Most families make the same Thanksgiving meal every year: turkey, mashed potatoes, and a few sides that never change. But not everyone follows the same routine. A recent online thread asked people what unconventional side dishes they serve for the holiday, and the replies included foods many people have never seen on a Thanksgiving table.
The story
Someone asked on Reddit, What is the most unconventional Thanksgiving side dish at your family’s table? They shared that they’re trying to come up with new ideas to propose to family for Thanksgiving dinner and asked for unique, interesting side dish ideas they know of.
The question led to hundreds of replies.
The reactions
One user mentioned a stuffing recipe with a twist: “Tamale chorizo red chile stuffing.”
This version of stuffing replaces bread cubes with masa, a corn dough used for tamales. It’s mixed with spicy chorizo and red chile sauce. The dish uses ingredients found in Mexican cooking, but still works like traditional stuffing. It’s filling, easy to make, and tastes delicious.
Another commenter mentioned a dish that replaces mashed potatoes with something equally filling: “Gnocchi - either pumpkin or sweet potato sautéed in butter and sage.”
Instead of mashed potatoes, you can serve pumpkin or sweet potato gnocchi. The gnocchi is made by combining flour, pumpkin puree, and salt, which is sautéed in a creamy sage sauce.
One user brought up a side dish that’s been passed down in their family: “Pearl onions in a tarragon cheese sauce. I don’t really know what it is, but my dad makes it every year and it’s delicious.”
This side dish features sautéed pearl onions with mushrooms. Once they are brown, they are mixed into a sauce made with garlic, heavy cream, chicken stock, herbs, and topped with parmesan cheese. It’s a delicious side dish perfect for your Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations.
A person shared a refreshing cranberry-based idea that not many people have at their Thanksgiving dinners: “Cranberry salsa! It’s sweet, tangy, and great on a block of cream cheese.”
This one is easy and takes little effort. Cranberry salsa is made by blending cranberries with green onion, cilantro, ginger, lime, honey, and sometimes jalapeño for extra spice. It’s poured over cream cheese or served by itself with crackers. It gives cranberry flavor a different use beyond the standard sauce.
One commenter mentioned a regional tradition that surprised many people: “Sauerkraut, I love it with turkey, grew up in Maryland, now on the west coast, people here think it is a weird side dish.” Sauerkraut is a traditional side for many families in the Mid-Atlantic. It adds a sour flavor that balances heavier foods like turkey and gravy.
Sauerkraut is readily available in markets, but you can also make your own by mixing shredded red cabbage with a bit of salt and adding it to a jar. It takes about six to ten days for sauerkraut to be ready to eat.
Someone else shared a root vegetable dish that came from their family: “Mashed Rutabagas. You can mix with some mashed potatoes, and then it’s called rutamus or rutamousse. From the Swedish side of my family.”
Rutabagas are cooked and mashed the same way as potatoes. In Sweden, we’ve always had them at our Thanksgiving table. I peel and cut them into small pieces, boil until soft, then mash with butter, salt, and pepper. It’s delicious and creamy, and everyone in my family loves eating it not only at Thanksgiving but also at Christmas.
A commenter shared a unique Greek dish: “Melitzanes papoutsakia (Greek stuffed eggplants).”
This Greek dish uses halved eggplants filled with ground meat, tomato sauce, and a light cream topping, then baked until tender. It takes a bit of work to prepare, but it’s worth making if you want something hearty yet unique for this year’s Thanksgiving dinner.
Someone else said they plan to serve soup as a side: “I’m making lasagna soup.”
Lasagna soup uses the same ingredients as lasagna, but is cooked in broth. It’s served in a bowl instead of a baking dish. Some people serve it as an early course before the main meal. It’s also a simple option for large gatherings because it can be made in one pot.
Another user shared an unusual side dish that is rarely seen at Thanksgiving menus: “Oyster casserole. Made with saltines.”
The oyster casserole is made with canned or fresh oysters, sautéed mushrooms, herbs, and spices, and then broiled in a tray with creamy sauce and buttered breadcrumbs. This casserole is not too familiar now, but some families still keep it on the menu.
Other unconventional side dishes to try this Thanksgiving
Here are a few more examples from cookbooks and regional traditions:
Pineapple casserole: This dish is made by combining canned pineapple, shredded cheddar cheese, and crushed crackers. Everything is combined in a baking dish and baked until the top turns slightly golden.
Egg rolls: Instead of traditional appetizers, some families serve homemade egg rolls at Thanksgiving. The filling usually includes mung bean noodles, cabbage, carrots, and minced meat or shrimp. Each wrapper is filled, rolled, and fried until crisp, then served with soy or sweet chili sauce.
Pickled beets: This side dish is made with sliced cooked beets placed in a jar with vinegar, sugar, and a few spices such as cloves or peppercorns. The beets are left to soak for several hours or overnight. They can be eaten with meals even after Thanksgiving.
Mushroom galette: This galette is made by rolling out a simple pie dough, spreading a thin layer of cheese, and topping it with cooked mushrooms, onions, and herbs. The edges of the dough are folded in slightly to hold the filling in place. It’s baked until the crust is firm and lightly browned, then sliced into wedges before serving.
The takeaway
Adding one new side dish each year lets families try something different without changing their usual meal. Whether it’s tamale stuffing, sauerkraut, or cranberry salsa, try a unique side dish this year; it may as well become your family’s favorite.
Leave a Reply