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holidays recipes side dish Thanksgiving
November 16, 2020

the BEST LIST of Thanksgiving side dishes you can make ahead

Today’s post: Find over 40 Thanksgiving side dishes to make ahead of time so you can cook less and enjoy more on Thanksgiving Day!

Thanksgiving is coming up, meaning many of us are about to spend more time cooking in one day than we usually do in an entire week (or month!). I love cooking, so making Thanksgiving dinner is something I look forward to, but the clean up drives me batty. We have an open kitchen/dining/living room, which means that a huge mess in the kitchen is on display for everyone when it’s time to sit down for dinner. As a result I’m always trying to get most of the cooking mess cleaned up before we sit down to eat, which is almost impossible when I’m making 8-10 different dishes.

So in the past few years I’ve started using more and more make ahead recipes for my Thanksgiving side dishes. And by “side dishes” I mean basically everything but the turkey! I do almost all the prep work days before or early in the morning on Thanksgiving, meaning all those pots and pans and measuring spoons can be through the dishwasher and put away before the guests arrive. Then things stay warm in crockpots or get baked in their serving dishes so the kitchen isn’t a mess when we sit down to eat. It’s fantastic!

Collage photo with different make ahead Thanksgiving side dishes: potatoes, veggies, cranberry sauce, etc.

Today I’ve gathered over 40 side dishes you can prep in advance for Thanksgiving. Some you can make the day before or early the morning of, while others can be made months in advance and frozen! You’ll find make ahead mashed potato recipes, make ahead stuffing recipes, make ahead sweet potato recipes, make ahead vegetable recipes, and even make ahead gravy, cranberry sauce, appetizers, and fruit fluff salads. Check the end of the list to find out how to make homemade roll dough in advance and freeze it until you’re ready to bake!

Over 40 Thanksgiving side dishes to make ahead

As with all roundup posts, if you’d like to pin an individual recipe please click through to the original source to do so. Feel free to pin the collage image above to remember where to find all these ideas in one place – thanks!

Make ahead mashed potato recipes

1. These mashed potatoes from Spend with Pennies cook in the slow cooker, meaning they don’t even require boiling! Just chop and season the potatoes in the morning and let them cook all day. You can mash them a few hours ahead of time and let them stay warm until you’re ready.

Make ahead mashed potatoes in a crockpot

2. Make these mashed potatoes from Six Sister’s Stuff the night before and keep them in the fridge. Then bake them on Thanksgiving for a no-fuss side dish.

Mashed potatoes in a bowl with butter on top

3. This make ahead mashed potato recipe from House of Yumm adds cheese and bacon for a loaded mashed potato casserole.

Mashed potato casserole with cheese, herbs, and bacon top

4. This post from The Kitchn teaches you the best ways to freeze and reheat mashed potatoes.

Make ahead mashed potatoes in a measuring cup, and in a bag to be frozen

5. These garlic herb mashed potatoes from Meal Planning Magic can actually be frozen months in advance!

Casserole dish with mashed potatoes in it

Stuffing Thanksgiving Side Dishes to Make Ahead

6. Call Me Betty has a recipe for a classic Thanksgiving stuffing that can be make the day before, and then baked through the day of.

A close up of a dish of Thanksgiving stuffing

7. If you prefer cornbread stuffing (dressing), try this make ahead version from Sally’s Baking Addiciton.

A close up of food: make ahead cornbread stuffing with pecans

8. Laughing Spatula shares a recipe for make ahead Ciabatta, Sausage and Apple Stuffing that looks incredible!

Make ahead Thanksgiving stuffing with apples and sausage, in a dish

9. Or try this Cheddar and Herb Stuffing from Woman’s Day.

Thanksgiving stuffing in a white serving dish

Make ahead sweet potato recipes for Thanksgiving

10. This classic Sweet Potato Casserole (complete with mini marshmallows) can be made early in the day and served at room temp whenever you’re ready. From Melanie Makes.

Make ahead sweet potato casserole with marshmallows on top, on a plate

11. Make this pecan-topped Sweet Potato casserole from The Spruce the day before Thanksgiving to free up time on the day of.

Baked casserole dish of Thanksgiving sweet potatoes with pecans on top

12. Add a Pinch shares a streusal-topped Sweet Potato casserole recipe that can be made up to three months in advance and frozen!

A close up of sweet potato casserole topped with nuts

13. These mashed sweet potatoes from Serious Eats can be made in advance and frozen. Check out the post for tips on how to reheat.

Mashed sweet potatoes in a pot

14. Try these make ahead Candied Yams from Real Housemoms for an easy Thanksgiving side dish you can make the day before.

Make ahead candied yams in a bowl for Thanksgiving

15. Or try these make-ahead twice baked Sweet Potatoes from Betty Crocker.

Twice baked sweet potatoes in a baking dish

How to make Thanksgiving gravy in advance

16. The Food Network shows you how to make your gravy ahead of time so there’s no last minute fussing with it when everyone’s ready to eat.

Make ahead Thanksgiving side dish: turkey gravy in a gravy boat

17. Or try this recipe from The Kitchn to make your gravy weeks in advance and freeze it.

Make ahead cranberry sauce

18. This make ahead cranberry sauce from Ahead of Thyme only takes 15 minutes and 4 ingredients! her post gives lots of ideas for what to do with leftover cranberry sauce, too.

