Holiday ready? Serve these Southern Thanksgiving dishes for a memorable and classic holiday feast this year, featuring a Southern flare.
If I mention the phrase “Southern Thanksgiving,” I have no doubt your mind immediately races to soulful homecooked meals of savory comfort foods, and that sense of community that makes everyone one big family. Southern Thanksgiving dishes are a way to bring everyone together at the table to celebrate blessings and abundance, and we’re here for it!
A comforting, down-home feast is only as good as the spread, so here are some of our best suggestions for the perfect Southern-inspired Thanksgiving dinner menu.
How to Make the Best Southern Thanksgiving Menu
Turkey: I feel like we’re starting with the obvious, but some flavorful turkey is an expected main course for most Thanksgiving menus, especially Southern ones. Make sure you prepare the right amount per person and plan for leftovers. Bored with the same old? Opt for fried turkey – fry your turkey as though it was chicken for a classic twist on this Thanksgiving staple.
Candied Sweet Potatoes: Our Instant Pot candied sweet potatoes are an easy way to whip up this Southern classic recipe that will have that homey feel.
Collard Greens: Typically cooked with bacon fat or ham hocks, stewed collard greens are a classic Southern recipe. These can also be made vegetarian, if desired.
Buttermilk Biscuits: This easy side dish is a traditional part of Southern meals and can easily replace your bread rolls and other dishes on Thanksgiving. Long live buttermilk biscuits!
Creamed Corn: Our slow cooker recipe is the perfect way to easily offer your guests homemade creamed corn.
Fried Okra: Give okra a try with our gluten-free fried version. This everyday vegetable isn’t just eaten on special occasions in the South, but there’s no reason fried okra can’t be part of your holiday dinners.
Dressing: Depending where you’re from, what you will call either dressing or stuffing will be a perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving dinner table. As an aside, in the South, it is usually served on the side and called dressing — and serving it on the side is the best practice for food safety anyway.
Deviled Eggs: A family favorite for all ages, deviled eggs can’t be forgotten on our list! A great way to add a little bit of Southern flair to your meal.
Cornbread: Whether you have it traditional, sweet, or spicy, cornbread is a sweet and versatile dish that you can expect on most Southern Thanksgiving tables. Try this sweet Southern cornbread recipe!
Mushroom Gravy: Perfectly paired with your turkey, mushroom gravy, as spotted here in our Instant Pot turkey tenderloin recipe, is a definite hit.
Green Bean Casserole: This popular side dish is one you’ll either love (like me) or hate (if you have no taste- okay, I’m kidding) but regardless, most people will be surprised if green beans aren’t found on the table on Thanksgiving.
Pecan Pie: A very rich, ultra-sweet dessert, pecan pie is a classic dish for your favorite holiday made with simple ingredients.
Mashed Potatoes: Speaking of potatoes, everyone expects a delicious, serving of mashed potatoes in the south with their Thanksgiving dinner. Prepare them the easiest way possible with our easy recipe for slow cooker mashed potatoes that’s so rich, nobody will know you managed it in no time. But is it really Southern if it isn’t doused in gravy?
Cherry Pie: Sweet, savory, and rich, cherry pie will be a hit at your themed Thanksgiving dinner. Short on time or looking for a wider variety of desserts? Consider a cherry cheesecake bar to replace it.
Custard Pie: Speaking of pies, custard pie is the perfect way to bring everything together at the Thanksgiving table! Just try not to eat the whole pie before your guests arrive.
Cranberry Sauce: A Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce is shameful! You can easily make it at home from scratch or in the Instant Pot. Don’t forget to try our popular bourbon ginger cranberry sauce to keep things lively! We know some of you swear by the canned stuff, but we’re a recipe site, after all.
Mac and Cheese: Our “soul food” mac and cheese is the perfect way to bring some comfort from the South to your arrangement this Thanksgiving! You can also make it in the Instant Pot to save a ton of time.
Apple Pie: As American as… well, Thanksgiving. This apple pie is Paula Deen approved, which is as Southern as it comes, making it one of our favorite Thanksgiving recipes. Don’t be intimidated by the idea of making a pie crust — you only need a handful of ingredients.
Sweet Tea: Yes, some Southerners drink unsweetened tea. But sweet tea is the Southern staple. You can also make sweet tea vodka if you’re looking for a 21+ version!
Scalloped Potatoes: Make them in the Instant Pot to wow your guests without a lot of extra work (and dishes!)
Cornbread Dressing: Slightly different from traditional dressing, this is made from cornbread and contains a variety of other spices, nuts, and flavorings. Check out our gluten-free version. It’s one of the most essential Southern sides for a traditional Thanksgiving feast.
Spoonbread: A dish that falls somewhere between cornbread and souffle, this regional treat often makes the list for what to serve up at Southern holiday tables. Have you ever tried spoonbread?
Sweet Potato Pie: A savory dessert or side, sweet potato pie is a way to convince yourself you’re having way more veggies than usual. We have a great hand pie recipe to mix things up. It makes for great take-home treats for guests and saves on forks! People who grow up in the North may be more partial to pumpkin pie, but it’s all about sweet potato pie in most of the South. For many people, the delicious flavors of pecan pie are the best part of a typical Southern Thanksgiving dinner!
Pumpkin Pie: That said, you can still make pumpkin pie if you want. There are no real rules here! Just don’t forget to use our handy guide that tells you how (and how long) to safely store your pumpkin pie in the fridge and more.
Mince Pies: A holiday tradition worldwide thanks to the British, many Southerners report having mince pies at Thanksgiving.
Pecan Desserts (other than pie!): From skillet cookies with a praline topping to butter pecan fudge to pumpkin pecan bread, you’ll find pecans as part of a traditional Southern spread any day! The prevalence of pecans in the South lends itself to a variety of indulgent and delicious desserts.
Peach Cobbler: Bake an easy peach cobbler with one of our most popular recipes. This dessert adds sweet and fruity fun to your table and tastes great topped with vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream. It’s one of our favorite Southern Thanksgiving dishes!
Black Eyed Peas: A Southern tradition especially for New Year’s Day, black-eyed peas are easy to make in the slow cooker and can be eaten alongside just about any dish, but are especially prevalent during holidays. This is one of the best side dishes loved by Southern cooks and it’s regionally distinct.
Potato Casserole: Our favorite, a cheesy hashbrown potato casserole, will cover all the bases when it comes to flavors for sides. Great for any time of the day, you can definitely enjoy it with Thanksgiving turkey.
Sweet Potato Bread Pudding: Try our bourbon sweet potato bread pudding to bring more variety of sweet potato dishes to your spread- the only problem is, you have to share.
Glazed Ham: Yeah, there’s a turkey, but a ham isn’t going to go to waste! Add more variety to fill your guests up with so much food, they explode with Southern hospitality. It’s not uncommon to find ham and turkey on a Southern Thanksgiving spread.
Ambrosia: A soft, fluffy side that’s sweet and delectable, this delicious marshmallow-based salad is anything but boring.
Roasted Vegetables: Try our roasted broccoli with buttery bread crumbs for something that’s unexpected but fits right in with the mix.
Soup: A fall-based soup, such as roasted carrot ginger soup makes for a perfect Thanksgiving appetizer.
Whatever Southern Thanksgiving dishes you make, don’t forget to prepare a little extra; in the South, everyone is welcome!
You may also like these ideas for Thanksgiving seafood dishes. We also recommend serving a Thanksgiving veggie tray as part of your holiday table to bring some variety to your options!