15 Thanksgiving Sides You Can Dump and Walk Away From

The post 15 Thanksgiving Sides You Can Dump and Walk Away From appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.

You’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner, and you’ll already be at the stove managing the turkey. The idea of babysitting six more dishes while relatives arrive makes you want to order pizza instead. I burned gravy three years in a row trying to juggle too many burners at once. The third year, I served it anyway and watched my aunt politely push it around her plate while pretending not to notice the scorched taste.

These 15 sides require nothing but assembly and heat. Crockpot Cranberry Sauce costs $5 and cooks itself for four hours, Sheet Pan Sweet Potato Casserole goes straight from counter to oven in five minutes, and Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole frees up your stovetop completely. You’ll actually get to shower before guests arrive.

1. Sheet Pan Sweet Potato Casserole

Cubed sweet potatoes tossed with butter and brown sugar roast on a sheet pan for 45 minutes at 400°F while you handle everything else. The whole thing totals under $8 for eight servings. No boiling, no mashing, no standing over the stove. I add the marshmallow topping during the last 5 minutes so it gets golden without burning. My sheet pan from Target (around $15) handles this plus two other sides rotating through the oven. The potatoes caramelize on the edges without any effort from you. For extra flavor, toss in a teaspoon of cinnamon with the brown sugar before roasting.

2. Crockpot Cranberry Sauce

A 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries, one cup of sugar, and half a cup of orange juice go straight into the slow cooker on high for 2-3 hours. I picked up everything for about $5 total at Walmart. The cranberries pop on their own and turn into glossy sauce without you stirring once. It beats the canned stuff and impresses guests who think you slaved over it. I make this the night before Thanksgiving and stick it in the fridge, then just reheat it in the microwave before serving. Add a cinnamon stick to the crockpot if you want it to smell amazing.

3. Dump and Bake Stuffing

Two boxes of stuffing mix, four cups of chicken broth, a stick of melted butter, and whatever vegetables you have (I use frozen diced onions and celery) go into a 9×13 pan. Everything together runs around $8. Cover it with foil, bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, uncover for 15 more, and you’re done. No sautéing the vegetables first, no watching the stove. When my kids were little, this saved me on those chaotic Thanksgiving mornings when I had three other dishes going. Stir in cooked sausage before baking if you want it heartier.

4. Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole

Combine three drained cans of green beans with two cans of cream of mushroom soup and a cup of milk in the crockpot on low for 4 hours. You’ll spend about $6 total on ingredients. Top with French fried onions during the last 30 minutes so they stay crispy. No boiling beans, no making a sauce from scratch, no oven space needed. Add a handful of shredded cheddar cheese with the onions if your family likes it cheesy.

5. Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

At 425°F for 25 minutes, halved Brussels sprouts and chopped bacon pieces roast themselves into crispy perfection without any stirring needed. For about $10, you’ll feed six people. The bacon fat coats the sprouts as everything cooks, so you don’t even need to toss them in oil first. They come out crispy and caramelized while you’re dealing with the turkey. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar right before serving for a fancy touch.

6. Crockpot Mashed Potatoes

Peel and quarter five pounds of potatoes, then add them to the slow cooker with a cup of chicken broth on low for 4-5 hours. The potatoes cost about $4, and the broth is another dollar. When they’re fork-tender, add butter, sour cream, and milk, then mash them right in the crockpot. No standing at the stove monitoring a boiling pot. The crockpot keeps them warm until dinner without the dried-out top layer you get from leaving them on the stove. Add roasted garlic for extra flavor without extra work.

7. Sheet Pan Roasted Carrots

Toss baby carrots or carrot sticks with honey, butter, and a pinch of thyme, then spread on a sheet pan to roast at 400°F for 30 minutes. A two-pound bag of carrots runs about $2.50, and you probably have the honey and butter already. No peeling, no chopping if you buy baby carrots. They caramelize perfectly without flipping. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving to make them look like you tried harder than you did.

8. Slow Cooker Corn Casserole

Two cans of corn, one can of creamed corn, a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix, a stick of melted butter, and a cup of sour cream get stirred together and dumped into the crockpot on low for 3-4 hours. Everything comes in under $7 total. It sets up into sweet, custardy goodness everyone loves without you opening the oven once. No whisking, no baking dish to scrub later. Top with shredded cheese during the last 30 minutes if your family goes crazy for cheese.

