Thanksgiving dinner in Birmingham wouldn’t feel quite the same without a few familiar Southern favorites on the table. From the comforting aroma of cornbread dressing baking in the oven to savory green beans simmering on the stove, homemade side dishes are an important part of many family celebrations.
If you’re looking for easy, traditional Southern Thanksgiving side dishes, these three recipes are a great place to start: Southern cornbread dressing, Southern-style green beans with bacon, and sweet potato casserole with pecan topping.
Each recipe uses familiar grocery ingredients and includes straightforward cooking instructions, serving estimates, and make-ahead tips to help you prepare for Thanksgiving dinner without spending the entire holiday in the kitchen.
Southern Cornbread Dressing
Southern cornbread dressing is a Thanksgiving classic, combining crumbled cornbread, sautéed onions and celery, savory broth, and traditional seasonings. Baked until golden on top and moist in the center, it’s a comforting side dish that pairs well with roasted turkey and other holiday favorites.
Bring homemade Southern flavor to your Thanksgiving table with classic cornbread dressing. Shop fresh vegetables, broth, butter, and holiday cooking essentials at your neighborhood Piggly Wiggly Birmingham.
This homemade cornbread dressing recipe starts with cornbread that has already been baked and cooled, making it easier to prepare ahead of your holiday gathering.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 40–45 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients for Southern Cornbread Dressing
- 6 cups crumbled, cooled cornbread
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2–3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- Salt and black pepper to taste
How to Make Southern Cornbread Dressing
- Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Cook the vegetables. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and celery, cooking for approximately 5–7 minutes until softened.
- Prepare the cornbread. Place the cooled, crumbled cornbread in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the seasonings. Stir in the cooked vegetables, poultry seasoning, dried sage, salt, and black pepper.
- Moisten the mixture. Gradually add 2 cups of broth, stirring gently. The dressing should be moist enough to hold together without becoming soupy. Add more broth as needed.
- Add the eggs. Stir in the beaten eggs until evenly incorporated.
- Transfer to the baking dish. Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared dish.
- Bake until golden. Bake uncovered for approximately 40–45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
Prep Time, Servings, and Make-Ahead Tips
This recipe serves approximately eight people. The 20-minute preparation time assumes your cornbread is already baked and cooled.
To save time, bake your cornbread one or two days before Thanksgiving and store it properly covered. You can also chop the onions and celery ahead of time and refrigerate them until you’re ready to cook.
For easier holiday preparation, keep the ingredients refrigerated as appropriate and assemble the dressing shortly before baking. This helps you manage your Thanksgiving cooking schedule while keeping the finished dish fresh.
Southern-Style Green Beans With Bacon
Southern-style green beans are a simple, savory addition to Thanksgiving dinner. Simmered with bacon, onions, garlic, and chicken broth, they develop a rich, home-cooked flavor that complements cornbread dressing, turkey, and other traditional Southern dishes.
Because this recipe cooks entirely on the stovetop, it’s especially convenient when your oven is already busy with holiday casseroles.
Make Thanksgiving dinner memorable with homemade Southern-style green beans with bacon. This savory holiday side dish pairs perfectly with cornbread dressing and sweet potato casserole. Shop fresh green beans, bacon, onions, broth, and Thanksgiving essentials at your neighborhood Piggly Wiggly Birmingham.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35–45 minutes
Servings: 6–8
Ingredients for Southern Green Beans
- 2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste
How to Cook Southern-Style Green Beans
- Prepare the green beans. Wash the beans thoroughly and trim the ends.
- Cook the bacon. In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until browned.
- Add the onion. Stir in the diced onion and cook for approximately 3–4 minutes until softened.
- Add the garlic. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for approximately 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Combine the ingredients. Add the green beans and chicken broth to the pot.
- Bring to a gentle boil. Once the broth begins boiling, reduce the heat to low.
- Simmer until tender. Cover and cook for approximately 30–40 minutes, or until the green beans reach your preferred tenderness.
- Season and serve. Add black pepper and salt to taste. Serve warm with a little of the flavorful cooking broth.
Make-Ahead and Budget-Friendly Options
You can prepare these Southern green beans one day before Thanksgiving. After cooking, refrigerate them promptly in shallow, covered containers.
On Thanksgiving Day, reheat the beans thoroughly on the stovetop, adding a splash of chicken broth if needed to keep them moist. Reheated leftovers should reach 165°F.
Budget-friendly tip: Frozen green beans can replace fresh green beans in this recipe. Compare prices and package sizes when shopping, and adjust the simmering time because frozen beans may soften more quickly.
