Side

For more variations and veggie inspiration, check out our roasted veggie matrix.

The best Thanksgiving sides are fresh, fuss-free, make-ahead—and don't compete with your beloved green bean casserole for table space.

Meaty mushrooms compliment nutty, chewy grains in this savory dish.

A vinegar-and-chile glaze adds heat to sweet squash, spicing up the traditional Thanksgiving flavor profile.

A protein like sausage lends the stuffing those all-important crispy bites, and the fat contributes essential flavor.

This energy-sustaining bread makes beautiful toast.

This kicky sauce, inspired by Spanish romesco, uses cherry tomatoes.

When shopping for celeriac, look for firm, unblemished roots that feel heavy for their size, with a greenish hue.

For cornbread stuffing, toasting the dried-out cornbread is essential; this will keep it from falling apart during mixing.

Toasting the seeds and nuts in oil forms the base of a complex vinaigrette.

We transformed the regular hands-on skillet method to a very hands-off oven technique.

Use the largest skillet you have and a fish spatula—the thin angled edge is just right for helping potatoes release from the skillet.

Wondra is much more finely ground than all-purpose flour and is one step on the way to super-silky sauce. AP will work too, of course, but Wondra is wonderful.

We wish we could take credit for these double-dairy, paprika-dusted mashed potatoes, but we can’t. This masterpiece is courtesy of Dr. Andrew Stanek, father to BA's own Amiel Stanek.

Adding oysters and bacon incorporates textural contrasts and bold flavor hits to up the intrigue.

Crunchy raw broccoli and brussels sprouts meet their match in a punchy triumvirate of olives, anchovies, and lemon juice.

Browning, then steaming the cauliflower lets you get color on it while ensuring it’s tender in the center.

To prevent peeled or cut celery root from browning, submerge it in cold water with the juice of 1 lemon for up to 1 day.

You can store celery root in the fridge, unpeeled, in an unsealed plastic bag, with a dry paper towel to absorb excess moisture, for up to 3 weeks.

Use these to make amazing leftover turkey sandwiches.

The mix of lettuces and crisp vegetables is up to you (and we recommend a mandoline for slicing).

Pears and walnuts are delicious together; walnuts and bacon make total sense. When you combine them all, it’s magic.

These sugared doughnuts are craggy and crunchy on the outside, tender and moist on the inside. Apple butter (not sauce!) is key to their texture and flavor; look for it alongside jams and jellies in the supermarket, or at farmers’ markets, or make your own.

Our idea of magic mushrooms is crisp, golden (legal) substances with the power to lend a bass note of flavor to grain salads, turn a piece of ricotta toast into a meal, or stand alone as a savory side.