Holidays & Occasions Thanksgiving Ideas and Tips Thanksgiving Recipes Thanksgiving Side Dishes 48 Best 9x13 Thanksgiving Sides That Feed A Crowd These recipes are perfect for big gatherings on Turkey Day. By Mary Alice Russell Mary Alice Russell Mary Alice Russell is a Southern Living fellow who is starting her career in lifestyle journalism. Primarily focused on social media and digital production, Mary Alice is excited to hone her skills and dedicate her professional life to beautiful things, from homes to hearts.A recent graduate of Washington and Lee University, Mary Alice majored in journalism and art history. At W&L, she was co-editor-in-chief of her school paper, The Ring-tum Phi, with her best friend and interned for The Welcome Home Podcast. Now based in Birmingham, Alabama, Mary Alice is a Virginia native who is proud to hail from the land of ham and peanuts. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on November 4, 2023 Close Photo: Atonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, everyone knows that the true star of the meal is not the oven-roasted turkey, but the sides. From sweet potato casserole to cornbread dressing to macaroni and cheese, we want to help you pick tasty recipes that will make your Thanksgiving a success. That's why Southern Living has pulled together some of our favorite 9x13 side dishes that will make your holiday as hands-free and make-ahead as possible. These recipes will round out the menu for anyone hosting a large family gathering or bringing a side to a holiday feast. Thanksgiving is all about gratitude, and we promise you will be mighty thankful for these sides. 01 of 48 Hasselback Sweet Potato Casserole Photo: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox This take on sweet potato casserole has the root vegetable sliced rather than mashed for a stunning presentation. Garnished with a brown sugar drizzle and crushed hazelnuts, everyone will love this refreshing take on the staple you cannot have Thanksgiving without. Get The Recipe 02 of 48 Best-Ever Macaroni And Cheese Photographer: Stacy K. Allen. Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley You can never go wrong with a classic. Southerners are firm believers that this dish belongs on every holiday table, and Thanksgiving is no exception. Made with both white and yellow cheddar and a little bit of onion, this recipe can be made up until step two a day in advance. Get The Recipe 03 of 48 Scalloped Corn Casserole Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Karen Rankin Does it get any more traditional than a scalloped side? We don't think so. With frozen corn, buttered crackers, and mayonnaise, this dish makes us feel at home. Get The Recipe 04 of 48 Cornbread Casserole Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Combine cornbread with silky, creamy creamed corn in this crowd-pleasing cornbread casserole. It starts with a box of corn muffin mix and turns into a side dish perfect for the Thanksgiving spread. Get the Recipe 05 of 48 Tomato Pudding Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ana Kelly, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Tomato pudding is a savory version of the classic bread dish. Brown sugar elevates the savory tomato sauce flavors, herbs, and sourdough bread. The fresh tomatoes on top are a nice addition amid the rest of the Thanksgiving feast. Get the Recipe 06 of 48 Hot Buttered Rum Bread Pudding Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall This aromatic mixture of fall goodness uses brown sugar, warming spices, rum, and —surprisingly—black pepper. If you prefer to skip the alcohol, you can substitute maple syrup. Fall has never tasted so sweet. Get The Recipe 07 of 48 Macaroni Corn Casserole Will Dickey; Prop Styling: Christina Daley; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners This dish's melty, gooey goodness isn't just chance. It's a tried-and-true balanced of flavors: savory bacon, white Cheddar, Gruyere cheeses, and panko topping; sweet corn kernels and scallions; and spicy dry mustard and cayenne pepper. Get The Recipe 08 of 48 Broccoli Cheese Casserole Courtney West It's always good to have a casserole recipe in your back pocket, and this is the perfect one to have on hand. Cheese and broccoli never disappoint, but this dish also has a crunchy cracker topping going for it. Get The Recipe 09 of 48 Savory Corn Pudding Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall We love this corn pudding for its delicate, dessert-like quality that just keeps us coming back for more. You can make this dish three or four days in advance, or you can freeze