30 Last Minute Thanksgiving Dishes

Can you believe it’s already Thanksgiving? Some days I feel like October and November flew, but others felt like they couldn’t go fast enough. Time is weird.

Anyway, if you guys are like me, you probably need some last minute Thanksgiving ideas. If you’re like me, you told yourselves, “I’ll start making certain things early and then freeze them so they’re ready to go and I’ll have less to do on Thanksgiving Day.” And then you did a whole lot of nothing. Yep.

So here, for us last minute-ers, are some quick(ish), but definitely easy Thanksgiving side dishes you should totally try out this year!

Last Minute Side Dishes

1. Bourbon Maple Glazed Carrots

I’m not normally a fan of cooked carrots, but these sound too good not to try!

2. Classic Deviled Eggs

This is how my family has always made deviled eggs. For us, we never measure anything out. Just taste taste taste until it’s right.

3. Candied Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole

Is sweet potato casserole a side dish or a dessert? My family always has it on the table with the food, but it tastes like it should be a dessert.

4. Sweet Potato Casserole

The biggest reason I hear for why people don’t like sweet potato casserole (assuming they don’t) is that they hate the marshmallow topping. I personally love it, but if you don’t try this marshmallow-free version!

5. Roasted Potato Side Dish

I usually just make mashed potatoes and stick to that, but this is so pretty and I bet it tastes amazing. If it doesn’t get made for Thanksgiving, it will get made for something.

6. Slow Cooker Creamed Corn

I’m not a huge fan of creamed corn, but for those of you who are, this is made in a slow cooker. And slow cookers make everything better. 😛

7. The Best Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole is my favorite side dish and this one from The Novice Chef looks so good!

8. Vegetable Tian

I’ve made this for the last three years and it’s always a pretty huge hit. One of my favorite dishes all-year-round, actually. 😛 It’s also very easy to make (especially if you have a mandolin).

9. Quick and Easy Yeast Rolls

Want homemade rolls, but hate kneading? Give these a shot!

10. Honey Whiskey Apple and Sweet Potato Bake

You had me at “whiskey,” Heather.

Last Minute Desserts

11. Pistachio Salad from Rick A Bam Boo

When I saw this on Amber’s blog, I wasn’t 100% what to think. Pistachios are good…but as a salad? And then I took a look at her recipe and at the picture and now I need to try this!

12. Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Spread

This looks fantastic! It would make a great snack while everyone is cooking/watching the game or a nice after-dinner treat.

13. Marbled Pumpkin Pie

This is from my own blog. I made this for the first Thanksgiving Zach and I had as a married couple and it is still my favorite version of pumpkin pie. It tastes wonderful and it looks so fancy. But that marbled look is VERY easy to achieve! Use a store-bought pie crust to make this simpler.

14. Marbled Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

It’s the cheesecake version of my pie! When I saw this recipe last year, I immediately ran and got the ingredients. Guys. Oh my. You NEED this in your life. Seriously.

15. Skinny NO BAKE Pumpkin Pie from Divas Run for Bling

A no bake pie? Sign me up! The less I have to use my oven, the better!

16. Mini Pumpkin Pies from Home is Where the Boat Is

Adorable! They’re also much easier to store than a whole pie and even easier to convince people to take off your hands at the end of the night. 😛

17. Baked Pear with Walnuts & Honey

This is perfect if you are watching your waistline. And it looks delicious. I have a couple pears I may be trying this on tonight. 😀

18. Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

I’ve always found cakes to be easier than pies and cheesecakes. If you’re in the same boat, then maybe give this a shot!

19. Homemade Apple Pie

My father-in-law doesn’t like pumpkin pie much, so my mother-in-law always makes him a separate apple pie. If this is something you prefer, this is a pretty simple and traditional recipe to try! (You can make it easier by substituting the top crust with some streusel, like I did with my blackberry pie.)

20. Grain-Free, Gluten-free Apple Pie

Can’t eat grains? Try this apple pie with an almond flour crust!

21. Easy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie

There is also GF pumpkin pie! And the crust sounds fantastic. (Definitely looks easy, as well!)

Last Minute Beverages

22. Cranberry, Orange, and Apple White Sangria

Making a big batch of a mixed drink is much cheaper than providing a bunch of different wine selections. And this is very fall.

23. Pomegranate Fizz from Year-Round Giving

It’s pom season! I know pomegranates are generally associated with winter and Christmas, but I think this would work for Thanksgiving, as well.

24. Caramel Apple Sangria

Yeah, yeah, I posted this in October, as well. But I still haven’t tried it and I still REALLY want to.

25. Pumpkin Spice Latte

Those of us who plan to be cooking all day would probably like a little pick-me-up. Zach and I tried this a couple months ago and it blew me away. This is hands-down the BEST pumpkin spice latte I’ve ever had. And it’s made in a slow cooker!

26. Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Cider

Nothing says “fall” more than apple cider. So why not keep some warm and ready-to-go throughout the day?

27. Cranberry Cider

I can think of a few people who are less than excited about anything cranberry. But I would LOVE to give this a shot. I love cranberries and I love cider–what could possibly go wrong?

28. Pumpkin Breakfast Smoothie

If you want a quick breakfast before you start cooking, this is perfect. I’ve had it a couple times and it’s delicious and it can keep me going for quite a while.