Thanksgiving means quality time spent with family and friends, eating good food and sharing stories and memories. But often, it also means time spent over the stove wondering whether or not your dish is warm and ready to serve.
If you’re wondering how to have a stress-free Turkey day, it’s time to master make ahead side dishes for Thanksgiving. Not only do make-ahead dishes make life easier, but when you give dishes time for their flavors to set, you often end up with a more delicious result.
Read on to discover our favorite make ahead side dishes for Thanksgiving. From casseroles to biscuits to gravy, we have you covered with all things tasty, easy and filled with flavor.
Bring your pumpkin spice latte (or a slice of pumpkin pie) and let’s dive in!
Sweet Potato Crumble Casserole
Casseroles are one of the best, easy make ahead side dishes for Thanksgiving. This Sweet Potato Crumble Casserole takes a classic favorite (sweet potatoes and marshmallows) and reimagines it into something new. To give this casserole a subtle tropical feel, there’s a touch of lime and a hint of ginger. Experiment with the amount of maple and brown sugar used, depending on how sweet you’d like the casserole to be, and don’t forget the pecan halves and crunchy granola. You can make this dish the day before and reheat it on Thanksgiving when you’re ready to eat.
Dairy and Gluten Free Scalloped Potatoes
Scalloped potatoes are a must-have at the dinner table and they’re one of the tastiest make ahead side dishes for Thanksgiving out there that even the kids will enjoy. Our Dairy and Gluten Free Scalloped Potatoes are creamy, delicious and the perfect alternative to mashed potatoes. This recipe calls for Yukon Gold Potatoes, caramelized onions, a smoky spice mixture and a creamy sauce made with Garbanzo Bean Flour. Make this dish the night before Thanksgiving, allow the flavors to set and bake for 15-20 minutes until browned and bubbly for the day-of festivities. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve to hungry guests.
Gluten Free Make Ahead Gravy
Like many other dishes, gravy can also be made ahead of time! This delicious Gluten Free Gravy eliminates the last minute rush of gravy made from turkey drippings and is made a day ahead of time. It’s made with dry white wine, shallots or onions, butter, broth and Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Flour. Keep your gravy covered in the refrigerator then heat gently when you’re ready to serve. Use this decadent gravy on everything from roasted turkey to mashed potatoes.
Gluten Free Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing with Herbs
Photo by andreasrecipes.com
Stuffing is also good to add to your list of make ahead side dishes for Thanksgiving. This Gluten free Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing With Herbs uses Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Cornbread Mix along with a whole bunch of other tasty ingredients, like onions, sausage, celery and dried cranberries. It’s filled with the flavors of sage, thyme, rosemary and parsley. You can make your cornbread two days ahead and the stuffing one day ahead, to allow the flavors to set. When you’re ready to bake on Thanksgiving Day, pop this dish in the oven for 30 minutes, then remove foil and continue baking until lightly browned on top, about 20-30 minutes. Alternatively, you can also partially bake this stuffing the day before, then do the rest of the baking on Thanksgiving Day. Serve this dish hot.
Cheesy Polenta Casserole with Gorgonzola
Polenta casserole is a delicious choice for Thanksgiving and an easy way to feed a crowd. This recipe for Cheesy Polenta Casserole with Gorgonzola makes it easy to choose between conventional and gluten free options and is made with just a handful of ingredients. Our Corn Grits/Polenta can cook up fast and make for a rich and creamy casserole addition. You can make this dish ahead of time then bake it when you’re ready. For an extra bit of decadence, top with shaved parmesan cheese and extra green onions.
Whole Wheat Pumpkin Drop Biscuits
These Whole Wheat Pumpkin Drop Biscuits incorporate all the best flavors of the season and are one of our favorite make ahead side dishes for Thanksgiving. They’re light, fluffy and super simple to throw together, even for a breakfast or brunch! You can serve them warm with honey and cinnamon as a dessert, or alongside potatoes and turkey as a side dish. To give yourself more than enough time for Thanksgiving meal prep, these biscuits can be made up to 3 months ahead of time and frozen. This means you can make your biscuits in August and come November, you’ll have a ready-to-go Thanksgiving side dish!
