Best Potato and Sweet Potato Side Dish Recipes

Mashed, scalloped, in a casserole or topped with crunchy pecans — there are so many ways to cook potatoes and sweet potatoes. Whether you’re looking for a classic take or a side dish with a twist, we’ve got the perfect recipe for your Thanksgiving meal.

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Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Simmering fresh garlic in half-and-half ensures that the cream gets the flavor of the garlic, without the bite. This gets added to cooked russet potatoes for the creamiest, most flavorful mashed dish ever.

Get the Recipe: Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Rachael's 30-Minute Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Rachael packs tons of flavor into this quick sweet potato side dish, mixing in bananas, orange juice, nutmeg and brown sugar.

Get the Recipe: Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Garlicky Potato-Rutabaga Mash

Roasted garlic and mashed rutabaga bump up the flavor of classic mashed potatoes.

Get the Recipe: Garlicky Potato-Rutabaga Mash

Tyler's Scalloped Potato Gratin

Nutmeg, thyme and garlic give Tyler Florence’s Scalloped Potato Gratin an earthy, rich flavor that combines perfectly with a sharper cheese like Parmesan.

Get the Recipe: Scalloped Potato Gratin

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Bacon

The more bacon, the better. This sweet side dish gets a salty kick from some crispy strips crumbled on top.

Get the Recipe: Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Bacon

Herbed Broccoli Mashed Potatoes

Broccoli and fresh herbs feel right at home when mashed with creamy potatoes.

Get the Recipe: Herbed Broccoli Mashed Potatoes

Tyler's Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Bananas with Honey

Roasted bananas are Tyler's secret weapon for sweet, rich sweet potato casserole.

Get the Recipe: Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Bananas with Honey

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

These super creamy mashed potatoes could not be any easier — no dicing and no draining, and you can even make them ahead. Just set them on the warm setting in your Instant Pot so they are nice and hot when you're ready to sit down.

Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Honey and Cinnamon

Tyler Florence relies purely on honey for sweetness when it comes to his simple roasted sweet potatoes.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Honey and Cinnamon

Giada's Baked Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan Cheese and Bread Crumbs

Giada puts her own unique spin on traditional mashed potatoes by incorporating two distinctive Italian cheeses: mozzarella and Parmesan.

Get the Recipe: Baked Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan Cheese and Bread Crumbs

Roasted Garlic–Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

In addition to milk, mascarpone cheese gives these garlic mashed potatoes a creamy consistency that contrasts with crispy Parmesan sheets.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Garlic-Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

The Neelys' Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Pat and Gina scoop out the cooked insides of these sweet potatoes and mix them with cream cheese, brown sugar, butter and lots of fall spices.

Get the Recipe: Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Vegan Scalloped Potatoes

Nutritional yeast, which is grown on molasses and then dried out, adds a nutty cheesiness (plus an extra helping of vitamin B12) to these bubbly spuds. Silken tofu and tender new potatoes add creaminess without dairy, and browned onions give the dish a deep savoriness.

Get the Recipe: Vegan Scalloped Potatoes

Garlic Red Bliss Mash

Sunny leaves the skins on her red potatoes before mashing them with cream, butter and garlic. They'll lend great color and texture to the dish.

Get the Recipe: Garlic Red Bliss Mash

Marbled Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Don’t choose between traditional mashed potatoes and vibrant sweet potatoes. Separately, mash Yukon gold potatoes with sour cream and heavy cream and sweet potatoes with brown sugar and cayenne pepper, then swirl together for the best of both worlds.

Get the Recipe: Marbled Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes with Shallots

Ree's buttery mashed potatoes are topped with lightly fried shallots, for a mild onion flavor and a slight crunch.

Get the Recipe: Mashed Potatoes with Shallots

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Pecans and Spiced Maple Sauce

This rustic dish has all the sweet and nutty flavors of the fall in one bite, with just a hint of cayenne to finish.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Pecans and Spiced Maple Sauce

Tyler's Mashed Potatoes

The ultimate creamy concoction, Tyler's mashed potatoes pair perfectly with homemade turkey gravy.

Get the Recipe: Mashed Potatoes

Rachael's Autumn Potato Gratin

Traditional gratins can take hours to make and involve a lot of prepwork. Rachael's 30-minute gratin uses coarsley chopped potatoes instead of thinly-sliced ones and an herb-infused cream that takes minutes on the stove.

Get the Recipe: Autumn Potato Gratin

Tyler's Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Pecan and Marshmallow Streusel

Tyler tops simple baked sweet potatoes with a sweet and crunchy streusel mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon, pecans and melted mini marshmallows.

