38 Thanksgiving sides that taste like they came from Grandma’s kitchen

Thanksgiving sides might just be the best part of the meal, especially when they taste like something straight from Grandma’s kitchen. These are the kinds of dishes that bring back memories—simple ingredients, time-tested methods, and flavors that feel familiar in the best way. They’re not fancy or fussy, just dependable crowd-pleasers that everyone reaches for first. Whether you’re feeding a big family or a small group of friends, these sides keep that old-school comfort front and center.

An overview of a plate of spinach casserole with a fork.

Spinach Casserole. Photo credit: Urban Farmie.

Kale Salad With Cranberries

Kale with cranberries, lemon, and nuts adds crunch and brightness in minutes. Its balance of color and fresh flavor brings that simple, time-tested touch that reminds you of Grandma’s kitchen.
Get the Recipe: Kale Salad With Cranberries

Brussels Sprouts Salad

Shaved Brussels sprouts salad stays crisp with a clean finish. That straightforward freshness feels like the kind of side that always had a place on Grandma’s table.
Get the Recipe: Brussels Sprouts Salad

Vegan Stuffing

An overhead view of skillet with stuffing and a fork and spoon in it. — Vegan Stuffing. Photo credit: Urban Farmie.

Stuffing with herbs and vegetables bakes to a steady texture every time. Its familiar flavor and no-fail comfort make it the kind of side you’d expect from Grandma’s oven.
Get the Recipe: Vegan Stuffing

Slow Cooker Cabbage

Buttery cabbage cooks down soft with simple seasoning. The easy, no-frills taste feels like something Grandma would make on repeat every holiday.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Cabbage

Potato Leek Gratin

Cheesy potato and leek gratin bakes into soft, rich layers. That kind of steady, baked comfort has the same spirit as Grandma’s classic casseroles.
Get the Recipe: Potato Leek Gratin

Sweet Potato Cornbread

Sweet potato cornbread turns soft and golden with a touch of sweetness. It carries that old-fashioned charm that’s right at home among sides that taste like Grandma’s.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Cornbread

Sweet and Creamy Goat Cheese Salad with Fruit and Cranberry

Overhead image of sweet and creamy goat cheese salad. — Sweet and Creamy Goat Cheese Salad with Fruit and Cranberry. Photo credit: At the Immigrant's Table.

Arugula, cucumbers, cranberries, and goat cheese bring color and flavor to every bite. The mix feels familiar yet fresh—something Grandma might’ve served to balance heavier dishes.
Get the Recipe: Sweet and Creamy Goat Cheese Salad with Fruit and Cranberry

Slow Cooker Collard Greens

Collard greens simmer until tender with steady depth. The slow-cooked comfort makes it feel right at home with sides that carry that from-scratch tradition.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Collard Greens

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

Shaved Brussels sprouts salad brings crisp contrast with a sharp edge. It adds that light, refreshing moment you’d find tucked between Grandma’s richer dishes.
Get the Recipe: Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

Spinach Casserole

This creamy spinach casserole is cozy, cheesy, and packed with greens—ready in just 30 minutes. It’s the kind of simple, hearty side that fits right in with a family-style Thanksgiving spread.
Get the Recipe: Spinach Casserole

Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet potato casserole with pecan topping in a glass baking dish with a spoon in the dish. — Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Casserole. Photo credit: Fit as a Mama Bear.

Sweet potato casserole with maple pecan topping bakes into something cozy and rich. It has that old-fashioned sweetness that always reminds people of Grandma’s touch.
Get the Recipe: Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Casserole

Cranberry Ambrosia Salad

A white bowl of cranberry fluff salad topped with mini marshmallows, pecans, and cranberries on a marble surface, with a spoon and a plaid cloth nearby. — Cranberry Ambrosia Salad. Photo credit: Mama's on a Budget .

