35 New Thanksgiving Sides You Haven’t Made (Yet!)

This is a stunning side dish to serve company. The robust blend features earthy root vegetables in a lightly herbed cream sauce. It's a perfect make-ahead dish for special occasions. —Carla Mendres, Winnipeg, Manitoba

This colorful salad is easy to make—and it's even easier if you use precut chunks of butternut squash. You can use pecans in place of the almonds or watercress instead of the arugula or spinach. —Nancy Buchanan, Costa Mesa, California

This recipe showcases a creamy sauce with shallot-and-chive cheese. The toasted pine nuts add crunch. Just a few ingredients—so easy! —Becky Ellis, Roanoke, Virginia

The crunchy golden brown topping and tangy yogurt and feta make this recipe a winner. You can loosen the mixture with a few tablespoons of milk if necessary. —Cheryl Woodson, Liberty, Missouri

I didn't try parsnips until I was well into my 40s, but now I can't get enough of them. This salad is so delicious, I defy your kids to turn their noses up at it. —Jodi Taffel, Altadena, California

I tried this sweet and crunchy casserole out on my 80-year-old parents and they loved it! Butternut squash now has a place at our holiday table year after year. —Barbara Busch, Henrico, Virginia

Grab all of your garden-fresh produce for this quinoa with roasted vegetables. The tangy dressing and fresh herbs really make the flavors shine in this wholesome quinoa side dish. —Sonali Ruder, New York, New York

This light, flavorful carrot ginger soup is vegan! It's made with pantry staples and comes together in a hurry, yet always seems to impress. Fresh ginger makes a big difference—and what isn't used can be wrapped tightly and tossed in the freezer to use later. —Jenna Olson, Manchester, Missouri

When a friend brought this to a gathering at church, I simply had to ask for the recipe—what a fast and fun way to serve potatoes! It's always good to find a recipe that can sneak in a few extra veggies; the kids never find the carrots hidden inside this one. —Cheryl Newendorp, Pella, Iowa

This recipe's wow factor makes it perfect for special occasions. To save time, the asparagus and prosciutto can be roasting while the rice cooks on the stovetop. They'll be ready to stir into the risotto by the time the rice is done. —Deonna Mazur, Buffalo, New York

This scoop-able side with its sweet, crunchy topping makes a delightful alternative to the traditional sweet potato casserole. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas

Since a lot of delicious onions are grown in our state, they are always part of my menu. This tangy side dish is good with pork and beef. The inspiration for this unusual combination was a prolific apple tree!—Janice Mitchell, Aurora, Colorado

As retired dairy farmers, we always knew fresh dairy products made a difference in my recipes. This creamy sauce combines some of our favorite foods. Josephine Vanden Heuvel, Hart, Michigan

A dear friend shared this recipe with me years ago. Now it's my favorite dish to take to a church meeting, shower or any potluck event—it's always a hit. Whenever I serve this salad, people ask for the recipe. They find it hard to believe it's really made with buttermilk! —Juanita Hutto, Mechanicsville, Virginia

This easy, delicious and healthy side is a showpiece that always delights. You can use grain, squash, fruits and nuts to suite your taste—it's impossible to go wrong! —Lynn Heisel, Jackson, Missouri

Leeks have a delicious oniony flavor and they are so wonderful in this side dish. The mustard sauce compliments the leeks flavor well and it goes well with many main dishes.—Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Greendale, Wisconsin

I take this dish to potlucks during the holidays. People always ooh and aah. Feel free to sub whipped cream for the celery curl garnish. —Carol Mead, Los Alamos, New Mexico

This recipe is delicious and versatile. I often substitute a tablespoon of minced fresh basil for the dried, and two to three ears of sweet corn (about a cup cut fresh from the cob) for the Mexicorn. —Lucile Throgmorton, Clovis, New Mexico

A spicy homemade seasoning blend shakes up everyone’s favorite finger food in this rendition of sweet potato fries. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

In the South, grits are served plain with a little butter or loaded with extras, like my recipe with bacon, cheddar and green chiles. —Amanda Reed, Nashville, Tennessee

When I was looking for something new, I started playing with flavors and came up with this very tasty dish. My German grandmother would be impressed, I think! The colorful side dish is just right with pork. —Ann Sheehy, Lawrence, Massachusetts

Thai food lovers will go crazy for this soup. It has a deep flavor from the combination of onion, coconut milk and spices. —Susan Hein, Burlington, Wisconsin

Cinnamon and honey bring out the natural earthy sweetness of sweet potatoes in this simple, elegant side dish. —Laura Mifsud, Northville, Michigan

I created this salad as an alternative to the mayonnaise, raisin and carrot salad my mom used to make. I had some leftover ginger and really liked the fresh taste. I have a sweet tooth, and this salad satisfies it! —Lauri Cherian, Scott Depot, West Virginia

This acorn squash recipe was passed down to me from my grandma, who always served it at Thanksgiving. Now I make it whenever I'm feeling nostalgic. —Rita Addicks, Weimar, Texas

This recipe has become such a family heirloom that I asked my mother's permission before passing it along. It has traveled to weddings, baptisms, landmark birthdays and wedding anniversaries—and it always makes people happy. —Janet Mahowald, Rice Lake, Wisconsin

This squash is welcome as a side dish, but you can also top it with canned tuna to serve as a main dish. I use my own canned tomatoes for the best flavor. It's easy and so tasty! —Carol Chase, Sioux City, Iowa

When I started bringing this distinctive dish to holiday dinners, a lot of people had never seen barley in anything but soup. They have since dubbed me "the barley lady", and now I wouldn't dare bring anything this dish. Even if I double the recipe, I come home with an empty pan. -Renate Crump, Los Angeles, California

I dress up carrots with a brown sugar and mustard sauce as a side dish for my New Year’s meal. Garnished with a little bright green parsley, the carrots add color to the dinner plate. —Paula Zsiray, Logan, Utah

Parmesan cheese and garlic liven up this spinach dish, which goes well with met entrees and main-dish casseroles. Sometimes, I use broccoli as a spinach substitute. It's equally delicious.

Guests at a barbecue we hosted one summer brought this cool, refreshing salad. Now it's a mainstay at many of our gatherings year-round. The mingling of zesty tastes and textures instantly wakes up the taste buds. —Sherry Duval, Baltimore, Maryland

This Italian classic is so simple to make, you can now make it any night of the week. —Elisabeth Matelski, Boston, Massachusetts

Working full time, I found I didn't always have time to cook the meals my family loved. So I re-created many of our favorites in the slow cooker. This cinnamony treatment for squash is one of them. —Carol Greco, Centereach, New York

When our children were small, we always celebrated Christmas at our house. This was one of many recipes I relied on that can be prepared a day in advance, which gave me more time to spend with guests. Everyone expected to see this vegetable dish on the table every year. —Barbara Caserman, Lake Havasu City, Arizona

This warm, hearty spinach and bacon salad offers comfort at any meal. The glossy dressing features a hint of celery seed for a special touch. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen