Side Dish
4106 recipes found
Tomatoes Vinaigrette
Possibly too easy to even be called a salad, this satisfying summer side dresses thin slices of tomatoes with a vinaigrette of wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic and dried oregano. Salting the tomatoes brings out the best of both peak season and cold weather fruit, encouraging their sweet juices to leak onto the plate and mix with the dressing. Serve with grilled bread to sop up what’s left behind. This dish is greater than the sum of its parts.
Oven-Roasted Corn on the Cob
Next time you’re thinking of boiling water for corn on the cob, consider this flavorful oven method instead. Ears of corn are brushed with a garlicky herb butter, then wrapped in foil and roasted until tender and just starting to brown. The butter flavors the corn as it roasts, and a spoonful spread on each ear just before serving delivers a little extra richness. For corn on the cob with a kick, consider adding a pinch of chili powder or ground cayenne to the butter mixture.
Tomato Salad
The minimal ingredients in this salad allow tomatoes to shine through. Besides our star, salt is the most important element because it draws out the juices to leave the tomato with more concentrated flavor. The resulting pink-hued juices mingle with the shallot, olive oil and lemon juice to create a dressing that is so good, it is reason enough to make this salad. Use up every drop by dipping into it with grilled bread, or pour it over braised beans, grilled fish or roast chicken. While tomato salads are often dressed with vinegar, lemon juice is more gentle, working behind the scenes to help tomatoes taste like their brightest selves.
Dill Pickle Tzatziki
This punchy, crunchy and creamy sauce combines dill pickles and tzatziki for an easy dip that goes with everything from potato and pita chips to crab cakes and kuku. Traditionally, making tzatziki starts with draining the water from grated cucumber, but that’s not necessary here because the pickles are a two-in-one ingredient, adding crunch and tanginess. (While this might sound like a novel trick, Greek chef Diane Kochilas adds brininess to her tzatziki with cornichons and capers.) Keep the dip on-hand covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Honey Mustard Potato Salad
There exist entire worlds between a good potato salad and a bad one. The good ones have good potatoes that have been prioritized and not just boiled to death: perfectly steamed, not too wet on the inside or outside. This clever, lazy method — boiling the potatoes for half their cook time, draining them, then using the residual heat of the pot to steam the spuds until tender, like one does with, say, sushi rice — ensures perfectly creamy, pillowy potatoes, whose fluffy edges are excellent at soaking up a curried dressing, dyed golden with mustard, lightly inspired by those delicious honey-mustard pretzel pieces from the snack aisle. If your curry powder isn’t hot enough for you, then add a dash of cayenne pepper or your favorite fresh chile, finely chopped. Some like it sweet; if that’s you, add a pinch of sugar or another dribble of honey; taste and adjust as you go.
Angel Hair Pasta Salad
Light, bouncy angel hair makes for a surprisingly stellar pasta salad. Dressed in a simple mayonnaise and vinegar dressing, a rainbow confetti of raw vegetables shines in this chill, endlessly adaptable recipe. Salting the vegetables in advance, allowing them to sweat their excess moisture and then patting them dry, leads to crunchier, longer-lasting results. This salad keeps for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, covered; as it sits, the vegetables give off their flavor and fragrance to the blank-canvas pasta. Simply stir before serving to redistribute any dressing that has collected on the bottom of the bowl.
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Extra-Crispy Croutons
Extend the shelf life of your stale bread by turning it into crunchy, snackable croutons. This easy recipe takes just about 30 minutes, and leaves you with delicious salad toppers for days.
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Southern Cathead Biscuits
These extra large biscuits are crisp, golden, and exceptionally fluffy. Plus: They're easier than classic cut biscuits.
Farinata (Herbed Chickpea Flour and Onion Pancake)
Farinata is a popular street food from the Ligurian coast surrounding Genoa, Italy, to the French Côte d’Azur, where it’s called socca. Typically a humble pancake built on only chickpea flour, water, olive oil and salt, it’s inexpensive, gluten-free and suitable for vegans. It can be very thin, highlighting its crispy, golden exterior, and is usually eaten plain or with a simple side of cured meats. This version is thicker, showcasing its creamy herbed interior, and topped with an array of garnishes for a more substantial dish and a plant-based alternative to a frittata. (For an even heartier meal, top with roasted vegetables, such as broccolini.) Thyme, sumac and sesame oil are not traditional seasonings — unlike rosemary, fennel seed or sage — but they recall za’atar and meld with the chickpea flour and olive oil.
