12 Last-Minute Thanksgiving Sides That Don’t Feel Last-Minute

Need one more Thanksgiving side? These fast, beautiful dishes come together in minutes but look like you planned them days ago. If you’re scrambling to round out your Thanksgiving side dishes this week, this is the list to browse. An emphasis on color, brightness, manageable (seasonal) ingredient lists, and big flavor is the order of the day. Enjoy!

1. Green Bean Salad: This recipe is such a fantastic, bright alternative to traditional green bean casserole. It features caramelized onions, toasted nuts, dates, a jolt of serrano pepper and a unifying oregano-garlic drizzle. Skip the out-of-season peaches here - you’re still alllll good.

2. Pan-Fried Beans with Kale: Golden crusted pan-fried beans are made extra special by loading them up with kale, Parmesan, lemon, walnuts, and nutmeg. So many great variations in the comments as well!

3. Baked Mushrooms with Miso Butter: Baked mushrooms are the ultimate low-lift creation. Here, mushrooms are tossed in a simple ponzu marinade, topped with cubes of butter and citrus slices, then baked into perfection in a hot oven.

4. Roasted Delicata Squash: This recipe uses the pretty, scalloped-edged cross-cuts of the delicata squash, a few small potatoes, chopped kale, radishes, almonds and a bold miso harissa dressing.

5. Blistered Green Beans with Walnut Sauce: Blistered green beans paired with a favorite garlic-spiked walnut sauce and topped with extra toasted walnuts and grated cheese.

6. Tassajara Warm Red Cabbage Salad: A warm winter salad made from sautéed shredded red cabbage. Feta, balsamic vinegar and golden raisins make it sweet and salty, rich with color, texture and flavor.

7. Broccoli Apple Salad: A dreamy broccoli apple salad made from all-star ingredients. Bright broccoli florets, crisp apples, crunchy fried shallots, candied nuts and slivered red onions are tossed in a honey-kissed, creamy, almond dressing.

8. Roasted Broccoli: The definition of a delicious elevated basic. Make the tahini under-dressing and scallion peanut-sprinkle ahead of time. The rest is a breeze on the big day. Inspired by a sheet pan recipe in Alison Roman’s Dining In, this broccoli is on repeat.

9. Green Bean Slaw: A nut-studded, slaw-like green bean salad made with cabbage, arugula, perorino cheese, croutons. To make it last-minute, skip the overnight raisin soak. Still so good!

10. Miso Sesame Winter Squash: Roasted winter squash is combined here with a wonderful miso, maple, sesame and citrus sauce. Used a recipe in Bryant Terry's cookbook, The Inspired Vegan as the jumping off point here.

11. Simple Weeknight Cauliflower: Cauliflower is endlessly adaptable, and cooking it this way is quick and delicious. After just a few minutes in the pan the cauliflower starts to brown, and then takes on a deep, nutty flavor. The tiny florets are tossed with garlic, chives, lemon, Parmesan, and flaky sea salt. Simple and super tasty.

12. Nikki's Sweet Potatoes: Decadent, delicious baked sweet potato recipe made from seven ingredients - sweet potatoes, ginger, coconut milk, shredded coconut, maple syrup, macadamia nuts and a bit of butter or olive oil. Or, here’s the link for my favorite mashed potato recipe - with garlic-spiked saffron butter.

More Thanksgiving Recipes

• 12 Best-Loved Pie Recipes to Bake for the Holidays and Beyond
• All the Good Salad Recipes
• Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes
• Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes

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