30 Days of Splendid Sides

September 01, 2010
Photo: Randy Mayor
Find the perfect accompaniment to turkey or a seasonal side for your weeknight meal.
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Roasted Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Pilau

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Roasted Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Pilau

Hearty pumpkin and creamy sweet potatoes steal the show in this winter-weather pilaf. It’s an ideal way to add fiber to your diet and a beautiful showcase for some underused winter vegetables.

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Citrus Green Beans with Pine Nuts

Photo: Jonny Valiant
View Recipe: Citrus Green Beans Pine Nuts

Citrus gives a common side dish an unexpected, but delightfully delicious, makeover. The dish is light and refreshing so it won't bog down your plate.

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Rosemary Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Shallots

Photo: Jonny Valiant
You don't need butter and cream to make wonderfully creamy mashed sweet potatoes. Heart-healthy olive oil adds flavor and silkiness without saturated fat.

View Recipe: Rosemary Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Shallots Recipes  

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Baked Apples

View Recipe: Baked Apples

Served as an accompaniment to pork or poultry, these baked apples are a sure way to take advantage of the season’s bounty while adding flair to your meal. Leftovers?  These apples can be served over oatmeal or slices of breakfast bread the next morning.

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Herbed Couscous Pilaf

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Herbed Couscous Pilaf

Chopped shallots and fresh thyme and parsley come together with quick-cooking couscous for a versatile, no-fuss side dish.

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Zesty Broccoli Casserole

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Zesty Broccoli Casserole

This favorite casserole was revamped to include the same creamy tang of the original recipe, but with 26 fewer grams of fat. The water chestnuts add a surprising crunch, and the substitution of sharp Cheddar cheese for the milder Colby variety provides additional zing.

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Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Feta Vinaigrette

Photo: Lee Harrelson
View Recipe: Mediterranean Orzo Salad with Feta Vinaigrette

Orzo pasta is a versatile base for dishes, and this one is chock-full of zesty ingredients. Red onions add crunch and the combination of artichoke hearts, feta cheese, and kalamata olives all add fresh brininess to the salad.

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Carrot Soufflé

Photo: Randy Mayor
Because this dish contains no beaten egg whites, it is not a true soufflé. The name, Carrot Soufflé, is derived from its light airy texture. Similar in color and flavor to sweet potato casserole, it pairs well with ham or turkey.

View Recipe: Carrot Soufflé

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Broccoli with Red Pepper Flakes and Toasted Garlic

Photo: Randy Mayor
Forget a heavy cream sauce―fresh broccoli needs little adornment. This classic Mediterranean treatment uses common pantry ingredients for a healthful, no-fuss side.

View Recipe: Broccoli with Red Pepper Flakes and Toasted Garlic

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New Potatoes with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
While raw garlic is pungent, the roasted garlic in this vinaigrette is sweet and mild with a buttery texture. Serve this warm twist on potato salad as a side dish with steak or roast chicken.

View Recipe: New Potatoes with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

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Steamed Carrots with Garlic-Ginger Butter

View Recipe: Steamed Carrots with Garlic-Ginger Butter

Steaming vegetables helps to retain all of the healthful water-soluble vitamins, and these carrots are no exception. The addition of the garlic-ginger butter gives an exotic flair to an otherwise classic dish.

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Streuseled Sweet Potato Casserole

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Streuseled Sweet Potato Casserole

Sprinkle a buttery, brown sugar and pecan mixture over the top of the creamy potatoes in this casserole side dish that's sweet enough to be dessert.

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Haricots Verts with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

Photo: Ellen Silverman
View Recipe: Haricots Verts with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

Haricots verts are tiny, fresh French green beans. If you can’t find them, substitute regular fresh beans, which you’ll need to cook a few minutes longer. You can also use white wine vinegar instead of Champagne, if necessary.

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Buttermilk-Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Photo: Ellen Silverman
View Recipe: Buttermilk-Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Be sure to purchase a crumbly wedge of Parmigiano-Reggiano for this super quick potato side dish. The salty flavor will give just the right bite to these melt-in-your-mouth mashed potatoes.

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Winter Jeweled Fruit Salad

Photo: Jonny Valiant
In Mexico, copas de frutas (fruit cups) are popular street food. They typically consist of fresh fruit sprinkled with lime juice and chili powder and are the inspiration for this jewel-colored fruit salad.