Bright red homemade cranberry relish in a square white bowl (make ahead Thanksgiving side dish)

19. The Pioneer Woman’s version of make ahead cranberry sauce adds orange zest.

Vegetable side dishes to make ahead for Thanksgiving

20. The creamy vegetable casserole from Lord Byron’s Kitchen is like green bean casserole but better and can be made up to three weeks in advance and frozen until Thanksgiving.

Close up of food: make ahead Thanksgiving vegetable casserole with french fried onions on top

21. This broccoli cauliflower casserole can be made the day before and refrigerated until time to bake. Use fresh or frozen veggies! From McCormick.

A bowl of broccoli cauliflower casserole that can be made ahead of time

22. Creamy confetti corn from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe can be made up to two days in advance and then just baked on Thanksgiving Day.

A bowl of corn salad topped with bacon

23. You can even make brussel sprouts the day before Thanksgiving! Try these brussel sprouts with bacon from A Sweet and Savory Life.

A tray of brussel sprouts with bacon for Thanksgiving

24. This recipe from Learn 2 Grow shows you how to prep the brussel sprouts the day before, and then roast on Thanksgiving day.

25. The components for this delicious spinach salad from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe can be made days ahead of time, meaning all you have to do on Thanksgiving is toss everything together.

Spinach bacon salad on a plate, with onions and apples

26. This Thanksgiving slaw will stay crisp and delicious for up to two hours, meaning you can make it before you put the finishing touches on the rest of your meal and it will still be delicious! From The Kitchn.

Appetizers you can make ahead for Thanksgiving

27. This bacon ranch cheeseball from It’s Always Autumn is always a hit and can be made a day or two in advance and kept in the fridge.

A Ritz cracker with bacon ranch cheeseball on it

28. Or try this bruschetta cheeseball from Carlsbad Cravings – it looks incredible!

Bruschetta cheeseball topped with chopped tomatoes, surrounded by slices of baguette

29. These bacon wrapped smokies from Gonna Want Seconds can be prepped and frozen weeks in advance, and then baked on Thanksgiving for an amazing appetizer.

Lil smokie sausages wrapped in bacon and caramelized

30. You can assemble these artichoke parmesan bites from Plain Chicken ahead of time, freeze them, and then pop them in the oven for a quick appetizer.

Hand holding an artichoke parmesan bite, make ahead Thanksgiving side dish

31. Dump all the ingredients for this Spinach Artichoke Dip from Damn Delicious in the slow cooker and let it take care of itself while you make the rest of the meal!

Spinach artichoke dip piled high in a bowl, on a plate with slices of baguette

32. If you’re looking for a lighter spinach dip, try this version with just a quarter of the calories from It’s Always Autumn, and make it hours before you start the rest of the meal.

skinny spinach dip with just a quarter of the calories of the original! tastes great.

33. These ranch bacon turkey pinwheels from Plain Chicken last for several days in the fridge, making them a perfect make ahead Thanksgiving appetizer.

A close up of a hand holding a pinwheel (bacon, cheese and turkey wrapped up in a tortilla and sliced)

34. Make these meatballs ahead of time and freeze them in the sauce, then dump it all in the crockpot for amazing Sticky BBQ meatballs on Thanksgiving. From Savory Nothings.

A close up of make ahead sticky meatballs sprinkled with herbs for Thanksgiving

35. This post from The Kitchn tells you everything you need to know about making deviled eggs in advance.

Make ahead fruit fluff + dip

36. Triple berry cheesecake fluff from It’s Always Autumn is a delicious side that can be made early in the morning, freeing up time before dinner.

Berry cheesecake fluff in a class on top of a wood table

37. Or try this cranberry fluff from Tastes Better from Scratch which can be made the night before.

A close up of a bowl of cranberry fluff, a make ahead Thanksgiving side dish

38. Key lime cheesecake fruit dip can be made a day or two ahead and then served with fresh fruit for a no-prep Thanksgiving appetizer. From Carlsbad Cravings.

Grapes, pineapple and other fruit on a plate, with a bowl of fruit dip

How to make rolls in advance for Thanksgiving

39. Visit this post from It’s Always Autumn to learn how to make rolls dough in advance and refrigerate or freeze it until you are ready to bake.

Homemade dinner rolls stacked in a basket

40. Here’s another mix now, bake later roll recipe from Martha Stewart.

41. Or give this recipe a try: the dough for these rolls (also from Martha Stewart) can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Close up of homemade dinner rolls that can be made in advance

Hey, I hope you enjoy some of these Thanksgiving side dish recipes to make in advance, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Collage of Thanksgiving side dishes that can be made in advance: cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, stuffing, rolls, sweet potato casserole, gravy, brussel sprouts

 

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Comments

  1. Kathy says

    October 23, 2017 at 4:44 pm

    It makes me anxious for Thanksgiving all except the make ahead gravy there is no way I’m going to be cooking body parts of a turkey I’ll never eat just to get drippings, way too much work. I’m a white meat kinda girl and making gravy right before dinner is no problem for me, takes 5 mins. plus I use the potato water in the gravy. I have used your cook the potatoes earlier in the day and keep warm in a crock pot suggestion often love the idea.

    Reply
    • autumn says

      October 24, 2017 at 8:21 am

      True! I thought the make ahead gravy was a LOT of extra work too, but maybe someone out there likes the idea!

      Reply

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I'm Autumn, a mom of five who loves ice cream, Masterpiece Theatre, and clothes that hide the fact that I eat so much ice cream. When I was 18 I got a job at a craft store and told everyone (regularly) how much I hated crafts. Well, things change! Read More…

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