Innovative Thanksgiving Vegetable Side Dishes That Will Excite Your Tastebuds

A typical Turkey Day spread features comforting carbs — and lots of them. Between the mashed potatoes, rolls, and stuffing, your plate might look like a big pile of white, fluffy goodness, and while delicious AF, your body might be craving something a bit more colorful and nutritious.

One way to get a dose of nutrients on this day of eats without compromising on flavor? These Thanksgiving vegetable side dishes. Bursting with rich, warm flavors, these dishes feature in-season veggies like squash, sweet potatoes, and Brussels sprouts and, thanks to the spices, herbs, and citrus used, are ideal for the chilly fall night. (

This year, whip up these crowd-pleasing Thanksgiving vegetable side dishes and give yourself the good-for-you vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients you deserve. Trust, you'll be thankful you did so.

Sweet Potatoes with Chile Oil, Tahini, and Fennel-Herb Salad

Overly sweet sweet potato casserole is so last year. This Thanksgiving vegetable side dish gets a punch of heat from the Szechuan peppercorns, red pepper flakes, and cinnamon, while the tahini and fresh herbs mellow it all out.

Start to finish: 1 hour 10 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 medium sweet potatoes (2 1/2 pounds), skin scrubbed and dried
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup neutral oil, such as grapeseed
• 1 tablespoon ground Szechuan peppercorns
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 small head fennel, cored and very thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1/4 cup torn fresh basil, mint, or dill
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Prick sweet potatoes with a fork, and toss on the baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Roast until tender, about 45 minutes (turning halfway through).
2. Remove sweet potatoes from the oven, and let cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, turn the oven to broil. Remove parchment from the baking sheet. Break sweet potatoes into large pieces using 2 spoons. Spread sweet potatoes evenly on the baking sheet, flesh sides up. Season with salt, and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon olive oil. Broil until charred in spots, about 5 more minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the grapeseed oil, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, and star anise. Cook over medium heat until oil is hot and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and add the red pepper flakes. Pour chile oil into a small heatproof bowl, and let sit until ready to use, at least 10 minutes.
4. In another small bowl, whisk the tahini with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water. Add more water if necessary, until the consistency is good for drizzling. Season with salt.
5. In a medium bowl, toss the fennel and onion with the remaining 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Season with salt.
6. To serve, strain the chile oil through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding solids. Arrange cooked sweet potatoes on a platter. Drizzle with the chile oil and tahini sauce. Top with the fennel salad, basil, and sesame seeds.

Roasted Carrots with Dates, Lime, and Spiced Butter

Thanks to some heavy roasting and the natural sugars in the carrots, this Thanksgiving vegetable side dish gets nice and caramelized in the oven. And since it uses many spices and pantry staples you might already have on hand, these carrots are perfect to make year-round (and without having to buy a ton of groceries).

Start to finish: 45 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds medium carrots, peeled, halved crosswise, and halved lengthwise if thick
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter tablespoon
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 limes, supremed and cut into pieces, plus 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 3 Medjool dates, pitted and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh mint

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the carrots with the oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast until very tender and golden in spots, about 35 minutes (tossing halfway through).
2. In a medium skillet, melt the butter with the capers, cumin, and coriander over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until spices are fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Remove the skillet from the heat, and whisk in the lime juice. Pour over roasted carrots. Gently toss carrots with dates and lime pieces, and transfer to a platter. Tear mint leaves, and sprinkle over top.

Gingery Butternut Squash Gratin

PSA: You *need* to Instagram this Thanksgiving side dish. It may take a steady hand, but carefully arranging the butternut squash slices into a beautiful rose design makes the recipe look as delicious as it tastes. Set the dish in the middle of the table and give it the attention it deserves.

Start to finish: 1 hour 10 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 medium yellow onions
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons peeled and minced ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Red pepper flakes
• 1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds), peeled, halved and seeds removed, sliced into very thin half-moons
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are golden, about 15 minutes. Add white wine, and cook until evaporated, 1 minute more. Scrape onions into the bottom of a 9-inch gratin dish.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Return skillet to medium-low heat. Add the oil, ginger, garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes, and cook until garlic is light golden and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Arrange squash in overlapping circles on top of the onion around the edge of gratin dish, working toward the center until the dish is filled with squash. Drizzle squash with the ginger oil, sprinkle with thyme, and season with salt.
4. Bake until squash is tender and golden in spots, about 55 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Orange, and Mezcal

These bitter, lil baby cabbages are typically the last to be eaten, but when prepared with this recipe, they'll be the first to be devoured entirely. The citrus brings some much-needed brightness and acidity to the dish, while the Mezcal adds a smoky flavor, and bacon gives it rich, fatty goodness. Have a plant-based eater in the household? Swap the bacon for sautéed mushrooms. (

Start to finish: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups mezcal
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 cup chopped radicchio
• 2 oranges, peel and pith removed, cut into thin half-moons
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
• 1/3 cup crumbled queso fresco

1. In a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet, arrange the bacon in a single layer. Place over medium heat, and cook, until bacon is golden, 8 to 10 minutes (turning halfway through). Transfer bacon to a paper towel–lined plate.
2. Pour off excess bacon grease, and discard. Place the skillet over medium-high heat. When skillet is very hot, add 2 tablespoons oil and half the Brussels sprouts. Cook until sprouts are golden on both sides, about 5 minutes (flipping halfway through). Season with salt and pepper, toss to coat, and transfer to the plate with the bacon. Repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and sprouts, transferring to the same plate.
3. Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the mezcal, and cook until reduced by three-quarters, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the lime juice. Add the cooked Brussels sprouts and bacon and the radicchio, and toss to coat. Fold in the oranges and cilantro. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with queso fresco and more cilantro. Serve in the skillet or on a platter.

Parmesan Caulilini With Pepper and White Bean Herb Salad

If you usually avoid cauliflower at all costs, test this Thanksgiving vegetable side dish out for size. Caulilini is more tender and tastes sweeter than cauliflower, and, when paired with pungent Parmesan, bell peppers, beans, and herbs, transforms into a medley you'll want to eat on its own.

Start to finish: 40 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds Caulilini (mini cauliflower) or Broccolini
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus 1 teaspoon finely grated zest
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard small garlic clove, minced
• 1 can cannellini beans (15 ounces), rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cup finely diced bell pepper (red, orange, yellow, green, or a combination)
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves and thin stems

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss Caulilini with 2 tablespoons oil on a large rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and spread evenly across the baking sheet. Roast until tender and golden in places, about 25 to 30 minutes.
2. Remove baking sheet from oven, and sprinkle Caulilini with Parmesan. Return to oven until cheese is golden, about 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, add the lemon juice, and whisk in the Dijon, garlic, and lemon zest. Slowly whisk in the remaining 1/4 cup oil until combined. Stir the beans, bell pepper, chives, and parsley into the lemon juice mixture, and season with salt and pepper. Let it marinate until ready to serve.
4. Arrange warm Caulilini on a serving platter. Spoon the bean mixture over it, and drizzle with remaining juices in the bowl. Top with any crispy Parmesan left on the bottom of the baking sheet, and sprinkle with more pepper before serving.