Five Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes To Gobble Up
We love Thanksgiving because it’s the perfect time to showcase seasonal, harvest ingredients in spectacular dishes. Cruciferous veggies, pears, apples and sweet potatoes are only some of the great foods in season right now. While you may have your main dishes lined up, they tend to take up a lot of time in the kitchen, which is why we’re serving up some simple Thanksgiving side dishes.
Roasted Cauliflower
What you’ll need:
- 1 head of cauliflower, chopped florets
- Your favorite infused or extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pine nuts
- Garlic powder, salt, pepper to taste
Nothing is simpler than cutting up a veggie and tossing it in the oven. That’s exactly what you do with this delectable dish. Chop cauliflower into florets and toss in olive oil. Sprinkle with seasonings you like such as garlic powder, salt and pepper and roast in the oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until cooked. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts or pine nuts and serve immediately. This dish is savory, creamy and crunchy all in one!
Fennel Apple Slaw
What you’ll need:
- 1 large apple sliced thinly
- 1 fennel bulb sliced thinly
- 1 shallot sliced thinly
- 1 cup celery sliced thinly
- 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- Poppy seed or olive-oil/vinegar-based dressing
- Salt and pepper to taste
Toss thinly sliced apples, celery, fennel, and shallot in a bowl with fresh flat-leaf parsley and drizzle on your favorite poppy seed dressing for a quick and crisp side. The crisp and tart apples mixed with the licorice-like taste of fennel naturally balances out these fall flavors and offers a refreshing side to heavy, savory main proteins. This is a great recipe to try if you have a crowded oven on Thanksgiving day — no cooking needed! Recipe courtesy of My Recipes.
Sweet Potato Mash
What you’ll need:
- 3-4 large sweet potatoes pierced with fork
- 3 tbsp butter
- 8 sage leaves
Microwave pierced sweet potatoes for eight minutes until soft. Scoop out flesh into a bowl and mash up. Then, brown three tablespoons of butter in a skillet; add eight sage leaves and fry until crisp (remove leaves after they are crisped up); transfer to a plate. Drizzle sage-infused butter over the sweet potatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. The naturally sweet potato is balanced out with the earthy and herbal taste of sage, rounded out with a buttery taste that will leave you scooping up seconds—and that’s okay because this dish is a great healthy alternative to mashed potatoes.
Blue Cheese and Pears
What you’ll need:
- Pears
- Blue cheese
- Honey
With just three ingredients, it doesn’t get much easier! This makes for a great side or appetizer. Simply slice pears about ½ inch thick and crumble a couple bits of blue cheese over the top. Drizzle with honey and store in the fridge until ready to serve. The sweetness and crispness from the pears is complimented by the tangy creaminess of the blue cheese, reinforced by naturally sweet honey. This is a crispy, creamy, tangy, sweet side sure to please all taste buds.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Lemon and Walnuts
What you’ll need:
- 2 lb brussels sprouts, stem ends trimmed
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ cup walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
If you think you don’t like Brussels sprouts, think again! Roasting these mini-cabbages is a great way to bring out the crispiness of these petite veggies. Drizzle olive oil over Brussels sprouts and add in chopped walnuts, garlic and salt and pepper. Roast at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes until sprouts begin to brown on the edges. Take out of the oven and squeeze lemon juice over the top. The earthy and savory roast flavor of the veggies and fresh kick of acid at the end gives this Thanksgiving side dish a refreshing twist.
Regardless of what dishes you and your family are gobbling up this Thanksgiving Day, we hope you have a wonderful holiday! In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we want to thank our loyal customers and wonderful staff who support us. We are so grateful to all the folks who make The Original Pancake House Denver part of their breakfast tradition. Although our restaurants will be closed on Thanksgiving Day so our staff can enjoy the family with their loved ones, we look forward to seeing you for breakfast in Denver after the holiday!
Dish Up a Full Plate of Tradition This Thanksgiving
Tradition is delicious at Thanksgiving. With so many recipes to choose from, where do you start? We’ve got you covered with Thanksgiving classics –check out our collection of the top traditional Thanksgiving dishes you can make at home from main course, sides to dessert.
Turkey with Stuffing—
A delicious, golden brown, roasted turkey is sure to please any family member. Roast your turkey with all the stuffing fixings (celery, Challah bread, green pepper, mushrooms, pecans, etc) for about 60 to 75 minutes at least. Try basting the turkey in its own drippings for added flavor and to inject extra moisture into the bird. Pair with home-made giblet gravy for a classic meal ready to eat. It also makes delicious leftover turkey sandwiches. We find Alton Brown’s classic Turkey with Stuffing recipe a win-win!
Mashed Potatoes—
Nothing compliments tender turkey better than creamy, buttery mashed potatoes. Boil Yukon or baby red potatoes for about 15 to 20 minutes in hot water. Mash softened potatoes together with a little cream, butter, salt, pepper and a touch of olive oil (try a flavored olive oil for an added flavor dimension) thoroughly. An electronic hand mixer or even food mill works well to cream the potatoes to the desired consistency.
Cranberry Sauce—
Looking to top your tender turkey with a sweet sauce? Start by boiling fresh cranberries together in water with sugar and then simmering with a cinnamon stick, allspice and nutmeg. Once the berries are tender, some will have burst, add in a little orange zest and orange juice and let cool.
Green Bean Casserole—
This creamy yet crispy side dish is a classic component to any Thanksgiving meal. Add boiled, fresh green beans to a creamy mushroom and shallot sauce and place in a baking dish. Top with torn pieces of rosemary, olive oil, parmesan coated Italian bread and bake for about 20-25 minutes until bubbly and the bread topping is crispy and golden brown. Talk about a flavor explosion in your mouth!
Glazed Carrots—
One of the simplest dishes to make: cook julienned carrots with coconut oil until tender and browned on the outside. Toss in a water, honey, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper glaze for a sweet and slightly savory side sure to put a smile on all faces.
Pumpkin Pie—
Last but certainly not least, it isn’t a traditional Thanksgiving meal without pumpkin pie! A gingersnap and brown sugar crust envelops creamy, spicy pumpkin puree mixture. Process gingersnap cookies, dark brown sugar and ground ginger in a food processor and drizzle unsalted butter into the crumb mixture. Pulse until combined and press into a glass pie dish. Bring pumpkin puree to a simmer over medium heat in a saucepan and add in half and half, nutmeg and salt. Set aside to cool. Whisk brown sugar, eggs, and yolk until smooth into a large bowl and combine into pumpkin mixture thoroughly. Pour into pie crust and bake about 50 minutes. Not too sweet, not too savory, pumpkin pie is the perfect sending to a traditional Thanksgiving feast.
For a cornucopia of traditional Thanksgiving recipes, visit FoodNetwork.com.
We will be enjoying Thanksgiving with our families, and we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving too! The best part? You can still enjoy the flavors of the season by stopping by one of our two Denver locations to enjoy Sarah’s Pumpkin Pancakes or Cinnamon Almond Fresh Toast. Finally, we will be open Friday, November 28th serving up the delicious breakfast you’ll need to start your holiday shopping early.