If you aren't craving Thanksgiving dinner the whole month of November, you must be crazy. Thanksgiving is a holiday full of traditions and homemade delicious dishes that you look forward to all year. Families come together for a delicious feast and catching up. Plates are overflowing, conversations are flowing, and people are thankful for their loved ones and their time together.
There's no doubt that Thanksgiving dishes make the best leftovers for the days following Thanksgiving. Turkey sandwich with stuffing and cranberry sauce, get in my belly! There are so many dishes to choose from to cook on this special holiday and every family puts their own twist on them. So, which Thanksgiving dishes are the best ones? Here's a ranking of the best of the best.
1. Mashed potatoes
A classic side dish that can be served on any holiday, but Thanksgiving wins as the holiday where mashed potatoes are absolutely essential. A Thanksgiving meal just isn't the same without a spot on the plate for warm, buttery, fluffy deliciousness. I always look forward to my dad's homemade mashed potatoes every year. Thanksgiving dinner just wouldn't be the same without them.
2. Stuffing
If there's turkey, there better be some stuffing. You can't Thanksgiving without it. Whether you stuff your turkey with stuffing or just eat a bite of turkey with a bite of stuffing, it's one of the essential side dishes. Make it from scratch or have a little help from Pepperidge Farms. Either way, it's bound to be delicious.
3. Green bean casserole
Who would've ever thought to put crunchy onions on top of green beans smothered in cream of mushroom soup? Who knows, but it's absolutely delicious. It's definitely one of the essentials on the plate during Thanksgiving dinner.
4. Gravy
What's a turkey without stuffing and gravy? As a matter of fact, what's any Thanksgiving side dish, if you can't drizzle some gravy on it? I personally like a classic creamy gravy to dip my turkey and mashed potatoes in.
5. Cornbread
Warm and buttery in the center and crispy on the edges. Cornbread makes an appearance at many meals, but there's something special about having cornbread at Thanksgiving.
6. Squash
I'm personally not a big squash person, but I love eating butternut squash on Thanksgiving. It's sweet and with a little brown sugar and makes a great dipper with some turkey.
7. Peas
A classic vegetable if you're not into green bean casserole. When I was a kid, I'd always take a spoonful of mashed potatoes and dip it in peas, and make "glue." Who am I kidding, I still do that.
8. Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are another favorite kind of potato this holiday. Many people top their sweet potatoes with marshmallows, but I like sweet potatoes by themselves. They are a perfect compliment to other side dishes.
9. Cranberry sauce
This is definitely a side dish that you'll only find at Thanksgiving dinner. Canned or fresh, this side dish is a necessity at the dinner table.
10. Creamed onions
I'm not a big onion person, so I've never tried this dish myself. It's still a traditional side dish that is always on the table at Thanksgiving.
Make sure you save room for all these savory and delicious side dishes at your Thanksgiving!
