Wow! Another year has passed. Again! So that is why today I gladly offer you a cool collection of my most favorite Thanksgiving potato side dishes!
But before we get to them, let me just ask you this question.
Is there any possibility that you are aware of the real meaning behind Thanksgiving or where it originally comes from?
Opinions are mixed but I am pretty fond of the theory that Thanksgiving was created as a family celebration after harvesting the lands in a way to thank God for the delicious products and produce that were collected.
Sounds pretty sweet to me, don’t you think?
US & Canada
Thanksgiving is celebrated every fourth Thursday of November in the US, Thursday November 27 this year!
Canada apparently can’t wait so long and has the celebration every second Monday of October. The Canadian Thanksgiving sprouts from the believe that it was originally established as a way to thank God as well.
This time not for a prosperous harvest but for the save passage an explorer and adventurist named Frobisher made from England to Canada (known for its numerous icebergs and storms).
Enough history for today, let’s move back to our Thanksgiving potato side dishes!
Thanksgiving Potato Side Dishes
Instead of sharing with you my most favorite Thanksgiving dinner menu like in the last couple of years I am letting you make a choice between several Thanksgiving potato side dishes because I am sure you are going for turkey anyways.
Since my website is growing each day I have since last year collected a bunch of new and exciting potato side dishes recipes I think you should check out! I guarantee you your table will be surrounded with a bunch of beaming faces…
Ready for some heavenly Thanksgiving potato side dishes or just extra potato inspiration?
Here we go!
14 (Delicious) Thanksgiving Potato Side Dishes
1) Salt And Vinegar Potatoes Recipe
Have you made salt and vinegar potatoes before?
Maybe you like salt and vinegar potato chips? Then you will also adore this recipe!
I am always on the lookout for new, creative and interesting easy potato side dishes because I love potatoes. In fact, these vinegary roasted potatoes recipe is my most popular potato side dish on my website!
Popular Potato Side Dishes
You get that light vinegar taste by simply boiling the sliced potatoes in a mixture of water and vinegar. Of course you can add less vinegar to reduce it.
I have made these salt and vinegar potatoes a few times before. The ratio below between the water and vinegar is just perfect for me!
2) Pumpkin Gnocchi with Ricotta
Pumpkin gnocchi are so much fun to make!
I was overwhelmed by the result. I must say that earlier attempts were OK but still I found the gnocchi a little too chewy and tacky for my taste.
Or my dough would just not come together at all. Secret: bake the fresh pumpkin in olive oil but avoid water!
Baking Gnocchi
Don’t boil or steam the pumpkin because it will absorb water. That makes your dough so runny which will make you add way too much flour and in the end the gnocchi will be too heavy and chewy.
Another thing I did differently here: I pan seared the pumpkin gnocchi in olive oil instead of boiling them in hot water. That way the gnocchi crisp up nicely. Add some fresh thyme for extra flavor…
What an excellent potato side dishes!
3) Dauphinoise Potatoes Au Gratin
A garlic and potato bake like this French dauphinoise potatoes au gratin is one of those potato side dishes that will always be popular on your table. Just because it is so good! It is a classic French scalloped potato bake with garlic, nutmeg and cream…
The perfect potato side dishes then!
Au Gratin
And also great Thanksgiving side, goes without saying. But I love to serve potatoes dauphinoise at any time, even in the summer!
When I am looking for something a little more exciting than boiled potatoes for dinner I very often whip this potato bake gratin up: finely sliced floury potatoes, cream, butter, nutmeg, garlic.
Ingredients you and I always keep in our fridge or pantry, right? Just make sure to pop the dish in the oven on time because it needs quite some time to bake through.
4) Carrot & Ginger Mash
Well now, the grated ginger in this carrot mash really makes the dish! It takes an everyday tasty bowl of creamy carrot and potato mash a few levels higher, that I can guarantee you.
I love creative potato side dishes.
Pretty much all of our dinners contain potatoes. But because plain boiled potatoes get a little boring after a while, I am always in for a new potato side dish idea.
Fresh Ginger
What a fantastic flavor kick the ginger adds! You should really try it. I am sure you will love it.
There is no way I could fully describe that wonderful zesty, almost peppery ginger aroma. Ginger is a great match for the carrots. I blended half of the carrots into a puree and stirred them into the mashed potatoes. I really wanted that carrot flavor in the background. The sliced carrots are there for texture and a bit of crunch.
5) Oven Roasted Lemon Potatoes
Lemon potatoes are the perfect potato side dishes for a somewhat greasier main.
It is amazing how that drizzle of lemon juice in the middle of the roasting process takes these ordinary baked potato wedges to a whole new level!
Don’t exaggerate of course. It still has to be kept edible. Too much lemon juice can put you off big time.
Greece
I ate this side for the first time while on a vacation in Greece. Seems like it’s a pretty common side dish over there. Even my big fat Greek cookbook at home contains this delicious recipe, I later saw!
Let’s see if I can find a good recipe to suggest these lemony potatoes: turkey of course!
The perfect marriage…
6) Hasselback Potatoes
How cute are these hasselback potatoes?!
I had eaten them before in a restaurant and sometimes bumped into them on the internet but only saw there specific name not that long ago.
