10 Holiday-Worthy Side Dishes That Steal the Show
- Sarah Smith
- Nov 24, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 25, 2025
Every great holiday meal needs a few side dishes that are so good... they almost outshine the main course. Whether you’re hosting a big family gathering or bringing a dish to a cozy potluck, these ten sides are guaranteed crowd-pleasers.
This guide provides deep dives into techniques, flavor science, make-ahead strategies, and the essential tools to make prepping your holiday menu a breeze.
The Classics: Comfort & Tradition
These recipes form the bedrock of any traditional holiday spread, bringing warmth and nostalgia to the table.
A warm, cozy, herby stuffing that tastes like pure holiday comfort.
Why It Steals the Show: The magic is in the texture—savory sausage, soft bread, and fragrant sage, baked to create a crispy top and a tender, moist interior. It pairs seamlessly with turkey, ham, or beef.
Technique Tip: Use stale or toasted bread cubes. Fresh bread will soak up too much liquid and turn mushy. Tossing the bread with melted butter before mixing is key to the crispy crust.
Flavor Boost: Sauté the onions, celery, and sage in brown butter instead of regular melted butter for a nutty, deeper flavor profile.
Helpful Tool: Ceramic Baking Dish (perfect for even heat distribution and presentation).
Soft, fluffy, buttery perfection—a non-negotiable must-have on every holiday table.
Why It Works: It's the ultimate vehicle for gravy. Achieving the right texture requires the correct potato (like Russets or Yukon Golds) and gentle handling.
Flavor Boost: Roasted garlic. Roasting the garlic mellows its sharpness and introduces a rich, nutty sweetness that elevates the whole dish.
Technique Tip: Use a potato ricer or food mill to process the cooked potatoes before adding the liquids (warmed milk/cream and butter). This breaks up the starch without activating gluten, preventing the potatoes from becoming gluey.
Helpful Tool: Stainless Steel Potato Ricer (makes the fluffiest potatoes!).
Warm, fluffy rolls that round out any holiday meal, perfect for sopping up gravy.
Why It Works: They offer a light contrast to heavier dishes. Freshly baked bread makes the entire house smell festive.
Flavor Boost: Brush with melted honey butter or garlic herb butter right after they come out of the oven.
Make-Ahead Strategy: The dough can often be prepared and refrigerated overnight for a quick morning bake.
Helpful Tool: Baking Sheet with Cooling Rack Set (for cooling and even air circulation).
Elevated Vegetable Dishes: Color & Crunch
Balance the richness of the main course and starches with brightly flavored, perfectly cooked vegetables.
Sweet, buttery, and glossy—a simple vegetable side that looks beautiful on the table.
Tip: Add a sprinkle of fresh thyme or rosemary toward the end of cooking for holiday warmth. A pinch of red pepper flakes adds a subtle, surprising kick.
Technique Tip: Roast the carrots first to caramelize the sugars, then toss them with the glaze (honey, butter, water) in the final minutes.
Helpful Tool: Nonstick Sheet Pan (for easy roasting and cleanup).
Golden on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and seasoned with rosemary + garlic.
The Secret to Crispy: Parboil the potatoes until tender, drain them, and then shake the pot aggressively to rough up the edges. This creates surface area for maximum crisping in the oven.
Flavor Tip: Toss with melted butter AND olive oil—butter for flavor, oil for a higher smoke point and crisp texture.
Helpful Tool: Heavy-Duty Roasting Pan (with deep sides for shaking and flipping).
Slow-simmered with onions, garlic, and often a little bacon or ham hock—cozy, comforting, and nostalgic.
Flavor Boost: Add a splash of chicken broth (or stock) while cooking to infuse the beans with savory flavor as they slowly simmer.
Why It Works: Unlike quick-blanched beans, these are cooked down until tender and deeply flavorful, creating a more cohesive, comforting side.
Helpful Tool: Dutch Oven (Perfect for slow-cooked veggies and maintaining even heat).
A fresh, crunchy, and contrasting side to balance the rich holiday dishes.
Why It Works: It hits every texture and flavor point: sweet (from raisins/sugar), salty (bacon), creamy (mayonnaise dressing), and crunchy (broccoli, red onion, sunflower seeds).
Technique Tip: Make the dressing separately and toss it with the salad ingredients just a few hours before serving to keep the broccoli crisp.
Helpful Tool: Large Mixing Bowl Set with Lids (great for prepping and transporting).
The Holiday Casseroles: Make-Ahead Favorites
These dishes are beloved because they are generally crowd-pleasers and can be prepared ahead of time, freeing up valuable oven space on the big day.
Creamy, cheesy, melty, and always a crowd favorite (often called "Funeral Potatoes").
Why It Steals the Show: You can make the entire casserole ahead and refrigerate it. Everyone always asks for seconds because it’s pure comfort food.
Key Ingredients: Frozen hash browns, condensed soup, sour cream, and a generous amount of shredded cheddar.
Helpful Tool: Deep Glass Baking Dish Set (allows you to monitor the bubbling edges and the topping).
9. Sweet Potato Casserole (with a Buttery Crumb Topping)
Creamy sweet potatoes topped with brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans.
Pro Tip: Add a little maple syrup to the mashed potatoes for extra warmth and depth of flavor, complementing the cinnamon and brown sugar.
Flavor Science: The buttery crumb topping provides a fantastic textural contrast to the smooth, spiced sweet potato base.
Helpful Tool: Hand Mixer for Perfectly Smooth Potatoes (ensures no lumps remain).
10. Homemade Cornbread (Southern Style)
Moist, golden, and lightly sweet—perfect with honey butter or gravy.
Tip: Use a cast-iron skillet for the BEST texture. It heats evenly and develops a perfectly golden, crispy crust on the edges of the cornbread.
Make-Ahead Strategy: Cornbread holds up well and can be baked the day before.
Helpful Tool: Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet.
Holiday Side Dish FAQ
How many side dishes should I serve for a holiday dinner?
For 6–8 people: 3–5 sides is perfect.
For 10–14 guests: Aim for 6–8 sides.
Can I make holiday sides ahead of time?
Absolutely! This is the key to a stress-free holiday. Many sides—especially casseroles, stuffing (assembled but not baked), cornbread, and even mashed potatoes (reheated with extra cream)—can be made 1–2 days ahead.
What’s the easiest holiday side dish?
Crispy roasted potatoes or honey-glazed carrots—both are simple, delicious, and require minimal hands-on time.
How do I keep side dishes warm?
Use the tools you already have to maintain serving temperature:
A slow cooker set to the “warm” setting is perfect for mashed potatoes or creamy casseroles.
Covered baking dishes wrapped in foil and then a thick towel can hold heat for an hour.
An oven set to 200°F can act as a holding zone for most baked sides.
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