Five Ingredient Sides for Thanksgiving
on Nov 13, 2017, Updated Jul 09, 2024
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Five Ingredient Sides for Thanksgiving will save you time this holiday season. These 8 easy recipes can easily accommodate food allergies and dietary restrictions of every kind.
The beauty of these five ingredient sides is that you can serve them all fall and winter long. You could pick one or two to try for dinner this week. With fewer than 5 ingredients each, these are recipes that you are going to come back to again and again.
These sides also pair well with a Garlic and Herb Whole Chicken whole roast chicken or Honey Garlic Pork Chops – both are made in the slow cooker so that your oven is free! And if you have time, make one of these pie recipes for dessert.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love These Recipes
- Recipe Ingredients
- Recipe FAQs
- Expert Tips
- More Thanksgiving Recipes to Consider
- Mashed Roasted Sweet Potatoes Recipe
- Simple Roasted Brussles Sprouts Recipe
- Caramelized Butternut Squash Recipe
- Salt Potatoes Recipe
- Buttery Garlic Green Beans Recipe
- Pan-Seared Carrots Recipe
- Easy Cranberry Orange Sauce Recipe
- Pomegranate Pear Salad Recipe
Why You’ll Love These Recipes
- Simple ingredients in each recipe!
- All of the recipes are wonderful throughout the fall and winter.
- Super easy sides that can round out your Thanksgiving meal.
- All recipes are naturally gluten-free and nut-free.
- Can easily be made dairy-free and/or vegan.
Recipe Ingredients
- Mashed Roasted Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potatoes, olive oil, butter or coconut oil, salt, and ground cinnamon.
- Simple Roasted Brussels Sprouts: Brussels sprouts, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Caramelized Butternut Squash: Butternut squash, coconut oil or olive oil, salt, and maple syrup.
- Salt Potatoes: Water, salt, new boiling potatoes, and butter.
- Buttery Garlic Green Beans: Green beans, olive oil, butter, minced garlic, and salt and pepper.
- Pan-Seared Carrots: Carrots, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Easy Cranberry Orange Sauce: Fresh cranberries, oranges, maple syrup, salt.
- Pomegranate and Pear Salad: Pomegranate, pear, lemon, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), and honey or maple syrup.
See the recipe cards below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Recipe FAQs
How many of these Thanksgiving sides should I make?
It depends on how large of a group you are serving. Two or three of these sides would be great for a smaller gathering of 10 people or less. I’d recommend four to six sides if you’re hosting 10 to 20 people. For larger groups, make a double batch of a couple.
Which sides should I make?
I recommend that you pair a few different types of sides together. For example, sweet potatoes would pair well with green beans or Brussels sprouts and the pomegranate pear salad because they are all quite different.
Can I make these recipes ahead?
Some of these recipes can be made ahead (like Cranberry Orange Sauce) and others have ingredients that can be prepped in advance (such as the Brussels sprouts and the pomegranate seeds). Check the recipe notes for each recipe for guidance.
Expert Tips
- Select three to five side dishes that will complement each other and provide some variety.
- To make these recipes vegan, use olive oil or coconut oil in place of the butter, and maple syrup instead of honey.
- To make these sides dairy-free, you can substitute olive oil or coconut oil for the butter in the recipes that call for butter.
More Thanksgiving Recipes to Consider
Christmas Cookies
Soft Gingerbread Cookies
Roll Recipes
Mom’s Jumbo Dinner Rolls
Pies, Crisps & Tarts
Easy Apple Pie Recipe Using Fresh Apples – With Video!
Pies, Crisps & Tarts
4 Recipes for a Perfect Pie Crust
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Mashed Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Mashed Roasted Sweet Potatoes are what sweet and salty dreams are made of. This is the best 5-ingredient side dish all year long.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 to 3 pounds sweet potatoes, about 5 medium sweet potatoes
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon melted butter or coconut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat for easier clean up.
- Wash the sweet potatoes and then cut them in half from end to end and place them on the baking sheet.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the cut potatoes. Use your hands or a pastry brush to coat the outside and cut side of each potato half with the olive oil completely.
- Place the potatoes on the baking sheet cut side down and roast them in the hot oven until fork tender, 25-35 minutes.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and let them cool enough that they can be handled safely.
- Use a spoon to scoop the soft sweet potato flesh from the skin and place it in a medium bowl.
- Add the melted butter or coconut oil, salt, and ground cinnamon.
- Use a fork or a potato masher to mash the sweet potatoes until they are smooth and creamy.
- Add salt to taste. Serve warm.
Notes
- These mashed sweet potatoes are roasted to make them extra sweet – I don’t recommend boiling them for this recipe.
- If you want to make this recipe dairy-free or vegan, add coconut oil instead of butter to the potatoes when you are mashing them.
- Make a double batch and use half to top a Shepherd’s Pie made with Thanksgiving leftovers.
