Your Thanksgiving Side Dish A-Listers Revealed

Ok, folks. We’ve all said it. There’s one day a year we really get to load up our plate, so why not go for it? Especially given the year we’ve all had, it shouldn’t come as too much of a shock to hear that comforting, carb-heavy classics such as potatoes, stuffing, mac & cheese and dinner rolls lead the way when it comes to your favorite Thanksgiving side dishes for 2020. Of course, that’s not ALL there is to it when Google Analytics released their most searched side dishes by state this year. Turns out that side salads are de riguer in Maine, deviled eggs are tops in Indiana, and broccoli casserole a menu staple in Kentucky.

Just check it out:

Herewith, the recipes and ingredients you’re getting the most excited about this Thanksgiving, in order of how hungry y’all apparently are in the 30 days prior to the Big Day…PLUS all the recipes you’ll need to find just the right preparation.

1. Mashed Potatoes

Few Thanksgiving purists can imagine a better bowl for their turkey gravy than a big pile of mashed potatoes on their plate. For the truly dedicated, making mashed potatoes is an art worthy of attempts at multiple variations and special tools to get the job done right. For the pragmatic (or the harried…or both!), there’s also plenty of fully prepared and oven-ready options from which to choose, as well as some stellar make-ahead recipes.

2. Stuffing…or is it Dressing?

This savory bread casserole gets lots of T-Day love throughout the states. Known as “dressing” in the Southeast and “stuffing” almost everywhere else, this American classic is a dish most people enjoy only once or twice a year, so it’s certainly deserving of some extra interest. Every cook has their own version of the classic—each featuring a different type of bread and mix of ingredients. If 2020 has you looking for shortcuts, consider one of our stellar stuffing mixes to get the party started then include your own favorite add-ins. And, just to put the debate over terminology to rest, folks…stuffing cooks inside the bird, dressing in a baking dish!

3. Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole (and casseroles in general!) are proof positive that people search the classics when it comes to holiday cooking. Seven states searched for this mushroom-soup standby, though we’d argue that our elevated version featuring fresh ingredients is the one to make. (Or this gorgeous one, with fried shallots.) Need to save time? We’ve got the starter mix you want (featuring porcini mushrooms!), or we can send you the whole kit and caboodle. (You’ll want two trays for two separate occasions, and that’s what this baby contains.)

4. Mac & Cheese

Always in style, mac and cheese can be made using any noodle, nearly any cheese, and whatever end or odd of dairy that’s soon to go off in the fridge. (Think: heavy cream, whole milk, sour cream or yogurt.) No wonder it’s so popular in the Carolinas as a T Day side dish nonpareil. And ahem, you can order ours (it’s epic) for delivery.

5. Dinner Rolls

Parker house! Crescent! Cloverleaf! When it comes to dinner rolls (and bread recipes, in general), the possibilities are positively endless. For many, Thanksgiving dinner just wouldn’t be complete without a bread basket on the table, so it’s no wonder that folks from Oregon to West Virginia are looking for ways to fill them up. Making rolls from scratch can be a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen. And, if you’re interested in more of a short-cut than a project, there are plenty of bread mixes to make the task an easy one. In either case, there’s little better than slathering a generous pat of butter onto a hot-from-the-oven roll you’ve made yourself.