Simplify your life this holiday season with these make-ahead sides that are perfect for your Christmas table. From our Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Citrus-Maple Glaze to our Roasted Broccoli Salad, these tasty sides are sure to wow while letting you take control of the prep. Make this season happy, healthy and easy.
Broccoli-Apple Crunch Salad
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hausser.
Broccoli florets get tossed in a tangy apple-cider vinaigrette, brightened with Dijon and honey. Just before serving, thin slices of Honeycrisp apple, shredded sharp Cheddar and crunchy sunflower seeds join the mix for a sweet-salty-crunchy finish.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Citrus-Maple Glaze
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower
These roasted sweet potatoes with citrus-maple glaze are a vibrant and flavorful addition to any meal. The natural sweetness of roasted potatoes is complemented by a tangy citrus-maple glaze, creating the ideal balance of flavors.
Roasted Broccoli Salad
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf
The vibrant colors and flavors in this crowd-pleasing roasted broccoli salad make it a must-have side dish for the holidays. For a twist, you can easily swap out the dried cranberries for raisins, chopped dried apricots or even pomegranate seeds to suit your taste or the season.
Old-Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole
Diana Chistruga
No holiday is complete without a homemade sweet potato casserole. We like to sprinkle chopped pecans on top along with the marshmallows for a bit of texture.
Cranberry-Almond Broccoli Salad
Iain Bagwell Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
This broccoli salad uses a combination of canola mayonnaise and Greek yogurt to keep the calories in check. We opt for center-cut bacon (a bit less of it) and swap the usual raisins for lower-sugar dried cranberries to pack a subtle punch of tart. The best part of this salad? The longer it sits, the better it gets.
Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
These mashed potatoes can be served right away or made up to two days in advance, making your holiday or any other meal as easy as can be!
Honeynut Squash Casserole with Sage Marshmallow Topping
This honeynut squash recipe is bound to satisfy anyone at your Christmas table. Once only available to chefs, honeynut squash (think: super-sweet butternuts) are now sold at farmers’ markets and some grocery stores in the fall.
Cranberry-Apple Relish
New Mexican chef Jonathon Perno shares his favorite raw sauce of bracing cranberries tamed a bit with apple and sugar. The orange goes in unpeeled so it adds both juicy sweetness and the essential oils from the skin. This relish complements any roast turkey.
Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Toast
Sweet caramelized onions and creamy goat cheese team up in this easy yet elegant dish that makes a great appetizer or side with soup or salad.
Classic Slow-Cooker Stuffing
Save space in your oven and use your slow cooker to whip up this easy, classic stuffing. Hearty whole-grain bread gets toasted in the oven for only 10 minutes (and you can toast the cubes ahead of time!) while your slow cooker does the rest.
Loaded Scalloped Potatoes with Bacon, Cheddar & Chives
Imagine a loaded baked potato topped with bacon, Cheddar and chives combined with the creamy goodness of scalloped potatoes, and you have the ultimate comfort food casserole. This scalloped potato recipe is made healthier than original versions by using low-fat milk in place of heavy cream, but it still tastes just as rich and creamy.
Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
If you’re looking for a twist on classic scalloped potatoes, this recipe using roasted sweet potatoes and melty Gruyère has all the creaminess of the original with a new flavor twist. The sweet potatoes and lightened sauce–made with flour and low-fat milk–keep it healthier than butter- and cream-laden versions. Don’t cut your sweet potatoes too thin–they’ll turn mushy under the sauce.
Cauliflower Casserole with Everything Bagel Seasoning
The cheesy-seedy crust that tops this healthy cauliflower casserole recipe evokes everything bagels. Serve for the holidays or as a hearty side dish with roast chicken.
No-Sugar-Added Sweet Potato Casserole
Instead of loading up this comfort food side with tons of brown sugar and marshmallows, we have turned to sweet spices, vanilla and inherently sweet dried fruit to enhance the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes. A topping of pecans and pepitas replaces traditional marshmallow topping to keep it healthy and add texture and color for a beautiful casserole.
Vegan Green Bean Casserole
Now everyone can enjoy classic holiday favorites, like this dairy-free green bean casserole. We make a homemade vegan cream of mushroom soup using almond milk for the creamy base that’s combined with fresh green beans. Top it off with classic french-fried onions (we have a vegan recipe for that, too!) for a side dish everyone will devour.
Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes with Spinach
Classic scalloped potatoes get a burst of color, heartier texture and a healthy update with the addition of chopped spinach. The greens in this side dish also create a nice contrast to the creamy, velvety potatoes.
Honey-Glazed Roasted Delicata Squash
Tangy cider vinegar, sweet honey, crunchy pine nuts and fresh mint come together to make an amazing glaze in this healthy roasted winter squash recipe. If you use delicata, the whole squash—including the gorgeous skin—is edible.
Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
These scalloped potatoes are surprisingly rich and creamy even though they’re made with no dairy (milk, butter or cheese)–vegan comfort food at its best. We use almond milk, herbs and spices to make a flavorful sauce and finish the dish with a crunchy almond topping. This makes a satisfying side dish if you’re cooking for dairy-free or vegan diets.
Vegan Cornbread Stuffing
Whether you call it stuffing or dressing, now this classic side dish is available to everyone. We love the deep flavor of cornbread in this entirely plant-based recipe. Our secret to getting that traditional flavor without chicken broth or turkey stock is adding in poultry seasoning—despite the name, there is no poultry in it!
Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
This quick mashed potato recipe has just 5 ingredients and is dinner-ready in 20 minutes. Using sweet potatoes for this classic side dish adds color to your plate along with a little sweetness and a boost of Vitamin A. With classic and simple flavors, it can easily be paired with any of your favorite dishes.