- This recipe can be made a couple days ahead of time and stored in a casserole dish with a cover and then reheated before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 of 5 servings, Calories: 265kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 6mg, Sodium: 375mg, Potassium: 766mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 32246IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 71mg, Iron: 1mg
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Simple Roasted Brussles Sprouts
If you don’t love Brussles sprouts yet this 5 ingredient side dish will change your mind.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- fresh black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉.
- Wash and trim the bottom of the sprouts. Cut each sprout in half and add them to a small bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.
- Place the Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet, cut side down. Don't crowd them too much on the pan. Use a second baking sheet if you need to.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Roast for 15 minutes or until fork tender and starting to char.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed and serve right away.
Notes
- Pick Brussels sprouts that are bright green and have nice firm leaves on the outside.
- Roasting Brussel sprouts brings out the delicious sweetness in them – do not boil them.
- Brussels sprouts are best roasted just before serving them but you can cut off the stems and cut them in half a day or two ahead and then store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Be sure not to crowd the pan or the Brussels sprouts will steam instead of roast and they won’t get the crispy edges that make them so good.
- To reheat the leftover Brussels sprouts, melt about 2 to 3 teaspoons of butter in a frying pan. Throw in the leftover Brussels sprouts and heat them until the sprouts are warm.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 of 4 servings, Calories: 111kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Sodium: 610mg, Potassium: 441mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 855IU, Vitamin C: 96mg, Calcium: 48mg, Iron: 2mg
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Caramelized Butternut Squash
Sweet and salty caramelized butternut squash is the perfect five ingredient side dish to add to any meal.
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash, about 3 pounds
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven the 375℉.
- Remove the skin and the seeds from the butternut squash and cut the flesh into ¾-inch cubes. I ended up with just over 4 cups of cubed squash.
- Toss the cubes with coconut oil or olive oil and place them on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and gently flip the squash over with a metal spatula.
- Drizzle the maple syrup over the squash and return the pan to the oven.
- Cook for another 15-25 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes, until the squash is tender and the maple syrup starts to thicken.
- Place the squash in a serving bowl, drizzle any leftover syrup from the pan onto the squash, adjust the salt to taste and serve right away.
Notes
- Put the maple syrup on halfway through cooking. If you put it on at the beginning, it will burn in the oven before the squash is done cooking.
- It’s ok to have a heavy hand with the salt because the salty sweet combination is so delicious.
- Butternut squash prepared this way is best right out of the oven but you can cut up the squash a day or two before and store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
- This is a great recipe to double so you ensure you have leftovers.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 of 6 servings, Calories: 131kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Sodium: 394mg, Potassium: 470mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 13288IU, Vitamin C: 26mg, Calcium: 75mg, Iron: 1mg
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Salt Potatoes
You’ve never had a better potato until you’ve eaten a salt potato. This five ingredient side dish is going to blow your mind.
Ingredients
- 3 quarts of water
- 12 ounces about 1 1/2 cups fine salt
- 4 to 4 1/4 pounds one-to-two bite sized new boiling potatoes, washed, see notes
- 1 stick cold butter (4 ounces), cut into 8 pieces
Instructions
- Add the water to a large pot and bring it to boil over high heat.
- When the water starts to boil, add the salt and stir until it dissolves.
- Add the potatoes to the pot, one or two at a time, taking care not to splash yourself.
- Return the water to a boil, lower heat to medium and simmer until the potatoes are tender, between 15 and 25 minutes (see notes to help determine doneness).
- Pour the water and potatoes into a colander in the sink and leave to air dry for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer the potatoes to a serving dish and dot with the pieces of butter. Serve warm with extra butter for dipping.
Notes
- If you live in New York, you can find salt potato kits or buy potatoes that are Size B Grade US No. 2.
- If you live elsewhere, look for small potatoes that you can eat in one or two bites. The shape of the potatoes doesn’t matter.
- To test for doneness, lift one of the larger potatoes from the boiling water with tongs and plunge a skewer into the potato. The skewer will pass through the potato completely if it’s done.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 of 8 servings, Calories: 270kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 31mg, Sodium: 571mg, Potassium: 1100mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 371IU, Vitamin C: 21mg, Calcium: 28mg, Iron: 2mg
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Buttery Garlic Green Beans
Bless you, delicious five ingredient side of green beans. You’ll be making this dish over and over again, not just at Thanksgiving.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a tablespoon of salt.
- Add the green beans to the boiling water and let them cook for 2 to 4 minutes, until they reach your desired tenderness.
- Remove the green beans from the boiling water and stick them in a bowl of ice water (to stop the cooking process). This method is called blanching the beans.
- It’s great because it works really well for cooking beans thoroughly, but you can still add flavor on the stove top. Don’t skip this step.
- When the beans are cold, dump them into a strainer and then pat them dry with a clean tea towel.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil and butter.
- When the butter is melted, add the minced garlic and stir until the garlic is fragrant, about 15 seconds.
