While the turkey could be considered "the star" of the Thanksgiving meal, side dishes are certainly important and necessary "co-stars." Many people look forward to enjoying stuffing, or dressing, and cannot imagine a Thanksgiving meal without it. Others dream of sweet potatoes made sweeter with marshmallow topping or maple syrup or brown sugar. Cranberries, for many, are another popular Thanksgiving side dish.
While the terms "stuffing" and "dressing" are often used interchangeably, stuffing refers to what is stuffed into the turkey and dressing refers to what is baked in a separate dish. Traditional stuffings and dressings are made with bread, or for those in the Southern United States, cornbread. Basic bread stuffings, or baked dressings used as a Thanksgiving side dish, usually include melted butter, onion, celery, and herbs such as sage, garlic, parsley, and thyme as well as salt and pepper.
Variations of standard turkey stuffings and dressings include using rice rather than bread or cornbread. Some people add meats such as bacon, pork, or sausage to the bread, cornbread, or rice base. Resourceful chefs often use the turkey's giblets, or the gizzard, heart, and liver, to add to their stuffing or dressing. Mushrooms can also be added and go especially well with a rice-based stuffing or dressing. Fruits such as apples, pears, raisins, or prunes, are other possible additions to a Thanksgiving side dish of dressing or turkey stuffing.
The word "yams" is often incorrectly used to describe sweet potatoes. Yams are named from the African word "nyami," meaning the starchy white-fleshed root vegetable; sweet potatoes have orange-colored flesh. Yams are often "candied" with sugar, while sweet potatoes are often baked as a side dish with marshmallow topping or praline topping in the South.
Regular white potatoes are a common Thanksgiving side dish usually served in addition to sweet potatoes or yams. Mashed potatoes and turkey gravy are a classic accompaniment to the roasted turkey, but some people may serve roasted or baked potatoes instead. Variations on mashed potatoes include adding an egg and baking the mashed potatoes with a topping of breadcrumbs and grated cheese baked until the top is lightly golden brown.
Additional vegetables commonly served as a Thanksgiving side dish are carrots, Brussel sprouts, or green beans. Collard greens are a popular side dish for Thanksgiving in Southern states. Pickles and relishes are also commonly found on many Thanksgiving tables.
Cranberries are also a very common Thanksgiving side dish. They can be homemade or canned, and served as a relish, a sauce, or in a gelled mold. Native Americans ate cranberries for many years and early settlers in Massachusetts ate cranberries from bogs in Cape Cod.