17 Time-Saving Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Side Dishes You Need to Try!

Thanksgiving can be a hectic occasion, but it doesn’t have to be this year. Whether you’re hosting a gathering or just bringing a dish, these 17 make-ahead recipes ensure you have more time to enjoy the day. You’ll find all the traditional favorites—potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce—ready to go.

1. Sausage, Sage, and Cornbread Stuffing

“You can prepare the cornbread for this stuffing a few days in advance, and put together the stuffing itself up to three days before.” —Elizabeth Stark, Simply Recipes Contributor

2. Perfect Mashed Potatoes

“To achieve the best mashed potatoes, start with the potatoes in cold water to cook them evenly. If you begin with hot or boiling water, the outer layers will soften while the centers remain firm and uncooked.” —Elise Bauer, Simply Recipes Founder

3. Cranberry Relish

“For making this relish, you can use either a traditional grinder or a food processor attachment. A grinder tends to blend and cut the cranberries, oranges, and apples more effectively, but both tools will get the job done.” —Elise

4. Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans

“It’s important to note that yams and sweet potatoes are often confused, but they are quite different. True yams are not suitable for this recipe due to their texture and lack of sweetness.” —Lisa Lin, Simply Recipes Contributor

5. Vegan Mushroom Stuffing

“The recipe calls for a variety of mushrooms—choose from favorites like button, cremini, portobello, chanterelle, oyster, maitake, beech, or shiitake. If you prefer, sticking to just button or cremini mushrooms works well too.” —Devan Grimsrud, Simply Recipes Contributor

6. Corn Soufflé

“I typically use frozen corn for this dish, but canned or even fresh corn can also be used without altering the cooking process.” —Stephanie Ganz, Simply Recipes Contributor

7. Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy

“This gravy can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days or frozen for as long as four months.” —Sally Vargas, Simply Recipes Contributor

8. Kimchi Stuffing

“If making homemade kimchi isn’t an option, store-bought kimchi works just fine. Any brand will suffice, as it will be mixed with other ingredients like nuts, veggies, and spices.” —Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee, Simply Recipes Contributor

9. Cranberry Sauce

“My cranberry sauce recipe uses apple juice, brown sugar, and diced apples, added at the same time as the cranberries. It’s less tart than traditional versions, striking a nice balance between sweet and sour.” —Jennifer, Simply Recipes Reader

10. Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

“Adding a few cloves of garlic to the potatoes while they cook in the Instant Pot infuses them with a rich flavor. Though four cloves might seem excessive, they complement the blandness of the potatoes perfectly. Feel free to omit them based on your taste preference.” —Coco Morante, Simply Recipes Contributor

11. Green Bean Casserole from Scratch

“We highly recommend using fresh cream sauce rather than canned versions to keep the casserole’s flavor authentic and rich.” —Megan Keno, Simply Recipes Contributor

12. Wild Rice Salad with Cranberries and Pecans

“You can make this salad with brown rice, wild rice, or a mix of both. Remember, wild rice is technically not rice at all!” —Elise

13. Thanksgiving Stuffing with Sausage and Apples

“I usually opt for a pound of ground country or breakfast sausage—avoiding Italian sausage for this recipe. While I prefer turkey sausage for its leaner content, any sausage of your liking can be used.” —Summer Miller, Simply Recipes Contributor

14. Potatoes Au Gratin

“For this dish, peel the potatoes (or leave the skins on for a rustic feel) and slice them thinly, about 1/8-inch thick, using a knife, mandoline, or a food processor’s slicing disk. Even thickness is key for uniform cooking, although they’ll be covered with a cheesy breadcrumb topping.” —Sally

15. Brandied Cranberries

“I prepared these brandied cranberries for Thanksgiving and they were a hit. I plan to serve them again on Christmas Eve with Tourtiere. I use Grand Marnier for a rich flavor.” —Debbie, Simply Recipes Reader

16. Butternut Squash Apple Cranberry Bake

“The most challenging part of this recipe is cutting the butternut squash. Once that’s done, just toss everything into a casserole dish and bake for an hour.” —Elise

17. Spiced Mashed Sweet Potatoes

“If you don’t have a fresh orange for zest, just stir in a bit of orange juice instead.” —Elise