Ask anyone what they’re most excited to eat on Thanksgiving, and the answer is almost always a side dish. These easy Thanksgiving side dishes cover everything from creamy mashed potatoes and classic stuffing to roasted vegetables, fresh fall salads, cranberry sauce and homemade dinner rolls. Plenty of them are make-ahead, vegetarian or gluten-free, so they work just as well for a cozy Friendsgiving as for the big family table. Once your sides are sorted, all that’s left is the turkey, a few appetizers and the Thanksgiving desserts.

Hasselback Potatoes

Every thin cut in these Yukon Gold potatoes turns into a crispy edge once the garlic butter goes on, so they look like you fussed much more than you did. Fresh sage leaves tucked between the slices crisp up in the oven, and they’re worth putting right in the middle of the table.

Get the Hasselback Potatoes.

Easy Cranberry Sauce

Five ingredients is all this one takes: fresh or frozen cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, brown sugar and a splash of vanilla. Stirring a handful of raw berries in at the end keeps some texture, and since it keeps in the fridge for days, it’s an easy thing to cross off your list early in the week.

Get the Easy Cranberry Sauce.

Crispy Brussels Sprouts With Lemon Garlic Butter

Crispy edges come from searing halved sprouts in a hot pan instead of the oven, which frees up oven space on the busiest cooking day of the year. A quick lemon garlic butter with red pepper flakes goes in at the very end, and the whole thing is done in about 20 minutes.

Get the Crispy Brussels Sprouts With Lemon Garlic Butter.

Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows

Marshmallows and a buttery pecan topping share the top of this casserole, so nobody has to pick a side in the great sweet potato debate. Underneath, it’s a cinnamon and vanilla mash you can assemble up to two days ahead and bake when you’re ready.

Get the Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows.

Cornbread Sausage Stuffing

Homemade cornbread, sweet Italian sausage, apple and dried cranberries make this stuffing a little sweet, a little savory and very hard to stop eating. The work splits nicely across the week: bake the cornbread early, then assemble the whole dish a day or two before.

Get the Cornbread Sausage Stuffing.

Pumpkin Herb Dinner Rolls

Soft, golden pumpkin rolls with browned herb butter, rosemary, sage and thyme are worth clearing a morning for. They need almost two hours of rising time, so start them while the turkey roasts and serve them the same day, when they’re at their best.

Get the Pumpkin Herb Dinner Rolls.

Grated Beet Salad

Something crunchy and bright makes all the rich dishes taste better, and this grated beet salad does that job well. Raw beets and carrot get tossed with parsley, mint and a honey mustard dressing, with no cooking and about 15 minutes of prep.

Get the Grated Beet Salad.

Roasted Garlic Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Tangy buttermilk and a whole head of roasted garlic give these Yukon Gold mashed potatoes more flavor than the usual butter and cream version. They can be made up to three days ahead, which makes Thanksgiving morning feel a lot calmer.

Get the Roasted Garlic Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes.

Creamy Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Comfort food meets fall produce here: butternut squash is simmered and blended into the cheese sauce, then tossed with pasta shells, Gruyère and a little kale. It bakes until bubbly and freezes well, so you could make it this weekend and have one less dish to think about.

Get the Creamy Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese.

Green Beans Almondine

Toasted sliced almonds and garlic turn plain green beans into something that looks dinner-party ready in about 15 minutes. It’s naturally vegan and gluten-free, which is handy when you’re cooking for a mixed crowd.

Get the Green Beans Almondine.

Goat Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates

Technically an appetizer, these goat cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon tend to disappear before dinner even starts. The rosemary honey with a pinch of cayenne is the detail that makes them, and you can assemble them a day ahead. They’d fit just as well on a Friendsgiving snack board.

Get the Goat Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates.

Healthy Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Lighter than a casserole but still cozy, this mash blends baked sweet potatoes with steamed butternut squash, a little maple syrup and fresh thyme. Make it up to two days ahead and stir in the butter and maple when you reheat.

Get the Healthy Mashed Sweet Potatoes.

Roasted Broccoli With Lemon and Parmesan

Roasting broccoli until the edges char gives it a nutty flavor that even broccoli skeptics come around to. Lemon juice, lemon zest and a final sprinkle of Parmesan keep it fresh next to all the heavier sides.

Get the Roasted Broccoli With Lemon and Parmesan.

Savory Ham and Cheese Scones

Instead of plain rolls, try these savory scones packed with chopped ham, sharp cheddar and fresh chives. They freeze before or after baking, so you can make a batch early and warm them up when everyone arrives.

Get the Savory Ham and Cheese Scones.