Cranberry ambrosia salad blends creamy sweetness with light tang. It brings back the nostalgic flavor of sides that made Grandma’s holiday table so memorable.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Ambrosia Salad

Classic American Potato Salad

Creamy potato salad with boiled eggs keeps things simple and familiar, perfect for making ahead of the big day. It carries that made-by-hand feeling that fits the Grandma-style theme perfectly.
Get the Recipe: Classic American Potato Salad

Coconut Red Lentil Curry

This coconut red lentil curry is creamy, spiced, and ready in 30 minutes. Its slow-simmered flavor and hearty texture give it that comforting, cooked-with-care quality.
Get the Recipe: Coconut Red Lentil Curry

Air Fryer Carrots with Irresistible Honey Brown Sugar Glaze

Air fryer carrots in a white bowl on a white, blue, and gray tablecloth, garnished with green herbs and tarragon leaves on the side. — Air Fryer Carrots with Irresistible Honey Brown Sugar Glaze. Photo credit: Trop Rockin.

Carrots glazed in honey and brown sugar turn tender with a glossy finish. Their easy sweetness and nostalgic flavor make them a classic nod to Grandma’s kitchen.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Carrots with Irresistible Honey Brown Sugar Glaze

Autumn Pasta Salad

A bowl of fusilli pasta salad with spinach, roasted squash, pecans, and feta cheese, placed on a textured mat, with a spoon and sliced squash nearby. — Autumn Pasta Salad. Photo credit: Mama's on a Budget .

Autumn pasta salad with squash and cranberries feels seasonal without being heavy. Its fresh balance and simple ingredients echo the same approach Grandma always took.
Get the Recipe: Autumn Pasta Salad

Stir Fry Green Beans with Coconut

A top-down view of stir-fried green beans with coconut on a white plate, accompanied by a white napkin and fork. — Stir Fry Green Beans with Coconut. Photo credit: Urban Farmie.

Green beans with coconut and spices come together fast and pack steady flavor. That kind of bold, yet simple comfort fits right in with old-style family sides.
Get the Recipe: Stir Fry Green Beans with Coconut

Chopped Crispy Citrus Chicken Salad

Chopped crispy chicken citrus salad on a white plate with purple kitchen towel. — Chopped Crispy Citrus Chicken Salad. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

Chopped rotisserie chicken, citrus, and kale make this winter salad bright and filling. The mix of fresh and hearty textures recalls the balance Grandma always brought to her table.
Get the Recipe: Chopped Crispy Citrus Chicken Salad

Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad

An overhead image of Vegan Caesar Salad with Shaved Brussels Sprouts in wooden bowl. — Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad. Photo credit: Urban Farmie.

Shaved Brussels sprouts with Caesar-style dressing and chickpeas create a crisp, plant-based side. Its easy prep and familiar crunch make it feel timeless and homemade.
Get the Recipe: Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

A close up photo of fresh cranberry sauce placed in a white bowl with spoon, oranges and fresh cranberries in the background. — Homemade Cranberry Sauce. Photo credit: Urban Farmie.

Cranberry sauce brings a sharp, bright pop that breaks up heavier plates. That quick, classic touch captures the spirit of the kind of sides Grandma made by instinct.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Stuffed Baked Potatoes

Stuffed baked potatoes loaded with spinach, mushrooms, and cheese bring hearty comfort fast. That rich, oven-baked feel channels the same kind of love that went into Grandma’s holiday cooking.
Get the Recipe: Stuffed Baked Potatoes

Honeycrisp Salad

Honeycrisp apples with spiced cider vinaigrette deliver just the right mix of crisp and tangy. That simple, balanced flavor feels like something Grandma would’ve pulled together with what she had on hand.
Get the Recipe: Honeycrisp Salad

Easy Creamed Spinach

A close up image of creamed spinach in a bowl. — Easy Creamed Spinach. Photo credit: Urban Farmie.

