The Most Popular Delish-Exclusive Sides You Can't Find Anywhere Else
Are your dinners getting a bit...meh? No, you don't need to master tricky recipes like beef bourguignon or homemade pasta to keep things interesting. Just simply change up your side dish rotation! Adding a few new sides to the literal table will make any of your favorite pasta dishes, chicken dinners, or holiday feasts so much more exciting, with little-to-no extra effort, either. Chances are, you've never seen sides like these before!
Speaking of which, what better time to really up your side dish game than during the holiday season for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hanukkah? It's the most delicious time of year to break away from tradition a bit, and maybe even start some new ones. Swap out your usual stuffing and casserole recipes for our gnocchi stuffing, million-dollar mac & cheese, loaded mash potato bake, and croissant stuffing this year and you'll probably be asked to make them year after year (after year). What if you're just on the hunt for more ways sneak in more vegetables at dinner time? Look no further than our recipes for smashed Brussels sprouts, mashed cauliflower, garlic-Parmesan roasted carrots, or sweet potato gratin—even picky eaters can't resist seconds of these sides.
Want more reasons to love being a Delish Unlimited Member? Be sure to check out all the benefits included in a Delish membership, like all of our top-rated membership recipes (all of which you'll want to save to your recipe box ASAP).
Smashed Brussels Sprouts
Versatile and oh so crispy, Brussels sprouts are easily one of our favorite roasted vegetables to serve with practically any weeknight meal or holiday dinner. While we love classic roasted Brussels sprouts, we thought we’d take things up a notch in this recipe by adding two things: smashing, and plenty of cheese.
Get the Smashed Brussels Sprouts recipe.
Melting Potatoes
These melt-in-your-mouth potatoes got their name for good reason: With a tender, soft middle and an herby topping, one bite and you'll get it. Smothered in butter, garlic, and fresh herbs, they really are amazing with everything, from weeknight dinners to romantic special occasions.
Get the Melting Potatoes recipe.
Million-Dollar Mac & Cheese
What do you get when you take mac & cheese on a shopping spree to the fanciest cheese shop you know and shower it with gold leaf? Million-dollar mac. Showcasing a trifecta of bougie (and delicious) cheeses and a crispy crunchy panko topping, this irresistible comfort food in a casserole will take center stage on any table it hits.
Get the Million-Dollar Mac & Cheese recipe.
Gnocchi Green Bean Casserole
That green bean casserole on your holiday menu is begging for an upgrade. Luckily that means adding just one ingredient to turn your favorite side into gnocchi green bean casserole. Seriously. That’s it. Blanched fresh green beans and buttery sliced mushrooms, onions, and garlic get tossed with a creamy béchamel sauce and pillowy gnocchi, then baked until bubbly. An obligatory layer of salty fried onions is scattered on top—just like the OG version—for plenty of extra crunch, creating an unbeatable variety of textures.
Get the Gnocchi Green Bean Casserole recipe.
Loaded Mashed Potato Bake
Mashed potatoes are wonderful. Well actually they're more than that. They're creamy, rich, buttery and versatile. Part of that versatility is the ability to transform into other dishes. This loaded mashed potato bake shows this off perfectly, and adds a little something extra to your side dishes. It's basically a loaded baked potato in casserole form. Why wouldn’t you want this on your holiday dinner table?
Get the Loaded Mashed Potato Bake recipe.
Croissant Stuffing
Would Grandma really be all that upset if you tried a new stuffing (dressing?) this holiday? Her cornbread stuffing is undoubtedly delicious and nostalgic, but what if we switched it up a bit this year and tried something new? Enter: croissant stuffing. You heard us.
Get the Croissant Stuffing recipe.
Garlic-Parmesan Roasted Carrots
This recipe made us wonder, Why don’t we roast carrots more often? When they roast, their flavor concentrates and sweetens. Pair that with copious amounts of umami-packed Parmesan and just a touch of lemon, and you’ve got a super-irresistible side.
Get the Garlic-Parmesan Roasted Carrots recipe.
Harvest Caesar Salad
If you thought kale Caesar was over, you’ve clearly never topped it with crispy frico squash croutons. Featuring butternut squash and crispy baked Parmesan frico, this autumn spin on the classic Caesar salad will have you wishing it was fall all year round.
Get the Harvest Caesar Salad recipe.
Cacio E Pepe Brussels Sprouts
Roasted Brussels sprouts are great as is, but we also love playing up a roasted veggie to make them even more lovable. A quick roast on the sprouts gets the bottom crisp, and a healthy dusting of pecorino and Parmesan, as soon as they come out of the oven, will gently melt into them, reminding us of one of our favorite pastas, cacio e pepe. A generous amount of cracked black pepper is also key for these easy Brussels sprouts that are the perfect side for any holiday or dinner table.
Get the Cacio E Pepe Brussels Sprouts recipe.
Sweet Potato Gratin
Just like the OG potatoes au gratin, these sweet potatoes (including purple AND orange ones) are layered with plenty of cheese and herby cream sauce and baked until golden brown and bubbly. 😍
Get the Sweet Potato Gratin recipe.
Mashed Cauliflower
This cauliflower mash recipe is the perfect low-carb substitute to mashed potatoes. Whether you’re looking to get more veggies in, are going low-carb, or simply want to lighten up your Thanksgiving spread, this cauliflower-based dish is the way to go. One ingredient makes all the difference in turning riced cauliflower into the creamy, decadent side dish of your dreams.
Get the Mashed Cauliflower recipe.
Ruth's Chris Sweet Potato Casserole
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse prepares their killer casserole with layers of mashed, soufflé-like sweet potatoes topped with a crunchy, sweet brown sugar and pecan crust and baked into a winning combination of textures. Pssst: You can also turn this into Thanksgiving dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Get the Ruth's Chris Sweet Potato Casserole recipe.
Gnocchi Stuffing
Heading to Friendsgiving and need a fun, different dish? This gnocchi stuffing is a creative twist on classic stuffing everyone will love. Using gnocchi instead of bread gives you dumpling-like bites with all the traditional flavors of Thanksgiving.
Get the Gnocchi Stuffing recipe.
Goat Cheese-Stuffed Rolls
Just when we thought dinner rolls couldn't get any better—we stuffed them with goat cheese. These golden brown beauties are rich, soft, and full of honey and herby goat cheese. Best part of a cheese-stuffed roll? It doesn’t need any butter.
Get the Goat Cheese-Stuffed Rolls recipe.
Cauliflower Stuffing
This low-carb cauliflower stuffing proves that you don’t always need bread to make an amazing stuffing. Cauliflower is basically a sponge: it’ll soak up the flavor of whatever you cook it with, so we recommend going heavy on the herbs (and the butter! 😈).
Get the Cauliflower Stuffing recipe.
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