15 Thanksgiving Main Dish Ideas That Get Seconds

Thanksgiving tables get crowded fast when these 15 main dishes appear. Plates empty and hands reach for seconds before the first round is even done. Everyone finds a favorite, and the room fills with chatter and laughter. With options that stand out from the usual, it’s easy to keep the conversation going while making sure no plate stays untouched for long.

Elegant Mushroom Wellington

Party plates get cleared quick when layers show up golden with a savory filling. Elegant Mushroom Wellington gets questions about how it keeps all that flavor sealed inside. Seconds fly because every slice comes packed with the good stuff. Friends always talk about making it for next year’s feast.
Get the Recipe: Elegant Mushroom Wellington

Creamy Butternut Squash Risotto

Rice never gets left behind on Thanksgiving when every bite comes creamy and rich. Creamy Butternut Squash Risotto always leads to folks passing the bowl back for more. Tables stay quiet except for praise about how smooth it tastes. It’s a dish everybody wants copied for potlucks.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Butternut Squash Risotto

Savory Vegetarian Shepherds Pie

Comfort food takes center stage at dinner when rich layers of veggie filling sit under a soft topping. Savory Vegetarian Shepherds Pie means talking stops until plates get cleared again. Extra helpings are nearly required because leftovers disappear before midnight. People start planning their own versions after just one meal.
Get the Recipe: Savory Vegetarian Shepherds Pie

Tender Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Big family dinners get fun when pillowy bites show up covered in sauce. Forks chase second servings of Tender Sweet Potato Gnocchi without waiting for compliments. A few friends swap stories about making homemade gnocchi but always end up sharing that second plate. Someone always asks if the recipe is easy to repeat.
Get the Recipe: Tender Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Restaurant-Style Mushroom Risotto

Dinner gets more interesting when the main course feels like it came from a fancy kitchen. It’s hard to stop with just one serving of Restaurant-Style Mushroom Risotto because everyone insists on going back for more. Hinting about adding more mushrooms always starts a discussion for next time. The dish never lasts past the first round.
Get the Recipe: Restaurant-Style Mushroom Risotto

Cheesy Eggplant Casserole

Plates go quiet when comfort food arrives bubbling and golden. Cheesy Eggplant Casserole means lots of chatter about which cheeses work best. Seconds vanish as people sneak a forkful right from the pan. It keeps popping up on must-cook lists for big gatherings.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Eggplant Casserole

Tender Roasted Broccoli

Simple veggies get noticed after roasting brings out all their best bits. Tender Roasted Broccoli goes quick with everyone fighting over crispy pieces. People talk about adding extra spices next year when they ask for seconds. The bowl empties faster than most sides on the table.
Get the Recipe: Tender Roasted Broccoli

Creamy Marry Me Butter Beans

Baked beans take on a whole new life when served up tender and filled with rich sauce. Hands reach out for second scoops of Creamy Marry Me Butter Beans since they pair well with every main. Tables fill with chatter about trying different beans next time. There’s never enough left for leftovers.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Marry Me Butter Beans

Tender Cauliflower Steaks

Thick, roast slices make mains surprisingly popular even at big dinners. Guests dig into Tender Cauliflower Steaks guessing at seasonings without moving for anything else. Most people keep quiet while chewing then race to claim the last slice. Someone says it changes up traditional meals for good.
Get the Recipe: Tender Cauliflower Steaks

Vegan Nut Roast

Hearty loaves get special attention when slices come out packed with flavor. It only takes one tray of Vegan Nut Roast before people ask about swapping in new nuts. Second helpings land fast because everyone claims they only had a little bit the first round. Leftovers rarely stick around for sandwiches.
Get the Recipe: Vegan Nut Roast

Hearty Wild Rice Casserole

Filling grains mixed with veggies bring the crowd to the table for something substantial. Hearty Wild Rice Casserole gets everyone joking about mixing in new add-ins next time. No forkful gets left behind by the end of dinner. It’s requested again each time a big meal is planned.
Get the Recipe: Hearty Wild Rice Casserole

Layered Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna

Family events always improve with a pan stacked high with layers. Layered Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna leads to calls for bigger slices and talk about rambling memories. Seconds are gone before most people finish the first round. It sneaks onto menus for holiday brunch as well.
Get the Recipe: Layered Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna

Perfectly Roasted Whole Cauliflower

Centerpieces look better when they’re edible and easy to share. Perfectly Roasted Whole Cauliflower draws in hands fast so nobody misses the best part. Stories always start with who ate the most last Thanksgiving. Slices finish quickly so people look for more around the serving tray.
Get the Recipe: Perfectly Roasted Whole Cauliflower

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

Macaronis show up bold at group dinners when pumpkin takes over for sauce. People scoop extra portions of Creamy Pumpkin Pasta without thinking twice about saving room for dessert. Compliments pop up about how smooth and simple everything tastes. Bowls come back clean before any side dishes slow down the meal.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

Holiday Lentil Loaf

Baked mains like this turn conversations into recipe swaps even before plates are cleaned. Holiday Lentil Loaf gets everyone asking for tweaks to try on their own soon. Seconds happen at random and leftovers turn into next-day sandwiches fast. That loaf never sticks around for long.
Get the Recipe: Holiday Lentil Loaf