Side Dish
4106 recipes found

Christina Tosi’s Corn Bake
A one-bowl wonder (my family’s specialty is no muss, no fuss), corn bake is a celebration of an Ohio farm family’s love of corn, butter and deliciously simple food. Part cornbread, part corn pudding, it is so legendary in my mom’s family that if you shout “Corn bake!” the crowd of matriarchs will echo back in unison “1 box Jiffy! One half tub sour cream! 1 stick butter!…” and so on — knowing the recipe by heart is a rite of passage. There is never a potluck, family get-together and certainly never a Thanksgiving without it. The recipe easily doubles or triples depending on the size of your crowd.

Carla Hall’s Creamed Kale
I love creamed spinach, so I figured I’d really love creamed kale. I was right! Because the leaves are so much sturdier, they don’t break down in the sauce or release much water. That means a more satisfying chew with each bite, and more nutrients, too. This may sound like a trendy take on a classic, but kale’s been a soul food staple for hundreds of years. Everyone’s figuring out now what we’ve known forever: Kale really is delicious.

Potato Pavé With Parmesan Crust
In the long line of elaborate potato recipes like pommes dauphine, hasselback gratin and Jannsson’s temptation, the pavé feels uniquely party-worthy. While typically found on restaurant menus, it’s perfectly doable at home, with a little patience and effort (in the way of peeling and slicing five pounds of potatoes, but a mandoline makes it easy work). Prepare and chill the terrine in advance so you can simply sear the pieces when ready to serve. This pavé strays from tradition with the addition of cheese: Dip each piece in shredded Parmesan to coat on two sides, then sear until the cheese fuses into a salty frico crust. You could sear all sides, if desired, but two requires less energy — and also highlights the lovely contrast between the crunchy frico crust and the creamy center, which holds pure potato flavor.

Min Jin Lee’s Corn Pudding
I was 24 years old when I married Chris, and his grandfather’s old friend Tony and his elegant wife, Sue, invited us newlyweds to their Fifth Avenue apartment for dinner. The meal was terrific, but in particular, I loved the corn pudding. The recipe was from Sue’s friend, and that friend had attributed it to someone named Babs. In my mind, Babs is Anonymous — that unheralded and unacknowledged writer of all reliable recipes we turn to when we are desperate for something tasty, easy and budget conscious. The original recipe was for half the volume, but because absolutely everyone at Thanksgiving likes it so darn much, I now double it for ease. Lastly, corn was the generous gift of the Wampanoag to the starving Pilgrims, and when I make it, I remember the history of the Indigenous people, Sue and Tony, and of course, Babs.

Ayesha Curry’s Crab Mac and Cheese
It’s hard to improve upon macaroni and cheese, but adding crabmeat is one good way to do it. This dish, adapted from my cookbook, “The Full Plate” (Voracious, 2020), is so surprisingly satisfying, even though many cooks don’t typically pair seafood and cheese. I like to use small, shell-shaped pasta; the curves in the noodles act as traps for the creamy sauce. Without the crab added, this is still a great version of a classic, but the crab makes it extra special. Lobster would be good, too.

Maple-Roasted Squash With Charred Lemon
This colorful roasted squash dish is both bracing and sweet. Charred bits of lemon balance the maple syrup, which almost candies the squash as it roasts, while cardamom and coriander add a perfumed, sophisticated touch. Using a mix of winter squashes will give you the most interesting flavors and textures since they’re all a little different. Any combination of delicata, butternut, honey nut and kabocha works very well. The only variety to avoid is acorn, which has a starchier texture that doesn’t absorb the syrup as well as the others.

Brussels Sprout Salad With Pomegranate and Pistachios
This autumnal side, inspired by tabbouleh, swaps the usual parsley and tomatoes for shaved brussels sprouts, scallions, chopped fresh mint, juicy pomegranate seeds and roasted pistachios, all tossed together in a tangy sumac-lemon dressing. The traditional bulgur remains, ensuring this salad has enough heft to stand out as a great vegan option at the Thanksgiving table and beyond, though the jeweled bowl is sure to attract omnivores, too. Perfect for potlucks, it can be assembled ahead of time, and, since it’s served at room temperature, it can easily be packed up and carried wherever you might be heading.

