Acorn Squash with Chickpeas & Chimichurri

Warmly spiced chickpeas, tangy chimichurri, and roasted acorn squash fill this recipe with an unexpected—but delicious—combination of flavors.

Every year in November, I like to share at least one vegetarian main dish recipe. I find that Thanksgiving hosts often like to have a special option for vegetarians at their table, especially if they’re newer to the family. But what people don’t know is that, for the most part, herbivores are usually happy filling up on sides like stuffing, mashed potatoes, and roasted veggies. I certainly am! So this year, I’m bringing back a “main dish” that can double as a side dish: acorn squash with chickpeas and chimichurri. I stuff roasted acorn squash quarters with warmly spiced chickpeas…

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50 Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Whether you're seeking classic Thanksgiving recipes or something totally new, you're sure to love one (or more!) of these 50 Thanksgiving side dishes.

Can we agree that Thanksgiving side dishes are the best part of the holiday meal? No offense to roast turkey and pumpkin pie, but the stuffing, mashed potatoes, and other sides are what I look forward to most. I’m sharing 50 of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes below. They include all the classics (think green bean casserole and dinner rolls) as well as inventive veggie sides, crowd-pleasing potatoes, and more. If you’re still planning you holiday menu, check them out! You’re sure to find some recipes you love. Our Best Classic Thanksgiving Sides Best Stuffing Based on my mom’s classic recipe,…

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Twice Baked Potatoes

Learn how to make twice baked potatoes! They have crispy skins and a rich, creamy mashed potato filling. Melty cheddar cheese takes them over the top.

Twice baked potatoes are a potato lover’s dream. They combine all the best parts of a baked potato and mashed potatoes into one delicious side dish. These twice baked potatoes have crispy skins and a rich and creamy filling. With a layer of melty cheddar cheese on top, they’re the definition of comfort food. Twice baked potatoes are just that—baked twice. First, you’ll bake the potatoes whole. Then, you’ll slice them in half, scoop out the soft flesh, and mash it to create the rich filling. Add the filling back to the potato skins, top with cheese, and bake again.…

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Sweet Potato Casserole

Without question, this is the best sweet potato casserole recipe I've tried! Smooth and creamy sweet potatoes are topped with a savory pecan crumble.

This sweet potato casserole recipe is one of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes. Instead of topping it with mini marshmallows, I cover it in a crisp pecan crumble. I love how this nutty, savory topping balances the creamy sweet potato filling. It’s delicious…and it tastes like it belongs at dinner, not dessert. 🙂 This recipe is great for the holidays because the ingredients are super simple (ALDI shoppers, you can get all of them there!) and you can make it ahead. Prepare the filling and topping up to 2 days in advance, and store them separately in the fridge until the…

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Best Stuffing Recipe

The BEST Thanksgiving stuffing! Based on my family's classic recipe, it's rich and savory, made with fresh herbs, celery, butter, and leeks.

If I told you that a classic stuffing recipe was my favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner, would you believe me? Well, it’s true! As a kid, I fell in love with my grandma’s stuffing recipe. Made with onion, celery, and dried herbs, it was simple and delicious. It had a crisp, golden layer of bread on top, with a moist and gooey center underneath. Rich, savory flavor filled every bite. My mom still makes this homemade stuffing recipe for my family’s Thanksgiving every year. Because I love it so much, I wanted to develop my own spin to share with…

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Mashed Sweet Potatoes

These mashed sweet potatoes are a delicious sweet and savory side dish! Perfect for the holidays, they're easy to make with 7 simple ingredients.

If mashed sweet potatoes have never made an appearance on your dinner table, now’s the time to change that. They’re just too delicious to not have in your side dish rotation, especially in the fall. These mashed sweet potatoes have a beautifully creamy texture, and I season them with salt, pepper, and a little maple syrup to create a rich flavor that’s part savory, part sweet. But maybe best of all, this mashed sweet potato recipe is SO easy to make! It calls for 7 ingredients, and the stove takes care of most of the work for you. It’s a…

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Homemade Dinner Rolls

Try these homemade dinner rolls once, and you'll make them forever! Flaky, soft, and buttery, they're an easy, delicious addition to any meal.

These homemade dinner rolls are a perfect addition to almost any meal. Flaky, soft, and buttery, they’re delicious alongside a humble bowl of soup or a full spread of Thanksgiving recipes. We even love them on their own with honey butter or jam! My husband Jack started making these dinner rolls several years ago, and they’ve been a fixture in our rotation ever since. We keep coming back to them because they’re so simple. You only need 7 basic ingredients to make this dinner roll recipe! If you’re new to baking, don’t worry. You can totally pull off these pillowy, golden…

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Cornbread Stuffing

This cornbread stuffing recipe is a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving or the holidays. Filled with fresh herbs and aromatics, it's savory and delicious.

This cornbread stuffing recipe is the holiday side dish of my dreams. It’s a delicious mashup of two of my favorite things: homemade cornbread and classic Thanksgiving stuffing. It features lightly sweet cubes of cornbread tossed with savory herbs and aromatics and baked to golden brown perfection. Tell me you’re not tempted to add it to your Thanksgiving menu! Technically, this cornbread stuffing is actually cornbread dressing because it bakes in a casserole dish, not inside the turkey. That means that it’s totally vegetarian and great for making ahead. If you’re ready for a change from classic stuffing this holiday season,…

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Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Learn how to make the best mashed potatoes with this easy recipe! Rich, creamy, and flavorful, they're always a crowd-pleasing side dish.

I can’t share a mashed potatoes recipe without mentioning my husband Jack. He LOVES homemade mashed potatoes, specifically ones that are rich, creamy, and flavorful. I’ve made plenty that he’s liked in the past (see these garlic mashed potatoes and these Instant Pot mashed potatoes). But last year, I finally made the potatoes he’d been waiting for: ones loaded up with butter, milk, and sour cream. I’m not kidding when I say that these are the best mashed potatoes I’ve tried. They’re ultra-rich and blissfully creamy, and the sour cream gives them a delicious tangy kick. They’re easy to make…

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Roasted Green Beans

Learn how to make oven roasted green beans! Tender, caramelized, and ready in 15 minutes, they're a fresh, easy, and delicious side dish.

Let’s make roasted green beans! These tender, caramelized beauties roast in just 15 minutes in the oven, so they’re a perfect veggie side dish for busy weeknights. Topped with flavorful garnishes like lemon zest, toasted almonds, and/or Parmesan cheese, they fit right in on a holiday table too. To be totally honest, when I have fresh green beans on hand, my first instinct isn’t usually to roast them. Blanched and sautéed green beans are my typical go-tos. But a few weeks back, I was making a frittata for dinner. With the oven already on, I figured I might as well roast…

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Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

These buffalo cauliflower wings are an irresistible side dish or game day snack! They have delicious crispy edges and an amazing spicy, tangy flavor.

Buffalo cauliflower wings—a plant-based spin on buffalo chicken wings—are a classic game day snack. But after testing and perfecting this recipe, I’m here to tell you that buffalo cauliflower is wayyyy too good to only make on game day. I’ve been whipping it up for fall gatherings and movie nights, for TV binge sessions and even the occasional lunch or dinner. It’s crispy on the edges and tender in the middle, spicy, tangy, and a little bit sweet. Try one floret erm, wing, and I promise, you’ll be back for more before you know it. My Buffalo Cauliflower Wing Sauce…

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A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.

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