Sides

Butternut Squash Polenta | Epicurious

Butternut squash melts into the polenta as it cooks for this creamy make-ahead dish. Once transferred to a baking dish, pressing chunks of creamy Fontina cheese into the polenta ensures that once baked it will be full of gooey pockets of cheese throughout.

Sheet-Pan Peppers and Chickpeas With Ricotta

Glazed sweet-sour peppers meet their match: a textural medley of crispy chickpeas, crunchy croutons, and a creamy swoosh of ricotta cheese.

Iron Skillet Cornbread with Grapefruit

Ruby Red grapefruit, a jalapeño-onion spread and fried beluga lentils make this cornbread an impressive centerpiece for your next brunch.

1 hr 45 min

Quick Potato Gnocchi

Instant potatoes turn this gnocchi recipe into a breezy, 15-minute affair rather than an hours-long commitment.

Maple Sweet Potatoes With Crispy Almonds and Sage

Drizzled with maple syrup and roasted until caramelized, these sweet potatoes make an easy autumnal side dish to serve as part of a larger festive spread, and can be served both warm or at room temperature. If getting ahead, make the crunchy, garlicky almond-and-sage topping well in advance to be spooned on top when needed. Be sure not to walk away when frying the garlic, as it can quickly turn bitter if over-fried, so stir often and adjust the heat as necessary.

45 min

Cauliflower Salad with Yogurt Sauce and Pomegranate

Get the recipe for this best-ever Cauliflower Salad with Yogurt Sauce and Pomegranate on Food & Wine.

35 min

Psites Patates (Lemony Roasted Potatoes with Oregano)

Golden potato wedges and lemon slices are roasted together until crisp and fragrant, a perfect accompaniment to lamb chops or roast chicken.

55 min

Fruit Salad

A bit of sugar and lime makes a standout fruit salad: The duo accentuates fruit’s flavors and sweetness while creating a syrup to gloss the fruit. Massage lime zest into the sugar so its oils release, then stir mixed fruit with the lime sugar and some lime juice. Taste and tweak until the result is electric. You could also add chopped mint or basil, ground cinnamon or coriander, vanilla bean seeds, chile flakes or grated fresh ginger.

20 min

Sheet-Pan Pierogies and Beets

A flavorful one-pan meal featuring baked pierogies, roasted beets, and a poppy seed dressing. Frozen pierogies and pre-cooked beets make this extra easy.

Tomatoes with Herbs and Almond Vinaigrette

Juicy tomatoes are topped with fresh herbs and a nutty almond vinaigrette for a bright, elegant salad that’s simple enough for weeknights yet worthy of entertaining.

45 min

Garlic Parmesan Hashbrowns

Crispy, golden hashbrowns flavored with garlic powder and freshly grated Parmesan. Partially boiled potatoes are shredded, bound with egg and cornstarch, frozen briefly for firmness, then shallow-fried until crunchy—perfect for breakfast or as a side.

Crispy Smashed Potatoes With Parmesan and Herbs

Crisp on the outside and creamy in the center, these smashed potatoes are a delightfully simple upgrade to your typical roasted stud.

Greek Lemon Potatoes

For the dreamiest roasted potatoes — with creamy insides and very crispy outsides — follow this classic Greek method of roasting peeled potatoes in equal parts olive oil, lemon juice and chicken stock. The potatoes soak up the flavorful liquid, allowing the insides to remain tender while the outsides crisp in the oven’s high heat. You can follow the same method for russet potatoes, though the final result will be less moist.

1 hr

Green Bean Salad

Crisp-tender green beans meet a punchy Parmesan dressing in this easy, make-ahead fresh green bean salad that’s perfect for dinner parties or holidays.

Tomato Salad with Red Onion, Dill & Feta

This Greek salad from Michael Symon features juicy ripe tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese and plenty of fresh herbs in a tangy vinaigrette

30 min

Caramelized Shallots

Seared and simmered in white wine and chicken broth, these buttery caramelized shallots are an ideal holiday side dish. Stack the leftovers on a sandwich.

Costa Rican Enyucados

These croquettes stuffed with cheese are the quintessential accompaniment to a Costa Rican breakfast, lunch or coffee hour. Boiled yucca is mashed and stuffed with mozzarella, then fried to golden perfection.

Caesar’s Caesar Salad 

The Caesar salad on the menu today at Caesar’s in Tijuana, Mexico, is but a distant cousin of the original version first served there 100 years ago. It is believed to have included a whole coddled egg, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce, and did not include anchovies. But Javier Plascencia and his family, who have been running Caesar’s for more than a decade, consider this iteration the best one yet. Romaine lettuce is coated in a creamy, intensely pungent dressing seasoned with anchovies, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce and freshly squeezed lime juice. Garlicky, baked baguette croutons provide serious crunch. A few rules elevate a good Caesar salad to a great one: The leaves must be whole, crisp and cold; croutons must be sliced, not diced; and Parmesan must be applied generously.

