25 Easy Thanksgiving Vegetables
Thanksgiving vegetables add more flavor, a bit of color, and delicious variety to your holiday menu. While delicious vegetable casseroles make yummy sides, you can get easy vegetable recipes that will save space in your oven and can be made ahead, too.
Once you have your main dishes and Thanksgiving side dishes all picked out, the easiest way to add a big dose of variety to the holiday menu is to fill in the blanks with a few easy Thanksgiving vegetable recipes.
The challenge then just becomes, how do you want to cook those veggies?
If you need to save space in your oven, I've got easy skillet vegetables, air fryer vegetables, and slowcooker vegetables that make perfect alternatives to oven baked veggies.
I also included some make ahead Thanksgiving salads for a completely no-cook vegetable option.
Will you be hosting kids at your holiday table, too? Don't miss my kid-friendly ideas for serving veggies for the holiday at the bottom.
Why These are the Best Recipes
A traditional Thanksgiving dinner is all about having lots of options on the table.
Once you've got your main dishes and Thanksgiving side dishes planned, it is easy to fill out the rest of the menu with simple vegetable recipes.
I think these are the best Thanksgiving vegetable recipes because:
- Flexible Cooking Methods: When you're juggling dishes in the oven, it is nice to be able to use an appliance like a slowcooker or air fryer to help finish some of the other items.
- Easy to Make: Let's be honest, the vegetables are not the star of the show. There's no reason to make them difficult. This is a great spot to cut some corners on prep.
- Super Delicious: Even though they are easy, these recipes are still big on flavor and will actually make the veggies something you want to eat!
Easy Vegetable Casseroles
If it doesn't have a pat of butter or a bit of cream, is it even a Thanksgiving side dish??
If you want to turn your vegetables into something extra delicious for the Thanksgiving meal, you definitely want one of these creamy vegetable casseroles.
They are easy to prepare and will be eagerly enjoyed at the table.
Crockpot Green Bean Casserole
The most classic Thanksgiving vegetable is green bean casserole.
I've developed an easy way to make this vegetable side in the slowcooker while still keeping that amazing crispy onion topping.
Old Fashioned Squash Casserole
Ooey gooey cheese and crispy buttery breadcrumbs on top make this old fashioned squash casserole a total winner for a holiday dinner.
Pretty large slices of yellow squash and zucchini add a little bit of color to the feast.
Air Fried Butternut Squash
I love recipes that keep my oven open for other important dishes. This air fried butternut squash roasts in my air fryer in 20 minutes and tastes amazing with fresh sage.
Grated Zucchini Gratin
Need an easier veggie casserole? This 3-ingredient zucchini gratin uses grated zucchini and can be prepped in advance.
You'll want to double or triple the recipe for a holiday dinner.
Crock Pot Creamed Corn
The kids will be thrilled to find a batch of Crock Pot creamed corn on your buffet table! It's a holiday, this totally counts as a vegetable.
Acorn Squash with Apples
Slowcooker acorn squash has cooked apples, brown sugar, and dried cranberries in the mix.
You can cook everything in the Crockpot and then just mash the squash into a serving bowl to bring to the table as a casserole.
Roasted Vegetables
If you want to use your vegetables as a less-creamy, more healthy option at the holiday table, you can't go wrong with a simple roasted veggie.
These crispy vegetable recipes are tossed with just a bit of oil or butter and are a delicious option for the Thanksgiving plate.
Air Fryer Green Beans
Save room in your oven and make these easy green beans in the air fryer.
I use pre-washed green beans for extra-easy prep. Just toss them in olive oil and add a little seasonings, they can cook just before you head to the table.
Roasted Carrots
Prep a batch of roasted carrots and they can pop into the oven while the turkey is resting and you're making the gravy on the stovetop.
Parmesan Roasted Zucchini
This has been one of my favorite vegetable recipes the last couple months. Fresh zucchini is so easy to chop up. Toss it with grated parmesan for this easy parmesan roasted zucchini you could cook right in your air fryer.
Roasted Broccoli and Carrots
Want something a little more colorful for your Thanksgiving menu?
Try making a batch of this delicious roasted broccoli and carrots. There are colorful bell peppers and a red onion in the mix and they'll look super pretty in a serving bowl at the table.
Roasted Potato Gnocchi with Butternut Squash
Mix a pack of dried potato gnocchi with fresh butternut squash and roast it in the oven on a sheet pan. This easy roasted gnocchi could be prepped earlier in the afternoon and then bake while the turkey rests.
Sauteed Vegetables
Need to save room in the oven and make your veggies on the stove top?
Not a problem, sauteed vegetables are still very easy to prepare and very delicious. Here are a few of my favorites:
Want to Save This for Later?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Glazed Baby Carrots
You steam the baby carrots in a saucepan on the stovetop and then thicken the brown sugar and butter glaze at the end.
My glazed baby carrots recipe is truly a hit with kids for your holiday meal.