Swedish Potato Side Dishes
Apparently hasselback potatoes are a Swedish specialty.
The meaning behind them is to roast them in a pretty hot oven until extremely crunchy and golden on the outside but soft and mushy on the inside…
I recommend blanching the potatoes for a few minutes before slicing and roasting them because then you are sure that you won’t end up with half cooked potatoes.
Munch, crunch, munch… Enjoy!
7) Sweet Potato Casserole with Feta Cheese
I am on a sweet potato roll lately!
Look at this gorgeous sweet potato casserole: chunky and hearty sweet, creamy thanks to the crumbled feta cheese. Yum.
Batatas
This amazing root vegetable was on my meh-list until about a year ago. Until I started to discover it here in Spain.
These buggers come in 2 different shades: the common reddish orange one and the white yam kinda yellow one, called batatas.
Credits for this recipe idea go to our neighbours Marc and Chris!
I am going to serve this sweet potato casserole this year as one of my Thanksgiving potato side dishes for our roast turkey!
Absolutely delicious.
8) Green Olive Mashed Potatoes
I bet that you will like my favorite green olive mashed potatoes.
And once you have tasted it you will pray you had made even more of it. It’s so good! Why olives?
Why not!
Some people add carrots, spinach, celeriac… or whatever to their mash so why not add a handful of green olives?
Olive Mash
But listen up: don’t blend the olives too finely.
What this green olive mash is all about is the little crunch the olives give it. Once you taste it, you will understand what I am talking about here.
Enjoy!!
9) Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
Less is more.
I sometimes just want potato side dishes without too much bla bla. Just basic and pure flavors. Rosemary roasted potatoes with paprika, nothing more.
Red Potatoes
Use waxy oven potatoes for this recipe.
Those are best for roasting. Floury potatoes will easily dry out after spending too much time in the hot oven.
I used red potatoes because they always look extra appetizing when roasted.
Enjoy these easy oven roasted rosemary potatoes!
10) White Sweet Potato Mash with Cilantro & Orange
Believe it or not: white sweet potatoes do exist!
Here in Spain they are called batatas. I created this white sweet potato mash as a side for a gorgeously baked sea bream.
Sweet Potato
I put the mash in a bowl on the table with some diced butter on top of it. The hubs digs in, eats a spoonful of the creamy mash, pauses, takes another bite.
Looks at me with raised eyebrows. ‘Lord, what is that?! What is in this mash?’ he asks.
White sweet potato, orange zest and fresh cilantro…
Try it, you will love it!
11) Indian Spiced Masala Roast Potatoes
Another attempt to spice up a potato side dish: crunchy masala roast potatoes!
These golden potato gems taste great in combination with pork or chicken.
Masala
No masala in your spice rack?
Then here is how to make some at home. Make a spice mix of pepper, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf and cumin.
Sure you got a couple of those spices nearby?
I added curry powder and garlic powder for an extra flavor touch – and curcuma for color.
12) Cheesy Crash Hot Potatoes
Hmmm easy cheesy crash hot potatoes.
I didn’t know what I was reading when I first stumbled upon these. But it makes sense though. And it is yet another way to serve potatoes.
I told you I am always on the lookout for some easy peasy potato side dishes! See how a good old boiled potato turns your dinner into a far more exciting food feast!
Crunch
I like the crunch the crushed potatoes get after baking them. Therefore it is crucial you leave the skins on.
Brush and rinse them well!
You can sprinkle the hot potatoes with some cheese or add a dollop of sour cream or garlic butter right before serving.
13) Spinach Gnocchi
Have you ever tried making gnocchi before?
I have prepared gnocchi recipes a handful of times before, with various end results from heavy and floury gnocchi to light and fluffy. This lovely green spinach gnocchi recipe below was just perfect: light and almighty fluffy!
Light & Fluffy
Making gnocchi is not an easy thing to do.
If you add too much flour to the dough then your gnocchi will be very heavy and unappetising. Use the wrong type of potatoes and the gnocchi will be chewy and sticky.
If you knead the gnocchi too much or you add too much flour then your gnocchi dough will be tough. Total disaster.
But I found the perfect balance with this spinach gnocchi recipe!
14) Homemade Belgian Fries
Last but not least in this Thanksgiving potato side dishes roundup… Are you in for a real treat?
Here is my recipe for homemade Belgian fries! The one and only truly Belgian homemade fries recipe. And of course one of my all time favorite potato side dishes. Let me show you how to bake fries, the authentic Belgian way…
Homemade and Delicious
Because my mom and dad did not own a freezer when I was a child we would make our own fresh fries from scratch every single time. That then was mostly on Sundays after mass and I must admit that on those days every one of us would help out in the kitchen peeling and slicing potatoes without nagging and complaining. Even the grumpy ones who hates helping out around the house.
Why is that then?
Childhood Memories
Because the reward afterwards was just awesome…
Bowls of freshly deep fried fries on the table mmmm we all loved that.
I have 4 siblings plus 2 parents… that makes 7 stomachs so you can imagine what a heap of potatoes and sliced fries that must have been then! And just imagine what a pool of mayonnaise we would devour.
One of my favorite potato side dishes!