1 hr 40 min

Farro and Green Olive Salad with Walnuts and Raisins

With almost the same amount of buttery green olives as nutty farro, this dish from Heidi Swanson is an olive lover's dream. We named it one of our 40 Best Recipes in 2018.

40 min

Best Breakfast Potatoes Ever

Baked Sweet Potato Chaat

Forget regular baked potatoes—these tender sweets loaded with chaat-inspired toppings make for a bright and flavorful vegetarian main (or colorful side dish).

Classic Turkey Gravy

This homemade turkey gravy builds flavor from make-ahead or store-bought stock, drippings, and an easy roux. Make it while your bird rests for a final flourish.

Charred Cabbage With Sausages and Apples

Roasted alongside sausages until tender and blistered, cabbage is the star of this sheet pan dinner that’s offset with horseradish cream and crunchy apples.

Kale Salad With Apples and Cheddar

For a kale salad to be successful, use the most tender kale you can find and cut it into very thin filaments or chop it very finely (or both). Curly kale and Russian kale are more tender than black leaf kale. This is inspired by a wonderful salad I tried recently at the New York restaurant Northern Spy.

5 min

Wafflemaker Hash Browns

Boxty (Irish Potato Pancakes)

Boxty, breadlike potato pancakes that originated in Ireland as early as the late 18th century, were created as a resourceful way to transform less-than-stellar potatoes into a hearty side dish. Variations of these crisp, chewy potato pancakes abound, but most involve some combination of mashed potatoes, grated potatoes, flour, baking soda or baking powder; buttermilk or eggs are sometimes added for richness. Popular in pubs but also made at home, they’re typically served as an accompaniment to stews and rich meat dishes. This recipe is adapted from “The Irish Cookbook” by Jp McMahon (Phaidon, 2020), who serves them in a more modern fashion, with smoked salmon, sour cream and pickled onions, which balance and brighten.

45 min

Eggplant Roasted in Satay Sauce

Among the top tier of sauces is Indonesian satay sauce, because it is the embodiment of joy and life. In fact, this sauce is also trustworthy and highly respectful of whatever it comes into contact with—perhaps it is, in fact, the perfect friend?

Sweet-and-Spicy Squash With Scallion Oil

Roasted squash loses its bland reputation and turns glossy and fragrant thanks to a gingery miso-glaze and a quick scallion oil.

Our Best Mashed Potatoes Ever

The best homemade mashed potatoes are ultra-creamy, extra-silky, and perfectly fluffy. Get our best tips for making superior mashed potatoes here.

Sheet-Pan Baked Feta With Broccolini, Tomatoes and Lemon

When baked, feta gains an almost creamy texture, similar to goat cheese but with feta’s characteristic tang. In this easy vegetarian sheet-pan dinner, broccolini (or broccoli), grape tomatoes and lemon slices roast alongside the feta until the broccolini crisp, the tomatoes burst and the lemon rinds soften. (Remember, broccolini has a tender, delicious stalk so only the bottom 1/2-inch needs to be trimmed.) Serve this dish over a pile of orzo for a complete meal. If you like, cut the broccolini, feta and lemon into bite-size pieces and toss with the orzo.

25 min

French Lentil Salad

Bright with flavor, dynamic and crisp with a combination of roots and chicory, and fresh with major herb appeal, this is a hearty, friendly, anytime salad that will work well with any grocery or farmers’ market haul. It can easily become a staple in your home: You can make it on Sunday and eat it throughout the week, its flavors changing as it marinates. Because of this, it’s also a salad you can adjust as days go by, adding more lemon here and there, maybe some cheese to change up its flavors after a day or two. Sturdy enough to stand alone as a light meal in and of itself, this lentil salad also makes a fantastic side served with roasted chicken or fish. This is one special and easygoing recipe to have on hand for all occasions. 

1 hr 10 min

Crunchy Greens With Carrot-Ginger Dressing

This recipe draws inspiration from the sunny-orange flavor of green salads with carrot-ginger dressing at Japanese American restaurants. The pulpy, aromatic dressing may be the star, but a salad is only as good as its lettuce. After washing and thoroughly spin-drying the greens in a salad spinner (alternatively, you can pat them dry in a clean kitchen towel), one way to maximize their crunch before adding the dressing is to refrigerate them, covered, for at least 30 minutes. Little Gem has a sweet, juicy sturdiness, but regular packaged mixed greens, baby spinach and chopped romaine hearts work, too.

10 min

Grilled Asparagus with Taramasalata

This best-ever taramasalata gets flavor from fresh herbs, garlic and lemon juice. Get the recipe on Food & Wine.

1 hr 30 min

Polenta concia

This rich and indulgent polenta recipe from the Aosta Valley is mountain cooking at its best. The polenta is mixed with butter, milk and the region's famous Fontina cheese, making it a perfect side dish to rich stews such as Carbonnade Valdostana.

Miso-Mayo Chicken Bowl

This sheet pan dinner taps savory miso mayo for richness and flavor—as a coating for roast chicken and a finishing drizzle.

