A tray of dinner rolls with one removed and a dish of butter and brush on the side.

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A classic green bean casserole with mushrooms and topped with fried onion rings in a cast-iron skillet.
Squire Fox
1 of 15

Classic Green Bean Casserole

This classic green bean casserole, made with green beans, mushrooms, and a cream sauce, is a Thanksgiving tradition. Just say no to the can opener.
A rimmed baking sheet with rows of Southern buttermilk biscuits.
Joseph De Sciose
2 of 15

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

These Southern buttermilk biscuits are easy as heck to toss together from just three ingredients—self-rising flour, buttermilk, and butter—and turn out flaky and fluffy and just like grandma's. Maybe even better. Here's how to make them.
A dish of macaroni au gratin on a white paper napkin on a white plate with a stack of plates beside it.
Johnny Autry
3 of 15

Macaroni Au Gratin

This macaroni au gratin is no ordinary macaroni and cheese. Not at all. It’s still pasta in cheese sauce but blanketed with a layer of ooey, gooey blend of three cheeses. Easy and on the table in less than an hour.
Tray of classic dinner rolls glazed with butter, bowl of melted butter with a brush
Sara Remington
4 of 15

Classic Dinner Rolls

These classic dinner rolls call for flour, yeast, honey, salt, and butter–plus more butter to slather on top, natch. You won’t believe how fluffy and soft these rolls are or how easy and quick they are to make.
A bowls of green beans gremolata with a small dish of gremolata on the side.
Faith Mason
5 of 15

Green Beans Gremolata

Green beans gremolata is an easy way to gussy up green beans and make them seem fancy without being fussy.
A person holding a spoonful of aligot potatoes over a copper pot.
Quentin Bacon
6 of 15

Aligot ~ Pommes Aligot

These aligot potatoes, made with creamy mashed potatoes, cheese curds, and mozzarella cheese, are the richest, cheesiest, and most comforting potatoes we've ever tried.
A wooden bowl filled with roasted Brussels sprouts with guanciale.
Gentl & Hyers
7 of 15

Brussels Sprouts with Guanciale

These Brussels sprouts with guanciale is an easy side dish that combines the earthy flavor of roasted, caramelized Brussels sprouts with salty, crispy guanciale or bacon.
Bourbon sweet potatoes in a white oval baking dish, sitting on a white and blue tea towel.
Ellen Silverman
8 of 15

Bourbon Sweet Potatoes

Only a Southerner, inheritor of the infamous Southern sweet tooth, would add massive quantities of butter and sugar to sweet potatoes and still regard it as a vegetable. Add a shot of bourbon? No problem.
An enamel bowl filled with mashed potatoes, topped with black pepper and lemon zest.
David Leite
9 of 15

Ina Garten’s Mashed Potatoes with Lemon

Cooking the potatoes in less water than usual and gradually mashing in bits of chilled butter are the details that make this recipe special.

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About David Leite

I count myself lucky to have received three James Beard Awards for my writing as well as for Leiteโ€™s Culinaria. I’m the author of The New Portuguese Table and Notes on a Banana. For more than 25 years, I’ve been developing and testing recipes for my site, my books, and publications. My work has also appeared in the New York Times, Martha Stewart Living, Saveur, Bon Appรฉtit, Gourmet, Food & Wine, Yankee, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, and more. I’m also a cooking teacher, memoirist, and inveterate cat lady.

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4 Comments

  1. We are having duck this year. Due to the fact there will only be two of us, I’m doing the legs sous vide confit and will have the breasts available to do pan seared but have not decided yet (got a whole duck). Can you recommend some possible sides that go with duck? Thank you.

    Reply

    1. low and slow, the duck sounds like a lovely entree for a more intimate Thanksgiving dinner. Pretty much anything goes when it comes to Thanksgiving, but I’d suggest sticking with foods you enjoy and ones that don’t all need to be made at the last minute. If you prefer traditional sides, any of our mashed potato or stuffing recipes would be lovely alongside the duck, and the pan-fried green beans in the above recipes are an easy side that would be welcome on any plate, and provide a nice pop of color as well. This beet salad would also be nice alongside duck, and the acidity might help to balance out the richness of the meat. It can also be prepared mostly ahead of time. We have a few new recipes posting on the site this coming week that would also be good choices. Do let us know what you end up making and how your meal turns out.

      Reply

      1. Thanks the wild mushroom dressing sounds good and will look forward to next week`s recipes.Do you think this recipe will work if it was halved? (Again just two of us)

        Reply

        1. I think you’ll be able to halve it successfully, low and slow. Just keep an eye on it in the oven; you may find your cook time is shorter than the recipe suggests.

          Reply