Southern Thanksgiving Menu

If it's your turn to cook Thanksgiving dinner this year, don't stress over the menu. These Southern classic recipes are tried and true crowd-pleasers, you can't go wrong.

Whether you live in the South or simply enjoy cozy home-cooked comfort food, these recipes will hit the spot. From deep-fried turkey to cornbread and collard greens, you'll find it all here.

Whether you're a pro at hosting Thanksgiving dinner and holiday parties or giving it a try for the first time this year, you're sure to find my ultimate guide to planning Thanksgiving a help! Don't forget to safely thaw your holiday turkey early, too!

1. Green Bean Casserole

No Southern Thanksgiving menu is complete without green bean casserole. Particularly one made using cream of mushroom soup and crispy fried onions.

This savory, cheesy, crunchy casserole is always a hit. For my top tips and tricks, stop by my page on how to make green bean casserole.

2. Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes

One of my all-time favorite sides for any meal is also a fantastic side dish at any holiday table. It's exceptionally suited to serving with your Thanksgiving roasted turkey.

Plus, no Southern-themed meal would be complete without these deliciously spiced candied sweet potatoes.

3. Baked Mac and Cheese

All mac and cheese is good mac and cheese, but nothing compares to baked Southern mac and cheese. It's ooey-gooey and cheesy inside but the top gets nice and brown for added texture.

This recipe features 3 kinds of cheese and heavy cream, so it's extra rich and indulgent.

4. Buttermilk Cornbread

Buttermilk cornbread is a Southern classic year-round. It's great for sopping up gravy or scooping up mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving in particular.

The combination of buttermilk and sour cream keeps this cornbread delightfully moist. Add some butter and enjoy.

5. Apple Pie

It's not uncommon to see an apple pie or two on a Southern Thanksgiving table. This apple pie is made with fresh Granny Smith apples and my easy, homemade apple pie spice.

Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla Blue Bell ice cream for a true Southern experience.

6. Deviled Eggs

People call deviled eggs an appetizer but in the South, they are a well-loved part of the meal. Every plate will have a few stacked on top of their piles of turkey and potatoes.

You can't go wrong with this classic deviled eggs recipe. Trust me, you'll want to make extra.

7. Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Mashed sweet potatoes add just enough sweetness to add some diversity to the Thanksgiving spread. Add a few pats of butter and that's all you need.

It doesn't matter if you already have traditional mashed potatoes or a sweet potato casserole on the menu. These mashed sweet potatoes can hold their own.

8. Potato Salad

Potato salad is a great side dish, or sometimes it can be offered up as an appetizer while everyone waits for the full meal. This recipe features all of your favorite baked potato toppings mixed right in.

It's cool and refreshing, yet hearty and filling. It's also surprisingly easy to make.

9. Candied Yams

Thanksgiving can't go on without a casserole dish full of candied yams with marshmallows. It looks like a dessert, it tastes like a dessert, yet everyone will be slapping it on their plate right next to the turkey.

Butter, brown sugar, and marshmallows make up this heavenly sweet side dish. The slightly browned tops of the baked marshmallows are the best part.

10. Corn Casserole

Corn casserole, corn souffle, corn pudding, or spoon bread, no matter what you call it, this recipe is a Thanksgiving must-have. Using Jiffy baking mix and canned corn is not only tradition, but it makes the recipe 10x easier.

11. Collard Greens

Collard greens are a must-have Southern side dish at any get-together, Thanksgiving included. You can make them with bacon, collard greens with ham hocks, or even black-eyed peas with collard greens.

Collard greens are savory and salty. They are totally delicious next to a heaping pile of turkey and mashed potatoes.

12. Creamed Corn and Honey Cornbread

When it comes to cornbread in the South, you have options. This honey cornbread made with creamed corn is soft and moist while also slightly sweet.

Bits of corn are speckled throughout the cornbread, which adds a delightful texture. It's an easy, must-try side for your next family Thanksgiving.

13. Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash is a classic fall ingredient and it makes a fabulous soup. This soup is thick, rich, and creamy with a warm subtle sweet flavor.

It makes a great starter before Thanksgiving dinner.

14. Sausage Stuffing

Fluffy stuffing full of savory sausage is almost as important as the turkey in any Southern household. Add some sage and celery for flavor and texture, it doesn't get any better.

For a truly Southern experience, mix in some chopped pecans. Though it is delicious either way.

15. Oyster Dressing (Oyster Stuffing)

Oysters add a briny depth of flavor to traditional stuffing (without making it taste like seafood). This old-school recipe is still around for a reason.

If you have any guests who are wary of oysters in their dressing, just let them try a bite. It will surely change their mind.

16. Deep Fried Turkey

You can roast, smoke, or bake a turkey, but in the South, fried turkey is king. Deep frying a whole turkey gets the skin delectably crispy while the inside stays tender and moist.

If you want to truly have a Southern-style Thanksgiving dinner, use the giblets to make classic turkey gravy.

💭 Tips For A Southern Thanksgiving Dinner

1. Comfort food. Southern comfort is what it's all about when it comes to Thanksgiving dinner in the South. There can never be too many sides of mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and other classic comfort food recipes. Basically, If you didn't wear your stretchy pants to Thanksgiving dinner in the South, you messed up.
2. Fried Turkey. Sure, people also roast and bake turkeys in the South, but deep-fried turkey is a big deal. The crispiness is unmatched. Don't worry, it still tastes great with classics like gravy or cranberry sauce.
3. Dessert is its own event. Pies, cakes, cookies, and other sweet treats are a Thanksgiving must, and normally, there are plenty of options. It's not abnormal to wait a while after dinner to make sure there's plenty of room for dessert.
4. All the casseroles. If everything but the turkey was a casserole, Southerners would be just fine with that. Green bean casserole, mashed potato casserole, and sweet potato casserole for dessert, what more do you need?

With this Southern Thanksgiving menu, you may end up hosting Thanksgiving dinner from here on out. Tell me if your Turkey Day was a success by dropping a comment below.

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