Turkey is the dish Americans pick most often for Thanksgiving: in YouGov’s head-to-head poll it won 83% of its matchups, ahead of mashed potatoes (78%) and stuffing or dressing (77%). The ranking below uses that poll’s win rates for 14 dishes. It dates from November 2020, so newer surveys from Butterball, Campbell’s and AP-NORC are used in the write-ups as of November 2026, ahead of Thanksgiving on November 26.[1]
Pictured: Butterball’s “How to Roast a Turkey” video; turkey is #1, winning 83% of its matchups.
| Rank | Dish | Win rate (%) | Type | Tradition note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Turkey | 83% | Main | Centerpiece of the meal; 84% of hosts planned to serve one in Butterball’s 2025 survey |
| 2 | Mashed potatoes | 78% | Side | Boiled potatoes mashed with butter and milk; also the usual base for gravy |
| 3 | Stuffing or dressing | 77% | Side | Seasoned bread mix baked in the bird (stuffing) or in a dish (dressing); cornbread versions are Southern |
| 4 | Bread or rolls | 74% | Side | Dinner rolls; Parker House rolls are tied to a Boston hotel |
| 5 | Ham | 67% | Main | Second meat on many tables, often a glazed spiral ham |
| 6 | Scalloped potatoes | 66% | Side | Thin potato slices baked in cream or milk, a cousin of French gratin |
| 7 | Sweet potatoes or yams | 65% | Side | Often a casserole with brown sugar or marshmallows |
| 8 | Green beans | 64% | Side | Plain or sauteed green beans, separate from the casserole below |
| 8 | Gravy | 64% | Side | Sauce made from the turkey’s pan drippings |
| 10 | Macaroni and cheese | 62% | Side | Baked pasta in cheese sauce; a staple on many family tables |
| 11 | Corn | 60% | Side | Kernels or creamed corn, a crop native to the Americas |
| 12 | Cornbread | 57% | Side | Southern bread and the base of cornbread dressing |
| 12 | Green bean casserole | 57% | Side | Created at Campbell Soup Company in the 1950s with cream of mushroom soup |
| 12 | Potato salad | 57% | Side | Cold potato side dressed with mayonnaise or mustard |
No matching rows.
As of November 2026; poll from November 2020. Win rate is the share of head-to-head matchups a dish won in YouGov’s poll: each respondent was randomly given 14 dishes, shown as seven pairs, and picked the better dish in each pair. It is not the share of people who name a dish as their favorite. The poll asked about the dishes themselves, so pies and other desserts and drinks are not in it; newer surveys on those appear in the write-ups. Tied dishes share a rank. The poll’s article gives its sample as 1,300 Americans in the text and 1,373 panelists in its methodology section, and does not state field dates. Dishes below 57% are not listed.[1]
Turkey won 83% of its head-to-head matchups, the highest of the 14 dishes.[1] Newer surveys agree it is the star. Butterball’s 2025 survey of 1,678 US adults, run by Circana in July 2025, found 84% of hosts planned to serve turkey and 47% named it a favorite part of the meal (respondents could pick more than one).[2] In AP-NORC’s November 2023 poll, 32% of Thanksgiving celebrants called turkey their favorite dish, though 12% named it their least favorite.[3]
Mashed potatoes finished second, one point ahead of stuffing.[1] Campbell’s 2025 State of the Sides survey of 5,000 Americans also put mashed potatoes second among sides, behind stuffing.[4] Butterball’s 2025 survey lists potatoes among favorite parts of the meal at 26%, tied with sweet potatoes.[2]
Stuffing or dressing took third in YouGov’s matchups.[1] It does better in newer surveys of favorites: 41% in Butterball’s 2025 survey, second only to turkey, and 19% in AP-NORC’s 2023 poll, also second.[2][3] Campbell’s 2025 report names it the top Thanksgiving side.[4]
Bread or rolls won 74% of matchups, ahead of ham and of every potato dish below mashed potatoes.[1] The video is Bobby Flay’s Parker House rolls for Food Network, a style named for Boston’s Parker House hotel.
Ham is the only other main course in the top 10, winning 67% of matchups.[1] The video is America’s Test Kitchen’s spiral-sliced ham with a cider-vinegar caramel glaze.
Scalloped potatoes won 66% of matchups, behind mashed potatoes among the potato dishes and one point ahead of sweet potatoes.[1] The video is Food Network’s Anne Burrell making a scalloped potato gratin, a close relative of the dish.
Sweet potatoes or yams won 65% of matchups.[1] Campbell’s 2025 report ranks them third among sides, and Butterball’s 2025 survey has sweet potatoes at 26% as a favorite part of the meal.[4][2] In AP-NORC’s 2023 poll, sweet potato pie was the favorite pie of 12% of celebrants.[3] The video is NYT Cooking’s Eric Kim on sweet potato casserole.
Plain green beans won 64% of matchups, tied with gravy.[1] The poll lists green bean casserole separately, at 57%, in 12th place. No verified video was available for this entry, so it shows an icon.
Gravy tied green beans at 64%.[1] It is traditionally made from the turkey’s pan drippings, which is why it only appears on tables that serve turkey.
Macaroni and cheese won 62% of matchups, the last dish in the top 10.[1] It ranks fourth among sides in Campbell’s 2025 report, and Butterball’s 2025 survey has it as a favorite part of the meal for 18% of adults.[4][2] The video is Food Network’s Alton Brown making a baked version.