These 13 Thanksgiving Potatoes Are the Side Dish Everyone Is Really Waiting For

At Thanksgiving, everyone talks about the turkey, but I’ve noticed what happens when the potatoes hit the table: suddenly everyone wants a little more.

I didn’t grow up with Thanksgiving as a family tradition, so potatoes were one of the easiest parts of the meal for me to understand, especially because they can take so many forms, from creamy mashed potatoes to crispy roasted ones and rich, cheesy bakes.

These 13 Thanksgiving potato recipes are the kind of sides I’d happily make the centerpiece of the plate, even if the turkey gets all the attention.

Russian Fried Potatoes

My grandfather taught me that simple skillet potatoes, fried golden with sweet onions, always disappear faster than fancy side dishes at a family dinner. Slicing up basic spuds and frying them until crispy brings an old-school comfort that makes everyone forget about standard holiday mash.
Get the Recipe: Russian Fried Potatoes

Potatoes Romanoff

Friends always ask for the secret behind this steakhouse classic casserole filled with grated potatoes in a rich sour cream and cheese sauce. Baking the heavy cream and potatoes together creates a bubbling, golden side dish that steals the spotlight from the turkey every single year.
Get the Recipe: Potatoes Romanoff

Scalloped Potatoes

Thin potato slices baked in a bubbling homemade cream sauce will save you when you want a holiday side dish that feels fancy without any fuss. They bubble away in the oven until tender and cheesy, leaving any plain baked spud completely in the dust.
Get the Recipe: Scalloped Potatoes

Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes

Holiday tables can feel repetitive, so swirling nutty browned butter into fresh boiled spuds changes the whole game. It turns standard mashed potatoes into something wonderfully rich and velvety, making guests leave plain spuds behind.
Get the Recipe: Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes

Smoked Au Gratin Potatoes

Adding a rustic smoke twist to classic au gratin potatoes creates a rich, comforting side dish with an unexpected edge for Thanksgiving. Cheesy, bubbling potato layers infused with wood-fired flavor easily steal the spotlight from ordinary holiday starches.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Au Gratin Potatoes

Loaded Baked Potato Bites

Crispy golden potato bites filled with melted cheddar, bacon, sour cream, and green onions are the fun finger food everyone gathers around before dinner. These bite-sized snacks give you all the best parts of a loaded potato without needing a fork on the holiday table.
Get the Recipe: Loaded Baked Potato Bites

Party Potatoes

Feeding a massive hungry crowd on Thanksgiving means you need a giant casserole of rich party potatoes that people will line up for. Chunky potatoes mixed with a creamy cheese sauce bake up bubbling and golden, beating a plain baked spud by a mile.
Get the Recipe: Party Potatoes

Parmesan Crusted Potatoes

Piling parmesan cheese directly onto a hot baking pan creates a salty, crunchy crust on every potato half that is impossible to resist. This simple trick turns ordinary potato chunks into the most sought-after side dish on your Thanksgiving buffet.
Get the Recipe: Parmesan Crusted Potatoes

Garlic Butter Fondant Potatoes

Thick potato rounds seared in a hot pan and roasted in garlic butter make your dinner table feel special with very little kitchen stress. Letting the centers soften and melt-in-your-mouth tender creates a rich texture that easily beats a basic baked potato.
Get the Recipe: Garlic Butter Fondant Potatoes

Slow Cooker Cheesy Ranch Bacon Potatoes

Tossing potatoes into the slow cooker with ranch seasoning, cheddar, and bacon is my favorite hands-off way to free up oven space on Thanksgiving. This rich and cozy dish delivers so much savory flavor that nobody will ever miss a plain baked spud.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Cheesy Ranch Bacon Potatoes

Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes Recipe

Whipping up fluffy potatoes loaded with cheese and bacon in the air fryer saves precious oven space when Thanksgiving cooking gets hectic. You get all the gooey goodness of a stuffed potato in a fraction of the time, making holiday prep a breeze.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes Recipe

Garlic and Dill Roasted Potatoes

I have roasted more trays of baby potatoes than I can count, and this combination of fresh dill, garlic, and lemon remains my favorite holiday side. It proves that a handful of simple ingredients can become the first empty serving dish on the entire table.
Get the Recipe: Garlic and Dill Roasted Potatoes

Crispy Smashed Baby Potatoes

I always crush tender baby potatoes flat on a baking sheet before roasting them because that buttery, crunchy edge beats a plain baked potato any day. Toss them in olive oil and fresh herbs for a golden, crispy bite guests reach for first.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Smashed Baby Potatoes

The turkey may get carved first, but I’m watching the potatoes disappear from the serving bowl.