20 Comforting Side Dishes to Help You Beat Your Postholiday Blues
Your roasted chicken needs more than a salad during the frigid months. That's where these comforting side dishes come in. Mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, cauliflower snowflakes, and glazed carrots making your postholiday blues go away? Good! And that's only the beginning . . .
Pumpkin Mac and Cheese Muffins
Unless you love the finger-food portions of the muffins, you can make this dish over the stovetop and serve the breadcrumbs on top to garnish.
Get the recipe: pumpkin mac and cheese muffins
Slow-Cooker Sweet Potatoes
Blue cheese and candied pecans adorn sweet potatoes that have been cooked until tender via a slow cooker.
Get the recipe: slow-cooker sweet potatoes
Miso Collard Greens
Miso adds that salty-savoriness you crave so eating greens isn't so hard to muster.
Get the recipe: miso collard greens
Tyler Florence's Mashed Potatoes
Cook the potatoes in cream (not water), then mash the potatoes with the cream you used to cook them in. That way you don't miss out on any of the rich potato flavor.
Get the recipe: Tyler Florence's mashed potatoes
Roasted Kabocha Squash With Crème Fraiche
Sometimes the trick to uplifting a roasted veggie is pairing it with a simple dipping sauce.
Get the recipe: roasted kabocha squash with crème fraiche
Bacon and Brown Sugar Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Shallots and Dried Figs
Bacon improves just about anything, including brussels sprouts.
Get the recipe: bacon and brown sugar roasted brussels sprouts with shallots and dried figs
Wild Rice Stuffing With Mushrooms
Finally — a seasoned rice worth doubling! Wild rice cooked in broth and aromatics like onion and mushrooms will become a staple you'll want to reheat all week long.
Get the recipe: wild rice stuffing with mushrooms
Walnut-Crusted Brie Mac and Cheese
Bring on the brie cheese if you're wanting the Velveeta-like texture in mac and cheese without having to go the processed-foods route.
Get the recipe: walnut-crusted brie mac and cheese
Roasted Cauliflower With Breadcrumbs and Parmesan
These little morsels are called "cauliflower snowflakes," according to Ina Garten. With a sweet name like that, you'll be inspired to eat your veggies.
Get the recipe: roasted cauliflower with breadcrumbs and parmesan
Goat Cheese Baked Mashed Potatoes
Goat cheese contributes to the creaminess of mashed potatoes, and baking it offers a caramelized crust like you'll find in shepherd's pie.
Get the recipe: goat cheese baked mashed potatoes
Cinnamon Butter Baked Carrots
Though this recipe sounds almost too simple to be good, it's sure to become your standard method of cooking carrots.
Get the recipe: cinnamon butter baked carrots
Caramelized Celery Root Puree With Toasted Hazelnuts
If mashed potatoes are on your mind but you're looking to up your veggie consumption, try celery root puree with toasted hazelnuts on top. You'll almost convince your taste buds that you're eating something naughty.
Get the recipe: caramelized celery root puree with toasted hazelnuts
Alex Guarnaschelli's Twice-Baked Butternut Squash
Instead of twice-baked potatoes, try this butternut squash, which is stuffed with mashed sweet potatoes.
Get the recipe: Alex Guarnaschelli's twice-baked butternut squash
Candied Acorn Squash Rings
Upgrade any roasted squash by brushing it with brown sugar (and whiskey) and allowing it to caramelize as it cooks in the oven.
Get the recipe: candied acorn squash rings
Daphne Oz's Broccoli Cauliflower Gratin
Breadcrumbs and shredded cheese improve the yumminess of any and all veggies, including broccoli and cauliflower.
Get the recipe: Daphne Oz's broccoli cauliflower gratin
Fennel, Citrus, and Feta Salad
Need a salad but loathe greens? We understand. This salad lets you load up on produce without a leafy vegetable in sight.
Get the recipe: fennel, citrus, and feta salad
Chrissy Teigen's Scalloped Potatoes
Though these look cheesy, Chrissy's scalloped potatoes receive the richness from heavy cream, not cheese!
Get the recipe: Chrissy Teigen's scalloped potatoes
Spicy Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Almost like chips, it's easy to go through a pan of roasted brussels sprouts in seconds.
Get the recipe: spicy roasted brussels sprouts
Padma Lakshmi's Sweet Potato Wedges
This is the closest thing to sweet potato fries, minus the frying.
Get the recipe: Padma Lakshmi's sweet potato wedges
Mustard Roasted Potatoes
How do you perfectly roast potatoes? Parboil the potatoes first, then toss them in oil and roast to golden deliciousness.
Get the recipe: mustard roasted potatoes