5+ Thanksgiving Side Dish Casserole Recipes

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Thanksgiving Side Dish Casseroles

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As we add more casserole recipes to Drugstore Divas that would work as Thanksgiving casserole recipes, we’ll be sure to update this list. So save it (bookmark it, pin it, whatever you do to save posts) and come back to it from time to time to see what we’ve added.

Vegetarian Brussels Sprouts Casserole

Brussels sprouts are such a staple at the Thanksgiving table. But so many people serve really boring, bland, boiled Brussels. End that right now with this Vegetarian Brussels Sprouts Casserole.

This Brussels sprouts recipe is packed with flavor — and Parmesan cheese. And the delicious flavor of the Brussels sprouts come through. Most Brussels sprouts recipes hide their flavor with bacon, but this doesn’t need to.

This isn’t the easiest casserole recipe because you do have to cook the Brussels sprouts two ways before putting them in the casserole pan, but I promise this side dish is worth it.

Corn Casserole

Corn Casserole is my favorite Thanksgiving side dish recipe.

It’s so easy to make from really simple ingredients: canned corn, butter, sour cream, and corn muffin mix. You put all the ingredients into a casserole pan, stir, and bake. There’s nothing to cook ahead of time, so it’s super simple. Which you need on Thanksgiving because everything else you make is really hands on. So this dump and go casserole will be one of your new favorite east Thanksgiving side dishes.

And, leftover corn casserole is even better than the fresh version. Heat it up in the microwave with a dollop on butter on top and it’s incredible. Trust me.

Baked Sweet Potato Casserole

I (patiently) wait for sweet potatoes to hit our local grocery stores 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.

You bake the sweet potatoes, then cut them open and add butter, brown sugar, and mini marshmallows. You bake again and that’s that. You get all the flavors of sweet potato casserole, just not in casserole form. It’s a really fun twist on a classic.

If you bought too many potatoes for this, check out our long list of sweet potato recipes for ways to use them up.

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.

This hearty casserole is really easy to make. The rice cooks in the casserole pan (thanks to a little help from canned cream of mushroom soup and water), so you don’t have to cook it ahead of time or separately, which is less steps for you.

A lot of vegetarian recipes call for mushrooms to substitute for meat (like our Vegetarian Philly Cheesesteak recipe) because mushrooms are pretty substantial and filling. So, if you needed something to serve as a main dish casserole, this would work as that.

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 than the traditional side. This cornbread casserole is packed with a full pound of zucchini and a ton of cheddar cheese — inside and on top. The cheese on top turns a beautiful golden brown that’s sure to entice everyone at your holiday table. 

Cornbread casserole is most interesting than regular cornbread, which is served at nearly every Thanksgiving dinner. Tiny, dry corn muffins are aways on the table, but no one really wants to waste the room in their stomach on them. If you jazz up the cornbread with zucchini, you’ll have way less left at the end of the meal.

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.

This casserole is really good reheated the next day with a little bit of olive oil on top. So if you have some leftover, it’s a great lunch for Black Friday. And, that way, you’re not the one stuck eating leftover turkey sandwiches for the rest of the weekend.

Mini Hash Brown Casserole

Don’t mind that this says it’s a breakfast casserole. We actually eat this Mini Hash Brown Casserole as dinner more often than breakfast. But hash browns just feel like breakfast most days. But not on turkey day. On Thanksgiving, hash browns feel like a great side dish and an alternative to mashed potatoes.

This hash brown casserole is cute because it’s served in individual ramekins. So, if you’re having a small Thanksgiving, these will be perfect. If you’re having a lot of guests, you can just make this in a casserole pan instead.

What size casserole dish do I need for side dishes?

Quick fun facts: A casserole dish and a baking dish are the same thing. They’re just different ways of referring to the same pan.

A casserole pan is an oven-safe pan, which is one to two inches deep, made of a variety of materials. Mine are ceramic, but they also come in glass, metal, and more. Traditionally, they’re circular (I have an oval and a circle). They can also be square or rectangular. And they come in a variety of sizes.

For these side dish casseroles, I use a 1.5-quart round casserole pan. That’s the perfect size for a side dish. For our main dish Thanksgiving casseroles, I use a 2.5-quart oval casserole pan.

You don’t want to use that large of a casserole dish for side dishes. You’ll pull it out and people will think it’s a main dish since the pan is so large, and they’ll fill up on it. Then, no one will have any room for your roast turkey (or whatever you’re serving as your main dish).

If you use a smaller casserole pan, they’ll understand it’s just a side and scoop out an appropriate portion.

Main dish casseroles for Thanksgiving:

If you’re looking for main dish ideas, check out our list of Thanksgiving Main Dish Casseroles. These aren’t substitutes for turkey, but they’re casseroles you can serve in addition to your turkey.

Order side dish casseroles for Thanksgiving online:

If you want a casserole for Thanksgiving, but you don’t have the time to cook one, you can just order a casserole online with the following delivery services:

• Goldbelly
• Grubhub
• Instacart

Just be mindful of the delivery date when you’re ordering. You want to make sure that your casserole will arrive on time for Thanksgiving dinner.

More Thanksgiving Ideas:

If you want to try something a little different with your Thanksgiving turkey this year, deep fry it. That’s my dad’s new favorite way to cook the bird. Read our Tips For How To Deep Fry A Turkey before you start.

If you want an easy dessert, try our No Bake Thanksgiving Nutter Butter Acorns Recipe. And, finally, don’t forget to hand out Thanksgiving Blessing Mix so your guests really think about the reason for Thanksgiving.