45 Best 9x13 Thanksgiving Sides That Feed A Crowd

These recipes are perfect for big gatherings on Turkey Day.

By

Mary Alice Russell

Updated on September 5, 2024

Creamy Whipped Potato Casserole — Photo: Atonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, everyone knows that the true star of the meal is not the oven-roasted turkey, but the sides. From sweet potato casserole to cornbread dressing to macaroni and cheese, we want to help you pick tasty recipes that will make your Thanksgiving a success. That's why Southern Living has pulled together some of our favorite 9x13 side dishes that will make your holiday as hands-free and make-ahead as possible. These recipes will round out the menu for anyone hosting a large family gathering or bringing a side to a holiday feast. Thanksgiving is all about gratitude, and we promise you will be mighty thankful for these sides.

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Best Homemade Macaroni And Cheese

Best-Ever Macaroni and Cheese — Photographer: Stacy K. Allen. Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

You can never go wrong with a classic. Southerners are firm believers that this dish belongs on every holiday table, and Thanksgiving is no exception. Made with both white and yellow cheddar and a little bit of onion, this recipe can be made up until step two a day in advance.

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Scalloped Corn Casserole

Scalloped Corn Casserole - Southern Living — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Does it get any more traditional than a scalloped side? We don't think so. With frozen corn, buttered crackers, and mayonnaise, this dish makes us feel at home.

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Cornbread Casserole

Southern Living Cornbread Casserole with a serving scooped out into a bowl — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Combine cornbread with silky, creamy creamed corn in this crowd-pleasing cornbread casserole. It starts with a box of corn muffin mix and turns into a side dish perfect for the Thanksgiving spread.

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Tomato Pudding

Southern Living Tomato Pudding in the baking dish with a serving scooped out — Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ana Kelly, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

Tomato pudding is a savory version of the classic bread dish. Brown sugar elevates the savory tomato sauce flavors, herbs, and sourdough bread. The fresh tomatoes on top are a nice addition amid the rest of the Thanksgiving feast.

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Hot Buttered Rum Bread Pudding

Hot Buttered Rum Bread Pudding — Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

This aromatic mixture of fall goodness uses brown sugar, warming spices, rum, and—surprisingly—black pepper. If you prefer to skip the alcohol, you can substitute maple syrup. Fall has never tasted so sweet.

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Macaroni Corn Casserole

Macaroni Corn Casserole — Will Dickey; Prop Styling: Christina Daley; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

This dish's melty, gooey goodness isn't just chance. It's a tried-and-true balance of flavors: savory bacon, white Cheddar and Gruyere cheeses, and panko topping; sweet corn kernels and scallions; and spicy dry mustard and cayenne pepper.

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Broccoli-Cheese Casserole

broccoli cheese casserole - Southern Living — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

It's always good to have a casserole recipe in your back pocket, and this is the perfect one to have on hand. Cheese and broccoli never disappoint, but this dish also has a crunchy cracker topping going for it.

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Savory Corn Pudding

Savory Corn Pudding — Emily Laurae / Southern Living

We love this corn pudding for its delicate, dessert-like quality that just keeps us coming back for more. You can make this dish three or four days in advance, or you can freeze it for up to a month if (for some odd reason) you have leftovers.

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Bacon-Brussels Sprout-Green Bean Casserole

Bacon-Brussels Sprout-Green Bean Casserole — VICTOR PROTASIO; PROP STYLING: GINNY BRANCH STELLING; FOOD STYLING: EMILY NABORS HALL

Brussels sprouts might not be your go-to dish for Thanksgiving, but this recipe will make you reconsider. Make this casserole up to three days in advance (prepared up to step four), and then add the toppings and bake the day you're planning to serve.

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Classic Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes

Classic Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes — Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Amy Burke

Let's face it, potatoes and cheese make everything better. After only 20 minutes of hands-on work, sit back and let the oven do the cooking. We recommend stirring gently every 10 minutes so the potatoes cook evenly, then adding a layer of cheese to brown at the end.

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Sweet Potato-Carrot Casserole

Sweet Potato-Carrot Casserole — Iain Bagwell; Styling: Amy Burke

Sweet potatoes and carrots: Who knew? Topped with spiced pecans and mini marshmallows, this dish is sure to delight. Tangy sour cream and lemon zest add a little more sparkle than the average sweet potato casserole.

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Sweetie's Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweetie’s Sweet Potato Casserole — Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

This recipe comes from chef and restaurateur Kelsey Barnard Clark's great-grandmother's kitchen. There is a reason Clark has held onto this recipe—not only is it delicious, but assembling this dish is just about as easy as it comes.

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Grits Dressing

Grits Dressing Recipe — Laurey W. Glenn

A favorite from 1993 that's still in our holiday rotation, this recipe consists of savory cornbread, fragrant herbs, and—of course—classic grits. You can make the grits two days before you put the dressing together to cut down on Thanksgiving day prep.