Get the Recipe: Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Pecan and Marshmallow Streusel

Smokey Spicy Mashed Potatoes

Classic mashed potatoes are given a smokey and spicy twist with canned chipotle chilies in adobo.

Get the Recipe: Smokey Spicy Mashed Potatoes

Barefoot Contessa's Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes

Ina uses Yukon Gold potatoes for this classic Thanksgiving side. Once mashed, a touch of sour cream adds richness.

Get the Recipe: Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes

Bacon Hasselback Potatoes

Everything's better with bacon and this spin on super-crispy Hasselback potatoes is no exception. Scallions and herbs finish the dish.

Get the Recipe: Bacon Hasselback Potatoes

Bacon-and-Cheese Smashed Potatoes

Think of this side dish as a mashed version of your favorite potato skins. Melty cheese and crispy bacon add an addictive flavor that will keep you coming back for more.

Get the Recipe: Bacon-and-Cheese Smashed Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes

Grate fresh nutmeg over these mashed potatoes right before serving for a finishing touch.

Get the Recipe: Mashed Potatoes

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes

Guy makes sweet potatoes even sweeter by sprinkling the twice-baked spuds with a sugar and pecan topping.

Get the Recipe: Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes with Leeks

Keep your mashed potatoes creamy by cleaning your leeks. Before adding leeks to your mashed potatoes, make sure to clean them well since dirt and grit can get stuck in between the layers.

Get the Recipe: Mashed Potatoes with Leeks

The Neelys' Old School Sweet Potato Souffle

Roasted cashews and shredded coconut are the salty and sweet secrets to the Neelys' out-of-this-world sweet potato souffle.

Get the Recipe: Old School Sweet Potato Souffle

Sandra's Mixed Roasted Potatoes with Herb Butter

Sandra Lee combines russet, red-skinned and sweet potatoes for a crisp, colorful potato side dish. Her herb-infused butter takes the flavor up another notch.

Get the Recipe: Mixed Roasted Potatoes With Herb Butter

Cheesy Smashed Potatoes

Rachael's smashed potatoes are ready in less than 20 minutes. Plus, they are simple enough to have kids get in on the cooking action.

Get the Recipe: Cheesy Smashed Potatoes

The Ultimate Potato Gratin

Tyler builds his gratin by layering a bacon-cabbage mixture between thinly sliced potatoes in a casserole dish, then dousing the top with cream and Parmesan. For an oniony bite, add snipped chives.

Get the Recipe: The Ultimate Potato Gratin

Red, White and Blue Mashed Potatoes

Gorgonzola and bacon breathe richness into these mashed red potatoes. Judging by its name, it's perhaps the most patriotic heap of mashed potatoes you'll ever eat.

Get the Recipe: Red, White and Blue Mashed Potatoes

Sweet Potato Souffle

Trisha tops sweet potatoes with pecans, brown sugar, flour and butter and bakes her casserole until slightly brown.

Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Souffle

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Use buttermilk instead of regular milk to add richness to your mashed potatoes.

Get the Recipe: Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Bobby's Smoked Chile Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

Bobby's twist on scalloped potatoes is as simple as it is delicious. Just thinly slice potatoes and layer in with spicy cream, salt and pepper.

Get the Recipe: Smoked Chile Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

Roasted Fingerlings

To celebrate autumn, Sunny prepares roasted fingerlings seasoned with plenty of sage and garlic for earthy flavor.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Fingerlings

Perfect Potatoes au Gratin

Ree calls this a "throw-together" dish because it's so quick and simple. Just dice up potatoes (without peeling them!), mix them with a cream and butter mixture and then bake.

Get the Recipe: Perfect Potatoes au Gratin

Bobby's Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic and Mascarpone Cheese

For his Throwdown take on this comfort food classic, Bobby adds sweet roasted garlic and spoonfuls of rich, creamy mascarpone cheese.

Get the Recipe: Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic and Mascarpone Cheese

Sweet Potato-Pecan Casserole

Ellie offers up a lighter side that's full of flavor, with lots of spices and a crunchy pecan topping.

Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato-Pecan Casserole

Provencal Potato Gratin

A sliced-tomato topping adds extra color and fresh flavor to this French take on potatoes.

Get the Recipe: Provencal Potato Gratin

The Definitive Mashed Potato with Roasted Garlic

Michael Chiarello knows how to please a crowd, mashing Yukon Gold potatoes with three sticks of butter and roasted garlic paste.

