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  3. Fast Christmas Side Dishes

Fast Christmas Side Dishes

By Food & Wine Updated March 08, 2017
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Roasted Winter Squash with Vanilla Butter
Credit: Con Poulos
From creamy vanilla bean-whipped sweet potatoes to a green bean-and-blood orange salad, here are fast Christmas side dishes.
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1 of 26

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Christmas Salad

Christmas Salad
Credit: © Eva Kolenko
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Natasha Phan of L.A.'s Kogi restaurant empire craves this crisp, fresh salad during the holidays, when there's always an abundance of rich dishes at the table.

1 of 26

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2 of 26

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Green Bean-and-Blood Orange Salad

Green Bean–-and–-Blood Orange Salad
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“Blood oranges are part of my Sicily fascination,” Renato Poliafito says. He uses the segments to add color and tang to green beans and reduces the juice with balsamic vinegar to make the dressing.

  • More Holiday Entertaining Tips from Renato Poliafito

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Vanilla Bean-Whipped Sweet Potatoes

Vanilla Bean-Whipped Sweet Potatoes
Credit: © Frances Janisch
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New York chef Gerry Hayden, a friend of Michael Mina, was staying with the family one Christmas and contributed this side dish to the holiday meal. Everybody fell for the combination of creamy pureed potato and fragrant vanilla.

3 of 26

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Roasted Broccoli with Walnuts and Goat Cheese

Roasted Broccoli with Walnuts and Goat Cheese
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4 of 26

5 of 26

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Gingered Green Beans

Gingered Green Beans
Credit: © Petrina Tinslay
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Scott Conant makes his crisp-tender beans with ground ginger, since freshly grated ginger invariably creates unappealing little chunks.

  • Scott Conant's Holiday Inspiration

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Spicy Raw Beet Slaw with Citrus, Scallions and Arugula

Spicy Raw Beet Slaw with Citrus, Scallions and Arugula
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There’s so much richness on the holiday table that a few tart and spicy things are necessary for balance, like this raw beet slaw.

6 of 26

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Steamed Leeks with Mustard-Shallot Vinaigrette

Steamed Leeks with Mustard-Shallot Vinaigrette
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Leeks are low in calories and rich in phytochemicals. They’re also among the sweetest members of the onion family, making them a perfect match for this tangy mustard vinaigrette.

7 of 26

8 of 26

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Creamed Spinach and Parsnips

Creamed Spinach and Parsnips
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This luscious side dish can be prepared up to three days ahead. The duo of sweet parsnip and creamy spinach is unbeatable.

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9 of 26

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Yukon Golds with Shallot Butter

Yukon Golds with Shallot Butter
Credit: © Lucy Schaeffer
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  • Christmas Party Inspiration

9 of 26

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Shaved Rutabagas with Butter and Black Pepper

Shaved Rutabagas with Butter and Black Pepper
Credit: © John Kernick
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  • Wonderful ideas for Christmas Dinner

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Broccoli and Cheddar Casserole with Leeks

Broccoli and Cheddar Casserole with Leeks
Credit: © Alexandra Rowley
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This classic is updated with deep-flavored cheddar and a crunchy topping of crumbled crackers and toasted almonds.

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Kale with Currants, Lemon and Olives

Kale with Currants, Lemon and Olives
Credit: © Frances Janisch
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Boiling kale before sautéing it is key to making it tender. If the stems and center veins are very tough, Marcia Kiesel advises removing them: Fold the kale leaves in half with the vein side out, then pull up on the stems.

  • F&W's Ultimate Holiday Guide

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Carrots with Tahini Dressing

Carrots with Tahini Dressing. Photo © Quentin Bacon
Credit: © Quentin Bacon
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"I like the clean flavors in this dish," says Sam Mogannam of this incredibly simple side, which is as good with turkey as it is with steamed fish, roast chicken or pork.

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Fennel, Apple and Celery Salad with Watercress

Fennel, Apple and Celery Salad with Watercress
Credit: © William Meppem
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To maintain crispness, toss the salad just before setting it out on the buffet.

14 of 26

15 of 26

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Mashed Potatoes with Butternut Squash

Mashed Potatoes with Butternut Squash
Credit: © Frances Janisch
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For ultrafluffy potatoes, Grace Parisi presses them through a ricer. To achieve a similar texture, pass the potatoes through a food mill or a fine-mesh sieve. If you choose to mash them by hand, be gentle; otherwise, the potatoes will turn gluey. Grace offers other creative ideas for fluffy mashed potatoes like Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan Cheese and Fresh Thyme and Mashed Potatoes with Crispy Shallots.

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Spicy Braised Escarole

Spicy Braised Escarole
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Chef Way Andrew Carmellini prepares this dish with homemade bread crumbs and hard-to-find Sicilian oregano.

