Did Thanksgiving creep up on you? Worried about how many hours you have to defrost your turkey and how to bake pies super-fast without the fire alarm going off? Sit back and relax--it’s all gouda! We’ve put together our favorite easy Thanksgiving side dish recipes, jam-packed with flavor and fresh Wisconsin Cheese. With a variety of cheese on hand--from a sharp black pepper-infused BellaVitano to ultra-melty fontina—and these sides, you can enjoy the day the Wisconsin way.
Alpine-Style Green Bean Casserole
Nothing is more classic for the Thanksgiving table than green bean casserole. This recipe is next-level quintessential. We’ve elevated the dish with Roelli Little Mountain cheese, so you get all of the nostalgia without sacrificing flavor. This award-winning cheese scored Best in Show in the American Cheese Society’s competition, so it’s pretty much guaranteed to impress. Decked out with crunchy panko crumbs and topped with a pinch of cayenne, this is one vegetable dish where you won’t have leftovers.
Featured Cheese
Roelli Little Mountain: This stunner is a washed rind,
alpine-style cheese with beautifully balanced fruity and nutty tones.
Master Chesemaker Chris Roelli describes the cheese as a cross between
gruyere and
emmentaler, but we’d describe it as a cross between jaw-dropping and mouth-watering.
Get the recipe for our Alpine-Style Green Bean Casserole.
Honey-Glazed Root Vegetables
Fall root vegetables, when roasted and caramelized, don’t need too much to make them shine. Except cheese. Always add cheese. We’ve opted to include Sartori’s Black Pepper BellaVitano as an ingredient and a garnish, which adds a spicy, zesty finish that contrasts with the sweet honey glaze. With beautiful shades of red and gold, these Honey-Glazed Root Vegetables play a duel role as a centerpiece and a side dish.
Featured Cheese
Sartori Black Pepper BellaVitano: We love Sartori for their diverse, unique flavor combinations--and their Black Pepper BellaVitano is no exception. Creamy, nutty, and sharply peppery, this cheese is intriguing in its own right and downright delicious when added to other foods.
Recipe Tip: You can use any assortment of root vegetables, so feel free to sub and swap according to your tastes.
Get the recipe for our Honey-Glazed Root Vegetables.
Fontina and Herb Crescent Rolls
Every piece of bread deserves some Wisconsin Cheese to go with it—and that goes double for these crescent rolls. Our Fontina and Herb Crescent Rolls take something “grate” and make them even better with the simple addition of cheese.
Featured Cheese
Maple Leaf Nordic™ Fontina: This fontina is the cheese that just keeps giving. Whether you’re using it as a crescent roll filling or just snacking on cubes of it solo, it’s a versatile cheese fit for any occasion. Maple Leaf Cheese’s fontina has a particularly smooth texture and mellow yet complex flavor.
Get the recipe for our Fontina and Herb Crescent Rolls.
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Especially at Thanksgiving, the Instant Pot is your new best friend—speeding up your recipes and helping you to keep dishes warm while you finish preparing the meal. Now onto the recipe. There are three words to describe these taters: easy, quick, and cheesy. With Door Artisan Romano cheese, sautéed garlic, and a lot of butter, these potatoes are the foundation upon which your Thanksgiving meal can be built.
Featured Cheese
Door Artisan Romano cheese: Romano is similar in texture to parmesan, but with an unforgettably robust aroma and sharp flavor. Its assertive taste cuts through the richness of these potatoes to create a complex, savory bite.
Get the recipe for our Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes.
Conclusion
If these recipes have got you hungry for something else, try our selection of over 300 handcrafted recipes featuring Wisconsin cheese. Share your autumnal cheese board with us on Instagram or Facebook and become part of the largest cheese community in the world. Don’t forget to read our latest Harvest issue of Grate.Pair.Share where you’ll find even more recipes, stories, and Thanksgiving tips!
Can’t find your favorite cheese near you? You can get Wisconsin’s finest cheeses delivered right to your door with our continuously updated list of cheesemakers and retailers that allow you to order cheese online. Award-winning Wisconsin cheese is just a click away.