12 Sweet & Savory Fall Side Dishes Everyone Loves

The best fall sides walk the line between sweet and savory. Maple-kissed vegetables, honey-butter breads, and caramelized everything — these 12 sides steal the show.

Below you’ll find 12 reader-favorite recipes, each with a photo, ingredients, and step-by-step instructions. Save your favorites and enjoy!

1. Honey Glazed Carrots

Tender carrots lacquered in a honey-thyme glaze.

Ingredients

• 2 lb carrots
• 3 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon zest

Instructions

1. Toss carrots with oil and salt.
2. Roast at 425°F for 20 minutes.
3. Warm honey, butter, and thyme.
4. Toss carrots in the glaze.
5. Finish with lemon zest.

2. Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Crispy sprouts with bacon and a sticky maple glaze.

Ingredients

• 2 lb Brussels sprouts
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 4 bacon strips, chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp balsamic
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Halve sprouts; toss with oil and salt.
2. Roast at 425°F for 20 minutes.
3. Crisp bacon in a skillet.
4. Toss sprouts with maple and balsamic.
5. Top with bacon.

3. Cinnamon Apple Sweet Potato Mash

Fluffy mash swirled with cinnamon apples.

Ingredients

• 3 lb sweet potatoes
• 2 apples, diced
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 pinch nutmeg

Instructions

1. Boil sweet potatoes until tender; drain.
2. Sauté apples with butter and cinnamon 5 minutes.
3. Mash potatoes with milk and brown sugar.
4. Fold in apples.
5. Top with nutmeg.

4. Brown Butter Butternut Squash

Caramelized squash in nutty brown butter with crispy sage.

Ingredients

• 2 lb butternut squash
• 4 tbsp butter
• 8 sage leaves
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup pecans

Instructions

1. Toss squash with oil, salt, and sugar.
2. Roast at 425°F for 25 minutes.
3. Brown butter; crisp sage leaves.
4. Toss squash in brown butter.
5. Top with pecans.

5. Cranberry Pecan Wild Rice

Chewy wild rice with tart cranberries and toasted pecans.

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups wild rice
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 orange, zested
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup green onions

Instructions

1. Cook wild rice until tender; drain.
2. Toast pecans 4 minutes.
3. Toss rice with cranberries and pecans.
4. Dress with maple, oil, and orange zest.
5. Garnish with green onions.

6. Roasted Acorn Squash with Brown Sugar

Caramelized squash halves that taste like dessert.

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash
• 4 tbsp brown sugar
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 pinch nutmeg

Instructions

1. Halve squash; scoop seeds.
2. Fill with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
3. Roast at 400°F for 40 minutes.
4. Baste with maple syrup.
5. Dust with nutmeg.

7. Caramelized Onion Green Beans

Crisp beans tossed with sweet caramelized onions.

Ingredients

• 2 lb green beans
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Blanch beans 3 minutes; chill.
2. Caramelize onion in butter and brown sugar 15 minutes.
3. Add beans; toss 3 minutes.
4. Splash in soy sauce.
5. Season with pepper.

8. Apple Cheddar Biscuits

Flaky biscuits studded with sharp cheddar and sweet apple.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup cold butter
• 1 cup cheddar, shredded
• 1 apple, diced
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 tbsp honey

Instructions

1. Whisk flour and baking powder.
2. Cut in butter; stir in cheddar and apple.
3. Add milk and honey; form dough.
4. Cut biscuits.
5. Bake at 425°F for 14 minutes.

9. Sweet Cornbread with Honey Butter

Golden, crumbly cornbread slathered in honey butter.

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups cornmeal
• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 tbsp honey butter

Instructions

1. Whisk dry ingredients.
2. Whisk eggs, milk, honey, and melted butter.
3. Combine; pour into a hot skillet.
4. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes.
5. Serve warm with honey butter.

10. Balsamic Roasted Beets

Earthy-sweet beets glazed in balsamic and honey.

Ingredients

• 2 lb beets
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup goat cheese

Instructions

1. Wrap beets in foil; roast at 400°F for 45 minutes.
2. Peel and quarter.
3. Toss with balsamic, honey, oil, and thyme.
4. Roast 10 more minutes.
5. Top with goat cheese.

11. Pumpkin Dinner Rolls

Pillowy orange rolls with a pumpkin-spice glaze.

Ingredients

• 1 can refrigerated biscuit dough
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 3 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 tsp pumpkin spice
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Mix pumpkin into biscuit dough.
2. Shape into 12 rolls.
3. Brush with butter.
4. Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes.
5. Drizzle with spiced glaze.

12. Warm Kale and Apple Salad

Wilted kale with sweet apples, pecans, and maple dressing.

Ingredients

• 6 cups kale
• 2 apples, sliced
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 3 tbsp maple vinaigrette
• 1/4 cup feta
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Massage kale with oil 2 minutes.
2. Warm in a skillet 3 minutes.
3. Toss with apples, pecans, and cranberries.
4. Dress with maple vinaigrette.
5. Top with feta.