Cold Yogurt Cucumber Salad

A simple, refreshing chilled yogurt and cucumber salad flavored with fresh dill and a touch of cumin. Ready in about five minutes, it's a cool, versatile side that pairs perfectly with rice or chicken.

Air-Fryer French Fries

Do not want the fuss of deep-frying? Here is how to make air-fryer french fries. The whole process, from peeling to seasoning, takes just 30 minutes.

Caramelized Braised Cabbage

Cook charred cabbage wedges in a spiced tomato braise until sweet, savory, and tender to the core for an easy vegetarian main or standout side dish.

Lemon Potato Salad With Mint

This light and refreshing potato salad is the antithesis of the usual, creamy, mayonnaise-based recipes. The mint and scallion add a bright, herbal flavor while the sprinkle of chile lends a kick. Make this the morning you plan to serve it and let it marinate at room temperature all day long. Or refrigerate for longer storage but be sure to bring it to room temperature before serving. Other herbs like cilantro, parsley, tarragon and sage can be substituted for the mint; adjust the quantity to taste.

45 min

Smoky Three-Bean Salad

This smoky three-bean salad recipe combines pinto, kidney, and black beans with fire-roasted corn, tomatoes, and a zesty chipotle dressing. Topped with avocado, queso fresco, and fresh cilantro, it’s an easy make-ahead side dish.

1 hr 15 min

Charred Sweet Potatoes With Hot Honey Butter

When you mix hot sauce with butter, it turns into a spicy, creamy spread that’s perfect for melting atop burnished sweet potato halves, bringing them to life.

Maroulosalata (Green Salad With Feta and Dill)

Although the iconic Greek salad, colorful with tomatoes, feta and olives, might spring to mind when contemplating Greek salads, monochromatic maroulosalata (which translates to “lettuce salad”) is arguably the more popular option in Greece. The salad is simple and effortless: Toss sliced romaine hearts, fresh dill, crumbled feta and sliced scallions with olive oil and fresh lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper, no separate dressing required. The key to this refreshing chopped salad is slicing the lettuce into delicate shreds, then soaking them in ice water to get them extra-crisp before draining, drying and tossing with the rest of the ingredients. Serve with grilled seafood, such as shrimp or fish, or as a sunny side salad with souvlaki or roast chicken. But this salad can also stand alone, as a light, summery supper on the hottest of days.

35 min

Dauphinois Potato Gratin

A creamy, garlicky take on the classic French gratin dauphinois—thinly sliced potatoes baked in a rich cream sauce made with roasted garlic and Comté cheese until tender and golden. Comforting as a main or perfect alongside meat or fish.

Broccoli Caesar Salad

You've never met a better, brighter riff on the classic Caesar than this raw broccoli and Napa cabbage twist. Just remember that while broccoli stems are tender and delicious, it’s important to cut away the dried-out base and peel the tough skin of thicker ones.

German Potato Salad With Dill

This oil-and-vinegar–dressed German potato salad is the light, bright side dish your summer BBQ needs—whether you choose to add bacon or not.

Best-Ever Green Bean Casserole With Step-by-Step Video

We turned up the dial on green bean casserole with a homemade Parmesan cream sauce, savory caramelized mushrooms, and fresh green beans. French's onions stay.

Maple Bacon Cabbage Wedges

Roasted cabbage wedges get cloaked in a salty-sweet glaze of maple syrup and Dijon mustard before getting topped with crunchy bacon.

Roasted Squash with Spicy Nori Butter

This roasted squash dish pairs sweet, caramelized acorn squash with a savory, seaweed-infused butter for a dish that’s earthy, spicy, and irresistible.

50 min

Pure Potato Latkes

Perfect for Hanukkah or any time of year, these latkes bring out the pure flavor of potato, because that is basically the only ingredient in them. Making latkes can be a last-minute nightmare, with overeager cooks putting too many patties in hot oil, thus taking longer to fry and resulting in a greasy mess. But these can be prepared in advance. This recipe, adapted from the chef Nathaniel Wade of the Outermost Inn on Martha’s Vineyard, starts with parbaked potatoes, which are cooled, grated, seasoned with just salt and pepper, pressed into patties and refrigerated, then fried just before serving. You can either serve them with crème fraîche or sour cream, smoked salmon and tiny flecks of chives, or traditional brisket and homemade applesauce.

1 hr 15 min

Seared Sweet Potatoes With Chermoula

Boiling sweet potatoes instead of roasting them slows the rate at which their sugars are absorbed into the bloodstream, as does serving them in their jackets, which contain even more fiber. (Maintaining steady blood sugar levels can help with a range of health issues, from poor sleep to weight management to liver disease.) The somewhat flat flavor of sweet potatoes really benefits from a fresh herb sauce such as chimichurri, Italian salsa verde, zhug or North African chermoula. The potatoes can be boiled in advance, then reheated in the microwave and seared at the last minute, making this a quick light dinner with a small salad of young arugula or crisp chicories.

1 hr 10 min