Side Dish Recipes
Baked Brown Rice
What’s the best way to cook brown rice? In the oven! This hands-off, foolproof method produces light, perfectly cooked grains every single time. It reheats beautifully too. Brown rice is one of the most readily available grains on grocery store shelves. It’s economical too. (Both of these details are especially welcome these days, right?)…
Everyday Green Salad
The shallot vinaigrette is the hallmark of this crisp salad, which is versatile enough to pair with nearly any meal and easy enough to enjoy every day. Though perfectly divine with fresh greens alone, you may add your favorite salad mix-ins, from crumbled blue cheese and halved cherry tomatoes to slivered red onion, thinly sliced cucumbers,…
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries (with oven option)
A few simple tips and 15 minutes is all you need to transform sweet potatoes into irresistible fries. A choice of dipping sauces takes them over the top! Sweet potatoes can be a polarizing food. For every person who adores them, there seems to be someone else who abhors them. With a passion. Yet,…
Stovetop Lentils with Veggies
Colorful vegetables and hearty lentils come together with ease in this one pot dish that can be served as a filling vegetarian stew, a flavorful side dish, or a restaurant-worthy base for seared salmon or another protein of choice. This meal goes way back. I first discovered the delicious brilliance of plating salmon on…
Quick Collard Greens
Slow cooked collards may be traditional, but this speedy method yields tender greens with a hint of crispness around the edges. The mild flavor and natural sweetness of leeks balance the bitter greens for a wholesome match made in heaven. Serve as a versatile veggie side dish or in place of a green salad. …
Roasted Potato Bites
Crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, these flavor-packed bites take minutes to prepare and may just be the star of your dinner plate! I’ve mentioned recipes that don’t always make it to the dinner plates. This is one of them! Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside, and expertly seasoned…
Favorite Brussels Sprouts Salad
A healthy, go-to salad for busy nights, parties, potlucks and holiday tables, this super-satisfying salad can be made in advance and the dressing is a versatile keeper! This salad could be described as an overachiever. The ingredients are fairly ordinary, yet they come together in a way that’s somewhat extraordinary. The recipe earns early points…
Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
Classically light, fluffy, creamy, and buttery, this recipe is everything good mashed potatoes should be–and so simple. Recipe pairings and lots of great leftover ideas are included. Easy comfort food at its best, these dreamy potatoes are quick enough for casual weekday meals (especially when utilizing the included tips) yet special enough for holiday tables.…
Crispy Potato Peels
Instead of tossing the peels when preparing potatoes for mashing, save them. They make a fun snack that’s crisp and flavorful–and nothing goes to waste! The first time I roasted what were essentially the mashed potato scraps, I did it as an experiment and had low expectations. Little did I know the crispy…
Loaded Cauliflower Bites
Roasted cauliflower is topped with bacon and cheese in this satisfying twist on baked potato skins that can be served as an appetizer or family-friendly side dish. A “steak” option makes for a heartier side dish, and a few extra ingredients will turn the recipe into a protein-rich meal. Initially, I went back and…
Pumpkin Spice Roasted Delicata Squash (air fryer or oven method)
Warm spices add seasonal appeal to this easy side dish that quickly cooks to golden perfection in the oven or air fryer. Feel free to mix things up with a different variety of winter squash (or sweet potatoes) and a short list of optional toppings if inclined. If you’ve never tried delicata squash, you may…
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
A few helpful tips and an easy technique yield the crispiest, most irresistible pumpkin seeds with the simplest of ingredients. The snack-worthy recipe is reason to carve a pumpkin, even if you don’t have kids! I’d venture to say that the annual ritual of pumpkin carving is almost as much fun for a parent as…
