While most people are dishing out turkey on their Thanksgiving tables, I will not be joining in. As a self-proclaimed vegetarian (though I do make exceptions sometimes) and not a fan of turkey, finding a main dish that lives up to the hype of this famed bird can be challenging. For me, the solution has always been to focus on enjoying the side dishes, making them the centerpiece of my meal. Plus, you don’t have to worry about the hassle of preparing, cooking, and cleaning up your mess after making a potentially dry-tasting turkey.
So….
Here are my top 5 favorite side dishes that I would eat as the main course (with recipes)
1. Mash Potatoes
Not only is their creamy, buttery, melt in your mouth texture worth the hype, but it's super easy to make with only three ingredients necessary!
Ingredients:
4 pounds potatoes
⅓ cup salted butter melted
1 cup milk
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Instructions:
1. Peel and quarter potatoes, place in a pot of cold salted water.
2. Add cloves of garlic (if using) & bring to a boil, cook uncovered for 15 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain well.
3. Heat milk on the stove top (or in the microwave) until warm.
4. Add butter to the potatoes and begin mashing. Pour in heated milk a little at a time while using a potato masher to reach desired consistency.
5. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
Credit: Spendwithpennies.com
2. Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar & Honey
Not only will these tasty vegetables convert you from a vegetable hater to a vegetable lover, but you can pair these sprouts with basically any sauce, and they’ll still taste amazing!
Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds Brussel sprouts, halved, stems and ragged outer leaves removed*
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
2. Directly on the prepared baking sheet, toss the Brussels sprouts with 2 tablespoons of the oil, the salt, and the pepper. Roast, stirring once halfway through, until tender and golden brown, about 20 minutes.
3. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of oil, the balsamic vinegar and the honey over the roasted Brussels sprouts. Toss to coat evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, then serve.
*If you have some brussels sprouts that are very large, cut them into quarters. They should all be cut about the same size to ensure even cooking.
Credit: Onceuponachef.com
3. Mushroom Gravy
Now before you go hating on gravy, this recipe is a great option for not only vegans but meat lovers as the mushrooms taste (almost) like meat. It’s perfect for ladling over mash potatoes, brussel sprouts, stuffing, and so much more!
Ingredients:
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. sliced mushrooms (white button or baby bella)
1/4 c. finely chopped red onion or shallot
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. chopped thyme leaves
2 tbsp. salted butter
1/4 c. flour
3 c. vegetable stock
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. chopped parsley
Instructions:
1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, then the mushrooms. Spread them in an even layer and let cook, undisturbed, for 4 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme, and stir to combine. Cook 2 minutes more.
2. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter to the skillet. Once melted, sprinkle the flour evenly over top of the mushrooms. Stir until the flour mixture is lightly toasted, about 1 minute.
3. Add the vegetable stock and soy sauce. Scrape the bottom of the skillet to remove all the brown bits and stir until smooth. Increase the heat to medium-high to return to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium and let the gravy simmer for 5 minutes.
4.Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley.
Tip: If you like a creamy gravy, stir in 2 tablespoons of heavy cream with the parsley.
Credit: Thepionnerwoman.com
4. Homemade Dinner Rolls
Not only are these rolls soft, fluffy, and standalone fantastic, but they make a great pairing with any soup, or dip. You don’t even need to have a traditional Thanksgiving to consider giving these rolls a try!
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour, divided, or as needed
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 (.25 ounce) envelope Fleischmann's RapidRise Yeast
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons butter, plus more for brushing
Instructions:
1. Combine 3/4 cup flour, sugar, undissolved yeast, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Heat milk, water, and 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan until very warm (120 degrees to 130 degrees F).
3. Add warm milk mixture to the flour mixture. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed of an electric mixer, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add 1/4 cup flour; beat for 2 minutes at high speed. Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough.
4. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cover; let rest for 10 minutes.
5. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces.
6. Shape pieces into balls and place in a greased 8-inch round pan. Cover and let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
8. Bake rolls in the preheated oven until golden brown on top, about 20 minutes.
9. Brush with melted butter if you like; serve warm and enjoy!
Credit: allrecipes.com
5. Sticky Toffee Pudding
Yum! Yum! Yum! Of course I had to end this post with a desert because what true sweet tooth would I be if I didn’t? Not only is the warm molten pudding delicious, but it is a MUST to serve this pudding with caramel drizzle and ice cream, so really you are getting two deserts in one…if you think about it.
Ingredients for Cake:
7 oz pitted medjool dates (approximately 7-10 dates)
¾ cup boiling water
1 teaspoon baking soda
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons unsulphured molasses
⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs*, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Ingredients for Toffee sauce:
½ cup unsalted butter
¾ cup heavy cream
¾ cup brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons unsulphured molasses (teaspoons, not tablespoons)
a pinch salt
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
To serve:
heavy cream, whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, and/or flaky sea salt, optional
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Finely chop the dates. You should have about 1 cup loosely packed. Place the dates in a bowl and cover with boiling water and sprinkle with baking soda. Stir, then allow the mixture to sit undisturbed for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, brown sugar, and molasses until creamy and combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla.
4. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture and beat until combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
5. After the dates have soaked for 20 minutes, mash or puree the dates along with the liquid. If the dates you used were moist you should be able to mash them easily with a fork. If the dates were really dry it will likely be easier to use an immersion blender or small food processor to puree (they don't have to be completely smooth). Transfer all of the date mixture into the cake batter and beat until combined.
6. Grease ramekins (preferred)** or see notes for other pan sizes. Transfer the batter to the prepared pans and smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Depending on the size of your ramekins this can be anywhere from 20-25 minutes. Be careful not to overbake. Place on a wire rack to cool.
Toffee sauce:
1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the cream, brown sugar, molasses, and salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking occasionally, and simmer for 5-8 minutes. Whisk in vanilla and set aside to cool slightly; it will thicken as it cools.
Credit: celebratingsweets.com
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