40 Classic Thanksgiving Recipes That Deserve a Comeback

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

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

These onions are stuffed with a delicious blend of cheeses and cooked in vegetable broth. Experiment to find the blend you like. Instead of goat cheese, try cream cheese or mascarpone cheese. For the blue cheese, you can use Gorgonzola cheese, and in place of Romano, you can use Parmesan. It’s all delicious! —Sonya Labbe, West Hollywood, California

My grandmother made the best collard greens in the world. Eating them with a slice of buttermilk cornbread is pure bliss. —Sherri Williams, Crestview, Florida

This simple but special deep-dish pie provides a down-home finish to hearty autumn meals served at home. Pecans and pumpkin-pie spices make this a comforting seasonal classic.—Paul Azzone, Shoreham, New York

To ensure your family eats their veggies, why not top your beets with an irresistible orange glaze! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

To make it easier to bring this traditional Southern staple to a potluck or gathering, I updated it so that it can be cooked in a slow cooker. It's hard to go wrong with candied sweet potatoes when it comes to pleasing a crowd. —Deirdre Dee Cox, Kansas City, Missouri

No one will guess this showstopper dessert with luscious cinnamon frosting starts with a mix! It's a year-round favorite. —Linda Murray, Allenstown, New Hampshire

This was originally my daughter's recipe, and she or I will make it for one or more of our holiday get-togethers. It can be served as a fruit salad along with the meal or as a light dessert. It's particularly pretty in a cut-glass bowl on a buffet. —Ruth Bolduc, Conway, New Hampshire

Plenty of pecans and bacon give this stuffing a unique flavor, while using a packaged mix cuts down on the preparation time. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Acorn squash has been a favorite of mine since I was little and my mother baked it with sugar and cinnamon. This particular pie was something I improvised. We love pumpkin pie, but had fresh squash in excess. So I came up with this new variation! It's good to take to potlucks, to pie or cake walks at school, or to serve as a different dessert for Thanksgiving or Christmas. —Mary Kelly, Hopland, California

Mother could always rely on peas and onions when she was in a hurry and needed a quick side. Besides being easy to prepare, this dish was loved by everyone in our family. It was handed down to my mother by my grandmother. —Santa D'Addario, Jacksonville, Florida

In Georgia where sweet Vidalia onions are king, I make big batches of creamy onions as a side dish for grilled chicken and beef. — Elaine Opitz, Marietta, Georgia

My mother made this stuffing every Thanksgiving for my, father who loves it! And now I make it.—Amy Voights, Brodhead, Wisconsin

I found myself in need of an impromptu potato dish, but no potatoes. Frozen hash browns and the plethora of cheeses I keep in the freezer offered me the solution to my side-dish dilemma. —Cynthia Gerken, Naples, Florida

All my leftover bread ends (raisin bread is a favorite in this house) and buns go in the freezer. Then, when I've stashed away enough, I whip up a batch of this pudding. It's an all-occasion dish—I've made it for holidays, potlucks, picnics...for any occasion or no occasion! —Dawn Green, Hopkins, Michigan

This pilaf is fantastic with fish or poultry and especially compatible with turkey. Since it's so colorful, I like to think it makes my turkey dressed for the holidays. —Erica Ollmann, San Diego, California

We try lots of cranberry recipes, and this one is always requested when we have family get-togethers at Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's also been a favorite dish at every church potluck I've taken it to! —Eleanor Arthur, Seattle, Washington

Carrots and green pepper make this dish colorful, which grabs attention at a potluck. The corn casserole is also a smart idea for when you need to prepare a dish ahead of time—easy baking is all it takes to finish it up. —J. Brown, Fort Dodge, Iowa

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

A dear friend and I wanted to make an easy apple crisp. We made a Parmesan filling, stuffed the apples and baked them whole. They were a hit! —Susan Stetzel, Gainesville, New York