Creamy Coconut-Lime Rice With Peanuts
Coconut milk does double duty here in this light yet hearty rice dish that straddles the line between side salad and pilaf-like main. First the rice is simmered in creamy coconut milk, then the remaining milk is used to make a soothing dressing spiked with lime juice, peanut butter, toasted peanuts and garlic, with a little added heat from chile sauce. Fresh cherry tomatoes and chopped herbs turn it all into a rice salad that can be a flavorful side for grilled chicken or the base for fried eggs.
Extra-Green Pasta Salad
This vibrant green pasta salad gets its color from a combination of spinach and basil, but you can swap the spinach for arugula for a more peppery finish. (Some of us need a little bite in our lives!). The miso in the sauce does a lot of the heavy lifting, imparting a salty, almost Parmesan-like quality. You can eat the salad immediately or chilled for a summer picnic. If making it a day ahead, don’t add the basil garnish and cheese until you’re ready to serve.
Radish, Cucumber and White Bean Farro Salad
This colorful grain salad gains punchy acidity from pepperoncini and lightly pickled vegetables. While the nutty farro is cooking, the soaking begins: Scallions, radishes, cucumber, parsley and white beans are tossed in a sherry-Dijon dressing spiked with a spoonful of pepperoncini pickling liquid. The beans add a creamy texture to the dish in lieu of cheese, though a crumbled feta or torn mozzarella would work nicely. Swap these ingredients as the season changes, adding corn kernels or snap peas, or play with the herbs, mixing in cilantro or mint, too.
Aloo Tikki (Potato Cutlets)
Aloo tikki, or potato cutlets, are a popular South Asian street food perhaps due to the ease with which they travel and their versatility: They can be eaten as a quick, compact snack and also lend themselves to being slathered in chutney and wrapped up in naan for a full meal. The hearty, heavily spiced and textured tikki is commonly found on tea trolleys as well as at mealtimes in homes. They may be served as an appetizer, a side to many main courses or as the meal itself. Typically fried in a small amount of oil, this version calls for baking the cutlets to minimize mess and to efficiently entertain a large party or household. Make the potato mix a few days ahead, or freeze the cutlets for up to 3 months — perfect for spontaneous hosting.
Borani Banjan (Afghan-style Eggplant in Yogurt)
Traditionally in Afghan-style borani banjan, an appetizer or vegetable side, eggplant slices are soaked in salted water for 20 to 30 minutes, drained and dried, then simmered in a spiced tomato sauce before being served in layers of garlicky yogurt. This version significantly simplifies the preparation in the interest of time without compromising its appeal: varied flavors and textures from crispy, caramelized eggplant; creamy, garlicky yogurt; sweet and sour tomatoes; and juicy, bright pomegranate seeds. No soaking or simmering here, just quick pan-frying and layering for the same effect in about 30 minutes. Go back for seconds of a dish that tastes even better when it’s cold.
Baked Summer Tomatoes
In her cookbook, “The Taste of Country Cooking,” Edna Lewis includes this homey dish of baked tomatoes in her menu for a summer wheat-harvesting dinner. Sweetened with sugar and thickened with pieces of buttered bread, it’s an unusual side dish that’s just as good when made with soft, overripe tomatoes as it is with perfect ones. Using a mix of different size and color tomatoes makes this both visually and texturally appealing. But feel free to use whatever ripe tomatoes you have.
Succotash
Typically a combination of corn, lima beans and other vegetables, succotash was first introduced to colonial immigrants in the 17th century by Native Americans. The name succotash is derived from the Narragansett word “msickquatash,” which refers to corn (and a variety of other ingredients) cooked together in a pot. Using frozen corn and lima beans that have been defrosted make this recipe incredibly simple and evergreen, but opt for fresh versions when in season. Cook the vegetables in stages, starting with the longer-cooking ones, then toss in a tablespoon of butter when they’re all cooked for a layer of silkiness. To keep the tomatoes crisp, remove the pan from the heat before adding them, but if you want them a bit softer, toss the tomatoes in with the corn and lima beans. This dish easily adapts to preference and availability.
Green Bean Salad With Dill Pickles And Feta
Green beans, feta and dill are old friends, but using dill pickles instead of dill contributes acid, crunch and verve to the classic combination. For maximum flavor, use pickles that are brined with fresh dill or dill seeds, and chill the salad for at least 30 minutes for refreshing, snappy bites. Keep in the fridge for up to 2 days to dole out alongside roast chicken or hot dogs, or on top of salad greens or grain bowls.
Crispy Okra With Spicy Honey Sauce
Kwame Onwuachi serves a version of this dish at his acclaimed restaurant Tatiana in New York City. He halves and deep-fries his version, but in this adaptation, it’s quartered so every bit is extra crunchy. It’s lightly coated in a vibrant honey sauce bursting with Scotch bonnet chile, ginger and pungent garlic. The flavors are big but not overbearing, letting okra’s beauty shine. Finish with a dusting of mustard powder, if you like, and a squeeze of lemon, to bring this New York small-plate to your dinner table.