Brown Sugar Roasted Honeynut Squash

Honeynut squash is like a smaller, sweeter butternut, and roasting the halves with brown sugar, cinnamon and a little chipotle brings out the best in it. Crispy fried sage and flaky salt on top make it the prettiest dish on the table, and it’s ready in about 45 minutes.

Get the Brown Sugar Roasted Honeynut Squash.

Pureed Cauliflower With Garlic, Parmesan and Goat Cheese

Low-carb guests will be happy to see this one, though everyone else will go back for seconds too. Cauliflower simmered with garlic is mashed with Parmesan and goat cheese until it’s creamy enough to stand in for mashed potatoes.

Get the Pureed Cauliflower With Garlic, Parmesan and Goat Cheese.

Paleo Stuffing

Grain-free and gluten-free, this stuffing uses almond flour and eggs instead of bread, with mushrooms, apples, celery and dried cranberries for that classic flavor. It’s a thoughtful one to have on the table if someone avoids gluten, and you can make it a day ahead.

Get the Paleo Stuffing.

Cheesy Baked Asparagus Gratin

Garlic lovers, this one’s for you: eight slivered cloves, heavy cream, mozzarella and Parmesan bake over whole asparagus spears until golden. It takes about 30 minutes start to finish, so it’s an easy last-minute addition.

Get the Cheesy Baked Asparagus Gratin.

Charred Carrots With Herbs

Rainbow carrots charred in a cast-iron skillet look gorgeous on a platter, and the basil and mint sauce on top keeps them bright. Make the sauce a couple of days early and char the carrots right before dinner.

Get the Charred Carrots With Herbs.

Homemade Turkey Gravy

Gravy is the one thing everyone reaches for, and this version comes together in about 20 minutes with butter, flour and your turkey drippings. Stock works if you don’t have drippings, and a 1:1 gluten-free flour makes it gluten-free.

Get the Homemade Turkey Gravy.

Slow Cooker Cheesy Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes

Slow cooker mashed potatoes free up your stovetop when it matters most. The potatoes cook right in cream and milk with garlic, sage and thyme, then get mashed with butter and Gruyère, and they’ll stay warm for hours.

Get the Slow Cooker Cheesy Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes.

Chopped Kale Salad With Delicata Squash and Crispy Shallots

Chopped fine in a food processor, Tuscan kale gets tossed with roasted delicata squash, crispy shallots, apple, dried cranberries and a little cheese. The recipe is written as a single main-dish salad with chicken, so leave the chicken out and scale it up to serve it as a side.

Get the Chopped Kale Salad With Delicata Squash and Crispy Shallots.

Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese

Blended cottage cheese makes this mac and cheese extra creamy and adds a boost of protein, while sharp cheddar and mozzarella bring the classic cheesy pull. It’s made on the stovetop in about 30 minutes, which helps when the oven is already full.

Get the Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese.

Wild Mushroom Stuffing

Mushroom lovers get their moment with this stuffing made from country French bread, wild mushrooms, shallots, fresh herbs and Parmesan. The bread can be cubed and dried a few days early, and the mushrooms are optional if your crowd prefers a classic version.

Get the Wild Mushroom Stuffing.

Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Boil, smash, roast: that’s the whole method behind these crispy smashed potatoes. Baking them on an oiled pan instead of parchment gives you the crispiest bottoms, and a little Parmesan and fresh herbs finish them off.

Get the Crispy Smashed Potatoes.

Butternut Squash Soup

Starting the meal with a small cup of butternut squash soup feels special without much extra work. Squash, onions and a Granny Smith apple get blended with broth, nutmeg and a little half-and-half, and chopped pistachios with fried sage make it look restaurant-worthy.

Get the Butternut Squash Soup.

Gluten-Free Cornbread Muffins

Oat flour and cornmeal give these gluten-free cornbread muffins a tender crumb, with honey for just a touch of sweetness. They bake in about 20 minutes and freeze well, so you can have a batch ready long before the big day.

Get the Gluten-Free Cornbread Muffins.

Cheesy Potato Gratin

Layered upright in the dish, the thin potato slices in this gratin get crispy on top and stay creamy underneath. Sharp cheddar, Parmesan, cream, thyme and sage do the rest, and you can assemble it up to two days before.

Get the Cheesy Potato Gratin.

Parmesan Herb Roasted Acorn Squash

Sliced into rings and coated in Parmesan, garlic and dried herbs, acorn squash roasts in about 20 minutes and looks beautiful on a platter. You don’t even need to peel it, since the skin is edible.

Get the Parmesan Herb Roasted Acorn Squash.

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes With Streusel

Sweet potato skins get refilled with a cinnamon and vanilla mash and topped with a crunchy nut streusel, so everyone gets their own little casserole. Fill the shells up to three days ahead and add the streusel right before baking.

Get the Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes With Streusel.