Veggie-Centric Side Dishes to Serve This Thanksgiving

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veggie side dishes

For my plate, Turkey Day doesn’t revolve around the turkey. I like turkey, don’t get me wrong. But the sides served on Thanksgiving are what I really like to gorge on. Sweet potato casserole (with pecans, NOT marshmallows) and mashed potatoes are my personal faves, but I will eat all the sides. As a member of a large extended family, I have not hosted my own Thanksgiving. My contribution to the table is normally side dishes.

These recipes are the epitome of basic. They take very little time and effort to prep and cook, so you can throw them together the morning of with plenty of time to spare for football and family.

Roasted Broccoli {Vegan}

Serves 8

  • 3-4 broccoli crowns, cut into florets
  • Olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • Half a lemon

My brother dubbed this “bomb broccoli” at dinner last week. Preheat the oven to 350. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Toss your broccoli in oil and mince in your garlic. Use a zester or fine grater if you have one. Otherwise, you can finely chop and add the garlic. Spread the garlic-y broccoli in a single layer on the pan. Roast in the oven until browned and tender, about 15 minutes. You can turn them once after about 9 minutes or just let them blacken on the one side. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the juice of half a lemon over the broccoli. Easy to transport and reheats well.

Maple Carrots {Vegetarian}

Serves 6

  • 1 pound of baby carrots
  • 1 tablespoon of butter
  • 1 tablespoon of maple syrup

Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter when the pan is hot. While the butter is still foamy, add the carrots and salt them lightly. Let them brown a bit before stirring. In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup with a tablespoon of warm water. Add this in once the carrots have cooked for 3-5 minutes. Stir well and turn down the heat. Simmer until the carrots are just fork tender.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta {Not vegetarian at all}

Serves 4

  • 1 pound of Brussels sprouts
  • Olive oil
  • A few slices of pancetta, chopped
  • 1 shallot, chopped

Preheat the oven to 400. While it heats up, halve the sprouts lengthwise. Toss them in olive oil with the shallots and pancetta. Spread in a single layer on a foil-lined pan. Roast for 15 minutes, then shake the pan and roast for another 10-15 minutes or until the sprouts are brown and tender.

What veggie side dishes are you looking forward to most this Thanksgiving?

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Amy
Amy is a Hudson Valley native and educator working in New York City schools. She has two little kids and one little dog. Before moving to her current home in Ossining, Amy attended college on Long Island and then spent most of her 20s in Brooklyn and Queens. New York is truly home for her, and she’s thrilled to be living closer to her hometown of Garrison and her extended family. As a mom, Amy believes in empowered parenting, and she’s passionate about raising her kids to be partners in the fight for social justice. When she’s not working or trying to figure out nap time, Amy loves hiking, yoga, swimming, and relaxing with her family.