When I was growing up, it was a family tradition to make creamed peas with pearl onions for every Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. My dad would not be a happy camper if he didn't see this dish on the table. It was his favorite! I made it for my own family while our kids were growing up; my daughter now makes this dish for her family. —Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada

I created this recipe for our local persimmon festival, using homegrown squash. Make sure the persimmons are ripe! I like to use a few extra toffee bits and pecans in the garnish. —Betty Milligan, Bedford, Indiana

My husband first tried this comforting casserole more than 10 years ago when he was still my fiance. Having enjoyed it so much, he said I needed to offer it at every Thanksgiving dinner. I was happy to oblige!—Maura Calusdian, Londonderry, New Hampshire

Fresh beets are delicious when combined with aromatic spices and a hint of orange. These have the ideal balance of sweet and sour flavors. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

I pack these easy candied pecans in jars tied with pretty ribbon for family and friends. My granddaughter gave some to a doctor at the hospital where she works, and he said they were too good to be true! —Opal Turner, Hughes Springs, Texas

I love serving this satisfying corn bread pudding recipe with shrimp or other seafood. I actually adapted the dish from my mom’s recipe, and it always reminds me of her. —Bob Gebhardt, Wausau, Wisconsin

This fluffy fruit salad gets its sweet-tart flavor from cranberries and whipped cream. We like it because it's not as sweet as many other "fluffs." I'm often asked for the secret to this luscious holiday salad. —Lavonne Hartel, Williston, North Dakota

Tarragon balances the tangy flavor from lemon in the creamy sauce covering colorful asparagus and green beans. I serve this as a side dish as well as an appetizer. —Bonnie Hawkins, Elkhorn, Wisconsin

I’ve made many types of scalloped potatoes but I always come back to this rich, creamy and fail-proof recipe. This is a dish where the bottom gets scraped clean. —Kallee Krong-McCreery, Escondido, California

Salty pretzels pair nicely with the sweet fruit in this refreshing layered salad. It’s a family favorite that is a slam-dunk at potlucks. —Peggy Boyd, Northport, Alabama

Comfort-food flavor comes in attractive packages that are just the right size! This recipe is a favorite Christmas dinner or Thanksgiving menu idea. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

The first time my friends tasted my new side dish, they said it was phenomenal. The longer you let it chill in the fridge, the more tender the sprouts will be. —Nick Iverson, Denver, Colorado

Cranberries grow in the coastal area about 50 miles from our home. When they become available, I always make this creamy salad. —Faye Huff, Longview, Washington

When I make pineapple casserole, I double the amount —because guests frequently request a second helping for dessert! Sweet-tangy fruit is even better combined with savory cheddar cheese and buttery cracker crumb topping. —Catherine Ann Goza, Leland, North Carolina

Serve this refreshingly sweet side dish to your guests in separate cups you craft…from oranges! All you have to do is cut oranges in half, scoop out the fruit and fill the peel with the sweet potato mixture. It's a hit among our family and friends. —Melonie Bowers, Sugarcreek, Ohio

I remember being excited right before Thanksgiving and Christmas, because that's when my family made this salad. There were five children and only the oldest helped peel the apples. It was fun when one of our boyfriends would come for the holiday for the first time. My dad would give him a huge bowl of grapes, hand him a sharp paring knife and tell him to start peeling. We all kept a straight face until he had the first grape peeled. —Debra Slone, Crossville, Tennessee

I developed this recipe through the years to get it exactly where we want it. I've entered several pie contests with it and placed first each time—one bite and you'll know why this pie's a winner! —Laurel Dalzell, Manteca, California

The herb butter can be used for everything from vegetables to roast chicken, turkey, game hens—let your imagination be your guide.—Sandra Corey, Caldwell, Idaho

My mom always made this dessert with her homegrown squash. It was my dad's favorite after-dinner treat. I continue to make it to this day. —Johnna Poulson, Celebration, Florida.