Thanksgiving Vegetables

White Asparagus

The leaves of cavolo nero (also known as Tuscan kale, Lacinato kale, or Dinosaur kale) cook slowly into a luscious heap when braised whole.

Sage, a member of the mint family, livens up any dish. But remember, too much sage will make food taste bitter or medicinal. This holds truer for dried sage, which tends to sit in the spice rack for years, growing even mustier.

This recipe is borrowed from: Sally Clarke’s Book: A Restaurant, Shop and Bakery (Mc Millian). Sally Clarke is a top chef and restaurateur in London. Get the Honey-Roasted Belgian Endives and Parsnips Recipe »

Asparagus covered with luscious, full-flavored hollandaise is a simple yet satisfying vegetarian side-dish. ** See the recipe for Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce »**

This green bean dish is mildly creamy, thanks to a quick blanching in milk, which also sweetens the beans slightly. A garnish of toasted chopped hazelnuts adds a lovely nutty crunch. This recipe appeared with Irene Sax’s piece Small Wonders (November 2008), a tribute to Thanksgiving side dishes–though we think it works well anytime of year. Get the recipe for Green Beans with Pancetta and Mint »

Roasted pecans add crunch while complimenting the earthy, slightly sweet flavor or Brussels sprouts. If you don’t have pecans on hand, hazelnuts make a great substitute. See the recipe for Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Pecans »

Luscious pearl onions are rendered complex by curry powder and Tabasco. Get the recipe for Curried Creamed Onions »

A sweet and tangy preparation of sweet potatoes can be served as a side or dessert.

The smoky flavor of this side dish from Oaxaca-based cook Susana Trilling comes from charring the onions before adding them to a spice-infused cream sauce. Get the recipe for Creamed Roasted Onions »

This colorful side is unbelievably simple, requiring only radishes, olive oil, thyme, and salt and pepper. Roasted Radishes »

A lightly-spiced and creamy cabbage casserole is baked with a crunchy breadcrumb and Parmesan topping. Get the recipe for Red Cabbage Gratin »

This fragrant recipes involves a few ingenious methods for infusing the herb’s brisk flavor into the mash. Get the recipe for Sage Mashed Potatoes »

Infused with the meaty flavor of a smoked turkey leg, these super-tender green beans are wonderful side dish.

Sandra McCray at Dave’s Seafood Carry-Out serves an inventive take on rutabagas by stewing them with pork neck bones and ginger, then caramelizing them with sugar to deepen the flavor. See Recipe for Stewed Rutabagas » Back to Specialty of the House: Inside South Carolina’s Soul Food Restaurants »

This baked corn casserole is a popular side dish at Smokestack restaurant in Kansas City.

These carrots are stewed long enough to concentrate their sweetness; mustard seeds, curry leaves, and chiles provide warm and earthy notes.

Notoriously bitter and tough, broccoli rabe becomes mellow and supple when cooked slowly in a bath of water and olive oil. Get the recipe for Cime di Rapa Fritte (Slow-Cooked Broccoli Rabe) »

Slow-cooked vegetable dishes like this one, a cumin-and paprika-spiced stew of beans and tomatoes, are a standby in many parts of the Middle East. Here, tomatoes and green beans release some of their flavor into the cooking liquid, creating a rich broth.

This flavorful mix of broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, and potatoes is braised in olive oil that’s been infused with rosemary, chile flakes, lemon, and anchovies. Get the recipe for Olive Oil-Braised Vegetables »

Sweet, translucent roasted onions marry beautifully with bechamel and Gorgonzola in this rich casserole. Get the recipe for Creamed Onion Gratin »

Fresh orange juice and plenty of mint enliven ordinary frozen peas. Get the recipe for Peas with Orange and Mint »

Earthy rutabagas and aged Gruyere add intrigue to a classic potato gratin. Get the recipe for Potato and Rutabaga Gratin »

When you caramelize Brussels sprouts in rich bacon fat, the sweet-salty combination is absolutely irresistible. See the recipe for Brussels Sprouts and Bacon »

SAVEUR associate food editor Ben Mims loves brown sugar and black pepper together: the pepper provides a pleasant heat, and the sugar brings out the spice’s latent sweetness. On a rich and earthy baked potato, the combination is a natural. See the recipe for Baked Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar and Black Pepper »

Honey makes for a more flavorful glaze for carrots than sugar does. In this dish, orange zest keeps the sweetness from becoming cloying. See the recipe for Orange and Honey-Glazed Carrots »

In so many green bean casseroles, the beans are cooked well past the point of mushy. In this recipe they keep some snap.

Shallow-frying green beans blisters them on the outside and renders them tender on the inside, with a whisper of a chew.

With ingredients like dill, chiles de árbol, and anchovies, this dish is far from authentic Shanghainese, but it’s totally delicious. Get the recipe for Red-Cooked Eggplant (Hongshao Qiezi) »

Creamed Spinach

Our colorful vegetarian take on terrine features smoky roasted vegetables, tangy goat cheese, and a sun-dried tomato pesto.

Braising—with a healthy dose of soy—is one of our favorite ways to bring out the texture and flavor of winter squash.

Chopped whole lemon and spicy fresh ginger lend brightness to hearty roasted vegetables including sweet potatoes, acorn squash, and carrots.

Toasted cumin seeds, mint, and lime juice intensify the sweetness of simple baked root vegetables. Get the recipe for Cumin-Roasted Carrots and Parsnips»

This simple, satisfying side rounds out any Thanksgiving dinner.

A sauce of unabashedly flavorful ingredients including evaporated milk and, yes, Velveeta cheese, makes for a spectacularly rich take on creamed spinach. Get the recipe for Spinach Madeleine »