55 Southern Thanksgiving Dishes That Will Make You The Host Of The Year

You might be wondering, as we did, what the real difference is between stuffing and dressing. Online research yielded unclear results—we couldn't find any notable disparities. Then food editor Makinze told us that dressing is stuffing that is cooked separately (i.e., not stuffed into the carcass of the turkey). So, nowadays, most "stuffing" is actually, technically dressing. The more you know!

Get the Cornbread Dressing recipe.

When you think “greens”, what comes to mind? For many Southerners growing up, the image was of a large pot of Southern-style braised greens, swimming in seasonings, the bitterness mellowed in a long, slow cook. Infusing it all: smoky ham hocks or bacon ends and a dash or two of spicy pepper vinegar or hot sauce. We'll have seconds, please.

Get the Sautéed Mustard Greens recipe.

Honey Baked ham is grand, deliciously smoky, and has a signature caramelized crust all over. Sadly, it’s something you have to plan to order in advance and can be a little on the pricey side. If you didn't have time to order a ham, want to save some money, or just try a homemade version of this classic centerpiece, this copycat recipe is for you.

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Just a heads up: Any dish that features the word “candied” is bound to be on the sweet side and more than likely something you won’t be eating every day. That said, don’t be shy about the amount of butter and brown sugar that goes into these candied carrots: Decadence is the goal here!

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Nothing says cocktail party like some classic deviled eggs! They're a holiday staple for a reason and we have tons of fun variations: guacamole deviled eggs, dill pickle deviled eggs, shrimp cocktail deviled eggs... the list goes on and on. Check out a full list of our favorite deviled egg recipes, or go rogue and create your own!

Get the Best-Ever Deviled Eggs recipe.

This classic Southern side is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. If you prefer, drained and rinsed canned corn can be used instead of frozen, and you could substitute more milk in for the heavy cream. The finished casserole won't be quite as decadent, but it will still be delicious.

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Here at Delish, you could definitely say we're more than a bit pickle-obsessed. But this dill-y brine not only yields a flavorful turkey, but makes sure the bird stays incredibly tender and moist. This is 100% guaranteed to be your new favorite Thanksgiving tradition.

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Creamed spinach is a simple side dish that is also the perfect way to use up any leftover spinach. The creaminess will make you forget you're eating spinach and turn anyone into a fan of leafy greens.

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The flavor squad is here to provide standard corn muffins with a mega boost. The result is pimiento cheese corn muffins, which take their cues from the classic Southern cheese dip. Packed with shredded cheddar, diced pimiento peppers, garlic powder, and a generous amount of cayenne, the result is a savory delight.

Get the Pimiento Cheese Corn Muffins recipe.

This isn't your average mac & cheese. Chef Millie Peartree puts an entire layer of pure cheese in between two layers of (already cheesy) macaroni. Game. Changer. Your Thanksgiving guests will flip.

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We have to agree with chef Millie Peartree: There’s nothing quite like Southern collard greens. All you need are a couple of hours, a handful of staple ingredients, smoked turkey, and your collard greens, of course, for an easy side (or meal on its own!) you can serve all year long.

Get the Southern Collard Greens recipe.

Mashed potato casserole is the ultimate holiday side dish we’ve all been waiting for. It's bound to find its way onto your holiday dinner table at some point during the season, but it makes a great side dish any time of the year. The best part of this dish is the topping.

Get the Mashed Potato Casserole recipe.

To make this delicious vegetarian side dish, you'll toss a pound of steamed carrots in a slightly spicy honey-butter glaze. Rather than cooking the carrots and the glaze together in the pan, you'll cook the carrots and the glaze separately, reducing the risk of mushy veggies.

Get the Steamed Carrots With Hot Honey Butter recipe.

Fried corn is a classic side dish from the American South. It's not fried as in deep-fried, but rather in the Southern sense of the word "sautéed." It's one of our favorite sides to bring to Thanksgiving dinner!

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Aside from mouthwatering chicken and sandwiches that make people line up around the block, Popeyes is known for their iconic, fluffy, crisp, salty, and buttery biscuits. Made for sopping up gravy or shuttling red beans and rice from point A to point B, these copycat biscuits come crazy close to the original thanks to a few classic biscuit baking techniques and tips.

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This recipe is an amazing way top off a Thanksgiving dinner or a nice treat after a long week in October. We included a recipe for the pie crust, but to make it even easier, feel free to use store-bought!

Get the Sweet Potato Pie recipe.

This easy layered salad is a welcome sight on a Thanksgiving table. It makes for a beautiful on display—toss together the pretty, layered ingredients just before serving.

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Turkey is great and all, but we just felt it was missing a little something. Bacon was the obvious answer. Crunchy and not an ounce of dryness, this is the turkey you've been looking for. Serve it alongside our cornbread stuffing for the perfect pairing.

Get the Bacon-Wrapped Turkey recipe.

This pie is the ultimate Thanksgiving pie that will never make you choose between pumpkin pie or pecan pie. Everything bakes together for a simple pie that helps free up oven space! So now you might as well go ahead and make that caramel apple pie too, right?

Get the Pumpkin Pecan Pie recipe.

Many of you might be thinking: Wait, what even is a sausage ball?! The answer: addictive bites of cooked pork sausage, cheddar, and Bisquick that will be the most popular appetizer at your party. Just make sure your guests finish them; otherwise, you'll be popping these bad boys for days after your party ends. 😋

Get the Sausage Balls recipe.