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Side Dishes

From this simple whole roasted cauliflower recipe to this spicy broiled broccoli recipe to this recipe for caramelized Roasted Brussel sprouts with balsamic vinegar, this collection features all of my favorite side dish recipes, the components of meals that so often are the most memorable.

This polenta without fear is delicious. Minimal stirring is required and the addition of a little water towards the end of the cooking process is all the doctoring necessary to produce "creamy, soft, mouth-filling polenta," as described on Bitten. // alexandracooks.com

Polenta Without Fear + A Huge Thank You

This simple pasta salad is particularly good warm, when the just-boiled shells melt the cheese, just slightly cook the tomatoes and soak up all the flavors of the olive oil and lemon juice. It can also be prepared ahead and served at room temperature — it tastes better the longer it sits in fact. // alexandracooks.com

Kristina’s Simple Pasta Salad

36 Favorite Summer Salads

A bowl of white bean and orange salsa.

White Bean and Orange Salsa

Folded into olive oil-fried bread, this magic peppers salad made a lovely panzanella salad but could have easily become a bruschetta or simple grain or pasta salad. Much to my delight, making this panzanella felt nothing like hard work. It was almost as though the salad assembled itself. Perhaps "hard work" is a state of mind. Hmm...deep thoughts. // alexandracooks.com

“Magic” Peppers Salad with Pine Nuts & Capers

Just-baked hasselback potato gratin.

25+ Thanksgiving Side Dishes: Popovers, Sweet Potato Casserole, Potato Gratin, Classic Stuffing, Green Beans & More

New Potatoes with Green Harissa

Prosciutto, Endive & Shaved Manchego Salad with Tarragon-Shallot Vinaigrette

In this kale Cesar salad, the dressing is light and lemony and the kale itself is extremely soft and tender. It's also vegan, the dressing made with vegannaise and vegan Worcestershire. The combination of curly kale, massaged till tender, quick-pickled onions, and toasted pumpkin seeds, which add so much texture and flavor, is so good. I think this is one you have to taste to believe. // alexandracooks.com

Honest Weight’s Vegan Kale Caesar Salad

I love this recipe for corn pudding, which I made last summer after hearing my mother rave about it. It takes only minutes to prepare and is a perfect late-summer, early-fall dish. // alexandracooks.com

Corn Pudding

A sheet pan with 6 acorn squash halves roasted with maple butter.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Maple Butter

Stuffed-Squash Blossoms Tempura

A bowl of Moroccan Carrot Salad.

Harissa Carrot Salad with Avocado

Beet salad on a plate.

Salt-Roasted (or Steam-Roasted) Beets with Goat Cheese & Toasted Walnuts

A plate of sautéed chicories with chile oil.

Sautéed Endive & Radicchio with Chile Oil

An overhead shot of a quart of cooked slow cooker black beans.

Simplest Slow Cooker Black Beans

In the past six years, subscriptions to CSAs in eastern Pennsylvania, southern California and northern Virginia have forever transformed how I eat and cook. I have learned to plan meals based on the vegetables I have at hand not the protein. I have learned to appreciate vegetables in their freshest state seasoned with little more than olive oil, salt and pepper. I have eaten more dark leafy greens than I ever imagined. // alexandracooks.com

Getting the Most From Your CSA + Two Favorite Potato Recipes

Just-baked hasselback potato gratin.

Hasselback Potato Gratin (No-Peel, Make Ahead)

16 favorite vegetable side dishes

16 Favorite Vegetable Side Dishes for Fall

A platter topped with a raw corn salad made with tomatoes, feta, and lots of herbs.

Raw Corn Salad with Tomatoes, Feta, and Herbs

Crispy on the edges, creamy in the center, these little chard fritters, squeezed with lemon, make the most lovely Meatless Monday meal. But more importantly they save the fridge from utter and complete dark-leafy-green domination. And for that I couldn't be more grateful. // alexandracooks.com

Swiss Chard (Or Other Greens) Fritters + Montreal

A plate of Swiss chard salad.

Swiss Chard Salad with Lemon, Parmesan & Bread Crumbs

Bowl of just-roasted balsamic mini peppers.

4-Ingredient Balsamic Roasted Mini Peppers

A bean salad in a serving bowl.

Simple White Bean Salad

This polenta without fear is delicious. Minimal stirring is required and the addition of a little water towards the end of the cooking process is all the doctoring necessary to produce "creamy, soft, mouth-filling polenta," as described on Bitten. // alexandracooks.com

This simple pasta salad is particularly good warm, when the just-boiled shells melt the cheese, just slightly cook the tomatoes and soak up all the flavors of the olive oil and lemon juice. It can also be prepared ahead and served at room temperature — it tastes better the longer it sits in fact. // alexandracooks.com

Preserved lemons work nicely anywhere lemon and salt work nicely — so, everywhere? — and while there is something about the combination of smoked mozzarella and lemon that just can't be beat, this preserved lemon pizza is a fun combination, too: za'atar with olive oil, fresh ricotta, preserved lemon and basil. // alexandracooks.com

A collection of easy vegetarian recipes to make year-round.

A portion of sheet pan pasta gratin with kale on a plate.

More Vegetarian Recipes