it for up to a month if (for some odd reason) you have leftovers. Get The Recipe 10 of 48 Homemade Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Leeks Linda Puglies; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Green bean casserole is a must-make during the holidays. We love this recipe because it brings an elegant touch to the beloved classic. Save your canned fried onions for next year and use crispy leeks instead. Get The Recipe 11 of 48 Bacon-Brussels Sprout-Green Bean Casserole VICTOR PROTASIO; PROP STYLING: GINNY BRANCH STELLING; FOOD STYLING: EMILY NABORS HALL Brussels sprouts might not be your go-to dish for Thanksgiving, but this recipe will make you reconsider. Make this casserole up to three days in advance (prepared up to step four), and then add the toppings and bake the day you're planning to serve. Get The Recipe 12 of 48 Classic Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Amy Burke Let's face it, potatoes and cheese make everything better. After only 20 minutes of hands-on work, sit back and let the oven do the cooking. We recommend stirring gently every 10 minutes so the potatoes cook evenly, then adding a layer of cheese to brown at the end. Get The Recipe 13 of 48 Sweet Potato-Carrot Casserole Iain Bagwell; Styling: Amy Burke Sweet potatoes and carrots: Who knew? Topped with sugar-and-spice pecans and mini marshmallows, this dish is sure to delight. Tangy sour cream and lemon zest add a little more sparkle than the average sweet potato casserole. Get The Recipe 14 of 48 Herby Pecan-Cornbread Dressing Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall With an aromatic herb blend of sage, thyme, and parsley and a sprinkling of pecans, this dressing is essentially Thanksgiving in a bite. Prepare the cornbread up to three days in advance for faster preparation holiday morning—or whatever time of year you crave fall flavors. Get The Recipe 15 of 48 Sweetie's Sweet Potato Casserole Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis This recipe comes from chef and restaurateur Kelsey Barnard Clark's great-grandmother's kitchen. There is a reason Clark has held onto this recipe—not only is it delicious, but assembling this dish is just about as easy as it comes. Get The Recipe 16 of 48 Grits Dressing Laurey W. Glenn A favorite from 1993 that's still in our holiday rotation, this recipe consists of savory cornbread, fragrant herbs, and—of course—classic grits. You can make the grits two days before you put the dressing together to cut down on Thanksgiving day prep. Get The Recipe 17 of 48 Classic Cornbread Dressing Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall With homemade cornbread cooked in a cast iron skillet, this dressing is as true to tradition as they come. To achieve that classic dressing texture, let the cornbread dry out for two days before serving. Get The Recipe 18 of 48 Pumpkin-And-Winter Squash Gratin Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Pumpkin, potato, and butternut squash come together with cheese and delicious French bread crumbles for a savory favorite. Bonus—it's ready to pop in the oven after 25 minutes of hands-on time. Get The Recipe 19 of 48 Cheese Cracker-Topped Squash Casserole Hector Sanchez It is important that everyone at the table feels welcome, and seeing a cheese cracker-topped dish is sure to surprise the little ones. Bonus points for tasting delicious. Get The Recipe 20 of 48 Savory Sweet Potato Casserole Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox Savory and sweet potato are usually not paired together during the holidays, but trust us when we say this dish is delish. Sprinkled with a Parmesan-herb streusel topping, this recipe has the bite we love about traditional sweet potato casserole without all the added sugar. Get The Recipe 21 of 48 Parker House Rolls Photographer: Alison Miksch / Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn / Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman These delicate yeast rolls sprinkled with sea salt will please your crowd, but do not count on having too many left over. Good thing you can fit 24 of them in your 9x13. Get The Recipe 22 of 48 Baked Mac And Cheese With Bacon Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Macaroni and cheese is good on its own, but when you add bacon you have really made something special. This rich dish is perfect to serve your hungry guests and fill them up, too. Get The Recipe 23 of 48 Old-School Green Bean Casserole Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall While there are other options for this dish on this list, we'll never shy away from the classic, canned