Fried Green Cabbage
This fried green cabbage recipe has a touch of butter and savory caraway seeds in the mix.
It is perfect for the Thanksgiving menu as a simple vegetable side and cooks in a pot on the stove top.
German Red Cabbage
For deeper flavor and a big boost of color, choose my classic German red cabbage.
While not a traditional Thanksgiving item it is perfect for fall and complements the flavors of many of the other dishes on the table.
Thanksgiving Salads
Thanksgiving salads are a great option for a make-ahead vegetable dish or if you need something to bring that travels well.
Prep a cold and crispy salad brimming with fall flavors, these salads could work as an easy Thanksgiving lunch while everyone is waiting on the turkey to finish baking, too.
Festive Apple Pear Salad
Crispy raw apples and juicy pears are the highlight of this amazing fall apple pear salad.
Dried cranberries and a mustard vinaigrette finish it off. You can prep all the ingredients in advance for an easy toss right before serving.
Fresh Garden Salad
Let's be honest, Thanksgiving dinner is truly rich and heavy. There would be nothing wrong with serving a light and crispy garden salad. Even just a few bites can help balance out the rest of the meal.
Simple Citrus Salad
While citrus has a stronger flavor and is not necessarily found on most Thanksgiving tables, it actually would be the perfect acidic complement to all the rich butter and gravy laden dishes.
My favorite herb butter turkey has lemons and oranges stuffed inside and my favorite cranberry sauce uses fresh oranges, I think citrus is an excellent flavor for Thanksgiving! Top this citrus salad with goat cheese crumbles and pistachios for richness.
Carrot Apple Salad
Carrot apple salad is most often found on barbecue plates but could be a fun and colorful relish to add to the Thanksgiving table.
Crispy Wild Rice Salad
I love that this crispy wild rice salad uses up leftover roasted carrots and wild rice, but you could prep it especially for the holiday dinner by making those items the day before.
This would make an amazing vegetarian entree to offer for Thanksgiving and is a perfect way to bulk up their plate with some warm and filling items.
Easy Salad Greens
If you want to toss together a last-minute salad with a bag of salad greens, you could dress it up for the holiday with a drizzle of homemade buttermilk herb dressing and a batch of these easy cornbread croutons.
This mustard vinaigrette and lemon parmesan vinaigrette would both be excellent alternatives since it pairs so well with many of the other fall flavors that will be on the table.
Raw Veggies and Relishes
Need a Thanksgiving vegetable that you don't have to cook?
These ideas are perfect for offering before the dinner as an appetizer or as a relish at the table.
Dill Dip for Veggies
Make a batch of my easy dill dip and serve it with a big platter of crispy raw veggies.
This is an excellent snack to nibble on before dinner or to just keep on hand all Thanksgiving weekend long.
Chow Chow
This spicy chow chow relish pairs so well with pork and chicken, I think it would be a unique and amazing thing to offer on the Thanksgiving table, too.
You could make it up to a week in advance and just store it in the fridge. The crispy cabbage and carrot mix would be a vinegary substitute to gravy for the turkey if you're trying to lighten up your holiday meal.
Kid-Friendly Vegetables for Thanksgiving
So here's the tricky part when it comes to serving kids for Thanksgiving -- all those vegetables and sides mixing and mingling on their plates sends most kids running for the hills.
If you want to make the kids at your table happy, there are four excellent strategies:
- SIMPLE Cooked Veggies: Serve a simple veggie like frozen corn or a can of green beans, all by itself. No sauces, no seasonings, nothing added to it that they can see.
- Raw Veggies & Dip: Let them dip raw baby carrots into a simple dip like my dill dip above.
- Veggie Snacks BEFORE the Dinner: Want less fights at the Thanksgiving table? Get the kids to eat something with veggies in the afternoon before the main meal and then just let it go at dinnertime. Let them enjoy putting what they want on their plates.
- Just Don't Stress It: It's a holiday. You don't have to fight the vegetable fight all 365 days of the year. You can get right back to encouraging vegetable exposures tomorrow.
Check out some of my favorite kid-friendly vegetable ideas for you to use below and don't miss these awesome Thanksgiving recipes for kids for the rest of your menu.
Veggie Pizza
Make this delicious cold veggie pizza with crescent roll crust as a Thanksgiving appetizer.
You can top it with your kids' favorite raw veggies and make it custom just for them.
Even better? Let them help you decorate the top!
Cold Spinach Dip
My daughter loves this cold spinach dip and she totally eats more spinach this way than any other.
Serve it with raw carrots or bell peppers for dunking to up the veggie quotient or let it go and let them enjoy dunking crackers or bagel chips.
More Thanksgiving Ideas
Now that you've got your easy Thanksgiving vegetables all picked out, what about the rest of your meal plan?
Don't miss my other easy Thanksgiving recipes for your family feast:
Comments
No Comments