View Recipe: Winter Jeweled Fruit Salad

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Sausage and Sourdough Bread Stuffing

Photo: Jonny Valiant
View Recipe: Sausage Sourdough Bread Stuffing

Lots of tastes and textures to sample as you travel around your plate—that's our idea behind having lots of sides. Start the journey with this rustic stuffing.

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Garlic Fries

Photo: Randy Mayor
Rated 5-stars by readers and named an all-time favorite by our staff, these oven-baked fries are so good (and easy!) that you'll never go back to deep-fried fries. Fresh parsley, minced garlic, and Parmesan cheese add a burst of flavor that's a surefire pleaser for kids and crowds alike.

View Recipe: Garlic Fries

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Braised Kale with Bacon and Cider

Photo: Randy Mayor
This low-calorie side dish has about 15 percent of the minimum daily recommended amount of fiber. Try serving it with roast chicken or pork.

View Recipe: Braised Kale with Bacon and Cider

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Herbed Bread Stuffing with Mushrooms and Sausage

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Making your own bread cubes is easy and yields delicious results. You can prepare the toasted bread cubes two to three days before Thanksgiving; store at room temperature in a zip-top plastic bag. If there's space in the oven, bake the stuffing while the turkey roasts. Otherwise, bake it in the morning, and reheat it while the turkey stands.

View Recipe: Herbed Bread Stuffing with Mushrooms and Sausage

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Italian-Style Escarole

Photo: Ellen Silverman
View Recipe: Italian-Style Escarole

Peppery mustard greens and slightly bitter escarole combine with raisins and pungent garlic for a tasty green veggie side. If you can’t find mustard greens or escarole, you can make this dish with fresh spinach.

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Traditional Sweet Potato Casserole

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Traditional Sweet Potato Casserole

Make everyone happy and top this lightened version of the classic sweet potato casserole with both marshmallows and toasted pecans.

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Sherried Green Beans and Mushrooms

Photo: Randy Mayor
Add color and crunch to your meal. Associate Food Editor Julianna Grimes created this recipe: "Everybody expects to see green beans at the holiday table, but I wanted to add some unexpected flourishes."

View Recipe: Sherried Green Beans and Mushrooms

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Wild Rice Stuffing

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Wild Rice Stuffing

It seems like just about every family has a signature stuffing (or dressing) recipe, based on one of a wide variety of grains. This recipe uses nutty wild rice, along with tart-sweet dried fruit and plenty of classic sage, creating an inspired side that might just become a new tradition in your home.

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Brussels Sprouts Gratin

Photo: Jonny Valiant
Braise the Brussels sprouts and toast the bread-crumbs up to a day ahead. Before serving, add cooked, crumbled bacon to the toasted breadcrumb mixture, and then sprinkle the mixture over the sprouts. Broil 3 minutes or until golden and thoroughly heated.

View Recipe: Brussels Sprouts Gratin

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Smoked Gouda Macaroni and Cheese

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Smoked Gouda Macaroni and Cheese

This classic macaroni and cheese recipe has been updated for heightened flavor with the addition of Gouda and Parmesan cheeses and fresh spinach.

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Fresh Vegetable Barley

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
This budget-friendly side dish full of fresh flavors is a great option after a heavy Thanksgiving meal. Look for barley in bulk bins at natural food markets.

View Recipe: Fresh Vegetable Barley

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Honey-Roasted Root Vegetables

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
Honey amplifies the natural sugars of the caramelized vegetables in this dish. If you can't find tupelo honey, substitute another medium-color, floral variety, such as dandelion, loosestrife, or orange blossom.

View Recipe: Honey-Roasted Root Vegetables

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Fontina-Stuffed Potato Skins

Photo: Ellen Silverman
View Recipe: Fontina-Stuffed Potato Skins

Bake potatoes up to two days ahead, and fill with stuffing. Cover and refrigerate. Before serving, let them stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano, and bake.

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Butternut Squash Gratin with Blue Cheese and Sage

Photo: Randy Mayor
Besides being a great side to simple roast chicken or beef tenderloin, seasonal squash provides more than a day's worth of vitamin A and about half the daily recommended vitamin C.

View Recipe: Butternut Squash Gratin with Blue Cheese and Sage

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Orange and Red Onion Salad with Red Pepper

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Orange and Red Onion Salad with Red Pepper

The sweetness and tartness of citrus provides a nice respite from the earthy and hearty flavors of most other winter produce. This simple dish dresses raw orange and red onion with just olive oil for a nice, light flavor whose acidity and pungency make an excellent counterpoint to cold-weather dishes made from fattier cuts of meat, such as beef stew.

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