This fresh creamed spinach is rich, velvety, and packed with flavor from Parmesan, garlic, and shallots. The made-from-scratch approach feels straight out of Grandma’s kitchen.
Get the Recipe: Easy Creamed Spinach

Green Bean Casserole with Cream Cheese

Green bean casserole with cream cheese brings a familiar, steady taste. It has that same old-fashioned comfort that’s been showing up on family tables for generations.
Get the Recipe: Green Bean Casserole with Cream Cheese

Grilled Asparagus

Grilled asparagus stays straightforward and fast. Its no-nonsense flavor and easy prep make it a side that fits right into Grandma’s kind of cooking.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Asparagus

Green Beans and Potatoes

An image of green beans in a serving bowl with a spoon resting on it. — Green Beans and Potatoes. Photo credit: Urban Farmie.

Green beans and potatoes cook into something simple and filling. That hearty, balanced combo has the same grounded comfort Grandma’s sides were known for.
Get the Recipe: Green Beans and Potatoes

Quick and Creamy Broccoli Apple Salad

Broccoli and shredded carrots on a mixing spoon. — Quick and Creamy Broccoli Apple Salad. Photo credit: Call Me PMc.

Broccoli apple salad with creamy yogurt dressing keeps things crisp and cool. It’s a bright side that still feels rooted in the kind of simple, thoughtful food Grandma made.
Get the Recipe: Quick and Creamy Broccoli Apple Salad

Candied Brussels Sprouts (No Bacon)

Candied Brussels sprouts in a glass dish. — Candied Brussels Sprouts (No Bacon). Photo credit: Fit as a Mama Bear.

Candied Brussels sprouts crisp up with a touch of maple that feels simple but special. That familiar sweetness captures the charm of Grandma’s favorite sides.
Get the Recipe: Candied Brussels Sprouts (No Bacon)

Heirloom Caprese Salad

An overhead photo of caprese salad served in a white bowl. — Heirloom Caprese Salad. Photo credit: Urban Farmie.

Fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil make this Caprese salad a simple standout. Its clean flavors fit perfectly among the classic sides that taste straight out of Grandma’s kitchen.
Get the Recipe: Heirloom Caprese Salad

Colcannon

Colcannon mixes potatoes, cabbage, and scallions into a hearty, familiar bowl. It brings the same kind of old-style comfort that Grandma’s recipes always carried.
Get the Recipe: Colcannon

Slow Cooker Caramelized Onions

Caramelized onions soften into a deep, rich layer with little effort. Their mellow flavor adds that homemade depth Grandma’s sides always had.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Caramelized Onions

Din Tai Fung Green Beans

Overhead view of green beans placed on a paper towel on a platter. — Din Tai Fung Green Beans. Photo credit: Urban Farmie.

Garlic green beans cook fast and bring straightforward seasoning. That kind of simple, from-scratch flavor makes them feel like a dish Grandma could’ve made any day.
Get the Recipe: Din Tai Fung Green Beans

Garlic Rolls

My garlic rolls are made from scratch with soft, fluffy dough and buttery garlic topping. Freshly baked, they bring that just-out-of-the-oven feel Grandma’s table always had.
Get the Recipe: Garlic Rolls

Savory Sweet Potato Casserole

Savory sweet potato casserole with garlic and a nutty topping feels rich without weighing things down. It carries that steady, baked-in comfort Grandma’s cooking was known for.
Get the Recipe: Savory Sweet Potato Casserole

Pineapple Stuffing

This pineapple stuffing is buttery, sweet, and totally retro—in the best way. It channels that nostalgic side dish charm that instantly feels like Grandma’s doing.
Get the Recipe: Pineapple Stuffing

Best Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad

Chicken salad with cranberries and pecans is both simple and crowd-friendly. Its fresh crunch and make-ahead ease fit right into Grandma’s practical kitchen rhythm.
Get the Recipe: Best Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad

Kale Harvest Salad

An overhead image of kale salad in a large serving bowl. — Kale Harvest Salad. Photo credit: Urban Farmie.

Kale with carrots, dates, and vinaigrette brings a mix of color and texture. The easy prep and honest flavor feel like something Grandma would’ve called “just right.”
Get the Recipe: Kale Harvest Salad

Tomato Burrata Salad

Tomato burrata salad adds a fresh break from heavier plates. That bright, unfussy flavor echoes the kind of balance Grandma naturally built into her holiday spread.
Get the Recipe: Tomato Burrata Salad