Three Fast and Easy Sides for the Thanksgiving Dinner Table

Hosting Thanksgiving dinner for family and friends can be a daunting task for even the most experienced home cooks. I mean, we’re talking about a meal that includes a finicky bird, along with 4-5 side dishes and multiple desserts as well – talk about stressful! One way to simplify things and save time is to focus on making fast and easy, but delicious side dishes. Here are three of our favorites!

I really enjoy hosting Thanksgiving dinner for family and/or friends! In addition to looking forward to getting together with those we love for a special occasion, I also enjoy the challenge of planning and executing a complex and time-consuming dinner that can include upwards of 8-10 different dishes! The logistics and planning required to bring all of that together at the same time, while entertaining your guests explains why many people just want to go out for Thanksgiving dinner!

While I don’t have many good ideas on making things easier when prepping and cooking the bird, or making the desserts, I can speak to some great options for saving time with your side dishes! For example, all Thanksgiving dinners include potatoes, usually both the classic mashed variety as well as sweet potatoes. One way to save time is to opt for simply roasted but still elegant potatoes that you can enjoy on their own or with a splash of homemade gravy. Two other great fast and easy sides for Thanksgiving include roasted brussels sprouts and roasted carrots.

If you haven’t figured it out already, all three of these fast and easy sides have a number of things in common: You can prepare them all well in advance and prep time and effort are short and simple; once they are ready to roast, you simply put them in the oven and check on them once until they are ready to serve; and they require no last-minute work to pull them together. And best of all, if you are really stressed about the big day, you can actually make each of these side dishes a day ahead, and then simply heat them up and serve at the last minute – how easy is that??!!

Laurie and I have made each of these dishes our own over time, so they come out perfect every time. So, make life easy for yourself this Thanksgiving and give one or all of these recipes and try – you won’t regret it!

Simply Roasted Carrots

 Simply Roasted Carrots (serves 8)

Ingredients

2 lb. carrots, trimmed and peeled and cut on the bias into ½ in. slices

3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the carrots in a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Toss to coat the carrots and then arrange the carrots into a single layer. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, until they begin to caramelize. Serve immediately.

If making ahead, let cool and store in an airtight container. Reheat in a microwave prior to serving.

Simply Roasted Smashed Potatoes

Simply Roasted Smashed Potatoes (serves 8)

Ingredients

2 lb. small/petite yellow or red potatoes, washed, dried and cut in half crosswise

4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. garlic salt (or mix ½ tsp. garlic powder with 1 ½ tsp. table salt)

2 tbsp. freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the potatoes in a large rimmed baking sheet (you might need more than one baking sheet depending on the size of your potatoes). Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with the garlic salt and pepper. Toss to coat the potatoes and then arrange them into a single layer, cut side down. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, and smash each of the potatoes gently with a fork, and then return the potatoes to the oven for another 20 minutes, until they are golden brown and crispy but still tender in the middle. If desired, sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

If making ahead, follow directions above except for the last optional step. Let cool and store in an airtight container. Reheat in a microwave prior to serving, and then sprinkle with the parmesan cheese if desired.

Simply Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Simply Roasted Brussels Sprouts (serves 8)

Ingredients

2 lb. brussels sprouts, washed, dried, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise

3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

½ cup, freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the brussels sprouts in a large, rimmed baking sheet. Add the garlic, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and olive oil to the sheet and toss to coat. Arrange brussels sprouts in a single layer, cut side down. Roast for 20-25 minutes until crisp and nicely browned on the outside and tender on the inside (you can test with a knife or fork to ensure the sprouts are cooked through). Serve immediately.

If making ahead, let cool and store in an airtight container. Reheat in a microwave prior to serving.