With side dishes like these, your dinner transforms from casual fare into something more upscale and celebratory.
Crispy vegetables, rich buttery breads and other favorites work perfectly in combination with everything from chicken on a weeknight to a roast beef dinner on a Sunday, and tons of other options.
1. Cheddar Jalapeño Cornbread
Cheddar Jalapeño Cornbread is a baked item that has a combination of sweet and spicy flavors.
The combination of cheese and jalapeños makes an interesting flavor to have with chili and barbecue.
The flavor of cheddar cheese melts into the cornbread creating delicious “pockets” of richness while the jalapeño gives the dish its “kick.”
2. Garlic Lemon Sautéed Spinach
Sautéing fresh spinach with garlic and lemon creates a dish that’s loaded with flavor and goodness, but it will also have a lot of volume.
I will typically use more spinach than I think I’ll need because it cooks down to almost nothing!
When sautéing spinach, the garlic will become golden brown and aromatic while the lemon provides some tartness and bright freshness.
3. Stovetop Sausage Stuffing
The Stovetop Sausage Stuffing recipe I’ve provided is made with rendered fat from Italian sausage.
This cooking technique enhances the flavor of the stuffing, but also results in a product that shapes better than boxed stuffing.
The combination of fat from sausage and the soaking of the drained bread creates a “crispy” layer on top of the stuffing and creates a fluffy “inside.”
4. Roasted Carrots and Potatoes
Roasted Carrots and Potatoes is an excellent side dish to pair with any meat.
Cut the carrots and potatoes into even pieces to ensure that the carrots are caramelized while the potatoes become crispy around the edges.
5. Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Garlic Butter
Roasting sweet potatoes until soft and then smashing them creates little crispy brown edges that get coated in your garlic butter.
It transforms a plain, boring vegetable into something with body and texture.
6. Fried Asparagus
The fried asparagus has a fully crispy coating, while the asparagus itself is still tender when chewing.
People who don’t like asparagus will eat these crispy treats because frying them changes the entire experience.
7. Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits
These gooey cheesy garlic biscuits taste just like those served at the restaurant but are made at home in less than 20 minutes.
Brushing garlic butter on top just before serving makes these biscuits oh-so-addictive, and they usually disappear faster than I can make them!
8. Cheesy Garlic Bread
This is way better than frozen garlic bread and can be made in roughly the same amount of time.
You can control how much garlic flavor goes into the bread, and the melted cheese seeps down into the cracks and crevices of the bread.
9. Scalloped Potatoes
Scalloped potatoes are a side dish that will elevate any meal to feel like a holiday meal.
The trick is to get the cream sauce thick enough before baking so the potatoes do not end up soupy or gross.
10. Bacon Cheddar Biscuits
The buttery texture of the biscuits and the sharp flavor of the cheese combined with the crispy bacon and fresh chives make for one of the most satisfying biscuits you will ever eat.
Using a food processor will help you combine and create the dough in less than 5 minutes and no over-kneading.
11. Perfect Popovers
Popover baking requires two steps, which means they require a very hot oven first to give them a puff and then a lower temperature to set their structure.
Once out of the oven, they should be a golden brown, airy, and perfect for soaking up gravy or melted butter.
12. Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
This salad is comfort food without hassle, providing something delicious that can easily feed a hungry group.
The addition of Catalina dressing gives it a slight tanginess that balances out the richness of the homemade ranch dressing and bacon.
