Comfort Food Side Dish Recipes

January 01, 2012
Photo: Randy Mayor
Sweet or salty, crunchy or creamy, these comfort food extras include everything you could want. If your menu needs another vegetable or side, these healthy versions of your favorite comforting classics will surely net compliments for the cook. Go elegant with Sweet Potato Stacks and Browned Butter Asparagus, or keep it classic by choosing recipes like Mashed Potatoes and Sweet Onion Casserole.
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Sausage and Sourdough Bread Stuffing

Photo: Jonny Valiant
View Recipe: Sausage and Sourdough Bread Stuffing

We'll start our journey with a rustic stuffing. Holiday foods are some of the most nostalgic of our family traditions. Don't leave this favorite off the table.

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Skillet Green Bean Casserole

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Skillet Green Bean Casserole

We've shortened (and lightened) this holiday classic by bringing everything together in one pan and using the stovetop and broiler rather than baking.

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Sweet Potato Stacks with Sage Browned Butter

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Sweet Potato Stacks with Sage Browned Butter

A dose of salty, nutty Parmesan balances the flavor in these adorable, delicious stacks. Get the kids to help by having them stack the slices and cheese in muffin cups as you follow behind with the browned butter. Use small potatoes so the slices will fit into the muffin cups. Make sure to slice the potatoes on the thin side, about 1⁄4-inch thick, so they’ll cook through (insert a toothpick in the center of each stack to test for doneness). You can also alternate with slices of baking potato or parsnip for pretty white and orange layers.

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Roasted Chile-Garlic Broccoli

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Roasted Chile-Garlic Broccoli

The bold flavors of chile paste and dark sesame oil call for pairing with a robust entrée like grilled salmon, tuna, or beef.

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Potato and Leek Gratin

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Potato and Leek Gratin

A mandoline will slice the potatoes quickly and to the same thickness, though a sharp knife will also work. Instead of being buried in cream, the potatoes and leeks are simmered in and drizzled with milk so the potatoes get wonderfully crisp and tender and the cheeses form a melty, golden crust. The result is a rich, rustic potato side with contrasting flavors and textures—a bit of crunch to round out the stuffing, sauces, and mashes on the plate. Reheat leftovers in the oven until crisped and warmed through, and then serve with eggs and a side of fruit for breakfast.

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Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Keep mashed potatoes warm by placing in a heatproof bowl, covering with plastic wrap, and setting over a saucepan of gently simmering water. This will keep them moist and warm without scorching. A ricer finely breaks up the cooked potatoes without activating the potato starches, which could make the consistency gluey. It also allows the butter and liquid, such as milk or buttermilk, to quickly incorporate so the mash is smooth and free of lumps. If you don't have a ricer, use a potato masher, being careful not to overwork the potatoes. Our Butternut-Swirled Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Garlic and Parmesan Mashed Potatoes variations require a little extra time but are well worth the effort.

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Fish House Sweet Potato Hash

Photo: Justin Walker; Styling: Kaitlyn Duross Walker
View Recipe: Fish House Sweet Potato Hash

We absolutely love this simple, comforting hash. It pairs well with almost anything—Grilled Trout with Cherry Compote, as well as roast chicken, pork chops, steak, and even sunny-side-up eggs. If you would like to get a head start on the recipe, you can bake the sweet potatoes a day or two ahead; then you'll only need about 15 minutes to pull the dish together.

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Sweet Onion Casserole

Photo: Iain Bagwell
View Recipe: Sweet Onion Casserole

Onions, rice, and a creamy cheese sauce make this casserole a winner in our book. We're fairly sure you'll agree.

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Rosemary Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Shallots

Photo: Jonny Valiant
View Recipe: Rosemary Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Shallots

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.

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Smoky Three-Bean Bake

Photo: Quentin Bacon
View Recipe: Smoky Three-Bean Bake

Three kinds of beans take the classic dish from ho-hum to fun, with different shapes and pleasing textures—from the al dente bite of chickpeas to the creaminess of Great Northern beans. If you happen to use hot smoked paprika, you can omit the ground red pepper.

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Browned Butter Asparagus

Photo: Grant Cornett
View Recipe: Browned Butter Asparagus

A hint of tarragon adds unique, fresh flavor to the dish, but you can use any herb you like.

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Israeli Carrots

Photo: Nina Choi
View Recipe: Israeli Carrots

The vivid garlic-and-fresh-herb vinaigrette contrasts with the sweet carrots. If baby carrots are unavailable, simply cut a regular carrot in half widthwise, halve the skinny bottom portion lengthwise, and quarter the thicker top section.

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Brussels Sprouts Gratin

Photo: Jonny Valiant
View Recipe: Brussels Sprouts Gratin

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.

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Easy Refrigerator Pickles

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Easy Refrigerator Pickles

"I give this recipe five stars because we can't live without it!" said a cookinglight.com reader. "I don't make conventional pickles like Mama used to do, but I have to have a jar of these in the refrigerator at all times during cuke season!"

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Tangy Mustard Coleslaw

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Tangy Mustard Coleslaw

This recipe uses less salt than traditional recipes and comes together in less than 30 minutes—what's not to love?

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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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Oven-Fried Okra

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Oven-Fried Okra

Southerners are well acquainted with the joys of okra, especially the crunchy-tender combination that results from deep-frying the pods. But anyone can enjoy this dish, which keeps all the crunch and dispenses with the grease.

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New-Fashioned Apple and Raisin Slaw

Photo: Howard L. Puckett
View Recipe: New-Fashioned Apple and Raisin Slaw

Crunchy and creamy are the two most important characteristics of a good slaw, but this recipe turns the traditional on its head. Sweet apples form the base of the salad, along with a generous helping of raisins, while balsamic vinegar in the dressing keeps things from getting too sweet.

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Camembert Mashed Potatoes

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Camembert Mashed Potatoes

Soft, mild Camembert cheese adds the same creaminess to mashed potatoes that butter and cream do, but it also brings in a sophisticated tangy, distinctly cheesy flavor. Any young, soft cheese can be used in this recipe―try your favorite brie, or even a creamy chévre.

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Garlic Fries

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Garlic Fries

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.

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