Turkey Day is just around the corner and menu planning is in full swing. Whether you’re in charge of making all the food or you’re cooking a Thanksgiving potluck-style dinner, you’re most likely certain of one thing: the oven is going to be occupied. Yes, whether you’re visiting a relative’s house and needing to reheat scalloped potatoes, or you’re hosting guests and trying to reheat a bunch of side dishes near meal time, choosing Thanksgiving side dishes that don’t require an oven is a smart move. Because when there’s a turkey that feeds 10 people inside—especially in one of those flimsy disposable turkey pans—it’s best not to disturb it, even to make way for macaroni and cheese.
Once you put the turkey in the oven on low and slow, it can be hard to figure out how to roast the vegetables and bake the casserole around the turkey. But even some casseroles can be made in a slow cooker (so can dinner rolls!), and many classic go-to side dishes are just as delicious when prepared on the stovetop (looking at you, macaroni and cheese). So no matter which side you’re hoping to serve, keep scrolling to see if there’s a way to keep them from playing a high-stakes game of Tetris at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
01Slow Cooker Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Legally speaking, you can’t call it Thanksgiving dinner without mashed potatoes on the table. Maybe that’s a little dramatic, but once you try these Slow Cooker Garlic Mashed Potatoes from All Things Healthy, you’ll understand where I’m coming from. On Thanksgiving morning, throw your ingredients (just six, plus salt and pepper) into the slow cooker, and four hours later you’ll have homemade mashed potatoes ready to go.
02Glazed Carrots
Want to win the most photogenic award at a dinner party? Make this vibrant glazed carrot dish from Foodie Crush. In about 35 minutes from start to finish, you’ll have baby carrots drizzled with a sweet orange-brown sugar glaze. Please pass them on.
03Slow Cooker Dinner Rolls
If you’re worried about whether your rolls will be done in time, oven space seems to be a requirement—we’re talking about baking bread here. But you can actually make dinner rolls in a slow cooker. Averie Cooks’ recipe produces rolls with a thin crust and soft, aromatic center that’s perfect for slathering in butter or gravy.
04Pear Salad with Gorgonzola Cheese
This salad from Foodie Crush is the perfect crunchy, fresh side dish to put on the table or sit outside as an app while everyone is waiting for the turkey to finish cooking. It has crunchy pear slices, spicy vegetables, candied pecans, and pungent Gorgonzola cheese (you can swap it out for something less smelly if you don’t like it). A quick homemade Dijon vinaigrette that will have everyone asking where you got your dressing.
05Spicy Macaroni and Cheese
No matter how well you cook your turkey, at the end of the day, it’s still just turkey. What this means is that the sides kind of bring a little zip to the meal. Spicy macaroni and cheese might be a good choice, and the Desire Cookies recipe only requires a hint of cayenne pepper to bring it together on the stovetop. Of course, if you have kids, maybe opt out of the chili for their sake—the rest of the recipe will still give you delicious, creamy, cheesy macaroni.
06mung bean almond
You could hand me the sautéed shallots on a plate and I’d be happy, but as this recipe from Beautiful Plate suggests, they’re best served over green beans. This recipe yields a big batch of crispy, lemony green beans that cut through all the butter and cheese on the rest of the sides (don’t worry, there’ll be plenty more).
07Stovetop Creamed Corn
Since we avoid using the oven, grilled corn is out, but skillet creamed corn would be great. Budget Bytes’ recipes call for fresh or frozen corn, Parmesan cheese, half-and-half and a few pantry staples. The return on investment is huge: a sweet, buttery, cheesy side that will disappear from your dinner table in no time.
08Homemade Cranberry Sauce
If you prefer canned, that’s okay, but for those of us who make our own cranberry sauce, it’s nice to have a simple, go-to recipe to make it quickly. All The Healthy Things’ recipes are sweet, sour, and easy to make—what more could you want?
09Slow Cooker Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
No matter how you do it, making scalloped potatoes is a labor of love, but at least with the damn delicious slow cooker method, they won’t clog the entire oven rack in a few hours. These little gems combine Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses, fresh thyme, and a pinch of nutmeg to really bring out the flavor.
10stove filler
No, not the brand name – the stuffing you make on the stove. Averie Cooks’ super quick and easy recipe combines cubes of bread with onions, carrots, celery and herbs sautéed in butter and is sure to become a new holiday staple in your family.
11Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole
This damn delicious Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole recipe makes this classic Thanksgiving dish so easy to make. Now, you need to stick the ceramic part of the slow cooker under the broiler for a few minutes to brown the marshmallow tops (or if you have a blowtorch, that’ll work, but how many of us actually do that?) . But other than that, this is a “set it and forget it” situation.
12Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad
You can totally grill Brussels in an air fryer, but if you’ve never had Brussels in salad form, this is a must try. The recipe from All The Healthy Things is perfect for a hearty dinner because the sprouts can stand up to the creamy dressing without getting soggy while sitting on the table. Add in the crunch of pecans, red onion, and smoky bacon, and you’ve got a crowd-pleaser.
13Honey Butter Skillet Corn
Plain old butter corn is delicious, but if you want to spice it up a little bit for Thanksgiving, Pink Girl Princess’s version is a nice change. All you need to do is add a little honey butter, cream cheese sauce, and fresh corn to a skillet and heat for five to seven minutes until hot. Add a little salt and pepper and serve.
14Quick and Easy Mushroom Gravy
Personally, I think gravy should be on top of everything on my plate, which means turkey gravy is usually not enough on its own. This easy mushroom gravy recipe from Averie Cooks will be a delicious way to supplement your turkey juices without the need for roast drippings.
15Geranium Salad
Whether it’s Southern or Midwestern, side dish or dessert, it’s all up to you. In my house, ragweed salad and watergate salad are always on the table with potatoes and green beans, so that’s a side dish for me. Princess Pinky Girl’s recipe is a classic: fruit cocktail, citrus, pineapple, maraschino cherries, shredded coconut and mini marshmallows, all covered in whipped toppings. Don’t knock it until you try it.
So, what’s on the menu for Türkiye Day this year?