Cornbread Stuffing With Esquites
Esquites are a Mexican antojito, or snack, sold in local markets and by street vendors across Mexico and the United States. Corn is typically cooked with an herb called epazote, onion and chiles and is served in cups or corn husks and topped with mayonnaise, dried chiles, queso and lime. Here, esquites amps up the corn flavor of a southern-style cornbread stuffing. Half of the corn mixture is added, along with chorizo, to toasted cornbread to make the stuffing, and the remaining esquites is used to top the finished dish. A drizzle of crema and a sprinkle of queso fresco and chile de árbol accent this fun and festive Thanksgiving side.

Cheddar-Smothered Sweet Potatoes
Even before getting cozy under a Cheddar blanket, these sweet potatoes are packed with flavor. They're tossed with butter, coated in spices, then placed in the oven without preheating. This allows them to warm up slowly, maximizing their sweetness and creamy texture. The tender sweet potato halves are then smothered in a thick, garlicky Cheddar sauce before broiling until bubbly and barely blackened. Serve as a side on your holiday table or as a main with a simple salad alongside.

Pumpkin Biscuits With Honey Butter
These moist, buttery, pumpkin-y biscuits are the perfect use for that last bit of pumpkin purée in the can. They boast crunchy tops, soft centers and a flavor that lands somewhere between sweet and savory. They come together in no time at all, with just a bowl and a spoon, and their cheery orange hue makes them a perfect addition to any holiday table. The biscuits are best warm from the oven but can be reheated in a low oven or toaster oven just before serving. Don’t forget the sweet and salty honey butter on the side, which makes these biscuits extra special.

Easy Roasted Carrots and Crispy Kale
Tender and sweet caramelized carrots and crisp-edged roasted kale make a delicious pair in this simple side. The two are roasted on every cook's favorite baking pan, a large rimmed baking sheet, also known as a half-sheet pan. The carrots get a little head start to make sure they are caramelized and sweet, and the kale is sliced thinly and massaged with oil and salt before cooking, ensuring that it roasts quickly and procures some prized crispy edges that contrast nicely with the tender carrots. A squeeze of lemon at the end brightens the whole dish.

Sour Cream and Onion Mashed Potatoes
Double the potatoes, double the fun: Creamy Yukon Gold potatoes are studded with tender bites of skin-on red bliss potatoes in this texture lovers’ mash. The tanginess of sour cream coupled with the grassy bite of scallions keeps things light and fresh, making this an ideal side for richer dishes, like fried chicken and steak (and also welcome at any sweltering summer dinner).

Salted Butterflake Rolls
Level up your dinner roll game with these retro, buttery pull-apart rolls. The key to butterflake rolls are their unique shape, so feel free to make this using your favorite enriched bread dough recipe. The dough is rolled out, slathered with salted butter then cut into strips that are stacked before cutting again. You’re left with a little deck of dough slabs all enrobed in butter. They fan open when baked so the fluffy layers are easily pulled apart, ready for sopping up gravy or even more butter. Customize the rolls by stirring grated garlic, finely chopped herbs or spices into the salted butter.

Scalloped Potatoes With Horseradish
Scalloped potatoes are a tried-and-true side dish. There’s no reason to reinvent a classic, but adding a kick, a rather strong kick, can be a fun twist. The piquant horseradish in this recipe does exactly that. It cuts through the double richness of the cream and cheese and makes you crave another serving. Swapping a single variety of potato for three — purple, sweet and russet — adds more texture and flavor. Purple potatoes (see Tip) pop on the plate and offer that earthy flavor but with a less starchy texture, and the sweet potatoes are meltingly tender. Give this festive, upgraded version of scalloped potatoes a try at your next gathering.

Roasted Beets With Hazelnuts and Honey
Behind the rich, jewel-toned palette of this cheerful dish is the sweet, tangy, earthy flavor of beets and a buttery crunch from hazelnuts. A feast for the eyes, this refreshing starter or side also awakens the palate. Labneh packs a bit more zing than sour cream and balances the sweetness of red and golden beets touched with honey. The sumac (or a simple squeeze of lemon juice) and lemon zest brighten and lift everything up. The foil packets for cooking the beets not only make for easy cleanup; they trap steam while roasting to yield the most tender and flavorful beets. All the components can be made ahead at least 1 day before serving (see Tip).

Crushed Green Bean Salad With Cranberry
No Thanksgiving meal is complete without a green bean moment, and with this make-ahead, no-cook dish, you can certify that it’s a fresh and bright one. Smashed and salted green beans become crisp-tender after a chill in the fridge, ready to soak up all the tangy cranberry dressing. A combination of vinegar and lemon juice in the dressing brings layers of acidity that bounce on your tongue. Just before serving, the dressed beans are piled high between lettuce leaves and crowned with fried onions.