Easy Way Top spicy greens with crispy panko (packaged Japanese bread crumbs) and a touch of supermarket oregano.

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Lemony Brussels Sprout Slaw

Lemony Brussels Sprout Slaw
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To make this refreshingly lemony slaw, start with firm brussels sprouts and shred them in a food processor. Roasted sunflower seeds are the perfect finish.

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Braised Greens with Tomatoes

Braised Greens with Tomatoes
Credit: Photo © James Baigrie
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18 of 26

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19 of 26

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Green Beans and Salsify with Country Ham and Pecans

Green Beans and Salsify with Country Ham and Pecans
Credit: © John Kernick
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For his simple side dish, Dean Fearing sautes crisp green beans with caramelized salsify, toasted pecans and strips of intense country ham. At home, he jokingly calls them "all-day" green beans--in fact, they take about half an hour to prepare.

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Crunchy Cabbage Icebox Salad

Crunchy Cabbage Icebox Salad
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"This is a salad you can keep in your refrigerator until you're ready to serve; just like your summer slaw, but for winter," says Jenn Louis. The crisp vegetables mixed with the creamy yogurt dressing would also be excellent as a filling in tacos.

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Roasted Squash with Crispy Bulgur Crumbs

Roasted Squash with Crispy Bulgur Crumbs
Credit: © Christina Holmes
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F&W's Kay Chun tops sweet roasted winter squash with crispy pan-fried bulgur seasoned with coriander seeds.

21 of 26

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22 of 26

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Candied Cranberry Sauce

Candied Cranberry Sauce
Credit: © Lucy Schaeffer
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Cooked with less water and in a wide skillet, tart cranberries get candied in the sugar syrup and remain almost whole in this delicious cranberry sauce.

22 of 26

23 of 26

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Vanilla Bean-Whipped Sweet Potatoes

Vanilla Bean-Whipped Sweet Potatoes
Credit: © Frances Janisch
Go to Recipe

New York chef Gerry Hayden, a friend of Michael Mina, was staying with the family one Christmas and contributed this side dish to the holiday meal. Everybody fell for the combination of creamy pureed potato and fragrant vanilla.

23 of 26

24 of 26

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Sautéed Parsnips with Dates and Spiced Yogurt

Sautéed Parsnips with Dates and Spiced Yogurt
Credit: © Jonny Valiant
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24 of 26

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25 of 26

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Five-Spice Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Walnut Toffee

Five-Spice Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Walnut Toffee
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Crunchy toffee stands in for the usual marshmallow topping on these sweet potatoes, which Shawn McClain glazes with brown sugar and spice-scented butter.

25 of 26

26 of 26

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Roasted Winter Squash with Vanilla Butter

Roasted Winter Squash with Vanilla Butter
Credit: Con Poulos
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Fragrant vanilla-bean butter does double duty here—it both flavors the squash and softens the skin during roasting. The greater the variety of winter squash you use, the more interesting the dish will be.

26 of 26

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    1 of 26 Christmas Salad
    2 of 26 Green Bean-and-Blood Orange Salad
    3 of 26 Vanilla Bean-Whipped Sweet Potatoes
    4 of 26 Roasted Broccoli with Walnuts and Goat Cheese
    5 of 26 Gingered Green Beans
    6 of 26 Spicy Raw Beet Slaw with Citrus, Scallions and Arugula
    7 of 26 Steamed Leeks with Mustard-Shallot Vinaigrette
    8 of 26 Creamed Spinach and Parsnips
    9 of 26 Yukon Golds with Shallot Butter
    10 of 26 Shaved Rutabagas with Butter and Black Pepper
    11 of 26 Broccoli and Cheddar Casserole with Leeks
    12 of 26 Kale with Currants, Lemon and Olives
    13 of 26 Carrots with Tahini Dressing
    14 of 26 Fennel, Apple and Celery Salad with Watercress
    15 of 26 Mashed Potatoes with Butternut Squash
    16 of 26 Spicy Braised Escarole
    17 of 26 Lemony Brussels Sprout Slaw
    18 of 26 Braised Greens with Tomatoes
    19 of 26 Green Beans and Salsify with Country Ham and Pecans
    20 of 26 Crunchy Cabbage Icebox Salad
    21 of 26 Roasted Squash with Crispy Bulgur Crumbs
    22 of 26 Candied Cranberry Sauce
    23 of 26 Vanilla Bean-Whipped Sweet Potatoes
    24 of 26 Sautéed Parsnips with Dates and Spiced Yogurt
    25 of 26 Five-Spice Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Walnut Toffee
    26 of 26 Roasted Winter Squash with Vanilla Butter

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