Side Dishes, Easy Side Dish Recipes & Ideas

Most Recent

These mashed potatoes are a speedy, nearly effortless dish thanks to a flavor-packed special ingredient: a garlic-and-herb-flecked spreadable cheese (such as Boursin). For a colorful twist, use purple Peruvian potatoes instead of Yukon Golds to make purple mashed potatoes.

Cranberry-Walnut Stuffing

Tart cranberries and toasted walnuts add flavor and a crunch to this crowd-pleasing holiday side dish. Rustic hunks of toasted bread form the backbone of this stuffing; a buttery sauteed mixture of onion, celery, herbs, and cooked sausage fills it out with rich flavor. Simmering the cranberries first in vinegar and sugar both intensifies and rounds out their distinctive tartness. Serve this versatile side with roasted turkey, pork, or beef.

Popeyes Has Removed Both the Cajun Rice and Green Bean Sides from Its Menu

We’re going to need a moment.

Endives in Schmaltz with Peanuts

Mildly bitter Belgian endive cooked in schmaltz, or rendered chicken fat, becomes sweet and tender, with golden, caramelized edges. Fresh lime juice and crunchy roasted peanuts balance the richness of this simple-to-make side dish.

Potato-Parmesan Puree

Passing the cooked potatoes through a ricer, instead of mashing or processing them, results in an airy, delicate puree. Choose Yukon Gold potatoes for best results; they are the perfect mix of waxy and starchy for a fluffy and creamy mash.

These 5 Vegetarian Thanksgiving Sides Will Make Your Holiday

Umami-rich ingredients pack bold flavor into these five vegetarian sides.

More Side Dishes

Cornbread Dressing with Celery and Fresh Sage

While many seem to enjoy a yeast bread-based "stuffing" alongside their turkeys each November, my family always has cornbread "dressing" to eat with our bird. Each family and every individual cook has their own way that they like to prepare dressing, often following intuition rather than an exact recipe. But after years of my childhood spent helping my mother prepare it before venturing out on my own, this is the version that I'm happy to share with you.

Rustic Bread Stuffing with Swiss Chard and Chestnuts

Swiss chard lends a pleasant earthiness to this hearty stuffing; meaty chestnuts add texture and richness. Choose high-quality crusty bread for this recipe to ensure a fluffy texture and crisp top.

Using the Right Potato Is the Secret to a Great Potato Salad

Crispy Potatoes with Avocado Salsa

Easy Polenta

Salmon Ochazuke

Smashed Potato and Shallot Gratin

Good, easy potato dishes are something I always like to have in my back pocket, especially in the winter when something cozy and belly-warming is in order. I haven’t yet tired of smashing potatoes, and I’m not sure I ever will.The idea for this dish came to me in a dream: What if I just smashed whole roasted potatoes, right in the baking dish, and then poured roasted garlic–laced cream over them, and then baked them with a scattering of Parmesan until they were crispy and golden and delicious? The use of cream here is judicious, and most of it is absorbed by the potatoes, resulting in an unctuous but not overly rich gratin. The shallots end up caramelized and sticky, and you’ll find yourself digging for them.I like to use an enameled cast-iron baking dish for a million different things, from fruit crisps to roasting a chicken to baking a bread pudding, and it’s the perfect vessel to use here. Failing that, a ceramic baking dish works, too, as would a large cast-iron skillet. All the potatoes should fit easily in one layer (leaving a little room for the shallots). Try out different baking dishes before you oil the potatoes (just tumble them in and see if they fit in a single layer) to find the right one. After roasting until just tender, use a potato masher (or the bottom of a sturdy mug) to flatten each one.Sometimes, I like to prep, or mise, all of my ingredients before I start cooking, but that’s not always the most efficient way. Here, each step is quick to prepare and can be done as you proceed with the recipe. There is a little in and out of the oven with this recipe, but it’s seamless and simple and will have your tablemates swooning over the divine combination of basic ingredients that come together in a way that is much, much more than the sum of its parts.If you want to make this a few hours ahead of time, go as far as smashing the potatoes (leave at room temperature) and making the cream mixture. About a half hour before you want to serve, pour the cream over and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Go with something simple like a roast or steaks and a crisp green salad with this luxurious side dish.