When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, the sides truly make the meal. Nothing says 'feast' quite like piling your plate high with a flavorful assortment of dishes that perfectly complment your turkey. And, as much as we we love the classics, we're always looking for ways to branch out — which is why we've rounded up these nontraditional ideas. They rely on seasonal ingredients and flavors (think butternut squash or sweet potato paired with warming spices and sweet maple syrup), so they still feel nostalgic — and right at home with the rest of your Thanksgiving meal.

Gratins (baked dishes with toasty breadcrumb toppings and melted cheese) are always winners — and so easy to make. If you didn't tell anyone what this dish was, it might be mistaken for mac and cheese. The creamy sauce is just as cheesy, featuring a trio of Gruyère, mozzarella and Parmesan, but pearled barley stands in for the pasta.

Olive oil, salt and pepper let the earthy flavor of the sprouts shine as they get crisp and golden in the oven. Heating the pan and laying the veggies flat-side down is the secret to achieving maximum browning — and don't toss the loose leaves that fall off during trimming. They become toasted and crisp — the best part! To make these extra special, we topped them with homemade Parmesan breadcrumbs.

These stuffed shells are packed with a spicy spinach and ricotta filling and nestled in a cozy roasted butternut Alfredo sauce — and perfect alongside roasted turkey.

Maple-roasted kabocha squash is just what your tastebuds have been looking for — sweet, salty and spicy all in one bite!

Cauliflower, everyone's favorite cruciferous vegetable lately, takes a starring turn in Ina's gratin, in which florets are cloaked in a creamy sauce and baked under a blanket of Gruyère and breadcrumbs.

Provided you're not vegetarian, bacon is an obvious choice for adding a salty pop, but the secret savory weapon for this dish is the addition of bourbon or apple cider vinegar.

Smashing Brussels sprouts before you roast them results in extra surface area, which translates to more crispy cheesy bits. If you have a meat mallet, it makes the smashing particularly easy and fun, but you can also use a cast-iron skillet or heavy drinking glass or mug.

A simple way to shake up your Thanksgiving menu this year? Substitute your regular mashed potatoes with these creamy, whipped parsnips. Parsnips are just a touch sweeter than potatoes, lending themselves perfectly to the other dishes at your feast.

Spaghetti squash is right at home in a pancetta-and-egg enriched cream sauce. Microwaving the squash is a clever trick that cuts down on time — and saves precious oven space on Turkey Day.

These spuds are baked at a high temperature so the outside gets intensely caramelized, while chicken broth gives them a silky-smooth and savory interior.

Kabocha squash, also known as Japanese pumpkin, brings a pumpkin-meets-sweet-potato flavor and a pop of orange color. Kabocha can also stand in for (or at least alongside) mashed potatoes. It's more fibrous than spuds, so be sure to use a food processor or immersion blender to yield a smooth, creamy texture.

Turkey is typically a neutral canvas, which allows for plenty of creative freedom when it comes to spicing up sides with a little heat. Try a little Tex-Mex flair with a tortilla-chip-and-Cotija-topped green bean casserole, gussied up with poblano peppers, ancho chile powder and shredded pepper Jack cheese.

Ina Garten's colorful salad makes the most of fall flavors by using caramelized cubes of squash as a foil to peppery arugula, then pulls it all together with a maple-apple cider dressing.

For this anything-but-basic side, Bobby Flay layers thinly sliced sweet potatoes and drizzles them with a chipotle-spiked cream.

Sunchokes are tubers, like potatoes, and resemble ginger root. They come from a type of sunflower native to North America. Many people try to peel sunchokes, but it's easier to wash them well before tossing them in oil. Parsnips and onions add a nice complexity to this side dish.

Using rainbow carrots gives the plate added panache, while the addition of toasted, crushed coriander gives it a certain je ne sais quoi. (Be prepared to share the recipe, because people are guaranteed to ask!)

Creamed corn is typically a super-rich side, but this recipe pulls in millet and freshly grated corn on the cob to give the dish a velvety texture without weighing it down.

Lyonnaise potatoes are traditionally made with regular potatoes, but work just as well with sweet potatoes. If you have some on hand, try adding toasted chopped pecans or a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Tyler Florence leans on parsnips to lend extra starch and a nutty sweetness to mashed potatoes.

Serve Ina's satisfying side dish warm; the tender, nutty farro and butternut squash get a double dose of umami from bacon and grated Parmesan.

Glazed carrots are a staple, but there are ways to take 'em up a notch. Fresh ginger adds a complementary tropical sweetness and subtle warming note to orange and honey.

Parsnips look like carrots but are cream-colored and boast a sweeter, earthier flavor profile. Carrots are a natural pairing for parsnips, but Giada De Laurentiis pulls in additional Thanksgiving veggie staples for her hearty dish.

Roasting beets intensifies their sweet-earthy flavors while a simple lemon vinaigrette adds a burst of freshness.

When it comes to tubers, instead of doubling down on the sweetness with dishes like candied yams or marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole, opt to play savory flavors off sweet. Trisha Yearwood nails the combo by pairing toasted pecans and a chili-spiked honey drizzle with sweet potatoes.