Are you planning for the big day? If so, look no further than these cold Thanksgiving side dishes! They're festive, easy to make, and delicious, and they *mostly* can be made ahead of time for a stress-free holiday dinner!
After I've rounded up some of my best cold vegan side dishes, I decided it's time for a holiday edition, featuring everyone's favorite - Thanksgiving.
There are many warm components at a Thanksgiving table - roast turkey, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, gravy, mashed potatoes, etc., and it can be intimidating trying to serve them warm all at once.
That's where these cold Thanksgiving side dishes come into play. And best believe, there are some real winners in this list!
Why Serve Cold Side Dishes?
- They're light, refreshing, and balance out heavier meals. Often when I'm eating something hearty like spaghetti bolognese or meatloaf, I need a fresh and tangy side as a "palate cleanser. This helps to "restart" the pallet so you can enjoy the main dish better. Naturally, most of these cold sides are on the healthy side and are veggie-centered.
- Cold side dishes travel well. You don't have to worry about reheating them or packing them in layers of aluminum foil. This makes traveling less stressful, especially if you're taking the food with you on a potluck or another outside gathering.
- They're a great way to feed a crowd or a large group. If you're hosting many guests, keeping cold Thanksgiving sides in the fridge can be a good way to cut on time and effort.
- Most of these recipes are perfect for make-ahead. This way you can focus on what's really important during the holiday season - your guests!
- No need to stress over reheating! These cold Thanksgiving side dishes can go directly from the fridge to the table. This creates less stress since you don't have to worry about everything being hot at the same time.
Cold Thanksgiving Side Dishes List
Readers Favorites
Before we dive into this list by sections, check out what our readers are obsessed with right now!
The savory tart is my favorite. Which one is yours?
Sweet Potato Beet Salad with Feta
This Sweet Potato Beet Salad is full of color, flavor, and texture! It features feta cheese, walnuts, and caramelized onions, all coated in a honey balsamic dressing. And if you're out of sweet potatoes, you can make it with butternut squash instead!
Cornbread without Buttermilk (Dairy-free)
This Homemade Cornbread is moist, buttery, and has a crispy golden brown crust. It's a delicious Thanksgiving side dish that is a classic and IMO, should be present at every table!
Savory Leek and Kale Tart
The best healthy savory tart stuffed with veggies and creamy tofu filling. It is so easy to make, requiring simple and easy-to-find ingredients that you probably have at home!
Thanksgiving Devilled Eggs
These fun turkey deviled eggs are incredibly cute and will be a huge hit at your table. The best part - you can make the individual components up to 2 days ahead of time. Then all you have to do is fill and decorate the eggs, and they're ready to serve.
Turkey Cheese Ball
This Turkey Cheese Ball is a fun and unique recipe to make that will impress everyone. Not only that but it can also be made a few days ahead of time and can be served both as an appetizer and a side dish.
Thanksgiving salads
I promise these are not your regular boring salads. They're tangy, refreshing, and well-seasoned, and act as palette cleansers.
Serve them with any main dish like meatballs, lasagna, wellington, etc.
I know with salads it can be tricky to prepare them ahead of time.
What I like to do is prepare each component - dressing, rinsed greens, chopped veggies, etc. a day or two before and combine everything just before serving.
Arugula Spinach Salad
This Arugula Spinach Salad with sumac dressing is a light and crisp side dish perfect for any meal! It features creamy avocado, crunchy toasted sunflower seeds and shaved parmesan cheese. Vegan and gluten-free!
Mediterranean Risoni Salad with Spinach and Feta
This Mediterranean Risoni Salad is easy to make and comes together in less than 20 minutes. It's so versatile and is the perfect side to any family dinner!
Cornbread Salad
This cornbread salad comes together quickly and has a delicious combination of flavors. It's best when made with cornbread that is a few days old so it can all of the yummy juices. Great to feed a crowd!
Green Thanksgiving Salad
This is the perfect Thanksgiving salad recipe, loaded with Brussels sprouts, kale, apples, pears, cranberries, pecans & tangy maple syrup dressing.
Thanksgiving Fruit Salad
Thanksgiving Fruit Salad features apples, pears, grapes, oranges, and pecans tossed in a tangy honey orange dressing. This sweet and refreshing fruit salad is a fantastic side dish for the traditionally heavy Thanksgiving dinner.
Apple Fennel Salad
Crisp arugula, thinly shaved apples, and fennel are tossed in a tangy olive oil dressing for the best Thanksgiving cold side dish. This recipe is super refreshing with it's tangy and light flavors, making it great to pair with any main dish.