Southern Sweet Potato Casserole With Pecan Topping
Sweet potato casserole brings a delicious balance of sweetness and comforting Southern flavor to Thanksgiving dinner. Creamy mashed sweet potatoes are blended with butter, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla, then finished with a crunchy brown sugar and pecan topping.
This traditional Southern sweet potato casserole is easy to prepare in stages, making it a convenient choice for holiday hosts who want to complete some kitchen tasks ahead of time.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 55–65 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients for Southern Sweet Potato Casserole
For the sweet potato filling:
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup melted butter
- ½ cup milk
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the pecan topping:
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup melted butter
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole
- Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 350°F and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Cook the sweet potatoes. Place the peeled, cubed sweet potatoes in a large pot of water. Bring to a boil and cook for approximately 15–20 minutes, until fork-tender.
- Drain and mash. Drain the sweet potatoes thoroughly, then mash until smooth. Removing excess water helps prevent a watery casserole.
- Prepare the filling. Stir in the granulated sugar, melted butter, milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon.
- Add the eggs. Allow the sweet potato mixture to cool slightly before stirring in the beaten eggs.
- Fill the baking dish. Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly into the prepared dish.
- Make the pecan topping. In a separate bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, melted butter, and chopped pecans.
- Add the topping. Sprinkle the pecan mixture evenly over the sweet potatoes.
- Bake the casserole. Bake for approximately 35–40 minutes, until the topping is golden and the center reaches 165°F. Allow additional time if needed.
Add a sweet Southern favorite to your Thanksgiving table with homemade sweet potato casserole topped with crunchy pecans and buttery brown sugar streusel. Shop fresh sweet potatoes, pecans, butter, and holiday baking essentials at your neighborhood Piggly Wiggly Birmingham.
Make-Ahead Tips and a Lower-Cost Topping Option
This casserole serves approximately eight people, with a total estimated cooking time of 55–65 minutes, including boiling the sweet potatoes and baking.
For easier Thanksgiving preparation, make the sweet potato filling up to one day ahead and refrigerate it promptly in a covered baking dish. Store the pecan topping separately so it maintains its texture.
When you’re ready to bake, sprinkle the topping over the filling and place the casserole in the oven. A chilled casserole may require additional baking time.
Simple topping alternative: If you prefer not to use pecans, try a cinnamon-and-brown-sugar topping instead. This provides a familiar holiday flavor while reducing the number of ingredients needed.
Make-Ahead Tips for a Southern Thanksgiving Dinner
Preparing three homemade Thanksgiving side dishes doesn’t have to mean cooking everything at once. A little advance planning can help you organize ingredients, manage oven space, and keep Thanksgiving Day running smoothly.
Both the cornbread dressing and sweet potato casserole bake at 350°F, while the green beans cook on the stovetop. This makes it easier to coordinate the dishes around your main course.
A Simple Side Dish Preparation Schedule
| When | What to Prepare |
| 1–2 days before Thanksgiving | Bake and cool the cornbread, chop vegetables, and check your ingredients. |
| The day before | Cook and refrigerate the green beans. Prepare and refrigerate the sweet potato filling, keeping the topping separate. |
| Thanksgiving Day | Assemble and bake the dressing, add the topping and bake the sweet potato casserole, and thoroughly reheat the green beans. |
Keep perishable ingredients refrigerated at 40°F or below, and refrigerate prepared foods promptly.
If you’re serving a frozen turkey, remember to coordinate your side dish schedule with planning when to thaw your Thanksgiving turkey.
Shop for Southern Thanksgiving Side Dish Ingredients
Before heading to the grocery store, review the ingredients for all three recipes and check what you already have in your pantry. Several ingredients, including butter, onions, eggs, and broth, appear in more than one dish.
Quantities cover one batch of each recipe. If preparing cornbread from cornmeal or a mix, check the package for any additional ingredients needed to make six cups of finished cornbread.
For more ways to organize your holiday grocery expenses, explore our guide on how to plan a Thanksgiving dinner on a budget.
At Piggly Wiggly Birmingham, you can plan your neighborhood grocery trip around the produce, dairy, baking ingredients, and pantry staples needed for these Southern favorites. Check the latest weekly ad and ThePigBham App for applicable offers before shopping.
These three classic Southern Thanksgiving side dishes bring familiar flavors and homemade comfort to the holiday table. Save the recipes, prepare your grocery checklist, and visit your neighborhood Piggly Wiggly Birmingham as you get ready for Thanksgiving dinner.