

This Fried Mashed Potato Balls recipe from Taste of Home combines everything we love about traditional Thanksgiving dishes - potatoes, cheese, and bread - and gives it a unique twist. These may not be the healthiest side dish to bring to the family dinner, but they’ll certainly be a favorite! Nothing quite beats fried cheese, amiright? The other great part about this side dish is that it’s incredibly easy to make; prep time averages out to right around 25 minutes with an even shorter 5 min cook time. Ready to make these? Check out the ingredients below and head on over to Taste of Home to get all the directions!

Ingredients

• 2 cups cold mashed potatoes
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup real bacon bits
• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
• Oil for frying

Fried Mashed Potato Balls Recipe photo by Taste of Home

4. Smashed and Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Think brussel sprouts are gross? When you try this next recipe starring brussel sprouts as the main attraction, you’re going to think again! Brussel sprouts can be delicious, you just have to cook them right. The recipe we love the most for a good brussel sprout dish is this one from Well Plated. This recipe roasts the sprouts so that they are crispy like a chip on the outside but tender and flavorful on the inside. The recipe is also easy to make; prep for 5-10 minutes and cook for the same amount of time. Check out the ingredients below and head over to Well Plated to get the full directions!

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds of brussel sprouts trimmed and cut in half
• Olive oil
• Spices (salt, pepper, red pepper flakes)
• Parmesan cheese
• Lemon juice

Photo by Sebastian Coman Photography from Pexels

3. Roasted Thanksgiving Cauliflower

For all the vegetarians and vegans out there traditional Thanksgiving turkey isn’t going to cut it. This year, try adding more vegetable dishes to the menu. We think even your meat-loving family members will enjoy this tasty vegetable dish. The Thanksgiving Cauliflower recipe comes from Delish and is a great side dish for the big feast. With ingredients like butter, salt, pepper, and garlic, this cauliflower dish tastes as savory and delicious as any piece of turkey. Maybe even better! Check out the ingredients below, then head over to the Delish website for full directions.

Ingredients

• 1 large head of cauliflower
• 4 tbsp. melted butter, divided
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 whole cloves garlic (skin-on)
• 4 leaves fresh sage
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

2. Cheesy Pesto Twist Breadsticks

The side dishes really are what make Thanksgiving such a revered and delicious meal. Turkey is for the birds (pun intended!) With this Cheesy Pesto Twist recipe from Tasty, you’re going to score major mouth-watering points with your whole family and may just bring the most-loved dish to the feast. The recipe features all the ingredients for a tasty treat: bread, pesto sauce, and cheese. Can’t go wrong there. Plus this recipe is incredibly easy-to-make. In need of something the kids can help prepare for Thanksgiving? This recipe is it! Check out the full details and directions via Tasty.

Ingredients

• 2 sheets of puff pastry
• 6 oz of pesto sauce
• 1½ cups of freshly grated mozzerla cheese
• 1 egg (beaten)
• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• ½ cup parmesan cheese

Image via Tasty

1. Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Last but not least, try this tasty Honey Roasted Sweet Potato recipe from the Food Network. This recipe uses a tasty honey glaze sauce over sweet potatoes. Pop these bad boys in the oven with a little olive oil, honey, and fresh lemon juice, and you’ll have a sweet side dish everyone will love. These tasty potatoes pair well with other traditional Thanksgiving dishes like turkey, cranberries, corn and rolls. The other nice thing about this recipe is that it’s incredibly simple to make, which means adding this as a side dish won’t add hours in the kitchen. A win-win! Give this recipe a try and let us know what you think. Ingredients are below, for directions head over to the Food Network site for full information and a tutorial video!

Ingredients

• 2 pounds sweet potatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon salt

Photo by Damir Mijailovic from Pexels

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