If there's one fall tradition most Americans cherish, it's eating a big dinner on Thanksgiving.

An estimated 46 million turkeys will be roasted, sliced and served alongside mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy during the holiday. And if you're lucky, there will be leftover turkey sandwiches for noshing on Black Friday, too.

Turkey is the star of a Thanksgiving table, but let's be honest, it's the savory side dishes that make the holiday dinner such an amazing (and at times overwhelming) feast.

According to The Campbell's Company's 2025 State of the Sides report, 63% of Americans prefer sides dishes over the entree at Thanksgiving, up from 56% last year. Nearly half of us — 47% — say we'd be perfectly content to leave turkey behind altogether and fill up on just the traditional side dishes.

Nationally, stuffing (or maybe you call it dressing) reigns supreme as America's favorite Thanksgiving side. But we also love the dish Campbell's test kitchen chef Dorcas Reilly created 70 years ago to promote the company's cream of mushroom soup: green bean casserole.

The retro recipe — which originally was made with mushroom soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, green beans and crunchy fried onions — appears in some form on more than half of all Thanksgiving tables (it's been tweaked innumerable times).

Other favorite sides include mashed potatoes (a top three pick in 44 states), sweet potatoes (among the top three in 24 states), and mac 'n' cheese, the dish 50% of the nation believes should be a staple on every holiday table.

The best holiday meals are usually ones made all or mostly from scratch; 81% of Americans say the best way to show love for family and friends on holidays is by cooking for them, according to Campbell's.

This year, we share recipes for four of our favorite Thanksgiving side dishes from the Post-Gazette archives. We're also including a brand-new recipe for a creamy, cheesy mac 'n' cheese recipe that's gone viral on social media, and shows no signs of stopping.

Created by "Next Level Chef" alum and social media personality Tini Younger, this recipe has ompiled more than 130 million views on TikTok since the mom-to-be (and avowed Baltimore Ravens fan) first posted it in November 2024. It's one of the best mac 'n' cheese recipes I've ever tasted. But be forewarned: Made with three cheeses plus heavy cream and evaporated milk, it will be the richest dish on the table.

All five recipes are easy to make, will scratch your itch for traditional, holiday flavors and when passed around the table or set out on the buffet are bound to upstage your Thanksgiving turkey.

Make-ahead Turkey Gravy

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If there's one thing cooks fear on Thanksgiving, it's having to make gravy on the spot with the drippings. This rich and silky make-ahead recipe made with turkey thighs takes the pressure off while offering the same flavors as a roast turkey.

For a gluten-free version, mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 1/2 cup broth and slowly whisk into the remaining simmering broth, cooking until thickened.

6 turkey thighs, trimmed, or 9 wings, separated at the joints

Reserved turkey giblets and neck, optional

2 medium carrots, chopped coarse

2 medium celery ribs, chopped coarse

2 medium onions, chopped coarse

1 head garlic, halved

Vegetable oil spray

10 cups chicken broth, plus extra as needed

2 cups dry white wine

12 sprigs fresh thyme

Unsalted butter, as needed

1 cup all-purpose flour

Defatted turkey drippings, optional

Salt and pepper

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. In a large roasting pan, toss in thighs, giblets (if using), carrots, celery, onions and garlic and spray with vegetable oil spray. Roast, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 1 1/2 -1 3/4 hours.

Transfer contents of roasting pan to Dutch oven. Add broth, wine and thyme sprigs, and bring to boil, skimming as needed.

Reduce to gentle simmer and cook until broth is brown and flavorful and measures about 8 cups, about 1 1/2 hours. Strain broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a large container, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Reserve meat for another use, and discard solids.

Let strained turkey broth settle (if necessary), then spoon off and reserve 1/2 cup of fat that has risen to top (add butter as needed if short on turkey fat). Heat fat in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until bubbling. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until well browned, 3-7 minutes.

Slowly whisk in chicken broth and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook until gravy is very thick, 10-15 minutes. Add defatted drippings, if using, to taste, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Let cool; cover and chill.

Gravy can be made 2 days ahead. Reheat over low heat, and serve.

Makes about 2 quarts.

— Cook's Country magazine

Green Bean Casserole Tart

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This classic green bean casserole gets an upgrade with puff pastry. Meant to be sliced into finger food instead of spooned from a casserole dish, it can be served as an appetizer or side. It substitutes fresh mushrooms and blue cheese for canned soup, and fried shallots replace the traditional French's french-fried onions.

3/4 pound thin green beans, trimmed

8 ounces cremini (baby portobello) mushrooms

3 tablespoons butter, divided

4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 clove garlic, finely minced

Salt and pepper, divided

2 large shallots, peeled and sliced thin

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

1 large egg

2 ounces crumbled blue cheese or Gorgonzola

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Blanch green beans in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Drain and place in ice water to cool. Remove to a paper towel to dry.

Clean mushrooms by gently wiping with a damp paper towel. Trim off stems, then slice thin.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and thyme and saute for 3 or 4 minutes. Add garlic, along with salt and pepper to taste. Saute another 2-3 minutes, remove from skillet and pull out the thyme sprig, if using.

Add remaining butter to the skillet with sliced shallots. Saute until golden-brown and very crispy, about 6-7 minutes. Be careful not to burn them.