fried onion version. Make the base ahead of time, then add toppings and bake when you're ready to serve. Get The Recipe 24 of 48 Savory Sweet Potato Bread Pudding Hector Manuel Sanchez Meet the new family favorite. This hearty recipe adds a welcome spin on classic bread pudding with sweet potato and a cheesy Parmesan custard. Eight thick-cut slices of bacon make it even richer. Get The Recipe 25 of 48 Macaroni Pudding Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck; Food Styling: Erin Merhar We have already explained why mac and cheese belongs on your Thanksgiving menu, but if you're looking for a richer dish, we suggest this pudding. The best part? It comes together with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. Get The Recipe 26 of 48 Two-Potato Gratin Hector Sanchez With a gratin this rich, no one will leave the table hungry. In this recipe, Yukon gold and sweet potatoes work together to give you the best of both potato worlds. Gruyère and Parmesan also work together in two-cheese harmony. Get The Recipe 27 of 48 Loaded Cauliflower Casserole Stacy K. Allen; Props: Julia Bayless; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer This cauliflower casserole recipe gets an infusion of flavor from multiple cheeses, bacon, chives, sour cream, and more. It's like a lighter, loaded baked potato for the whole Thanksgiving crowd. Get The Recipe 28 of 48 Aunt Grace's Best Cornbread Dressing Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Even if you aren't acquainted with Aunt Grace, you'll love her cornbread dressing recipe, much of which you can prep ahead of time. It includes three types of bread in addition to the cornbread, which she breaks up with a wooden spoon for an extra-smooth dressing. Get The Recipe 29 of 48 Oyster Casserole Greg DuPree For some families, it just isn't Thanksgiving without an oyster casserole on the table. If you'd like to try one this year, look no further than our classic take on the dish. Our Test Kitchen did some tinkering and came up with what we think is the best version ever: plump oysters baked in a rich Parmesan cream sauce and topped with buttery breadcrumbs. Get The Recipe 30 of 48 Sweet Potato, Cauliflower, And Greens Casserole Hector Manuel Sanchez Full of flavor, this fan-favorite side dish combines sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and greens into a lively mealtime accompaniment. This casserole works well as a vegetarian main dish or a side dish. Get The Recipe 31 of 48 Meringue-Topped Sweet Potato Casserole Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely If you're looking to wow your crowd, this is the recipe to break out. Besides looking gorgeous, the meringue topping has a bonus: It contains a lot less sugar than marshmallows. Get The Recipe 32 of 48 Southern Cornbread Dressing Photographer: Brittany Conerly; Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin If you're craving a traditional cornbread dressing for the classic flavors of sage, onion, and celery, we're here for you. We've provided a recipe for the cornbread crumbles it is based on, but you can substitute your favorite cornbread instead. Get the Recipe 33 of 48 Twice Baked Potato Casserole ALISON MIKSCH; PROP STYLING: SARAH ELIZABETH CLEVELAND; FOOD STYLING: MELISSA GRAY Give your crowd a loaded baked potato in convenient casserole form. This comforting, cheesy dish can be prepared one day in advance and chilled unbaked in the refrigerator. Let the casserole come to room temperature before popping it in the oven. Get The Recipe 34 of 48 Creamed Greens Casserole Atonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Transform winter greens into something indulgent for the Thanksgiving meal. Kale and collards are combined with cream cheese and fontina for extra-rich results. Look for pre-chopped greens in the produce section of your grocery store to cut down on prep time. You can reheat the casserole, covered, in a low oven (250°F to 300°F) until hot and bubbly, then uncover and bake until the bread crumbs brown. Get The Recipe 35 of 48 Corn Pudding Casserole Courtney West This version of the classic Corn Pudding Casserole is made with fontina or Swiss cheese for an ultra-creamy, slightly sharp dish. Besides the specialty cheeses, the ingredients for this comforting casserole are all fairly basic: half-and-half and eggs provide the custard-like base, while fresh chives and thyme add a little brightness,. Get The Recipe 36 of 48 Butternut Squash Gratin Iain Bagwell; Styling: Heather Chadduck This sweet gratin recipe came to us from Chef John Zucker of Cru Café in Charleston, South Carolina. He layers