Orzo Salad
This colorful, Mediterranean-inspired orzo salad is a crowd-pleasing side dish for a picnic or potluck, and can be a satisfying, vegetable-packed lunch. The trick to a flavorful pasta salad is adding the dressing while the pasta is hot, so it can soak up plenty of flavor as it cools. This recipe takes that method a step further by tossing the hot orzo and dressing with the chickpeas, tomatoes and olives, giving the ingredients ample time to marinate. If olives aren’t your thing, try adding diced roasted red peppers or marinated artichokes for a burst of briny flavor in each bite. If preparing for a larger gathering, this recipe doubles easily, and leftovers keep well in the refrigerator, making it a good choice for meal prepping.
Crunchy Noodle and Tofu Salad
With crisp noodles and vegetables coated in a tangy dressing, this salad is reminiscent of the ubiquitous Chinese chicken salad, which isn’t actually Chinese in origin. Stripped of the chicken and given a more accurate name, this vegan take is a fresh salad with lots of textures and no active cooking. Fridge stalwarts carrot and celery combine with robust cabbage to provide heart and heft, while store-bought crispy fried noodles (sometimes sold as chow mein noodles) bring mouth-watering crunch. (They’re worth keeping in your pantry to use as a fun, effortless topper for salads or soups.) Another store-bought timesaver is baked tofu, which has already been marinated and baked, and is ready to use straight from the packet. It often comes in several flavors, and any of them will work for this recipe. The dressing is sweet, savory and acidic, and can be easily adjusted to your liking. Maple syrup adds richness, but honey, agave or sugar would all make suitable substitutes.
Snap Pea, Tofu and Herb Salad With Spicy Peanut Sauce
When the season gifts us sweet, juicy sugar snap (or snow) peas, use them raw in this textural salad. Slicing them in half diagonally not only unlocks their innate crispness, but also allows the inner peas to spill out, creating more texture. This salad is brazenly herb forward, and offers an excellent way to use up any leftover bundles in your fridge; mint, cilantro or basil can be used singularly or as a mix. The two-ingredient dressing is the simplest, and possibly tastiest, peanut sauce you’ll ever make: Peanut butter is whisked together with chile crisp and loosened with boiling water, which helps encourage it to emulsify, creating a smooth, creamy and intensely savory sauce. Looking for another shortcut? You can even skip pan-frying and use store-bought pre-baked firm tofu.
Palak Paneer
A vegetarian dish of fresh, unripened cheese cooked in a thick, creamy spinach purée, paneer palak originated in the northern Indian state of Punjab. Named for its two primary ingredients — spinach and paneer cheese — palak paneer is reminiscent of saag paneer (which typically uses a mixture of greens, including spinach, fenugreek leaves and mustard greens) but instead uses blended spinach as its sole source of greens. A fresh, firm, mild cheese used throughout India, paneer is prized for its texture and its ability to absorb the flavors of its surrounding ingredients, as it holds its shape without melting when heated. If you’re unable to find paneer, you can try firm tofu instead. Here, the paneer is heated in the sauce, however, you could sear the cubes in a pan before adding them to the dish. Serve palak paneer with naan or steamed basmati rice.
Chicharrones
A snack prized for their crunch and salt factor, chicharrones commonly involve fried pork skin. You’ll find versions across Spain and Latin America where they might be crisped by methods that include deep-frying, baking or boiling. This recipe uses long, 1-inch-wide pork belly strips that include the skin, fat and belly. In order to get them as crisp as possible, they’re rubbed with baking soda before cooking. Next, they’re rinsed and submerged in water in a nonstick skillet. They’ll simmer and tenderize as the water evaporates, then eventually they sizzle in their own rendered fat. (A splatter screen will help protect you from the pork belly skin as it crackles and crisps in the pan, and long sleeves will help prevent any hot oil burns.) Serve these meaty, crunchy chicharrones on their own, with lime wedges, or with one-pot rice and beans.
Antipasto Salad
In this recipe the classic Italian antipasti platter takes the form of a single cold salad. All of the traditional elements are present here: tomatoes, olives, artichoke hearts, peppers, cheese and salami. Of course, you can swap all kinds of antipasti-minded ingredients into this salad and omit the meat or cheese for vegetarians or vegans, but don’t skip the butter beans, which are the star of this dish. They’re marinated in an oregano vinaigrette while the rest of the salad is prepped, ensuring they soak up as much flavor as possible. After tossing together, this salad chills in the fridge where the flavors only get better over time. So, feel free to make it ahead. Serve with a nice hunk of bread to make a bellissimo lunch or dinner.