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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.

charred broccoli salad with dates, almonds, and cheddar

Charred Broccoli Salad with Dates, Almonds, and Cheddar

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

Just-baked hasselback potato gratin.

Hasselback Potato Gratin (No-Peel, Make Ahead)

A plate of fingerling potatoes.

Crispy Pan-Seared Fingerling Potatoes

Just-baked hasselback potato gratin.

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

A bowl of cauliflower couscous salad.

Cauliflower Couscous Salad with Almonds, Herbs, and Cherries

A bean salad in a serving bowl.

Simple White Bean Salad

Balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts.

Ina Garten’s Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

Raw bok choy salad.

Bok Choy Salad with Sesame-Almond Crunch

Fava Bean and Pecorino Salad

summer squash salad

Raw Summer Squash Salad with Lemon, Pecorino, and Herbs

Roasted cabbage on a platter.

Crispy Oven-Roasted Cabbage Wedges

This garlic and thyme monkey bread with spicy tomato sauce would nicely complement any pasta dish (for all of you carb lovers that is) but would also be wildly received at any sort of Super Bowl gathering. // alexandracooks.com

Easy Garlic Monkey Bread

A bowl of oven-roasted polenta.

Creamy Oven-Baked Polenta Recipe

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

5-Ingredient, 8-Minute Glazed Green Beans

Charred eggplant produces a creaminess without the help of oil, and the charring moreover imparts such a nice smokiness to the eggplant's flesh. Some sort of flatbread or grilled bread is a must with each of these preparations, and if you happen to have some za'atar in your pantry, the aromatic spice mixture complements the eggplant so nicely. // alexandracooks.com

Burnt Eggplant with Za’atar Flatbread

Here I've pickled peppers, onions, and fennel, and I've been tucking the mix into sandwiches, spreading it atop melty cheese toasts, and, as intended, sprinkling it over just-baked pizza. I imagine it would be fabulous with grilled bratwurst or in a Philly cheesesteak-style sandwich. // alexandracooks.com

Simple, Quick- Pickled Vegetables

It's dishes such as this that make me understand (almost) how people can be vegetarian. In In this slow-cooked kale, kale is blanched first, roughly chopped and then sautéed over low heat for thirty minutes in olive oil with onions, garlic, rosemary and chile de árbol. It's almost black and slightly crispy when finished. It is sweet and addictive. // alexandracooks.com

Suzanne Goin’s Slow-Cooked Kale ( & Stuffing)

25 side dishes to make for Thanksgiving.

25+ Thanksgiving Side Dishes: Classic Stuffing, Sweet Potato Casserole, Scalloped Potatoes & More

A plate of oven-roasted cauliflower florets with parmesan.

Easy Parmesan-Roasted Cauliflower Florets Recipe

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

This summer squash gratin couldn't be simpler to throw together, and unlike so many gratins, this one is not laden with cream and cheese. You also can't mess it up. The layer of vegetables can be thin or thick. There's no perfect ratio of squash to topping. This dish is rustic. It's fast. It's easy. Go wild. // alexandracooks.com

Super Easy Summer Squash Gratin

When it's too hot to cook, turn off the oven. Nothing could be more refreshing than this cool summery soup — green grape and cucumber gazpacho — and spicy-sweet-crunchy salad: quinoa with mango, lime and ginger. // alexandracooks.com

Cucumber & Green Grape Gazpacho | Quinoa Salad with Mango, Lime & Ginger