Chia Cranberry Sauce
Save time on Thanksgiving and give yourself more time to spend with family and friends by making your cranberry sauce ahead of time! Cranberry sauce is one of our easiest make ahead side dishes for Thanksgiving and is always sure to please a crowd during the holidays. This Chia Cranberry Sauce gives a unique twist to a beloved holiday classic with the addition of chia seeds. Chia seeds add soluble fiber and help the sauce gel. Make this dish ahead of time, then store it in the fridge. On Thanksgiving, take it out of the fridge to bring it to room temperature. Garnish with more orange zest and serve with a scrumptious Thanksgiving feast.
Market Greens with Millet
If you go with the right greens, salads are good make ahead vegetable side dishes for Thanksgiving. With pomegranate seeds and butternut squash, these Market Greens with Millet are perfect for the holiday table. Grab a few bunches of greens when you’re at the market, then toss together this simple and quick side dish with some millet. To make this ahead of time, follow steps 1-3, then keep your millet, butternut squash and separate dressing in the fridge overnight. When you’re ready to assemble the salad, add the cooled squash, greens, millet, pomegranate seeds and basil to a large mixing bowl. Combine with the dressing then arrange on a serving platter or a serving bowl. Garnish with remaining pomegranate seeds and serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Mini Lemon Rosemary Cornmeal Loaves
We can’t forget bread and loaves as make ahead side dishes for Thanksgiving! These Mini Rosemary Cornmeal Loaves are about as cute as can be and perfect for prepping a day or two ahead. These loaves are light, savory and sweet and are a delicious accompaniment to Thanksgiving dishes of all sorts. Store your little loaves in an airtight container, and when you’re ready to serve, arrange them on a wooden platter or cutting board garnished with fresh rosemary on the side.
Farro Apple Dressing
Farro is an ancient relative of modern day wheat and it gives this dressing a terrifically chewy texture and a wonderfully nutty flavor. This Farro Apple Dressing is unique, tasty and perfect for your Thanksgiving table. The farro calls for just water and salt, whereas the dressing incorporates a mix of ingredients like apple, fresh rosemary, eggs, vegetable broth and onion. This is one of our favorite make ahead vegetable side dishes for Thanksgiving, as you can easily prepare the farro ahead of time, then make the dressing when you’re ready. Pop it all in the oven and bake until the broth has been absorbed and the dressing has set.
Herbed Yam Bread
This Herbed Yam Bread uses a yam or sweet potato puree to give the dish a beautiful and warm orange hue. This bread can be made ahead and served warm for Thanksgiving with a spread of butter. If there’s any leftover (we doubt there will be!) you can use your leftovers to make deliciously unique sandwiches with roasted turkey and cranberry sauce. This recipe will yield one 10-inch boule, so if you’re cooking for a crowd, you’ll want to double it! The crushed whole coriander seeds, fresh sage and fresh rosemary make for an aromatic and romantic baked good, perfect for your Thanksgiving table.
Whether you’re making cranberry sauce or mixed salad, we hope these make ahead side dishes for Thanksgiving have you feeling stress-free and fabulous.
After all, Thanksgiving is a time meant for catching up with family and making memories. You shouldn’t have to worry about mixing a dressing or slicing potatoes for casserole!
Have any delicious and easy make ahead side dishes for Thanksgiving you’d like to share with our community? Feel free to leave a comment below and let us know your tips and tricks for a stress-free Thanksgiving.
From all of us at Bob’s Red Mill, we’re wishing you a tasty and happy turkey day ahead! May it be filled with wholesome dishes, lots of laughter and the people you love.
Happy Thanksgiving, from us — to you! We’re thankful to have you here as part of our food-loving community.