Get the Recipe: The Definitive Mashed Potato with Roasted Garlic

Perfect Mashed Potatoes

You can't go wrong with these standby mashed potatoes. Just start with russet potatoes and mix in whole milk and up to a stick of butter.

Get the Recipe: Perfect Mashed Potatoes

Garlic and Celery Root Mashed Spuds

Robin Miller adds celery root to mashed potatoes for an unexpected twist.

Get the Recipe: Garlic and Celery Root Mashed Spuds

Mashed Potatoes and Rutabaga with Lemon

For an elegant twist on mashed potatoes, add smashed rutabaga (yellow turnip) and top with a seasoned, toasted breadcrumb mixture just before serving.

Get the Recipe: Mashed Potatoes and Rutabaga with Lemon

Sunny's Garlic Hasselback Potatoes

Sunny's Hasselback potatoes are baked until nice and crisp, then topped with herbed sour cream.

Get the Recipe: Garlic Hasselback Potatoes with Herbed Sour Cream

Giada's Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter

Giada's surprisingly easy homemade gnocchi is an irresistible Italian twist on the classic sweet potato side dish.

Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter

Alton's Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Alton Brown always hated sweet potatoes — until he built an episode of Good Eats around them. Instead of smothering them in marshmallows, he lets them play a leading role in this chipotle-spiced mash.

Get the Recipe: Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes with Horseradish and Scallions

These aren't your mama's mashed potatoes. Add a kick to this classic side with a dash of horseradish and some chopped scallions.

Get the Recipe: Mashed Potatoes With Horseradish and Scallions

The Neelys' Smoky Scalloped Potatoes

The Neelys take this hearty classic filled with creamy, cheesy goodness and add smoky paprika, garlic and shallots to give it their own brand of Southern kick.

Get the Recipe: Smoky Scalloped Potatoes

Parmesan Smashed Potatoes

Ina features freshly grated Parmesan cheese in her creamy mashed potatoes.

Get the Recipe: Parmesan Smashed Potatoes

Yogurt Mashed Potatoes with Chipotle Peppers, Goat Cheese and Caramelized Shallots

Yogurt keeps this side dish light and fluffy, while goat cheese and chipotle peppers give these mashed potatoes a flavor all their own.

Get the Recipe: Yogurt Mashed Potatoes With Chipotle Peppers, Goat Cheese and Caramelized Shallots

Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Using chipotle peppers in adobo sauce intensifies the smoky, spicy kick of this sweet potato dish.

Get the Recipe: Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with Mixed Herbs and Cheddar

Parsley, dill and chives make this mixed-herb dish a smashing success. Add some cheddar cheese and buttermilk for potatoes so rich they could be a meal all on their own.

Get the Recipe: Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes With Mixed Herbs and Cheddar

Mashed Parsnips and Potatoes

Parsnips join the big leagues for a subtle twist on a starchy favorite.

Get the Recipe: Mashed Parsnips and Potatoes

Mashers

Alton Brown says you can really enhance this classic mashed potato recipe with your favorite savory toppings: sun-dried tomatoes, bacon or sauteed mushrooms.

Get the Recipe: Mashers

Whiskey-Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Guy adds a bit of whiskey to his mixture of sweet potatoes and apples and sweetens the dish with agave nectar.

Get the Recipe: Whiskey-Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Soul Sweet 'Taters

Ree's makes sweet potatoes as much a part of her Thanksgiving as the turkey. Her secret weapon in this recipe? Dark brown sugar.

Get the Recipe: Soul Sweet 'Taters

Sweet Potatoes and Marshmallows

Sunny makes a simple syrup of brown sugar, butter and water to give extra sweetness to her potatoes.

Get the Recipe: Sweet Potatoes and Marshmallows

Sweet Potato Casserole

Anne roasts sweet potatoes and mixes in dried apricots, honey, cinnamon and orange juice and zest. Sprinkle with an oatmeal crisp topping for a dessert and side dish all in one.

Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Casserole

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Roasted garlic transforms the flavor of Ree's mashed potatoes. Cream cheese makes them rich and fluffy while also helping to balance the garlic kick.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Potato-Bacon Torte

Celebrate Thanksgiving with a bit of French flair by serving Melissa's buttery Parisian torte. It's loaded with bacon and Gruyère cheese — decadent enough to warrant a spot on the holiday dinner table.

Get the Recipe: Potato-Bacon Torte

Celery Root and Potato Puree

Transform knobby celery root into a smooth puree and liven up a basic potato mash at the same time. Passing the vegetables through a food mill will yield the perfect texture.

