Side

The honey and vinegar will temper the bite of the greens; check the vinaigrette by dunking a piece of lettuce in it and tasting everything together.

This knobby vegetable has no relation to the artichoke—it’s the tuber of a type of sunflower. Look for small, evenly sized ones so they’ll cook at the same rate and pair with salsa verde.

A great way to use up different winter vegetables that you might have around. Feel free to increase the amount of some and eliminate others, depending on your preference, but make sure to cut them into similar sizes so they'll cook in roughly the same amount of time.

“I love the crunch and juiciness that the pomegranate seeds can bring to a rice dish. It brightens everything up.” -Elenaore Park, recipe tester

If you like bold, assertive flavors—like broccoli rabe and lemon—this rustic white bean side dish is the recipe for you. Try it with roast chicken or pork tenderloin.

White soy sauce is sweeter than regular soy sauce, and creates a sweet and sour counterbalance to the earthy brussels sprouts.

A simple, straightforward cornbread that we’d happily serve alongside a bowl of chili on any other day of the year.

In place of Stilton, you could use a creamy blue cheese, like Gorgonzola dolce, which is a little less assertive.

Drying out and toasting the cornbread in the first step of this recipe guarantees a crisp, flavorful dressing.

Yeasted doughs might seem daunting to novice bakers, but these rolls are very simple to make.

Losing the mashed potatoes would just be insane, but even classics can be tweaked. The tang of sour cream gives the illusion that this recipe is not as rich as the cream, butter, and milk would imply. The next day? Form leftover potatoes into cakes and fry them up—in butter, of course.

The dressing should be emulsified when you add the butter. Keeping it warm will prevent it from separating, but if it does, add a couple drops of water and whisk again to bring it back together.

We make lots of things from scratch on Thanksgiving, but pumpkin purée isn’t one of them. Libby’s is our favorite brand.

Adding sour cream to the dough imparts richness and a bit of tang, and doesn’t thin it out too much.

Crispy shallots are an addictive garnish on this slaw.

In place of collards, you can make this with the same amount of curly or Tuscan kale.

We recommend using a finely ground cornmeal for these; it will give them the ideal texture.

Aptly named beluga lentils look like little beads of caviar. They cook quickly, and they hold their shape. Use them in this recipe, or substitute.

Leave a nice amount of stalk attached to the broccoli florets: It’s pretty, improves your yield, and has a great texture.

The key to gratins is having all the ingredients—whether they’re basic potatoes or the mixed root vegetables below—sliced the same thickness so they cook at the same rate. Make friends with a mandoline: It quickly yields precise, even slices.

Diminutive and sweet Hakurei turnips are in season and perfect for this dish; find them at farmers’ markets.

This recipe is ripe for reinvention; use different breads and add-ins to vary the flavor.

Sorghum is a favorite ingredient of Blackberry Farm chef Joseph Lenn, who thinks of the grain when he thinks of fall flavors.

Both the wild rice and the farro can be cooked a day in advance; let them cool separately on baking sheets, then cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before dressing.