- Add the green beans, salt, and pepper, and stir to coat the green beans in the butter and garlic mixture.
- Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the green beans are hot and well-coated in the butter. Adjust the salt to taste and serve right away.
Notes
- Make sure you get good quality green beans. I bought mine a few days before I planned on using them, and that was a mistake this time of year; lots went bad in the fridge.
- If you want to make this recipe dairy-free or vegan, you could omit the butter and use extra olive oil.
- Boiling the green beans before you sauté them is worth the extra bit of effort because it results in the best texture.
- This recipe comes from The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook by my friend Mary at Barefeet in the Kitchen.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 of 6 servings, Calories: 64kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 5mg, Sodium: 117mg, Potassium: 168mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 580IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 32mg, Iron: 1mg
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Pan-Seared Carrots
Savory and simple but magical! This five ingredient side dish is made by searing carrots in cast iron for lots of flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds carrots, about 8 medium to large sized carrots
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Peel and trim your carrots. Cut them into 3- to 4-inch pieces and cut them in half as needed. The goal is to have carrot pieces that are similar in size so that they cook evenly.
- Preheat the oven to 400℉.
- Add the oil to a large cast iron or oven proof skillet over medium high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the carrots, cut side down.
- Let the carrots sear until charred, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and turn the carrots over so that the seared side is up.
- Place the pan in the oven and let the carrots bake until they are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Add salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.
Notes
- Using larger whole carrots saves yourself some time peeling and cutting.
- Be sure to cut the carrots into fairly uniform pieces so they cook evenly.
- This recipe is best served fresh but you can peel and cut up the carrots a day or two before and store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
- A little bit of good quality hard cheese (such as Parmesan) grated right on top just before serving is amazing on these but not necessary (or pictured).
Nutrition
Serving: 1 of 6 servings, Calories: 88kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 175mg, Potassium: 363mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 18944IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 38mg, Iron: 0.4mg
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Easy Cranberry Orange Sauce
This delicious classic cranberry sauce pairs fresh cranberries with oranges for one delicious side.
Ingredients
- 1 bag fresh cranberries, 16 ounce bag
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice, juice of one orange
- zest of 2 oranges
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 2 oranges, peel removed and then chopped into small pieces
- dash of salt
Instructions
- Add the cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, and maple syrup to a medium pan. Place the pan over medium heat and let it slowly come to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer until the liquid starts to thicken a bit and most of the cranberries pop, about 30 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in your chopped orange pieces and a dash of salt.
- Let this stand at room temperature until thickened, and then serve cold or at room temperate.
Notes
- If you like your cranberry sauce spiced, feel free to add spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, or cloves to your liking.
- You could use frozen cranberries if you can’t find fresh cranberries at your local grocery store.
- This sauce keeps well, so you can make it a few days in advance and store it in the fridge in an airtight container.
- This is a great addition to enjoy on top of your favorite turkey, chicken, or pork dishes – a little goes a long way.
- You can also store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 of 6 servings, Calories: 203kcal, Carbohydrates: 51g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 0.2g, Saturated Fat: 0.02g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g, Sodium: 491mg, Potassium: 291mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 40g, Vitamin A: 182IU, Vitamin C: 44mg, Calcium: 86mg, Iron: 0.3mg
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Pomegranate Pear Salad
A simple, sweet, and crunchy fruit salad made with seasoned fruit and an easy lemon dressing. This is one awesome five ingredient side.
Ingredients
- 1 large pomegranate, seeds (arils)
- 1 large pear, cored and chopped small
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- zest from one lemon
- 1/2 cup hulled pumpkin seeds, pepitas
- 1 tablespoon honey or 2 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a medium bowl and mix to combine.
- If your honey is a bit thick, you might want to whisk it with the lemon juice and lemon zest before stirring it into the fruit.
- Serve right away.
Notes
- You can use any kind of citrus you want. Lemon or lime would make it tangy and bright, but you could also use grapefruit, blood orange, orange, tangerine, or whatever other citrus you have on hand.
- If you change the type of citrus in this recipe, be sure to use the same kind of citrus juice as you do zest. You may need to adjust the honey to taste.
- To remove the pomegranate seeds (arils), I cut it in half and hit the back with a spoon – you can do this a day or two ahead of making the salad and store the seeds in an airtight container in the fridge.
- This is the easy healthy version of Dixie Salad, which you might also want to put on your Thanksgiving table this year.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 of 6 servings, Calories: 129kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.003g, Sodium: 4mg, Potassium: 239mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 11IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 15mg, Iron: 1mg
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This is an awesome list! There’s nothing better than a 5-ingredient recipe — especially on a busy holiday. Great ideas!
I finally found some little spuds to make the salt potatoes….they win the OMG amazing veggie award for the millennium! Thanks for posting this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love all of these! Those Salt Potatoes are forever my favorite (and EASY) potato dish. Thanks for the love for the cookbook. I’m thrilled you like the green beans!