Vegetable Side Dishes
If you want to serve a veggie-centered cold side dish that is not a salad, here are some of the best options.
Easy Salad Kabobs Recipe
Make these Easy Salad Kabobs for your next dinner party or an upcoming holiday! They are quick and simple to make, and so fun to eat! Your kids and family will love them!
Honey Glazed Baby Carrots
These 15-Minute Honey Glazed Carrots are a delicious way for the family to love their veggies! Perfect as a holiday side dish, as well as any busy weeknight.
Marinated Green Beans
Enjoy this cold green bean salad at your Thanksgiving table! It's made with fresh green beans that are marinated for 4 hours to create a tangy and savory side dish. This recipe can be made 1-2 days in advance to ease all the holiday planning.
Turkey Veggie Tray Appetizer
This cute turkey veggie tray is the perfectly adorable way to make sure your holiday guests eat their vegetables this Thanksgiving. Here is how to make it!
German Marinated Beets
This easy beet salad is a perfect go-to cold side dish to any meal. It looks festive and taste delicious.
Make-Ahead Cold Side Dishes
These recipes can be made a few days ahead of time and can be stored in the fridge until the very last minute.
Creamy Potato Salad without Eggs
This Creamy Potato Salad without Eggs will be your new favorite summer side! All the classic flavors you love, but with a healthy twist! No sour cream needed.
Vegan Zucchini Boats with Lentils
Vegan Stuffed Zucchini Boats are an easy summer dinner that the whole family will enjoy! Stuffed with lentils, tomatoes, and fresh herbs, and topped off with a sprinkle of vegan parmesan!
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
This easy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is a great cold side dish for Thanksgiving. It's perfect to go with those leftover turkey sandwiches too!
Marinated Mozzarella Balls
These Marinated Mozzarella Balls can be made up to 3 days in advance and do not need reheating, meaning you can serve them directly from the fridge to the dinner table. They're marinated in olive oil, fresh herbs, and spices, and are chewy are so fun to eat!
Avocado Deviled Eggs
Try this healthier version of a classic side dish - mayo deviled eggs, but made with avocado instead. These little egg bites are light, savory, and packed with protein, healthy fats, and fiber.
For the deviled eggs, make sure to keep each component in separate containers and combine them before serving.
Marinated Brussels Sprouts
Blanched Brussels sprouts are marinated in a shallot, rosemary, and honey vinaigrette until they're infused with flavor. This is a super easy side dish that anyone can make, but it goes well with everything on the Thanksgiving menu!
Dips and Sauces
And finally, no table is complete without a creamy sauce or dip. They can be served both cold and at room temperature, your choice.
Easy Hummus without Garlic
This Hummus without Garlic is bright, zesty, and easy to make! It comes together in just 5 minutes, and is naturally vegan and gluten-free!
White Bean Dip Recipe
This recipe for white bean dip comes together in just 10 minutes, requiring 10 ingredients and 1 bowl to prepare. This recipe is great for meal prep because it's so easy to make and will last for quite some time. It's vegan and gluten-free as well.
Cranberry Sauce from Dried Cranberries (Craisins)
Making a Cranberry Sauce from Dried Cranberries is an easy way to enjoy this classic holiday dish if you don't have access to fresh cranberries. This recipe has the perfect balance of sweet and tangy and comes together with only 5 ingredients. Naturally vegan and gluten-free!
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
This Cranberry Sauce is sweet, tart, and festive, and it can be made with both frozen or fresh cranberries. With only 6 ingredients and 25 minutes, you can have a homemade sauce that is way better than canned!
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
This creamy spinach artichoke dip is easy to make, with only a few simple ingredients, and ready in no time to dip into all night long!
Philadelphia Cream Cheese Dip
A 5-ingredient, easy Philadelphia cream cheese dip recipe with lots of garlic and that comes together in 5 minutes. This recipe never fails to please at family gatherings or parties!
Creamy Whipped Ricotta
This Whipped Ricotta Dip takes ricotta to a whole new level and it's all happening right in the food processor. It's made with just a few simple ingredients like olive oil, honey, lemon juice, and fresh thyme.
Tomato Eggplant Dip (Zaalouk)
Zaalouk is a Moroccan eggplant and tomato dip that is garlicky, savory, and packed with flavor. It's an amazing side dish, either served straight from the fridge, or at room temperature. And it can be made a few days ahead of time.
If you try any of these cold Thanksgiving side dishes, let me know in the comments below! I'm curious to know which one is your favorite. 🤩
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