Butter Swim Biscuits
These tender, buttery, crisp buttermilk biscuits satisfy all urgent cravings. You can happily set aside any hesitancy about preparing biscuits because these tangy, fluffy ones come together quickly — no cutting cold butter into flour or rolling out dough. The batter is combined in one bowl and then spread over melted butter, giving the impression of a batter swimming in butter, as the name suggests. While the biscuits bake, they absorb all the buttery goodness and crisp up around the edges. Butter swim biscuits are best served warm and fresh out of the oven but will keep covered at room temperature for up to one day (see Tip).

Green Beans With Lime and Red Onions
Snappy and bright, these green beans are ready in minutes and full of tangy lime, garlic and coriander. The streamlined technique makes these very easy to do in one pan. Just add the beans and a little water to the skillet to steam them. Then, after the water cooks off, add the oil and aromatics and sauté until the garlic turns golden at the edges and the beans absorb all of the flavors. These beans are great both warm and at room temperature, so feel free to make them a few hours ahead, and garnish with herbs and onions just before serving.

Red Cabbage With Walnuts and Feta
Roasting wedges of red cabbage intensifies their sweetness and caramelizes their edges. Here, they’re topped with bits of creamy feta, toasted walnuts for crunch and lemon zest and pomegranate seeds for a juicy tang. Serve these warm or at room temperature for a substantial side dish or light main course. This recipe will also work for a small head of green cabbage, though it may cook a bit faster.

Giant Roasted Vegetable Platter
A giant platter of colorful roasted vegetables is a perfect party side that you can make in advance. The vegetables can be cut up the day before and stored in the fridge. You can roast them a few hours before serving, and reheat them for 7 to 15 minutes at 350 to 400 degrees (they are very forgiving) or serve them at room temperature. Then garnish to your heart’s content – a mix of jewel-like pomegranate seeds, cumin or sesame seeds, herbs, swirls of garlicky yogurt and dashes of hot honey will make everything pop. To make a vegan version of this dish, you can substitute tahini sauce for the yogurt sauce and skip the hot honey.

Ras el Hanout Roasted Vegetables
This flavorful dish makes a versatile side that can complement a variety of main courses. Infused with ras el hanout (see Tip), a warm and aromatic spice blend from North Africa, it’s ideal for sharing or preparing ahead of a busy week. Roasting the vegetables enhances their natural sweetness, creating a crispy exterior and a tender, melt-in-your-mouth interior. Cutting root vegetables into evenly sized pieces ensures they will cook at the same rate while maximizing surface area, allowing for enhanced flavor absorption and more caramelization. For carrots and parsnips, cut the thinner ends into chunks, then halve the thicker ends lengthwise before cutting into chunks.

Harissa-Maple Mushrooms
This quick and easy dish transforms humble mushrooms into a flavorful centerpiece. As they roast, the mushrooms develop a rich, concentrated flavor, with the delightful contrast of tender interiors and crispy edges. The heat of the harissa and sweetness of the maple syrup perfectly complement the mushrooms, while the yogurt offers a cooling counterpoint. Serve as a starter with flatbread or as a flavorful accompaniment to beef skewers, or roast chicken or turkey.

Cabbage and Mandarin Orange Winter Slaw
Full of surprises, this sweet, savory, spiced slaw is a perfect festive side that’s quick to make. Shredded cabbage, fennel, scallions, mandarin oranges and a whole lime create a fragrant base that gets tossed with a crunchy spiced oil seasoned with makrut lime leaves, coriander and cumin. The spiced oil is made first, so it has time to cool before dressing the slaw; you’ll have time to slice your salad ingredients while the hot oil cools. The toasted spices add a fragrant crunch to sprinkle on top. Makrut lime leaves add an extraordinary citrusy aroma with a slightly floral note that makes the slaw truly special. If you can’t find them, substitute with an extra fresh lime. The slaw is best served right away, but can be enjoyed the next day; just strain any liquid and refresh with a few tablespoons of olive oil.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__2018__11__20181112-glazed-hasselback-butternut-squash-with-parmesan-breadcrumbs-overhead-morgan-eisenberg-ed353965a660450690fed840aa8c0cdf.jpg)
Hasselback Butternut Squash
Give butternut squash the Hasselback treatment, then glaze it in a sweet, tangy sauce before topping it with crunch Parmesan breadcrumbs.