What’s your favorite Thanksgiving side? For me, it’s all about the mashed potatoes. I remember at my first Thanksgiving with my now-husband and his family, I was absolutely appalled that no mashed potatoes were in sight. Yes, you read that correctly. Not a single tater was mashed in their kitchen that Thanksgiving.
Our relationship almost ended then and there. Luckily, I muddled through (thank you, pinot grigio), and now when we spend Thanksgiving with his family, I bring the potatoes! (This is my favorite recipe, BTW. You can thank me later).
As my mashed potato-less Thanksgiving proves, not everyone serves up the same side dishes. In fact, the menu seems to vary depending on where you live. Zippia created a list of the most popular Thanksgiving side dish in each state, based on analyzing unique Google searches in 2021, and the results are interesting.
On this year’s list, potatoes beat out the bread. Mashed potatoes were the top contender (thank you): Folks in nine states love this iconic side. In three states — Alabama, New York and South Dakota — the most popular dishes are some version of sweet potatoes. And Tennessee and Kentucky both prefer their spuds served up in the form of a hashbrown casserole.
But there are greens on this list, too, with collards taking the honors in Georgia, Maryland and South Carolina, and side salads taking the top spot in New Mexico and Idaho. (Really, Idaho? No potatoes?!?)
There are some unique picks on the list, as well. Rhode Island prefers glazed carrots, Montana likes turkey gravy and Alaska’s most searched-for side was stuffed mushrooms.
Without further ado, here is the entire list of the most-Googled Thanksgiving side dish in each state, according to Zippia:
- Alabama: Sweet potato casserole
- Alaska: Stuffed mushrooms
- Arizona: Mashed potatoes
- Arkansas: White gravy
- California: Mashed potatoes
- Colorado: Mashed potatoes
- Connecticut: Mashed potatoes
- Delaware: Cauliflower mashed potatoes
- Florida: Rolls
- Georgia: Collard greens
- Hawaii: Mashed potatoes
- Idaho: Side salad
- Illinois: Mashed potatoes
- Indiana: Green beans
- Iowa: Green beans
- Kansas: Creamed corn
- Kentucky: Hashbrown casserole
- Louisiana: Cornbread dressing
- Maine: Stuffing
- Maryland: Collard greens
- Massachusetts: Mashed potatoes
- Michigan: Rolls
- Minnesota: Charcuterie tray
- Mississippi: Cornbread
- Missouri: Charcuterie tray
- Montana: Turkey gravy
- Nebraska: Crescent roll
- Nevada: Mashed potatoes
- New Hampshire: Stuffing
- New Jersey: Stuffed mushrooms
- New Mexico: Side salad
- New York: Sweet mashed potatoes with marshmallows
- North Carolina: Biscuit
- North Dakota: Fruit salad
- Ohio: Green beans
- Oklahoma: Baked potato
- Oregon: Mashed potatoes
- Pennsylvania: Stuffing
- Rhode Island: Glazed carrots
- South Carolina: Collard greens
- South Dakota: Baked sweet potatoes
- Tennessee: Hashbrown casserole
- Texas: Creamed corn
- Utah: Rolls
- Vermont: Macaroni and cheese
- Virginia: Macaroni and cheese
- Washington: Roasted vegetables
- West Virginia: Rolls
- Wisconsin: Baked potato
- Wyoming: Baked potato
Ready to whip up your favorite side dish for Thanksgiving?