I've always thought the side dishes are one of the best parts of a holiday meal. Give me creamy mashed potatoes, homemade stuffing, and a few really good vegetable sides, and I'm happy.
After years of cooking for my family and working with hundreds of nutrition clients, I've also learned that holiday food doesn't have to be complicated to be memorable. I tend to stick with simple, wholesome ingredients, use shortcuts where they actually make sense, and put most of the effort into building really good flavor.
These are the holiday side dishes I come back to for Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving, and Christmas dinner. You'll find traditional favorites like stuffing and mashed potatoes along with a few less expected options, including smoky Traeger sides, colorful vegetables, and lighter dishes that help balance out a rich holiday meal.
Some can be made ahead, several come together in about 30 minutes, and a few use the smoker so you can free up valuable oven space. Mix and match them depending on the meal you're making and the people around your table.
1. Roasted Carrots With Whipped Feta
These Roasted Carrots With Whipped Feta are one of my favorite ways to make a simple vegetable feel special enough for a holiday table. I skip the heavy honey glaze and let roasting bring out the carrots' natural sweetness, then pair them with lemony whipped feta made with Greek yogurt. Sumac, parsley, and flaky salt add just enough brightness to balance the richer dishes on the table.
2. Truffle Mashed Potatoes
My love for truffle started with truffle fries, so naturally it eventually made its way into mashed potatoes. These Truffle Mashed Potatoes are creamy and rich with truffle oil and ghee, but they're still surprisingly simple to make. They've become one of those dishes my family expects on the holiday table, especially at Thanksgiving.
3. Traeger Scalloped Potatoes
If I already have the Traeger running for a holiday main dish, I like putting it to work on the sides too. These Traeger Scalloped Potatoes are creamy, cheesy and layered with just enough wood-fired flavor to make them different from traditional scalloped potatoes. They're especially useful for Thanksgiving or Christmas when oven space is already at a premium.
4. Smoked Green Beans
These Smoked Green Beans are proof that a holiday vegetable side doesn't need a long ingredient list. I actually use frozen green beans and let them thaw as they cook on the Traeger, which helps them pick up plenty of smoky flavor. Onion, avocado oil and sea salt keep them simple, making them a great option when the rest of the menu is on the richer side.
5. Sourdough Bread Stuffing
This Sourdough Bread Stuffing is my from-scratch take on a classic holiday side. Toasted sourdough gives it great texture and a little tang, while butter, rosemary, sage and parsley bring all of those familiar stuffing flavors without relying on packaged seasoning mixes. You can also prep it ahead, which makes it especially handy for Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving or a busy Christmas dinner.
6. Butternut Squash And Feta Salad
I love having at least one colorful, fresh side on a holiday table, and this Butternut Squash Feta Salad fits the bill. Frozen cubed squash and pre-cooked beets cut down on prep without sacrificing flavor or that beautiful fall color. It comes together in about 30 minutes and is a nice contrast to mashed potatoes, stuffing and other rich holiday favorites.
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7. Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts
If someone tells me they don't like Brussels sprouts, this is the kind of recipe I want them to try. These Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts get crispy and caramelized in the oven, then bacon and a little maple add that sweet-savory combination that works so well with holiday food. Everything cooks on one pan, so they're easy enough to make even when you have several other dishes going.
8. Smoked Mac And Cheese
Mac and cheese is always welcome on my holiday table, and this Smoked Mac And Cheese has become one of my favorites. Instead of Velveeta, I blend cottage cheese into the sauce and pair it with sharp cheddar and Gruyere for plenty of creamy, cheesy flavor. A little time on the Traeger gives the whole thing that smoky depth you just can't get from a standard baked mac and cheese.
9. Mashed Potatoes With Cottage Cheese
These Mashed Potatoes With Cottage Cheese started as one of those ideas that could have gone either way, but my family loved them. The key is blending the cottage cheese completely smooth before adding it to the potatoes. You get creamy, tangy mashed potatoes that still feel like classic holiday comfort food, with a little extra protein worked in naturally.
10. Hot Honey Brussels Sprouts
For something a little different from classic holiday vegetables, try these Hot Honey Brussels Sprouts. I roast them at high heat until the edges are browned and crispy, then finish them with a sweet and spicy hot honey glaze. They only take about 25 minutes, which makes them an easy last-minute addition to a Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving or Christmas menu.
11. Cranberry Sauce With Mandarin Oranges
I wasn't always a big cranberry sauce person, but this Cranberry Sauce With Mandarin Oranges changed my mind. Fresh cranberries simmer with mandarin juice, coconut sugar and warm spices for a sweet-tart sauce that isn't overly sweet. I especially love it next to turkey, ham or smoky meats because that bright citrus flavor helps cut through the richness of the rest of the meal.
12. Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus Bundles
These Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus Bundles look fancy on a holiday table, but they're incredibly simple to make. Salty prosciutto wrapped around tender asparagus gives you plenty of flavor with very little prep, and they're ready in under 30 minutes. They can also work as either an appetizer or a side dish, which comes in handy when you're putting together a bigger holiday spread.
13. Cottage Cheese Mac And Cheese
This Cottage Cheese Mac And Cheese is an easy way to add another creamy comfort-food side to your holiday menu. Blending cottage cheese into the sauce keeps it smooth and rich while adding extra protein, and it still tastes like the kind of mac and cheese everyone wants a scoop of. Best of all, it comes together in about 30 minutes, so it works well when the rest of the holiday menu is already keeping you busy.
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