20 Sweet Potato Side Dishes for Thanksgiving

Find top-rated sweet potato side dishes for Thanksgiving, such as mashed sweet potatoes and sweet potato casserole.

Sweet Potato Casserole Dessert.
Photo:

Dotdash Meredith Studios

We love sweet potatoes at any time. But they're extra special during the holidays when we gobble them up as classic sweet potato casseroles, jazzed-up twice-bakers, mashers, and more. Check out some of our favorite classic sweet potato side dishes for Thanksgiving, along with a few exciting change-of-pace sweet potato dishes we're loving.

01 of 21

Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Caramelized Onions

sweet potatoes with caramelized onions
cheerychirp

This is a great compromise recipe between the sweet and the savory. Smoky bacon and caramelized onions tilt this sweet potato side dish toward the savory, while pure maple syrup adds a sweet element that balances it all out wonderfully. "These are fabulous," says Rae. "I loved the salty, smoky flavor of the bacon, and the onions were a great addition."

02 of 21

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Ricotta Cheese

bowl of six Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes with Ricotta Cheese
Allrecipes Magazine

Here's one for team savory! These sweet potato boats feature ricotta cheese, shallots, ground ginger, fresh sage, brown sugar, and grated Parmesan cheese. "An excellent recipe," raves ALINDNIC. "I was surprised by the richness of flavor and silky texture that the ricotta lent to the potatoes without the addition of butter or oil." If you like, top them with extra ricotta and chopped sage.

03 of 21

Creamy Mashed Sweet Potatoes

mashed sweet potatoes on a dinner plate with sliced pork tenderloin and a parsley garnish
France C

Mix Neufchâtel cheese into mashed sweet potatoes for a rich and creamy side. "I love that these potatoes aren't overly sweet," says JenFL. "They're super creamy and were easy to make."

04 of 21

Sweet Potato Casserole Dessert

serving of sweet potato casserole with pecan streusel topping
Christina

Here's a classic Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole with a crunchy pecan streusel topping. "This recipe made me a sweet potato lover," says GinaS. "It is awesome! To be honest, I was not crazy about sweet potatoes in the past. My whole family raved over it! It was the most popular dish at our Thanksgiving table."

05 of 21

Easy Sweet Potato Casserole

sweet potato casserole with marshmallows
My Hot Southern Mess

Did you save room for one more classic sweet potato casserole? It's a sweet sensation with the tried-and-true marshmallow topping, along with brown sugar, white sugar, and cinnamon. Adjust the amount of cinnamon and sugar to your liking. "Easy recipe, fun to make, and totally delicious!" says iloveladiesman217.

06 of 21

Sweet Potatoes with Brandy and Raisins

serving dish and plate of Sweet Potatoes with Brandy and Raisins
Mackenzie Schieck

Brandy-soaked raisins are the star of the show here. "This is a simple and perfect sweet potato dish," says mauigirl. "The brandy complements the potatoes beautifully and the raisins add a nice touch. Love the fact that they are NOT overly sweet. I will try this with dried cranberries for the holidays. This dish will definitely be on my Thanksgiving table."

07 of 21

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

plate of Sweet Potato Gnocchi with sage
Jackie Neese

Now for another tasty break from tradition. Here's a great suggestion for making the little dumplings: "Try putting the dough in a floured pastry bag (or a Ziploc with a corner cut out) and squeezing it out like toothpaste," says Rachel D. "Then slice off bits with a sharp knife to make dumplings. You can squeeze them right into the pot of boiling water!" You can make these with butternut squash too.

08 of 21

Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes

Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes in a clear container
bobagirl

Another time-honored take on sweet potatoes, Southern candied sweet potatoes are cooked until tender in a sauce of butter, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

09 of 21

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes and Butternut Squash

cheesy sweet potato and butternut squash casserole
Allrecipes

If you're scaling down your Thanksgiving menu, take note — you can replace your go-to sweet potato casserole and cheesy potato dish with this one decadent side.

10 of 21

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Browned Butter and Toasted Marshmallows

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Browned Butter and Toasted Marshmallows on a white disg
My Hot Southern Mess

"The brown butter flavor complements the sweet potato and adds richness to the dish. Not too sweet. I'd make or eat these in a heartbeat. Such a good idea for Friendsgiving or Thanksgiving," says reviewer voraciousgirl.

11 of 21

Sweet Potato Soufflés

sweet potato souffle in a ramekin
Chef John

Chef John will walk you through transforming simple ingredients like eggs, butter, and milk into cloud-like sweet potato soufflés.

12 of 21

Aunt Margie's Sweet Potato Pone

shredded sweet potato casserole
Christina Kennedy

"Instead of the 'traditional' sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving, this is what our Southern family has had on the table for at least three generations," says recipe submitter Christina Kennedy. It's a staple for other Southern families too. Here, grated sweet potatoes are baked with butter, egg, sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, orange zest, and orange juice.

13 of 21

Thyme Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Don't forget, you can always roast sweet potatoes. Easy enough for a weeknight, our garlicky thyme-roasted sweet potatoes would seem right at home on a Thanksgiving plate.

sliced sweet potatoes with thyme
Amanda Potter
14 of 21

Sweet and Spicy Sweet Potato Soup

bowl of Sweet and Spicy Sweet Potato Soup with a side of bread
Buckwheat Queen

Light, puréed sweet potato soup is a savvy way to incorporate this autumnal flavor into a Thanksgiving menu that already includes a few filling sides. "The earthiness of the sweet potato is balanced with tart apples, spicy ginger, and a touch of zesty lime. If desired, garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream, some chopped cilantro, and a few sweet, spicy nuts," recipe creator Julie Julie says, adding that even kids consider it "a Thanksgiving favorite."

15 of 21

Sweet Potato Balls

two sweet potato balls on a white plate
Melissa Goff

Made with marshmallows, cornflake cereal, butter, and brown sugar, these sweet potato balls taste like a traditional Thanksgiving side but look much more fun. Reviewers share their tips on getting the sweet potato mixture to stick together, including adding the cereal to it and chilling it.

16 of 21

Sweet Potato Oranges

orange halves stuffed with sweet potatoes
LynnInHK

"Marvelous! I cut the oranges in half to make it easier to scoop out the flesh, then [place] the bottoms in foil while baking. This way the orange skin cooks in its own juice, and you can eat the shell with the sweet potato filling," says LynnInHK.

17 of 21

Gingered Sweet Potatoes with Orange Juice

sweet potato cubes with orange and rosemary garnish in a glass dish
luztflcat

Sweet potato cubes are soaked in an incredibly flavorful mixture of ginger, orange juice, sugar, salt, and cornstarch, then baked until warm and tender.

18 of 21

Root Veggie Bake

sliced carrots, sweet potatoes, onions on white plate
France C

Red onions, carrots, sweet potatoes, and rutabagas are seasoned with warming spices like cumin, curry powder, and turmeric.

19 of 21

Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Onions

Roasted sweet potatoes and onions in a blue bowl
Mackenzie Schieck

Here's a hearty Thanksgiving side dish that's as delicious as it is nutritious. Amaretto liqueur deepens the flavor.

20 of 21

Lemon-Pepper Sweet Potato Crisp

sweet potato casserole with crispy bread crumb topping in a white baking dish
Lemon-Pepper Sweet Potato Crisp. Chef John

"This is my new favorite sweet potato side dish," says Chef John. "It's got incredible texture and amazing flavor with an irresistible bread crumb topping. You can serve it hot, but I think it might be better warm or at room temperature, which makes it a nice choice for Thanksgiving when it's hard to have everything ready at the same time. Great for a special holiday dinner or a random weeknight supper."

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