Inspiring Thanksgiving Sides

Looking to add some new sides to your Thanksgiving table this year? Perhaps you’re hosting some eaters with dietary restrictions and don’t know what to serve? In this week’s Facebook Live, America’s Test Kitchen TV host Bridget Lancaster and cookbook editor Suzannah McFerran help you find inspiration for going beyond the Green Bean Casserole and finding new favorites, many of which are gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegetarian.

While some of us can't imagine a Thanksgiving dinner without stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and other classic side dishes, sometimes changing things up can be refreshing—and delicious. Find more inspiration for both new and classic side dishes in our Thanksgiving Guide and test your knowledge on creating satisfying vegetarian options with our Cooking School quiz. 

In this week’s Facebook Live, Bridget and Suzannah share advice on what you should be doing this week to prepare for Thanksgiving. (Check out our full Thanksgiving countdown calendar here.) If you haven’t done so already, we recommend taking some time this week to put in your liquor order. We also recommend getting your apple pie prepped and ready to go to save some time on the big day. Our Deep-Dish Apple Pie can be assembled and frozen for up to two weeks.

During the segment, Bridget and Suzannah showed fans how to spiralize vegetables for a new take on a Thanksgiving side with our Paleo Roasted Carrot "Noodles" recipe—a guaranteed showstopper and crowd-pleaser at your Thanksgiving table. We love spiralized vegetables both for their visual appeal and for the uniformity that allows them to be cooked evenly and quickly. This dish is a great alternative to the traditionally decadent Sweet Potato Casserole, or can function as a fun new addition alongside the classics. We keep the flavorings simple to let the carrots' flavor shine—we use a bit of fresh thyme to add some earthiness, and a spoonful of honey to accent the carrots' natural sweetness. Bridget and Suzannah also recommended our Roasted Butternut Squash as an alternative vegetable side dish.  

Bridget and Suzannah also covered the basics of spiralizing iconic Thanksgiving vegetables. Butternut squash and sweet potatoes spiral well, as do beets, celery root, parsnips, and rutabaga. 

Also during the segment, Bridget and Suzannah answered viewers’ questions about adjusting favorites to meet the needs of any dietary-restricted guests. Check out our Gluten-Free Guide, Paleo Guide, and vegetarian recipes for more inspiration.

Tune in next week, November 16, to join Bridget Lancaster and Julia Collin Davison for our next Facebook Live segment on all things turkey. We’ll try to answer all of your questions and demonstrate how to prepare the perfect bird. Turn on live video notifications for America's Test Kitchen on Facebook to get viewing updates and come with your best Thanksgiving questions!

Start a 14-Day Free Trial to access all of our Thanksgiving recipes and more. For meal planning and recipe inspiration visit our America's Test Kitchen Thanksgiving Guide.