Meanwhile, cut puff pastry down the middle and place both pieces a few inches apart on the cookie sheet. (Or make one large tart.) Whisk egg with a tablespoon of water, and brush the pastry sheets with egg.

Neatly layer green beans down the length of each puff pastry rectangle.

On both puff pastry sheets, top beans with mushrooms, crumbled blue cheese and crispy onions. Salt and pepper lightly.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are golden and cheese is melted and bubbly. Cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 4-6.

— Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate and Pistachios

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This one-pot dish is super easy to make and features one of Thanksgiving's favorite veggies — Brussels sprouts. Pomegranate molasses adds a lovely sweet-and-sour flavor while pomegranate seeds provide a juicy crunch.

If you like your sprouts crispy, leave them in the pan a little longer. Look for pomegranate molasses in larger Mediterranean grocery stores and some Whole Foods locations. If you come up empty, it's easy to make your own by simmering 4 cups of pomegranate juice with 1/2 cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice until it's reduced down to about a cup of sticky, thick syrup.

1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup shelled pistachios, toasted and chopped fine

2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds

Arrange Brussels sprouts in a single layer, cut sides down, in 12-inch nonstick or cast-iron skillet, and drizzle oil evenly over them. Cover skillet, place over medium-high heat and cook until sprouts are bright green and cut sides have started to brown, about 5 minutes.

Uncover and continue to cook until cut sides of sprouts are deeply and evenly browned and a paring knife meets little to no resistance, 2-3 minutes, adjusting heat and moving sprouts as needed to prevent over-browning.

Add pomegranate molasses, cumin and salt to skillet and stir to mix and evenly coat prouts. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer to platter, sprinkle with chopped pistachios and pomegranate seeds and serve.

Serves 4.

— "The Complete Autumn & Winter Cookbook" by America's Test Kitchen

Candied Yams with Red Curry-Maple Compound Butter

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A modern take on candied sweet potatoes, this globally inspired side comes from Chef Cory Hughes of Fig & Ash. Red curry and maple syrup add a subtle sweetness and spiciness.

For compound butter

2 sticks (16 tablespoons) butter, softened

1 teaspoon lime zest

1 tablespoon red curry paste, or more to taste

2 tablespoons minced basil

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoons minced shallots

2 tablespoons maple syrup

For yams

4 medium yams, cut into quarters lengthwise

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons minced shallot

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

Maldon sea salt, for optional garnish

Chopped basil, for garnish

Prepare compound butter: In a mixing bowl, combine butter, lime zest, curry paste, basil, garlic, shallots and maple syrup, and stir with a spatula. Take a 12- to 14-inch piece of plastic wrap and spoon the mixture in the middle lengthwise, into a burrito shape.

Wrap the mixture and roll into a burrito. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Prepare yams: Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, toss together quartered yams, garlic, shallot, paprika, salt and olive oil. Lay yams flat on 1 or 2 sheet trays, taking care not to overcrowd them.

Roast for 20 minutes, then turn the yams over and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Set the oven to broiler and cook for another 3-4 minutes until golden brown and delicious looking, to caramelize the yams. (If you don't have a broiler, skip this step and roast in a skillet.)

To plate, place the roasted yams in a shallow oval serving dish. Cut the compound butter into 1-inch slices, and place on top. Garnish with Maldon sea salt and basil, if desired.

Serves 6.

— Chef Cory Hughes, Fig & Ash, North Side

Tini's Mac 'n' Cheese

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Mac­a­roni and cheese has been an Amer­i­can fa­vor­ite since at least 1802, when Pres­i­dent Tho­mas Jef­fer­son is said to have served "a pie called mac­a­roni" made from imported mac­a­roni and Parme­san cheese at a state din­ner at Mon­ti­cello. This super-cheesy, viral version from TV chef and TikTok content creator Tini Younger delights with three kinds of cheese — mozzarella, Colby Jack and sharp cheddar.

1 pound mozzarella cheese

1 pound Colby Jack cheese

8 ounces sharp cheddar, yellow preferred

1 pound cavatappi pasta (I used rotini)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 tablespoons salted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk

2 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Shred blocks of cheese with a hand grater, then toss together in a large bowl. Transfer half to a separate bowl.

Cook 1 pound cavatappi pasta in salted water according to package directions for al dente. Drain and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, combine 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper in a small prep bowl and set aside.

Melt 3 tablespoons salted butter in a skillet, add half the seasoning mix and stir.

Add 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and immediately whisk and cook for 1-2 minutes. The butter/flour mixture should be bubbling.

Add can of evaporated milk and whisk constantly. Once it begins to thicken and bubble in the middle of the pan, add 2 cups heavy cream, the remaining half of the seasoning and 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard and whisk until thickened.

Add half of the shredded cheese mixture to the skillet, a handful at a time, and stir until completely melted and thick. Stir in cooked pasta.

Transfer half the pasta mixture to a 9- by 13-inch baking pan and layer with a third of the remaining cheese (I used a round oven-proof skillet). Add the rest of the mac and cheese on top, then finish with the rest of the cheese.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, then broil for 1-2 minutes to give it a nice bubbly, golden brown top.

Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Serves 8-12.

— Tini Younger (TikTok @tinekeyounger)

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