Google Just Revealed the Most Uniquely Searched Thanksgiving Sides in Every State

Here's which sides people searched for most, all things being equal.

Sure, there are bound to be a lot of searches for "how to not ruin a turkey" this time of year, but every region has its side queries, too. We've already seen the most popular Thanksgiving sides in every state, and now Google Trends has produced another twist on the old Thanksgiving day conversation starter: the most uniquely searched Thanksgiving sides in every state.

These are searches for sides beyond what you'd typically expect. Google's data shows which keywords were disproportionately searched for in each state separate from national trends. This means that each state's uniquely searched dish is something locals are Googling for way more than the rest of the country.

Some expected sides managed to wiggle their way into the data, while other less expected dishes are also represented. The map is color-coded into five popular categories: casseroles, veggies, sweet potatoes, stuffing/dressing, and the catch-all "other."

Google Trends shows the most unique Thanksgiving side dishes in every state
Photo courtesy of Google Trends

People really like the classics, meaning some predictable dishes made the list. Alaska, Nevada, and Minnesota like green beans. Colorado, Idaho, and New Mexico like mashed potatoes. MontanaNew Hampshire, and New York just like potatoes... not even a specific type.

Other states set the table a little more creatively. Kentucky apparently goes wild for broccoli casserole, North Carolina goes for rice, Iowa seems to be clinging to summer with fruit salad, Arizona tosses in some ham, Rhode Island appreciates a good deviled egg, and DC reinvents the wheel with a large number of searches for duck confit.

Many states seem to pull from the same basic ingredient pool, but add their own subtle flair.

Utah and Virginia both love yams, but one prefers them candied. Sweet potatoes, yams' aesthetic doppelgänger, are represented all over the map, but only sometimes do they come in the form of a casserole. Some states prefer baked mac 'n cheese, but West Virginia keeps it simple and seemingly prepared on the range. And Ohio apparently eschews cranberry sauce in favor of cranberry relish.

Michigan and South Dakota want their corn in a casserole, Missouri wants cornbread in a casserole, Florida flat out wants cornbread, and several Southern states prefer cornbread dressing.

And speaking of dressing, this map brings up the stuffing versus dressing divide: For whatever reason, Northern states prefer stuffing, while Southern states prefer dressing

Here's the full breakdown for 2020:

Alabama: Cornbread dressing
Alaska: Green beans
Arizona: Ham
Arkansas: Cranberry sauce
California: Gravy
Colorado: Mashed potatoes
Connecticut: Sweet potato
Delaware: Sausage stuffing
Washington, DC: Duck confit
Florida: Cornbread
Georgia: Sweet potato souffle
Hawaii: Sweet potato casserole
Idaho: Mashed potatoes
Illinois: Mashed potatoes
Indiana: Baked mac 'n cheese
Iowa: Fruit salad
Kansas: Sweet potato
Kentucky: Broccoli casserole
Louisiana: Cornbread dressing
Maine: Green bean casserole
Maryland: Sweet potato
Massachusetts: Cranberry sauce
Michigan: Corn casserole
Minnesota: Green beans
Mississippi: Cornbread dressing
Missouri: Cornbread casserole
Montana: Potatoes
Nebraska: Sweet potato
Nevada: Green beans
New Hampshire: Potatoes
New Jersey: Sweet potato
New Mexico: Mashed potatoes
New York: Potatoes
North Carolina: Rice
North Dakota: Baked mac 'n cheese
Ohio: Cranberry relish
Oklahoma: Sweet potato
Oregon: Mashed potatoes
Pennsylvania: Sausage stuffing
Rhode Island: Deviled eggs
South Carolina: Cornbread dressing
South Dakota: Corn casserole
Tennessee: Sweet potato casserole
Texas: Cornbread dressing
Utah: Yams
Vermont: Green bean casserole
Virginia: Candied yams
Washington: Cranberry sauce
West Virginia: Mac 'n cheese
Wisconsin: Sweet potato
Wyoming: Classic stuffing

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Kyler Alvord is a news writer at Thrillist. Find him on Twitter and Instagram. Or don't. It's really up to you.