5 Creative Thanksgiving Recipes That Are Fun and Festive

Enjoy green bean casserole fritter-style in this new twist on a classic Thanksgiving favorite. The traditional ingredients are all there, but instead of baking in a casserole dish, these green beans are turned into fritters that bake in the oven and get topped with creamy yogurt and french-fried onions. Feel free to add a bit of crumbled bacon on top too if you'd like!

Jazz up your mashed potatoes by rolling them into balls with bacon and cheese and giving them a crispy coating in the oven. You can enjoy these as a fun side dish or an appetizer for your next holiday dinner.

This creamy and subtly sweet dessert is perfect for pecan pie lovers who don't want to go through the hassle of making an actual pie. Serve it with sliced apples and pears to complement the pie-dough dippers.

This festive side dish is Thanksgiving in one bite! Brussels spouts are hollowed out, stuffed with a sausage-and-breadcrumb stuffing and baked until brown and crispy on top. Large Brussels sprouts work best here. Enjoy this as a side dish or on its own as an appetizer.

These sweet and savory butternut squash fritters are perfect for Thanksgiving—or anytime you want a toasty, cheesy side dish. Look for a butternut squash with a long neck to make shredding easier.