9. Baked Mac and Cheese

When you need a crowd-pleaser that kids devour, this is it. A pound of elbow macaroni, four cups of shredded cheddar (I spend about $8 on cheese), three cups of milk, and two beaten eggs go into a greased 9×13 pan uncooked. Cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 45 minutes, then uncover for 15 more minutes until the top turns golden. The pasta cooks right in the cheese sauce without boiling water first. My grandkids request this every Thanksgiving now, and I’m happy to oblige because it requires maybe five minutes of actual work. Mix in cooked bacon bits before baking for a smokier version.

10. Crockpot Sweet Corn with Cream Cheese

Three bags of frozen corn, an 8-ounce block of cream cheese cut into chunks, and half a stick of butter go into the slow cooker on low for 3 hours. I picked up everything for around $9 at my usual grocery store. The cream cheese melts into the corn and creates this rich, creamy side that tastes way fancier than three ingredients deserve. Stir it once halfway through if you think about it, but honestly, it’s fine if you forget. Add a tablespoon of ranch seasoning mix for a tangy twist that kids love.

11. Sheet Pan Parmesan Asparagus

Spread asparagus spears on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan, then roast at 425°F for 12-15 minutes. For about $7 total, you get an elegant side that looks restaurant-quality. Snap off the woody ends, and you’re done with prep. They roast while you’re carving the turkey or setting the table. The cheese turns crispy and nutty without you doing anything but opening the oven door. Add lemon zest before serving to brighten it up without extra cooking steps.

12. Slow Cooker Cheesy Potatoes

A 32-ounce bag of frozen hash browns, two cans of cream of chicken soup, two cups of sour cream, and two cups of shredded cheddar go into the crockpot on low for 4-5 hours. Everything together totals maybe $12. No pre-cooking the potatoes, no making a sauce separately. This uses the same crockpot as my green beans, just on a different day or in a borrowed one from my neighbor. Top with crushed cornflakes during the last 30 minutes if you want a crunchy topping without extra dishes.

13. Baked Cranberry Orange Relish

This fresh take on cranberry sauce requires zero stovetop time. Dump a bag of fresh cranberries, a quartered orange (peel and all), and a cup of sugar into a food processor, pulse until chunky, then spread in a baking dish. Bake covered at 350°F for 45 minutes. The whole thing costs around $6. You end up with a bright, textured relish that makes the canned stuff taste like, well, canned jelly. Stir in chopped pecans after baking for crunch that elevates the whole dish.

14. Crockpot Apple Cider Brussels Sprouts

Two pounds of halved Brussels sprouts go into the slow cooker with a cup of apple cider, a quarter cup of maple syrup, and salt on low for 4 hours. Budget about $8 total at Trader Joe’s for pre-trimmed sprouts and good cider. They soften without getting mushy and pick up this sweet-savory flavor that makes people who claim to hate Brussels sprouts go back for seconds. No roasting pan to clean, no oven space needed. Add dried cranberries during the last hour for a pop of color and tartness.

15. Sheet Pan Butternut Squash

Pre-cubed butternut squash from the produce section (around $4 for a container) gets tossed with olive oil and cinnamon, then roasted at 400°F for 35 minutes. No peeling, no wrestling with a whole squash and a knife. The cubes caramelize on the edges and get tender in the middle while you’re doing anything else. I buy the pre-cut kind specifically for Thanksgiving because I refused to add “peel squash” to my already overwhelming to-do list. Drizzle with maple syrup before serving to make it taste like you put in way more effort.

You’ve Got This Thanksgiving Covered

The panicked feeling of burning gravy while the turkey timer beeps and someone’s knocking at the door? It ends this year. These sides work because they don’t need you hovering over them with a wooden spoon.

Start with Crockpot Mashed Potatoes if you need your stovetop completely free, try Sheet Pan Sweet Potato Casserole if you want something impressive that takes five minutes to prep, or make Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole when you need a classic that cooks itself. Pick three sides, dump the ingredients, set your timers, and walk away. You’ll have time to shower, set the table, and answer the door without flour in your hair. Your family gets a beautiful Thanksgiving spread, and you get to actually enjoy the day you worked so hard to create.

The post 15 Thanksgiving Sides You Can Dump and Walk Away From appeared first on Penny Pinchin' Mom.