The star of Thanksgiving (or Friendsgiving) is arguably the golden, gleaming, tender turkey. While magnificent, it’s the amazing side dishes that give the holidays their colorful, delicious and distinctive flair. Thanksgiving side dishes make the meal!
Do more with your Thanksgiving menu this year and use walnuts in your scrumptious side dishes. They add texture, crunch and a complex flavor profile that’s nutty and earthy. They elevate every dish and pair well with all flavors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami. Cooking with walnuts is simple for all the complexity this wholesome ingredient adds to each bite.
Roasted Veggies
Roasted Vegetables with Walnuts and Herbs are a rustic, caramelized, sweet and savory Thanksgiving side dish. This is the perfect plant-forward accent to succulent turkey. Burnt-orange butternut squash, purple-red beets, red onions, sunny parsnips and rainbow carrots are paired with fresh herbs that lift and marry these veggies into one medley.
At mid-roast add in garlic and the rich sweetness of balsamic vinegar. As the roast continues, veggie juices and vinegar caramelize to coat each mouthful. Toss walnut pieces on top until toasted for extra flavor and crunch.
Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries and Walnuts are Thanksgiving on a plate. Roasting Brussels sprouts brings out their sweet, nutty, smoky flavors that partner perfectly with walnuts, while Dijon mustard, orange juice and maple syrup help draw out the vegetable’s sugars giving it lovely brown caramel edges. Fresh cranberries dress the dish in lavish color and bursting flavor. Roasting the walnuts at the end intensifies those irresistible walnut tones. This is an easy dish, pulled together in 30 minutes, but it’s fresh, rich and elegant on the table.
Sweet Potatoes
Is it dessert? Is it a side dish? Who cares? Pile it on your plate. Sweet Potato Casserole with Crunchy Walnut and Brown Sugar Topping screams, “I love Thanksgiving!” This family favorite can be made in less than an hour. This special recipe uses a combination of brown sugar, butter and toasted walnuts for the sweet and creamy crunch on top. No one can resist the aroma of his casserole bubbling in the oven.
Or … jump to another idea altogether with these individual portions of Walnut and Cranberry Stuffed Sweet Potatoes. The simplicity of the ingredients allows each one to sing. The sweet potatoes bake to a tender mouthful. The stuffing includes walnuts, dried cranberries for extra zing, dark brown sugar for intense sweetness, a pinch of salt for contrast, a healthy dose of cinnamon and luxuriant maple syrup drizzled on top at the end.
Stuffing & Cranberries
This classic Walnut and Cranberry Stuffing is a must-have Thanksgiving side dish. It borrows from the South’s traditional use of sausage in dressings as much as from New England’s fondness for cranberries. And no leftover bread — only challah will do, diced and toasted. Sauté the walnuts to pull the oils to the surface and toast in a deeper method for subtle flavors. Sugared cranberries explode in the heat and express deep-red juices the bread will gladly soak up. The mild Italian sausage adds the licorice of fennel, a slight taste of garlic and a meaty texture. Your eaters will love this delectable option over simple bread and butter.
Cranberries are an essential Thanksgiving side dish on your menu. This Zinfull Cranberry Relish might yet become your favorite version of this holiday standard. It whips up in 30 minutes with only five ingredients and does not require advanced refrigeration. Yet it packs all the power of cranberries’ wholesomeness, the fresh zing of orange, the subtle fruity essence of walnuts and the unmistakable mellow sweetness of golden honey. Cranberry relish always complements turkey. But this easy and unconventional use of cranberries and wine will elevate your turkey dinner in dramatic ways.
Bonus Tip: What to Do with Leftovers
Mashed potatoes is the most common Thanksgiving side dish. Odds are not only will you be serving this dish, but you will have leftovers. Leftover Mashed Potato-Broccoli-Walnut Cakes help you make good use of them. In a day or two, create an entirely new and exciting food by forming extra ingredients into patties and rolling them in ground California walnuts. Sautéed in butter until brown, these little cakes are golden and crispy on the outside, but flavorful and soft on the inside for a surprising and filling brunch treat.
Thanksgiving is about coming home, gathering, being thankful for one another and enjoying those you love over a lavish assortment of comforting dishes. Elbow to elbow, dig into the side dishes that take your holiday meal to new heights. Do more this year. Let California walnuts lead the way.
