In case you missed it, I’m hosting my first Thanksgiving dinner this year. I’ve never felt more “adult” in my life! I recently shared my table for Thanksgiving, and I got a lot of questions about what I’d be cooking. I’m handing turkey responsibilities over to Duncan but I decided to put together a post with some of the sides I’ll be making in case you’re still looking for ideas.

I’m by no means a chef in the kitchen so I did my best to find recipes that were realistic and easy to put together — especially since I’ll be juggling several sides at one time! If you have any tried and true recipes you live by, let us know in the comments. Happy cooking!

Fried Brussels Sprouts

Half Baked Harvest

Even though these brussels sprouts are fried, they still count as a green, am I right? Besides, calories don’t count on Thanksgiving. According to the recipe, these fried brussels sprouts are extra crispy with a chip-like texture (um, yum!!). I love ordering brussels sprouts when I’m eating at a restaurant and the crispier the better in my opinion! These are also topped with bacon crumbs so you know they’ll be tasty.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Gimme Some Oven

I’m getting hungry just looking at this photo. Mashed potatoes are one of my weaknesses and I love having them as part of our Thanksgiving meal each year. This recipe calls for relatively few ingredients and the steps seem fairly simple compared to some recipes I was looking at recently. These mashed potatoes look perfectly creamy and I can’t wait to make them for the first time!

Green Bean Casserole

The Defined Dish

This side dish immediately takes me back to my childhood Thanksgiving dinners. We were always a green bean casserole kind of family so it’s only natural that I would include it in my first Thanksgiving dinner. I am changing things up a little, however. Instead of following the classic recipe found on the back of Campbell’s soup cans, I’m going to attempt a homemade recipe instead. If you’re looking to save time, the Campbell’s recipe is always a hit!

Classic Thanksgiving Stuffing

Damn Delicious

Is it even Thanksgiving if there’s no stuffing? Since this is my first time making it on my own, I tried to find a recipe that’s as “classic” as possible. I love that this recipe calls for sourdough bread and tons of herbs to give it that flavor you dream of all year long. I love to drizzle a little turkey gravy over my stuffing and voilà — Thanksgiving in a nutshell!

Cranberry Sauce

Mom on Timeout

Who else immediately thinks of Chandler Bing’s famous “Chan-berries” line from Friends when they see cranberry sauce? I know it’s not the most complex recipe, but I personally can’t imagine Thanksgiving without this sweet side. The perfect bite of Thanksgiving dinner in my book includes a piece of turkey, a little stuffing, and just a touch of cranberry sauce. I’m drooling just thinking about it!