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Classic Cornbread Dressing

Classic Cornbread Dressing — Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

With homemade cornbread cooked in a cast iron skillet, this dressing is as true to tradition as they come. To achieve that classic dressing texture, let the cornbread dry out for two days before serving.

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Savory Sweet Potato Casserole

Savory Sweet Potato Casserole - Southern Living — Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Torie Cox; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Savory and sweet potato are usually not paired together during the holidays, but trust us when we say this dish is delish. Sprinkled with a Parmesan-herb streusel topping, this recipe has the bite we love about traditional sweet potato casserole without all the added sugar.

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Parker House Rolls

Parker House Rolls in a teal dish — Photographer: Alison Miksch / Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn / Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman

These delicate yeast rolls sprinkled with sea salt will please your crowd, but do not count on having too many left over. Good thing you can fit 24 of them in your 9x13.

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Baked Mac And Cheese With Bacon

Southern LIving Baked Mac and Cheese with Bacon ready to serve — Alison Miksch, Food Stylist: Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

Macaroni and cheese is good on its own, but when you add bacon you have really made something special. This rich dish is perfect to serve your hungry guests and fill them up, too.

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Old-School Green Bean Casserole

13x9 casserole, green bean casserole — Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

While there are other options for this dish on this list, we'll never shy away from the classic, canned fried onion version. Make the base ahead of time, then add toppings and bake when you're ready to serve.

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Savory Sweet Potato Bread Pudding

Savory Sweet Potato Bread Pudding — Hector Manuel Sanchez

Meet the new family favorite. This hearty recipe adds a welcome spin on classic bread pudding with sweet potato and a cheesy Parmesan custard. Eight thick-cut slices of bacon make it even richer.

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Loaded Cauliflower Casserole

loaded cauliflower casserole in a baking dish and bowls — Stacy K. Allen; Props: Julia Bayless; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer

This cauliflower casserole recipe gets an infusion of flavor from multiple cheeses, bacon, chives, sour cream, and more. It's like a lighter, loaded baked potato for the whole Thanksgiving crowd.

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Aunt Grace's Best Cornbread Dressing

Aunt Grace's Famous Cornbread Dressing — Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Even if you aren't acquainted with Aunt Grace, you'll love her cornbread dressing recipe, much of which you can prep ahead of time. It includes three types of bread in addition to the cornbread, which she breaks up with a wooden spoon for an extra-smooth dressing.

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Oyster Casserole

Oyster Casserole, easter casseroles 9x13 casseroles — Greg DuPree

For some families, it just isn't Thanksgiving without an oyster casserole on the table. If you'd like to try one this year, look no further than our classic take on the dish. Our Test Kitchen did some tinkering and came up with what we think is the best version ever: plump oysters baked in a rich Parmesan cream sauce and topped with buttery breadcrumbs.

23 of 45

Sweet Potato, Cauliflower, And Greens Casserole

Sweet Potato, Cauliflower, and Greens Casserole — Hector Manuel Sanchez

Full of flavor, this fan-favorite side dish combines sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and greens into a lively mealtime accompaniment. This casserole works well as a vegetarian main dish or a side dish.

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Meringue-Topped Sweet Potato Casserole

Southern Living Sweet Potato Casserole with a lightly torched meringue topping — Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

If you're looking to wow your crowd, this is the recipe to break out. Besides looking gorgeous, the meringue topping has a bonus: It contains a lot less sugar than marshmallows.

25 of 45

Southern Cornbread Dressing

Southern Cornbread Dressing — Photographer: Brittany Conerly; Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin

If you're craving a traditional cornbread dressing for the classic flavors of sage, onion, and celery, we're here for you. We've provided a recipe for the cornbread crumbles it is based on, but you can substitute your favorite cornbread instead.

26 of 45

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Twice-Baked Potato Casserole - Southern Living — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Give your crowd a loaded baked potato in convenient casserole form. This comforting, cheesy dish can be prepared one day in advance and chilled unbaked in the refrigerator. Let the casserole come to room temperature before popping it in the oven.

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Corn Pudding Casserole

Corn Pudding Casserole — Courtney West

This version of the classic Corn Pudding Casserole is made with fontina or Swiss cheese for an ultra-creamy, slightly sharp dish. Besides the specialty cheeses, the ingredients for this comforting casserole are all fairly basic: half-and-half and eggs provide the custard-like base, while fresh chives and thyme add a little brightness.

28 of 45

Creamed Cabbage-And-Leek Gratin

Creamed cabbage and leek gratin in a casserole dish on a table with water glasses, a small bowl of thyme, a serving spoon, and a napkin. — Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell

This potato-less gratin frees you from careful slicing and delicate arranging. The only trick is to cook the savory cheese sauce until it thickens so that your gratin won't be watery. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

29 of 45

Scalloped Potatoes And Ham

Scalloped Potatoes with Ham — Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Give your scalloped potatoes a meaty upgrade to satisfy big appetites. This recipe uses 8 ounces of pork, which you can set aside from your holiday ham. Otherwise, this is a very simple, classic recipe that will please the pickiest eaters.

