Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chanukah, or New Year’s, we all know what food everyone looks forward to the most … the sides! Whether you’re looking for classic side dishes like homemade cranberry sauce, and green bean casserole or new recipes like creamy confetti corn and pea salad, this roundup of my favorite holiday side dishes that are sure to be a hit at your table this festive season.
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Must-Make Christmas Side Dishes for Your Holiday Table
Like any holiday, Christmas is a fun time of family, good food, and cheer. But it can also be stressful — especially if you’re the one hosting.
And let’s be real, no matter how succulent and delicious the holiday ham or turkey might be, the real showstoppers every holiday season are the side dishes. That is where the flavor and diversity are, and (subsequently) the pressure to make sure they’re a guaranteed success!
So allow me to save you the trouble of researching what side dishes to serve this year. These are some of my all-time favorite holiday side dishes I honestly serve year-round, but you’re guaranteed to spot them on my table at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.
This roundup of my favorite holiday side dishes is guaranteed to impress your guests and leave everyone feeling full and satisfied!
Holiday Casseroles
The BEST Sweet Potato Casserole: Creamy sweet potatoes baked with a crunchy pecan streusel topping! The perfect easy side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas!
Homemade Green Bean Casserole: With a homemade mushroom cream sauce and crunchy panko onion topping! No canned mushroom soup needed!
Broccoli Rice Casserole Recipe: Is made with a rich cheese sauce and loaded with tender broccoli then topped with melty cheddar cheese. This casserole is great on it’s own as a main course or as a stellar side dish.
Easy Sausage Stuffing: Loaded with fresh herbs, carrots, celery, onions and garlic. The perfect side dish to go with your Thanksgiving meal!
Easy Baked Macaroni and Cheese: Tender elbow macaroni in a creamy cheddar cheese sauce baked until golden brown. The perfect side dish to go with any meal!
Creamy Corn Pudding: Made from scratch with brown butter, heavy cream and corn. No boxed jiffy corn mix or canned corn needed!
Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole: Features everything you love in a classic baked potato, but in a much more convenient form (hence the casserole dish). Trust me when I say this is a guaranteed hit at the family table!
The BEST Scalloped Potatoes: Made with thinly sliced russet potatoes layered in a creamy cheese sauce then baked until golden brown. The perfect side dish for any occasion!
Vegetable Side Dishes
Roasted Garlic Brussels Sprouts: Tossed with lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, and garlic. A quick and easy side dish that can be made in less than 30 minutes.
Air Fryer Vegetables: Is sure to be your new favorite way to work veggies into any meal! It’s super quick, easy, and flavorful. Plus, you can use any combination of vegetables you like!
Roasted Asparagus: Tossed with homemade garlic parmesan breadcrumbs, making every bite savory, crunchy, and delicious! It’s a perfect side dish for any occasion — dinners during a busy week, get-togethers with family and friends, or your holiday table.
Creamed Corn: Skip the can and make delicious, flavorful creamed corn at home with a few pantry staples. Trust me, you’ll never go back to the pre-made stuff after you try this recipe! It’s perfect for weeknight dinners or holiday meals.
Roasted Broccoli: Roasted over high heat until golden brown and tender then tossed with lemon juice and parmesan cheese! This recipe will convert any broccoli haters!
Honey Roasted Carrots: Only 3 Ingredients and made with brown butter and honey then roasted until golden brown. The perfect side dish!
Slow Cooker Balsamic Brussels Sprouts: Made with a homemade balsamic reduction. All you need is 10 minutes of prep time to make this before letting your slow cooker do the rest of the work!
Sauces & Gravy
Gluten Free Gravy: Yes, you can make a delicious, flavorful gravy without any flour or added oil. Don’t believe me? Give this gluten-free turkey gravy a try this holiday season!
Potatoes
Creamy Mashed Potatoes: Make the perfect side dish to go with any meal! Loaded with sour cream, butter, heavy cream AND milk these potatoes are rich, creamy and fluffy!
Mashed Sweet Potatoes: These sweet potatoes are made with butter and cream to make them super rich! I’ve included two fun variations below to serve these potatoes: A sweet option and a savory option!
Bread & Rolls
Corn Muffins: Perfect grab and go corn muffins. Soft and buttery on the inside with a crisp exterior! Perfect alongside soups and main courses.
Fluffy Homemade Dinner Rolls: They are buttery, flakey and perfectly golden brown on the outside. They are the perfect roll to serve alongside your holiday meals, soups or favorite dinners!
More Recipes To Complete This Holiday Meal
- Make everyone’s spirits bright for the big meal with festive drinks like my Holiday Cranberry Pomegranate Mojito and Pomegranate Cranberry Champagne Punch! You could also leave out the alcohol and make mocktails for anyone who wants one and doesn’t want to feel left out of the fun.
- Light bites provide a tasty way for people to graze while they catch up with one another.
- It never hurts to prep everyone’s palettes with a refreshing salad ahead of a heavy marathon meal.
- Thanksgiving is know for its turkey, but let’s be real … that was a whole month ago! It doesn’t hurt to make the bird again. This roasted turkey recipe is finger-licking-good and easy to make any time of the year.
- You always need some sort of bread on your holiday table to soak up all the goodness that’s on your dinner plate!
- These sweet treats are sure to leave your family feeling merry and bright after such a delicious holiday meal. (Especially before the annual Christmas post-meal nap!)
