The turkey gets all the attention, but the sides are what people actually pile their plates with. The problem is trying to cook eight of them in one oven on one morning. The fix is doing most of the work a day or two ahead.
These are the make ahead Thanksgiving sides I rotate through, sorted by type. For each one I have noted what holds overnight and what needs a fresh finish, so you can build a real timeline instead of guessing.
Assemble now, bake later, and keep the oven free for the bird.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Yummy Bowl.
Potatoes and Mash
Mashed potatoes reheat beautifully with a splash of warm cream stirred in. Anything with a crumb or gratin top goes together ahead and bakes the day of.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes With Cream Cheese
Duchess Potatoes (Piped Mashed Potatoes)
Air Fryer Potato Skins With Cheese and Bacon
Stuffing and Bread
Stuffing is one of the best make ahead sides. Toast the bread and cook the vegetables two days early, then combine and bake on the day.
Easy Gluten Free Stuffing (Dairy Free)
Soft Homemade Dinner Rolls (Bread Machine or By Hand)
Gluten Free Cornbread Recipe
Cranberry
The easiest thing to check off early. Both of these keep for a full week in the fridge and only get better as the flavors settle.
Cranberry Orange Sauce (with Mandarin Oranges)
No Cook Orange Cranberry Walnut Relish
Sweet Potato
Casseroles assemble fully ahead and just need the topping added before baking. Whipped sweet potatoes are the make ahead answer to mashed.
Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows
Baked Candied Yams (Candied Sweet Potatoes)
Whipped Sweet Potatoes With Candied Bacon
Twice Baked Sweet Potato With Bacon And Cheese
Vegetable Sides
Roast trays of vegetables the day before and reheat in a hot oven, or blanch green beans early and finish the casserole fresh.
Cheesy Green Bean Casserole with Bacon
Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli
Homemade Baked Sweet Potato Fries With Parmesan
Butternut Squash Casseroles
Squash casseroles are underrated for Thanksgiving and every one of them can be built ahead and baked on the day.
Roasted Butternut Squash Casserole With Cranberries And Apples
130 Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes
How to Make Thanksgiving Sides Ahead
- Do the cranberry sauce first. It keeps a full week and frees up a burner. Make it the weekend before.
- Prep stuffing in stages. Toast the bread and cook the vegetables two days ahead, then combine and bake on Thanksgiving.
- Assemble casseroles, hold the topping. Build the whole dish, cover, and refrigerate. Add streusel, breadcrumbs, or fried onions right before it bakes so they stay crisp.
- Reheat mash with liquid. Stir warm milk or cream into make ahead mashed potatoes as they reheat and they taste just made.
- Bake rolls early and freeze. Dinner rolls freeze well. Bake any time that week, then warm them in foil while the turkey rests.
- Write the oven schedule down. List every dish, its temperature, and its bake time, then work backward from dinner. One oven, one plan.
Make Ahead Thanksgiving Side Questions
Which Thanksgiving sides can be made completely ahead?
Cranberry sauce and relish keep for a week. Mashed potatoes, whipped sweet potatoes, and most casseroles can be made one to two days ahead and reheated or baked on the day. Rolls can be baked earlier in the week and frozen.
How do I reheat make ahead sides without drying them out?
Cover the dish with foil, add a splash of broth or cream to anything starchy, and reheat at 325 degrees until warmed through. Uncover for the last ten minutes if you want a crisp top.
Can I freeze Thanksgiving sides?
Dinner rolls, cornbread, and unbaked casseroles freeze well for up to a month. Mashed potatoes freeze acceptably. Green bean casserole and anything with a fresh crumb topping are better made just ahead and kept in the fridge.
How many sides do I need for Thanksgiving?
Four to six sides is plenty for most tables. A starch, a stuffing, a cranberry, a green vegetable, and one crowd favorite covers it. More than six and half of them get ignored.
Before You Go
If you found this post helpful, I'd love to hear from you! Leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts, questions, or experiences. Your feedback helps me create content that truly serves this wonderful community. ❤️
Join TYB
Insider
Get access to exclusive recipes,
weekly meal plans, printable
grocery lists, and AD-FREE
browsing designed to make
mealtime easier.
Comments
No Comments