Make Ahead Thanksgiving Side Dishes

This easy green bean casserole without mushrooms can be assembled the day before. Prepare the dish according to the instructions but without the fried onions, then cover it with foil and store it in the fridge before baking.

On Thanksgiving, add the fried onion topping and pop it in the oven.

Because this Wild Rice Salad is easy to make ahead, it’s a great holiday side dish.

The combination of nutty rice, sweet baby peas, crisp apples, celery, and other ingredients makes it perfect for Fall.

Roasted Beet Salad is one of those sides that feels a little fancy but is secretly super easy to pull together. The sweet, earthy beets are the star, and they’re so good alongside juicy orange slices, crunchy pecans, and a sprinkle of salty cotija. It’s a combo that just works—fresh, flavorful, and a nice break from the heavier dishes on the holiday table.
It also happens to be really pretty, so it adds a pop of color to your Thanksgiving or Christmas spread. You can roast the beets a day or two ahead to save time, then toss everything together just before serving.

Cornbread is one of those side dishes that disappears fast—it’s easy to make a day or two ahead of time, and it’s always a big hit with the whole crowd. You can bake our Cheesy Cornbread (Cast Iron Cornbread) in a cast iron skillet for those perfectly crisp edges or in a baking dish for softer slices, then just wrap it up tightly and store it at room temperature until it’s time to serve.

Serve it with some homemade Garlic Chive Butter, which can be made a week in advance!

Instead of adding yet another heavy or hot dish to your Thanksgiving spread, try mixing things up with this bright and tangy Italian Green Bean Salad.

It’s served cold or at room temp, which makes it a total time-saver (and a stovetop-space-saver, too!).

This easy make-ahead side is loaded with crisp-tender green beans, sweet roasted red peppers, and a zippy vinaigrette that adds a burst of fresh flavor to your holiday table. Just toss in the crunchy pine nuts or almonds right before serving to keep them perfectly crisp—it’s a refreshing, colorful option that balances out all those rich Thanksgiving classics.

You can prep these delicious stove top candied sweet potatoes up to three days ahead by cooking them with orange juice, zest, brown sugar, and warm spices, then storing them in the fridge.

When you’re ready to serve, simply reheat them on the stovetop for a comforting side dish that captures the essence of Thanksgiving.

Garlic Red Skin Mashed Potatoes can also be made a day or two ahead of time.

To make them taste ‘just mashed’, I add a little bit of extra butter and garnish them with fresh parsley just before serving.

Grab some garlic and Italian seasoning and get ready to make these easy Italian Roasted Mushrooms and Veggies from Jo Cooks.

With cremini mushrooms, cauliflower, and tomatoes, this flavorful dish brings a touch of Italy to your holiday table.

This Bacon Gravy from The Stay at Home Chef can be made a day or two ahead of time – which is especially helpful if you need bacon garnishes for other dishes (besides, who only cooks a few slices of bacon at a time??)

When you’re ready, place it into a small crockpot on low, or warm it up in a saucepan.

Succotash with Bacon and Scallions from Food, Folks and Fun is a deliciously savory side dish for Thanksgiving. It combines tender corn, chopped peppers, and lima beans with cherry tomatoes, crispy bacon, and fresh scallions for a festive twist on a classic.

Homemade Mac and Cheese can take a while to make, which is why I love this easy make-ahead recipe from Spend With Pennies.

You can prepare this mac and cheese recipe up to 2 days ahead of time; just save the cheese for topping until you’re ready to bake it.

Everyday Eileen recommends whipping up this easy Cranberry Orange Relish recipe ahead of time so that the flavors have a chance to meld. Made with fresh cranberries, chopped apple, and pecans with hints of orange and ginger, who wouldn’t want to taste all those yummy flavors?

This Homemade Stuffing recipe from Simple Joy is a scratch-made recipe that’s easy to make a day or two before. Just assemble, cover, and refrigerate. Then, on Thanksgiving day, you only have to cook it – easy peasy!

Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts from Bowl Me Over makes a vibrant and flavorful addition to Thanksgiving dinner, offering a delicious combination of sweetness and earthiness that perfectly complements the holiday feast.