A potluck on Thanksgiving is just more fun than one home cook doing the lion’s share of the meal prep. It takes the pressure off everyone, but it’s also in the spirit of the holiday to weave together a meal of multiple cooking styles. But of course, when you’re only responsible for one or two things, you really want your contribution to shine. No worries, we’ve got our best-ofs in every category, from classic sides to travel-friendly desserts, so that you can be sure you’re bringing something special to the party.

Both mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes need to be present, of course, but don’t shy away from bringing mashed sweets just because of the former. These, from Ina Garten, have a different vibe, less gravy-sidekick and more sweet, earthy and creamy, a gorgeous foil to the salty stuffing and meat alongside it. Baking them after mashing concentrates their flavors just a bit, giving the top toasty notes and the underneath just unctuous goodness.

What makes this cranberry sauce so ideal? It’s the combination of cooking most of the cranberries down, but then adding in some fresh ones at the end for a variety of textures, some softness, some popping. You’ll love it with the big feast but maybe even more as a leftover. Mix some into yogurt or oatmeal for a stellar breakfast, tuck some in your turkey sandwich (with stuffing, of course!) to relive the glory of the big meal or work it into an entirely different kind of dinner, since cranberry pairs just as well with chicken, steak or pork.

For some, no green beans need apply to Thanksgiving unless they are in a casserole and topped with crunchy onions. This casserole answers that call, and is pretty simple to put together. If you’re bringing them to someone’s house, be sure to ask ahead if you can claim an oven rack to heat before serving; that contrast between the piping hot beans and the last minute salty sprinkle is everything.

Tasked with bringing the pie? Tell your guests, “Hold my beer.” These bars layer pumpkin, pecan and apple pie into one slab, plus a crumbly top that complements all three flavors. If you attend a Thanksgiving where this would induce pearl-clutching, try them at a Thanksgiving-adjacent or Friendsgiving gathering, since they really are delightful.

Yes, you read that right. Molly Yeh employs pretzel rolls as the bread in this stuffing, which, though mostly otherwise classic, works in some mustard and beer as well, so you know that every bite will get that iconic salty chewy texture. The bacon grease that renders while cooking the bacon crispy will also dot the top of the casserole, lending a very rich, very delicious crispness as it bakes.

This genius approach from our very own test kitchen eliminates the most vexing problem with apple pie: That you don’t know how watery your apples will be until they’re cooked. This recipe pre-cooks the apples on the stovetop, to eliminate excess liquid. It also has the effect of compressing the filling a bit, and since they won’t shrink as much during baking, you won’t have that empty-dome effect with the top crust. If you’ve been disappointed by from-scratch attempts at apple before, go ahead and give this one a shot.

Molly Yeh knows how to make another classic just a little more unexpected. Charring the corn before creaming it, and sneaking some smoked paprika in there to really amp up that smokiness, ensures that this creamed corn will be anything but one-note. It’s fabulous on a T-day spread, but also, tuck that recipe into your box for grilling season, as well.

These are definitely not your grandmother’s glazed sweet potatoes. Loaded with nutty pecans and spiked with whiskey, these soften just enough in the oven to meld with the rich, buttery sauce that they’re bathed in. Just tell Grandma that Guy sent you.

Sunny Anderson’s pumpkin pie is a bit of a mic-drop. She uses hazelnut dairy creamer to bring that sophisticated flavor to both the crust and the creamy filling, and this is a real coup, given the price of actual hazelnuts these days. The result brings something new to the classic pie without changing it too much, so even traditionalists will love it.

When it’s the only thing you’re responsible for, be sure to make your charcuterie board extra-beautiful. This one plays up fall flavors, with pumpkin baked Brie, candied pecans, cranberry relish, apples and pears. You can leave out the deli turkey if it’s just too much, and be sure to take advantage of decorative gourds available at supermarkets at this time of year, because nothing fills in the holes on the board like these cute additions.

Creamy and dreamy is the name of the game, and these mashed potatoes, from Tyler Florence, have it in spades. This is just a wonderful basic mashed potato, enhanced with only cream, butter and chives. They will make an ideal pillow for the gravy, but a bite on their own still excels.

Pecan pie can be polarizing, but those devotees are fiercely devoted. Ree Drummond’s version is perfectly balanced, crisp and nutty on top, giving way to the most melting sweetness beneath. If you’ve only had apple and pumpkin in the past, give this one a try.

Do Parker House rolls rate as a top-five, even top-ten Thanksgiving necessity? Well, no, but that’s what makes them so special to bring or serve, and they will disappear as quickly as anything else on the table. A potluck is the ideal occasion, since they do take some attention on the part of the baker; with the pressure of the turkey and accompaniments off, you can really focus on getting that dough exactly right.

So many of us grew up with that cranberry sauce shaped like the can, and many still swear by it. Still, if you like a jelly-style cranberry, a homemade upgrade will really rocket this dish into hall-of-fame territory. If you have that fancy dish designated exactly for the can cranberry, handed down from Aunt Mabel, time to break it out! (Just when you thought it was retired for good.)

These aren’t just the best green beans ever because of their simplicity and flavor, but also because they are so easygoing. You can eat them right after cooking, at room temperature or even cold. The topping is studded with bell pepper and onion, giving the dish a fresh acidity that will go so well with all the other offerings on the table.

Enthusiasts claim that sweet potato improves upon the more well-known pumpkin pie, though we’d like to clarify that it can stand on its own. One must? Ground ginger, its subtle heat really playing well to the earthier notes of the sweet potato. Okay, maybe one more necessity: fresh whipped cream.

This is the move: You want an app, and everyone is positively starving, but you definitely don’t want anything that will fill you up or hamper your enjoyment of the big meal. Crudites will also let everyone get a few veggies in before the admittedly meaty-and-starchy menu! Kardea Brown’s dip is made from grilled bell peppers (cooked alongside some of the veggie dippers) so it, too, is light and bright.

Sometimes the simplest things can be the most memorable. Here, Ina Garten pays homage to the warm toasted nuts served at Union Square Café in New York City, where they manage to be exactly the right thing to eat with cocktails and wine, completely special yet understated. If everything else is taken care of, you can still win big praise for this little bowl of nuts.

Subtitle for this recipe: The “I can’t decide.” This sheet pan pie cleverly serves a crowd — or just a small group of eaters where everyone wants a slice of each. The real winners, though, might be the eaters that get middle slices, oriented between two different flavors (or the single person who gets all four corners in one!) because much like their savory counterparts, the Thanksgiving pie flavors all work together so beautifully.

This stuffing from Anne Burrell is such an ace in your pocket. The cornbread is just the right combination of toothsome yet absorbent to hold all the flavor of the aromatics plus a drizzle (or drowning) of gravy. The sausage brings an incredible richness, and the herbs are as “classic Thanksgiving” as it gets.

We’ve found that among the sweet and salty comfort foods of the big day, nothing hits like the relief of a fresh salad, but one with bitter greens and acidic dressing to reset the palate. Valerie Bertinelli’s is based on the Italian misticanza, a fanciful word that simply implies a mixture. You’ll find that it’s an ideal side for just about any meat dish.

These outrageous Brussels sprouts from Bobby Flay work because of all the undercover enhancers along for the ride. Pancetta is a no-brainer for salty, chewy hits, but chunks of potato also lend a wonderful textural contrast and mellow out the vegetal flavor of the sprouts, so even Uncle Phil who claims he hates them will be coming back for seconds. A last-minute stir in of butter and lemon juice really brings everything together.