26 Next-Level Vegetable Side Dishes to Serve at Thanksgiving

Cumin and Chile Braised Collard Green Stems

This dish is a genius way to use up the stems of any hardy green. We used collard stems, but you could also use kale, chard, or mustard stems. Fresno chiles, cumin, and a generous amount of garlic provide a pleasing punch of flavor.

Grilled Butternut Squash with Shallot Vinaigrette

Butternut squash tastes like a whole new vegetable when grilled — crisp, bright, and not overly sweet. It's dressed with a simple vinaigrette made from shallots and white wine vinegar, then strewn with chopped fresh chives.

Creamed Kale

This rich and delicious creamed kale is an excellent swap for the more traditional creamed spinach. The dish's flavor is enhanced by the addition of chopped shallots and a touch of freshly grated nutmeg.

Maple-Ginger Roasted Vegetables with Pecans

When roasting winter vegetables, be sure to chop them about the same size, so they cook at the same rate. Toss them at least once while they're in the oven, so they brown evenly. Here, a medley of roasted carrots, parsnips, cauliflower, squash, and brussels sprouts is enhanced by toasted pecans, fresh ginger, and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Baked Acorn Squash with Chestnuts, Apples, and Leeks

Halved acorn squash makes perfect single-serving bowls. This recipe from Food & Wine Culinary Director at Large Justin Chapple is a great vegetarian main course for any winter holiday, but it can also be a festive accompaniment to turkey, ham, or roast goose.

Honey-Roasted Root Vegetable Salad

For this autumn salad, honey-roasted root vegetables are served atop a bed of arugula and dotted with herbed goat cheese. Thanksgiving make-ahead tip: The herbed goat cheese and vinaigrette can be refrigerated overnight. The vegetables can be roasted earlier in the day and kept at room temperature.

Turnip Casserole with Porcini Crumb Topping

We love the earthy porcini topping on this rich and creamy turnip gratin. It would also be fantastic on mac and cheese or another root vegetable gratin.

Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

Chef Michael Symon's four-ingredient potatoes get plenty of flavor from browned butter and crème fraîche. Reserve a little browned butter to drizzle on the potatoes just before serving.

Green Beans with Cremini Mushroom Sauce

This casserole can be made the day before — simply let it return to room temperature before you bake it. You can also re-crisp the fried shallots in the oven.

Tricolor Roasted Carrots and Parsnips

Sometimes rethinking just means not overthinking. Don't forget to enjoy seasonal ingredients just as they are — like in this recipe, where the vegetables are simply roasted in a combination of olive oil and butter.

Broccoli and Cheddar Casserole with Leeks

This classic casserole is updated with flavorful sharp white cheddar and a crunchy, buttery topping of crumbled crackers and toasted almonds.

Spice-Roasted Butternut Squash

This easy butternut squash — flavored with cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, salt, and freshly ground pepper — is ready in just under an hour with only 15 minutes of active time.

Cauliflower with Melted Onions and Mustard Seeds

Cauliflower may not seem like a glamorous vegetable — at least not when you steam or boil it. But roasted, it develops an unusual, delicate sweetness. Here, the caramelized cauliflower is further elevated by a topping of tender spiced onions and fresh cilantro.

Creamless Creamed Corn with Mushrooms and Lemon

"My granny taught me that when corn is very fresh, the juices are naturally creamy," Top Chef alum Kevin Gillespie says. "I took that as the gospel." He grates half of the corn here to make a luxurious puree that thickens without cream.

Kevin's Tip: Scraping corn cobs with the dull side of a knife removes the juices.

Whole Roasted Carrots with Garlic

Carrots, water, garlic cloves, canola oil, unsalted butter, salt, and pepper are all you need to make this easy recipe.

Warm Mushroom Salad

Warm salads used to be common on restaurant menus, but their popularity has waned, for no good reason. This terrific salad is made with warm mushrooms that develop great meaty flavor when cooked with soy sauce.

Creamed Collard Greens

This is chef duo Allison and Slade Rushing's Southern interpretation of French creamed spinach. The collards add a pleasant bitterness to this lush side dish, but it's important to shred them finely before you simmer them in the cream or they'll never get tender.

Acorn Squash with Coconut Custard

Top Chef winner Kristen Kish's innovative take on roasted acorn squash raises the bar for what Thanksgiving vegetable sides can be. Here, she upgrades the classic with a decadent coconut custard that offsets the earthy sweetness of the dish. To serve, the squash is drizzled with brown butter and sprinkled with toasted walnuts.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

These brussels sprouts from the late chef Anthony Bourdain are easy to throw together and still delicious when prepared without the bacon. If omitting the bacon, increase the amount of butter to substitute for the bacon fat.

Roasted Kabocha with Maple Syrup and Ginger

Everyone loves a good Thanksgiving squash, and this one from cookbook author Melissa Clark is given a little wake-up by roasting it with maple syrup, olive oil, fresh ginger, and thyme. It's a simple idea, but the combination of flavors highlights the squash in the best possible way.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Curry Leaves

Inspired by the warm flavors of South Indian kitchens, this butternut squash carries a wonderful aroma and strong punch of flavor. A sprinkling of marash chile flakes and curry leaves with coconut oil add a bit of heat and aroma while the black mustard seeds add a hint of nuttiness.

Crushed Potatoes with Spiced Olive Oil

A trio of toasted and ground seeds — caraway, fennel, and coriander — mixed with extra-virgin olive oil gives these rustic potatoes a delicately fruity but warmly spiced flavor. Because of the generous amount of olive oil in this recipe, the potatoes are great served warm or at room temperature.

Garlicky Haricots Verts with Hazelnuts

Fresh haricots verts are quickly cooked in beef fat just until they're crisp-tender, providing deeply savory flavor without overcooking them. The acidic lemon juice and licorice-y tarragon add just enough bright, light flavor to this rich side dish.

Roasted Beets and Charred Green Beans

Chef Kristen Kish pairs roasted beets and cast-iron-charred haricots verts with vinegar and hearty herbs (oregano and thyme) to make this salad. It's an homage to the jarred pickled beets and green bean salad she ate as a kid.

Chicory Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

Cranberry sauce makes for a gorgeous salad dressing, tart and tangy to contrast with the bitterness of chicory. You can also use endives, frisee, or any other bitter greens that you like.

Rutabaga, Celery Root, and Potato Gratin

In this modern take on a traditional potato side dish, earthy celery root and rutabaga anchor the gratin, which is accented by the salty and umami notes of Parmesan cheese.