15 Soul Food Thanksgiving Sides

These Soul Food Thanksgiving sides are a must on my Thanksgiving table, from slow-simmered greens to baked mac and cheese.

My husband's family is African American and Southern, and soul food is at the center of their Thanksgiving table. Celebrating with them is how I learned which sides are must-haves.

The turkey gets the attention, but the collard greens, candied yams, mac and cheese, and cornbread dressing are what people fill their plates with and ask for the next day. Here are 15 of my favorite soul food sides to help you build your holiday menu.

How to Plan Your Soul Food Thanksgiving Sides

1. Step 1: Pick one from each group. Choose a green, a sweet potato dish, a baked dish like mac and cheese or dressing, and a bread so the plate feels balanced.
2. Step 2: Plan your oven time. Mix stovetop and pressure cooker sides with baked ones so everything isn't fighting for the oven at once.
3. Step 3: Make what you can ahead. Cornbread for dressing and many of these sides can be made a day or two early.

Greens and Vegetables

1

Southern Style Pressure Cooker Collard Greens

These Southern Style Pressure Cooker Collard Greens are flavorful, tender, and cooked in half the time than the stove top method. Now you can enjoy collard greens any day of the week!

Check out this recipe

Want to cook your greens low and slow instead? Try my slow-cooker collard greens.

2

Collard Greens Recipe (Meatless)

These braised collard greens simmer low and slow in a savory pot likker until they're meltingly tender. Soy sauce, smoked paprika, and molasses give them the depth you'd usually get from smoked turkey, with no meat in the pot.

Check out this recipe

3

Southern Green Beans Recipe

Southern Green Beans are a savory, slow-simmered side dish made with fresh green beans, smoked turkey necks, and bold Cajun seasoning. Tender, flavorful, and deeply comforting, this melt-in-your-mouth classic is perfect for Sunday dinners, holiday feasts, or any time you want to serve a true Southern favorite.

Check out this recipe

4

Fried Cabbage Recipe

This Fried Cabbage Recipe is a delicious comfort food using sliced cabbage, a bit of salt, a pinch of sugar, and crushed red pepper flakes for a little heat.

Check out this recipe

Sweet Potatoes

5

The Best Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes

These Easy Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes are covered in a sugar buttery mixture and baked until tender. It’s the perfect side dish for any table.

Check out this recipe

Short on oven space? My stovetop candied sweet potatoes free it up for the turkey.

6

Southern Style Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Southern Style Sweet Potato Casserole is a delicious dish made with creamy sweet potato filling and topped with an oats and brown sugar mixture.

Check out this recipe

Mac and Cheese, Dressing, and Potatoes

7

Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese

This Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese recipe is the only baked macaroni cheese recipe you will need. It's the combination of different cheeses that makes this a crowd favorite. 

Check out this recipe

8

Cornbread Dressing Recipe

Cornbread Dressing will take center stage this holiday season. It's made with homemade cornbread and baked until crispy and golden brown.

Check out this recipe

9

Easy Stuffing Recipe

A classic, savory stuffing made with dried bread cubes, butter, onion, celery, and fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary.

Check out this recipe

10

Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Creamy rich and indulgent, these garlic mashed potatoes are one delicious side dish. Simple to make with a few basic ingredients, they come together in minutes and are the perfect accompaniment to all of your favorite meals.

Check out this recipe

Soufflés

11

Carrot Soufflé Recipe

This easy carrot soufflé is a sweet, buttery Southern-style carrot side dish with a light texture and golden top. It is a good choice for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or Sunday dinner.

Check out this recipe

12

Easy Corn Soufflé

This easy and delicious corn soufflé recipe is made from scratch and is the perfect addition to your dinner table. It’s perfect for Thanksgiving dinner or any time of the year.

Check out this recipe

Cornbread, Deviled Eggs, and Gravy

13

Classic Southern Cornbread Recipe

This Classic Southern Cornbread has a beautiful golden crust with the perfect crumb on the inside. This savory cornbread recipe is the perfect side for your favorite meal. 

Check out this recipe

14

Southern Deviled Eggs Recipe

These Southern deviled eggs are the best ever! Made with sweet relish and jalapenos, they come together quickly and easily and make a perfect appetizer to feed a crowd.

Check out this recipe

15

Grandma's Giblet Gravy Recipe

If you're trying to decide what to do with those giblets that come with a whole chicken, then make this gravy. It's rich, so easy to make, and delicious.

Check out this recipe

Not using giblets this year? My gravy from drippings uses what's left in the roasting pan.

What Is a Traditional Soul Food Thanksgiving Meal?

A traditional soul food Thanksgiving has turkey at the center, and sometimes a ham too. Around it, you'll usually find collard greens, candied yams, baked mac and cheese, cornbread dressing, and green beans. Potato salad, deviled eggs, and cornbread or dinner rolls often make the table as well.

For dessert, sweet potato pie is the classic. Every family's table looks a little different, but these are the dishes most people expect to see.

Which Soul Food Sides Can I Make Ahead?

Making a few sides early takes a lot of pressure off Thanksgiving Day. These hold up well:

• Collard greens: Cook them up to 2 days ahead and reheat them on the stovetop. They taste even better the next day.
• Cornbread for dressing: Bake it 1 to 2 days early so it has time to dry out a little.
• Mac and cheese: Assemble it the day before, cover it, and refrigerate. Bake it on Thanksgiving Day, adding a few extra minutes since it goes in cold.
• Candied yams: Make them a day ahead, then reheat them covered in the oven.
• Deviled eggs: Boil the eggs and mix the filling a day ahead, then fill them the day of.

Check each recipe for its own make-ahead and reheating notes.

Storing Leftovers

Refrigerate leftovers in airtight containers within 2 hours of serving and enjoy them within 3 to 4 days. Check each recipe for specific storage and reheating directions.

More Holiday Recipes

• 15 Turkey Recipes for this Holiday Season
• Southern Pinto Bean Pie
• Purple Sweet Potato Pie
• Chocolate Chess Pie
• Instant Pot Thanksgiving Recipes
• Blackeye Peas
• Southern Potato Salad