Corn casserole, if you’re wondering.
It’s my favorite. And I know everyone else likes it (because it’s one of the best Thanksgiving side dishes), but no one else will make it. So if I want it at Thanksgiving, I have to be the one to make it.
I always feel like I should make two, though, because I never end up with leftovers. If only I had more than one casserole pan.
15 Thanksgiving Side Dish Casseroles
I wanted to really keep these as Thanksgiving casseroles, not just any casserole you could serve at Thanksgiving. So I made sure that every casserole on this list had some element of a fall flavor or a traditional Thanksgiving staple in it.
1. Corn Casserole
Corn Casserole is my favorite Thanksgiving side dish recipe. And it’s so easy too. You just put all the ingredients into a casserole pan and bake. There’s nothing to cook ahead of time, so it’s super easy.
2. Baked Sweet Potato Casserole
I wait for sweet potato season so I can buy them and make this Baked Sweet Potato Casserole. What I really love about it is you don’t need a casserole pan. You can just bake the “casserole” right in the sweet potato itself.
3. Mushroom And Rice Casserole
I usually make this Mushroom And Rice Casserole as dinner for me and Pete, but if you’re having a crowd over for Thanksgiving dinner, you can serve it as a side dish. It’s easy to make and really hearty. Plus, the rice cooks in the casserole pan, so you don’t have to cook it ahead of time.
4. Cheesy Zucchini Cornbread Casserole
You can’t go wrong with this Cheesy Zucchini Cornbread Casserole. It’s a delicious twist on traditional cornbread that’s more moist (and most interesting) than the plain recipe. It’s packed with a full pound of zucchini and a ton of cheese (inside and on top!).
5. Mushroom And Kale Pasta Casserole
If you can’t decide between pasta salad, veggies, or a casserole, you can combine all of them with this Mushroom And Kale Pasta Casserole recipe. Plus, part of the fun of Thanksgiving is mixing all your food together and trying to eat as much of it as you can. This casserole basically does that for you.
6. Butternut Squash Cranberry Thanksgiving Stuffing Casserole
This casserole has so many of Thanksgiving’s flavors rolled into one. There’s butternut squash, cranberries, and stuffing all served in one casserole pan. Which means you can get three Thanksgiving flavors in one single bite.
7. Loaded Twice Baked Potato Casserole
Who doesn’t love a good baked potato? Now, you can have it in casserole form. The name calls it “twice baked” but that’s because it’s a riff on a twice baked potato, not because you have to bake this casserole twice. Once is enough.
8. Easy Cheesy Loaded Cauliflower Casserole
Cauliflower had a resurgence a couple years ago and good for it because cauliflower was a forgotten vegetable. No one wanted an albino broccoli. Now that people have realized its potential, we get these delicious options of putting it in a casserole with cheese and bacon and serving it on Thanksgiving.
9. Plantain Casserole
If you haven’t had plantains before, you’re in for a treat with this casserole. Plantains are a super delicious potato substitute. Yes, they look like bananas when you see them in the store, but they don’t taste like bananas. Keep that in mind while you make this.
10. Gluten-Free Green Bean Casserole
My favorite part of green bean casserole is the crunchy, battered French fried onions on top. I’ve never looked at the ingredients (or calories), but I assume they have gluten. If you’re gluten-free, you can still have green bean casserole as long as you make this version with an almond flour topping.
11. Easy Creamed Spinach Casserole
I’m not generally a fan of cooked spinach, but sign me up to taste test this creamed spinach casserole because it sounds delicious. Just drop it off at my Thanksgiving dinner.
12. Creamy Potato & Veggie Casserole
This casserole is packed with veggies, which makes it really easy to get all your Thanksgiving vegetables in one serving. It happens to be vegan too, so if you are having someone vegan over for Thanksgiving, this would be the perfect side dish for them.
13. Tomato Zucchini Casserole
The onion and breadcrumb topping looks like the best part about this casserole, but that’s a narrow margin victory over the cooked tomato and zucchini. It sounds like the perfect Thanksgiving side dish.
14. Creamy Vegetable Casserole
The best part of this casserole is that you can make it ahead of time. And on Thanksgiving, when you have every pot and pan in your kitchen going, and every heating device is being used, it’s nice to have something that’s already ready to go thanks to prepping it early.
15. Savory Pumpkin Casserole
I’ve never had a pumpkin casserole before, but those dollops of ricotta cheese on top are begging me to give this casserole a chance. Plus those herbs on top just mimic Thanksgiving herbs. So you gotta try it.
Main dish casseroles for Thanksgiving
If you’re looking for main dish casseroles to serve for Thanksgiving, check out our 15 Thanksgiving Main Dish Casseroles.
What casserole pan do I need for side dish casseroles?
For these side dish casseroles, I would use a 1.5-quart round casserole pan. That’s the perfect size for a side dish.
For our main dish casseroles, I use a 2.5-quart oval casserole pan. For side dishes, though, that’s too much. You’ll pull it out and people will think it’s a main dish since the casserole pan is so large, and they will fill up on it. Then, no one will have any room for your actual main course.
If you use a smaller casserole pan, they’ll understand it’s just a side dish and scoop out an appropriate portion.
Which of these Thanksgiving Side Dish Casseroles is your favorite? Let us know in the comments.
susan1375
Monday 25th of November 2019
Don’t have thanksgiving in the UK but these look delicious!
Nyxie
Monday 25th of November 2019
We don't have thanksgiving here, but a lot of these resonate in our weekly Sunday Dinners! These would be such great side dishes.
Cristina pop
Monday 25th of November 2019
Wow! Everything looks and sounds so delicious! I don't even know which recipe to try out first :)
Marie Phillips
Sunday 24th of November 2019
These all look great! My all-time favorite is sweet potato casserole. And for something different this year, I am actually trying a brussels sprouts salad. I may add one of these casseroles as well.
Cynthia C
Saturday 17th of November 2018
I've been looking for some new sides. Thanks for the great suggestions