Thanksgiving vegetable sides; salad?

[Anonymous]

Starting to plan my Thanksgiving menu. Tentatively serving the following, plus beverages and some small appetizers (relish tray plus spanakopita or mini quiches):

- Turkey breast (most of the group is vegetarian, so not doing a whole turkey)
- Cranberry sauce
- Dressing
- Mashed potatoes
- Sauteed green beans
*Some other vegetable dish*
- Rolls
- Pumpkin pie
- Chocolate dessert (TBD - maybe a chocolate cream pie or pots de creme)

I want to add another vegetable. Traditionally, we've done a sweet potato casserole, but it's too sweet for most, so I want to do something different this year. I don't love brussels sprouts and none of the kids will eat them, so would prefer to choose something different.

Any vegetable side dish favorites? I'd like something with some color and texture. A salad would be an easy choice, but would it would get skipped over in favor of other options? For those who do serve salads, do you serve it on separate salad plates?

TIA!

[Anonymous]

Scalloped potatoes. I think you are missing richness, and a creamy scalloped potato dish with Gruyere would give that.

[Anonymous]

I'd do some sort of carrot dish, or a salad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Scalloped potatoes. I think you are missing richness, and a creamy scalloped potato dish with Gruyere would give that.

I know you have mashed potatoes but I would consider replacing them. For a mostly vegetarian group, do you want to have some sort of centerpiece dish for them? I would also do a roasted acorn squash soup or something like that.

[Anonymous]

Instead of sautéed green beans, we've switched to a cold green bean salad, with tomatoes, onions, feta and greek style dressing. The coldness and crispness of the green bean salad is more refreshing than another green bean casserole, or warmed beans.

[Anonymous]

Do sweet potatoes in a chili maple glaze rather than the traditional casserole.

[Anonymous]

We do kale salad with parmesan and roasted walnuts.

[Anonymous]

roasted carrots with a maple/ginger glaze (sweet but less so than traditional sweet potatoes)

roasted carrots/parsnips and root veggies with a homemade green goddess dressing drizzled over

[Anonymous]

I think roasted butternut squash or acorn squash could be good.

I like the smitten kitchen butternut squash and chickpea salad and it's good hot, cold, or room temp--and you can make it ahead.

Roasted beets are nice if you like them. Or you could do a mushroom dish. Or we always do sauteed red cabbage and apples with some apple cider vinegar--healthy, a nice color, can be made in advance and reheated on the stovetop or a crockpot so it doesn't need oven space.

[Anonymous]

Scalloped endive is really good. Cauliflower cheese too

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all of the suggestions! I like the idea of replacing the mashed potatoes with scalloped potatoes. Doing sweet potatoes or carrots with a spicier glaze or root vegetables with an herby dressing also sounds good!

I always think about making a vegetarian main dish, but I'm one of the vegetarians and the side dishes are our favorites. I did stuffed roasted acorn squash one year, and always think about trying the pumpkin stuffed with everything good recipe. Maybe I'll do a trial run of that one and see how it is.

[Anonymous]

I would do sweet potatoes but not in sweet marshmallow form.

[Anonymous]

Corn?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do sweet potatoes in a chili maple glaze rather than the traditional casserole.

https://www.rachelcarr.com/chili-maple-glazed-yams/

[Anonymous]

IMO you don’t have enough sides. We all love the sides. Mashed potatoes and green beans are fine but that’s also just a regular weeknight dinner pair of sides. Thanksgiving is for decadent casseroles and elaborate sides. I’d add 2-3 more. Maybe a salad with cranberries and walnuts and blue cheese but then at least one rich gooey casserole or potato dish, go for the candied yams or sweet potatoes or a corn pudding or something.