30 of 45

Sausage Stuffing

Sausage Stuffing — Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox

We put a Southern spin on this Thanksgiving favorite by using Conecuh smoked sausage. Use soft white bread with an open, tender crumb that can soak up the stock and spices. You can get a head start by toasting the bread a couple of days in advance and storing it in an airtight container.

31 of 45

Cranberry-Apple Casserole

Cranberry-Apple Casserole — Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox

On Thanksgiving, a lot of dishes that could be classified as desserts are allowed to pass as sides. This sweet fruit and oat crumble definitely can be interpreted either way, but we think the tart cranberries will go perfectly with your turkey.

32 of 45

Tee's Corn Pudding

Tee's Corn Pudding — Emily Laurae/Southern Living

This slightly sweet, custardy corn pudding has been a reader favorite for decades. With only eight ingredients and very little hands-on time, the recipe is a busy cook's dream. Instead of fresh corn, substitute frozen whole kernel corn or canned shoepeg corn, drained.

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Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows, Pecans, And Cornflakes

Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows, Pecans, and Cornflakes — Courtney West

This is the kind of sweet potato casserole many of us grew up on: sweet and utterly decadent. The cornflakes add extra crunch to the marshmallow topping. Arrange it in diagonal lines with a little space in between, then pile on the marshmallows between rows.

34 of 45

Scalloped Oysters

Scalloped Oysters — ANTONIS ACHILLEOS; PROP STYLING: KATHLEEN VARNER; FOOD STYLING: EMILY NABORS HALL.

This recipe is for those who like to focus on the fresh, briny flavor of oysters complemented simply with crushed crackers. Oyster casserole has graced Southern Thanksgiving tables for decades (we published our first Oyster Casserole recipe back in 1967). Some recipes feature all kinds of extra ingredients, but this recipe distills it down to the basics.

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Party Potatoes

Party Potatoes - Southern Living — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

There isn't a holiday dinner this popular hashbrown casserole hasn't been invited to. Made creamy with canned cream of chicken soup and dusted with cornflakes for crunch, this comforting dish pairs well with any Thanksgiving menu.

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Okra And Rice Casserole

Okra and Rice Casserole — Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

This casserole rolls several side dish flavors into one with lots of vegetables, rice, spice, and crunchy croutons. Cut the okra into larger pieces to keep the slime under control.

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Tennessee Onions

Southern Living Tennessee Onions in the dish ready to serve — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

If you're not familiar with this unique dish, you need to be. You'll need sweet onions, smoked Gouda and mild Cheddar, butter, and herbs to make this simple but delightful side.

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Candied Sweet Potatoes

Southern Living Candied Sweet Potatoes in the baking dish to serve — Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

Sweet potatoes cook up tender in a sorghum glaze made with brown sugar, bourbon, rosemary, and cayenne for well-balanced flavor. The trick to even cooking is to stir the potatoes every 20 minutes during baking.

39 of 45

Roasted Tomato Macaroni And Cheese

Roasted Tomato Macaroni and Cheese — Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Give mac and cheese a glow up. A roasted tomato topping will attract the adults, and the kids will love that their old favorite is on the buffet.

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Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes With Cream Cheese

mashed potatoes in a white oval dish — Hannah Zimmerman / Southern Living

It's just not Thanksgiving without mashed potatoes, and this make-ahead version can be made up to two days ahead so you can focus on other things on Turkey Day. Just let the prepared casserole sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.

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Cheesy Potato Casserole

Cheesy Potato Casserole — Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Egg yolks and cream give this potato casserole ultra creaminess. Add in butter, white Cheddar cheese, and Parmesan for over-the-top cheesiness. One bite and you'll realize it's worth the splurge.

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Hot Potato Salad

Hot Potato Salad — Helen Norman

This potato salad defies convention—it's not your typical chilled picnic side. Served hot, this casserole is a combination of a potato salad and a gratin. The creamy potatoes are made even better with cheese, bacon, and Spanish olives.

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Ham Delights

Ham Delights - Southern Living — Antonis Achilleos; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn

While these aren't your typical side, on holidays, anything goes. And no one will question a casserole dish of these sweet and salty ham sliders topped with everything bagel seasoning.

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Buttermilk Spoon Bread

Buttermilk Spoon Bread — Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

This dish is a cross between several traditional Thanksgiving sides—cornbread dressing, cornbread, and a soufflé. It has the consistency of a pudding and is a good match for other holiday favorites.

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Creamy Whipped Potato Casserole

Creamy Whipped Potato Casserole — Atonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

We love plain-old mashed potatoes, but mashed potato casserole is a step above. This recipe's broiled top contrasts with its smooth, creamy interior for a flavor and texture you'll come back to again and again.

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