Get the Recipe: Celery Root and Potato Puree

The Ultimate Stuffed Potato

To prepare the decadent stuffing for these toppling stuffed potatoes, Tyler makes a Mornay sauce — a bechamel to which cheese is added. Once the Mornay is ready, he folds in the cooked broccoli florets, crispy bacon bits and chopped chives for added color and texture.

Get the Recipe: The Ultimate Stuffed Potato

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

Ina's roasted potatoes are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. The key to perfect texture is to toss the potatoes in olive oil and roast on high heat for about an hour.

Get the Recipe: Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

For an added layer of flavor and extra-smooth consistency, Ree incorporates soft cream cheese into the mashed potatoes before baking them.

Get the Recipe: Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Garlic Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes

Anne's traditional mashed potatoes are a Thanksgiving standard. They rely on only garlic, heavy cream and butter for classic flavor and silky texture.

Get the Recipe: Garlic Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes

Twice-Baked Potatoes

On Thanksgiving, it's fair to treat yourself to Trisha's twice-baked potatoes, loaded with cheese, green onions, sour cream and crispy fried bacon bits.

Get the Recipe: Twice-Baked Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes with Herb Butter

Instead of boiling potatoes in water, cut them into 1-inch pieces and simmer them directly in the milk with salt and bay leaf. Reserve the milk to add back to the potatoes (after draining and mashing) until they’ve reached creamy perfection.

Get the Recipe: Mashed Potatoes with Herb Butter

Smashed Potatoes with Garlic Oil

To simplify your prep work, opt for red smashed potatoes instead of the traditional mashed. You don’t even need to bother peeling the potatoes or mincing the garlic, thyme or rosemary. Infuse olive oil with smashed cloves, lemon zest and herb sprigs to flavor the red potatoes before smashing.

Get the Recipe: Smashed Potatoes with Garlic Oil

Sweet Potatoes and Marshmallows

Thanksgiving is the time to embrace nostalgic dishes like sweet potatoes with marshmallow topping. “When I make this, I feel like a kid in my mom’s kitchen. The best part is watching the marshmallows bubble and toast,” says Sunny.

Get the Recipe: Sweet Potatoes and Marshmallows

Whipped Root Vegetables

“This is a super-flavorful substitute for your standard mashed potatoes,” promises Michael Symon. So flavorful, in fact, that after you cook the root vegetables, all you need is butter and salt — no cream required.

Get the Recipe: Whipped Root Vegetables

Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Ina adds even more flavor to classic mashed sweet potatoes with a can of chipotle chiles and adobo sauce. She balances out the spice with a touch of maple syrup.

Get the Recipe: Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Pecans

Sweet potatoes and pecans are two iconic holiday flavors and in this dish they actually come together. Dinner guests will love the nutty crunch of pecans in these mashed sweet potatoes.

Get the Recipe: Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Pecans

Root Vegetable Mash

You'll combin potatoes, celery root and parsnips in a food processor until they're extra silky. Top the dish with a sprinkle of ground nutmeg for another layer of flavor.

Get the Recipe: Root Vegetable Mash

Root Vegetable Gratin

A mixture of potatoes, sweet potatoes and celery root makes Ina's gratin something new for your table. Plenty of cheese and breadcrumbs will ensure it's a hit.

Get the Recipe: Root Vegetable Gratin

Caramelized-Onion Mashed Potatoes

For a simple variation, stir sweet, caramelized onions into creamy mashed potatoes just before serving.

Get the Recipe: Caramelized-Onion Mashed Potatoes

Twice-Baked New Potatoes

These double-baked spuds can be made ahead of time, so feel free to put them in the fridge before you're ready to bake.

Get the Recipe: Twice-Baked New Potatoes

Maple Sweet Potato Puree with Caramelized Onions

Before being mashed, these sweet potatoes are roasted with maple syrup for an extra-deep, slightly sweet flavor.

Get the Recipe: Maple Sweet Potato Puree with Caramelized Onions

Chive and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

For a flavorful mashed potato twist, Tyler uses Yukon Gold potatoes and mixes in garlic, thyme and chives.

Get the Recipe: Chive and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Aioli

These simple sweet potatoes are dressed up with a shortcut aioli.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Aioli

Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic, Dijon Mustard and Bacon

Sour cream isn't just a last-minute garnish: Add some to your mashed potatoes for extra creaminess—plus, it makes the bacon and Dijon mustard really pop.

Get the Recipe: Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes With Roasted Garlic, Dijon Mustard and Bacon