Side Dishes

Pears sauteed in butter with a bit of bourbon, and a few chiles if that's your thing, make a perfect sweet yet savory side dish for fall and winter roasts.

A few spoonfuls of mint chutney gives cauliflower a real kick.

Steamed cauliflower gets a kick with a few spoonfuls of pesto.

Cheddar cheese and black pepper turn plain grits into a tasty side dish.

By cutting the corn off the cob with a large-hole grater, this recipe takes full advantage of the creamy, milky texture of fresh, sweet corn.

Drunken Black Beans are cooked in beer and flavored with onion, garlic, and cilantro stems. Easy, delicious.

Fava beans make an incredibly rich purée, perfect to serve in small portions alongside roasted chicken or pork.

A light glaze of soy sauce and sugar make this roasted butternut squash an easy, delicious fall and winter favorite.

These side dishes are perfect to cook or bring for Thanksgiving. The vegetables in them are seasonal and in most locales can be made primarily with local ingredients, if that's your goal.

A few chopped olives add a salty depth to collard greens, kale, or Swiss chard.

Greens of all kinds--collards, chard, kale, beet, mustard, turnip, spinach--can be gently cooked, squeezed dry, and tossed with a yogurt dressing for a refreshing and nutritious side dish with this easy recipe.

Make a light and easy pasta salad filled with fresh herbs and lemon. Perfect with roast chicken or grilled meat or fish.

Masa Dumplings use the "corn flour" used to make tortilas and are a tasty, earthy alternative to traditional white flour dumplings.

Mashed turnips are a great alternative to mashed potatoes – they have a bit of bite that is delightful alongside roasted meats of all kinds.

Give fresh steamed green beans a bright, hot kick in the pants with this minted jalapeno marinade.

You can make "sun dried" tomatoes at home easily and in the oven - get the recipe here.

These oven-fried (that's a fancy word for "baked"!) eggplant sticks were inspired by the deep-fried versions served at Galatoire's restaurant in New Orleans where are they served with powdered sugar for dipping or sprinkling.

Try this super quick and amazingly easy way to make delicious pan-roasted asparagus.

Large pearl (a.k.a. Israeli) couscous and green peas are cooked in flavorful broth for an easy, delicious side dish.

Try this recipe for Pinquito Beans for authentic Santa Maria Barbecue Pinquito Beans.

This Northern Italian staple is an easy, satisfying side dish or can serve as a base for a wide variety of toppings--from a light spring vegetable ragout to hearty, meaty stews.

This mildy spicy cilantro sauce is an excellent match for potatoes, and particularly suited to new potatoes.

Simple sautéed fava beans are a lovely, super spring-y side dish. They are particularly delicious alongside chicken or egg dishes.

Easier and lighter than mashed potatoes, these smashed potatoes make a quick, tasty side dish any time of year.

These easy, tender Spaetzle are a cross between noodles and dumplings. Just eggs and flour, they're perfect alongside roasted meats and chops.

This lightly spicy okra and tomato recipe is great on its own or with rice or alongside grilled meats.

Potatoes, cabbage, and carrots are cooked in a mildly spicy and extremely flavorful mix of ginger, tumeric, and pepper.

Garden peas, snap peas, spring onions, and fava beans cooked with large couscous and topped with feta cheese is an easy spring vegetable couscous--great side or, once cooled, pasta salad.

Lightly steaming fiddlehead ferns lets them keep just a bit of crispness while also bringing out their fresh, grassy flavor.

Stir kernels of sweet corn into creamy polenta for an easy twist on a favorite side dish.

Tomatoes In Spicy Yogurt Sauce sounds weird, but is absolutely delicious as whole tomatoes are cooked in a spicy sauce made with whole milk yogurt.