sliced potatoes and a mixture of butternut and spaghetti squash with brown sugar and spices. Fontina cheese and cream tie the ingredients together. Get The Recipe 37 of 48 Brussels Sprout Spoon Bread photographs by ANTONIS ACHILLEOS; RECIPE: ANNA THEOKTISTO; FOOD STYLING: RUTH BLACKBURN; PROP STYLING: CHRISTINA DALEY Spoonbread is a marriage of the best cornbread you’ve ever had with the fluffy perfection of a soufflé. This version is dotted with browned Brussels sprouts for a slightly smoky flavor. As fancy as it looks, this is an easy recipe requiring only a handful of ingredients. Get The Recipe 38 of 48 Butternut Squash Bread Pudding Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch This savory bread pudding is ultra-cheesy and flavorful from a range of herbs and spices. Soft, moist Challah bread has a hint of sweetness that complements the naturally sweet squash mixture. Though it's filling as is, you can bulk up the dish with a pound of browned sausage. Get The Recipe 39 of 48 Baked Corn Casserole Can't decide between cornbread and corn pudding? Fortunately, this super moist and creamy 9x13 casserole will answer the call. Sour cream, Monterey Jack, and pureed corn result in a dish that is both rich and delicate. Get The Recipe 40 of 48 Creamed Cabbage-And-Leek Gratin Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell This potato-less gratin frees you from careful slicing and delicate arranging. The only trick is to cook the savory cheese sauce until it thickens so that your gratin won't be watery. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Get The Recipe 41 of 48 Wild Rice-And-Greens Casserole Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas This hearty rice casserole can be made with kale or collards—just boil the greens slightly longer if they are not young and tender. Chopped sun-dried tomatoes add an unexpected sweet touch to an otherwise rich and nutty dish. If you want to prepare the dish ahead, refrigerate up to three days before baking. Get The Recipe 42 of 48 Scalloped Potatoes With Ham Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Give your scalloped potatoes a meaty upgrade to satisfy big appetites. This recipe uses 8 ounces of pork, which you can set aside from your holiday ham. Otherwise, this is a very simple, classic recipe that will please the pickiest eaters. Get The Recipe 43 of 48 Sausage Stuffing Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox We put a Southern spin on this Thanksgiving favorite by using Conecuh smoked sausage. Use soft white bread with an open, tender crumb that can soak up the stock and spices. You can get a head start by toasting the bread a couple of days in advance and storing it in an airtight container. Get The Recipe 44 of 48 Cranberry-Apple Casserole Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox On Thanksgiving, a lot of dishes that could be classified as desserts are allowed to pass as sides. This sweet fruit and oat crumble definitely can be interpreted either way, but we think the tart cranberries will go perfectly with your turkey. Get The Recipe 45 of 48 Tee's Corn Pudding Emily Laurae/Southern Living This slightly sweet, custardy corn pudding has been a reader favorite for decades. With only eight ingredients and very little hands-on time, the recipe is a busy cook's dream. Instead of fresh corn, substitute frozen whole kernel corn or canned shoepeg corn, drained. Get The Recipe 46 of 48 Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows, Pecans, And Cornflakes Courtney West This is the kind of sweet potato casserole many of us grew up on: sweet and utterly decadent. The cornflakes add extra crunch to the marshmallow topping. Arrange it in diagonal lines with a little space in between, then pile on the marshmallows between rows. Get The Recipe 47 of 48 Scalloped Oysters Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall This recipe is for those who like to focus on the fresh, briny flavor of oysters complemented simply with crushed crackers. Oyster casserole has graced Southern Thanksgiving tables for decades (we published our first Oyster Casserole recipe back in 1967). Some recipes feature all kinds of extra ingredients, but this recipe distills it down to the basics. Get The Recipe 48 of 48 Creamy Whipped Potato Casserole Atonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer We love plain-old mashed potatoes, but mashed potato casserole is a step above. This recipe's broiled top contrasts with its smooth, creamy interior for a flavor and texture you'll come back to again and again. Get The Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit