This holiday season, I was in search of some easy side dishes to whip up in the kitchen! And of course, my first thought turned to Trader Joe’s, who makes holiday cooking so much easier. For starters, I love all of their seasonal displays that help to highlight ingredients you might be looking for. I am also grateful for the easiest of sides (like the cornbread stuffing in a box) and ready-to-go gravy options.
This post is meant to be more of a recipe inspiration since I really didn’t write anything down this year as I was cooking. I just wanted to share how TJ’s made my life a little bit easier this holiday season (more specifically, at Thanksgiving). To be perfectly honest, these dishes can be made any time of year, but TJs might not have ingredients you are looking for every season, so stock up if you need to!
Stuffed Butternut Squash
Generally, you’ll find me cubing up some butternut squash and roasting it to add to my home-made sourdough stuffing. This year, I wanted to feature it as more of a main dish (if you have any vegan or vegetarian friends, this is a great main and you don’t have to worry about any Tofurkeys!).
I came across this delicious recipe for roasted stuffed butternut squash from Minimalist Baker and I went ahead and modified it a bit.
Some changes I made:
Quinoa Stuffing
- I used cremini mushrooms instead of shiitake
- Instead of kale, I used a bag of organic spinach
- I omitted the walnuts because I just didn’t have any on hand (and they aren’t my husband’s favorite)
Roasted Squash
- I used a little bit of granulated sugar vs. coconut sugar
- Omitted cinnamon because I wanted this to be a more savory dish
Topping
- This recipe calls for balsamic vinegar reduction and crispy shallots, but I just threw some crispy fried onions on top for texture and extra flavor. The ones from Trader Joe’s are delicious!
I think the roasted squash came out pretty good! I ate it for leftovers for days after.
Mashed Potatoes
Holiday meals without mashed potatoes? Unheard of! Here’s what I like to use in mine (if I’m covering them in gravy – otherwise, I like to add a lot more stuff like cheese and horseradish cream):
- Trader Joe’s organic gold potatoes – I like the creamy texture these have
- Sour cream
- Butter…lots of butter!
- Heavy cream (not pictured below)
- Chives for color/garnish (green onion works too)
- Seasonings: salt, black pepper, and garlic powder
I boil my potatoes with the skin on, and once they’re ready, I slowly add in butter, sour cream, heavy cream, and seasonings to taste – until I get the right flavors and texture. I make them different every time!
The extra special ingredient is the heavy cream – it makes the potatoes so smooth! If you don’t have any on hand, butter and sour cream do a great job on their own.
This year, I also went with the vegan gravy at Trader Joe’s so I didn’t have to make my own. I thought it was tasty, but a little thin. I might thicken it up with some corn starch or arrowroot powder next time.
Green Bean Casserole
I never had green bean casserole growing up (born and raised in Hawaii!), so when I moved to California, I was a little weary of it (especially since it took me a long time to start liking mushrooms and mushroom dishes). The condensed portabella mushroom soup from TJ’s makes it nice and easy (they even have a full recipe on the carton), though all I did this year was add a little water to thin it out.
For the green beans, I par boiled them a little before mixing them in the baking dish with the mushroom soup and topping it with the glorious fried onions.
Note: I added a little bit of grated gouda cheese before adding the crispy onions which gave it a smoky flavor. My family wondered if I had slipped some bacon in there! Gouda doesn’t melt very well though so I may not use it again, though the flavors were pretty tasty.
Cornbread Stuffing
The stuffing was where I really cheated the most this year because it came from a box! I’m laughing at myself for being so lazy, but it was really good stuffing. The only thing I must note is that the seasoning packet contains chicken broth flavoring, so it’s not suitable for vegetarians.
Simply add the seasoning packet to boiling water, turn off the heat, and let the bread crumbs soak it all up.
The Finished Plate!
And here’s the finale of all the things I made for Thanksgiving this year: Cornbread stuffing, green bean casserole, stuffed squash, and mashed potatoes and gravy. Delish!
I also roasted some Brussels sprouts and delicata squash (but those really aren’t worth mentioning), and skipped all things cranberry this year. I just wasn’t feeling it (though if you must know, I’m a jelly girl who doesn’t like the chunky stuff).
What’s your easy go-to holiday side dish, and what store do you typically shop at for ingredients? I’d love to hear about some unique side dishes I can try next year!
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