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    Home » Side Dishes

    Simple Side Dishes

    First Published: September 19, 2011 . Last Modified: October 1, 2021 lisa15 Comments This post may contain affiliate links

    It's another busy Monday and I am trying to plan ahead for our week night dinners. I usually have the main dish planned but I sometimes get stumped when it comes to side dishes. In my house, a bowl of potato chips is not considered a option. If you have just a few good pantry items and some veggies in your freezer, the sides will always come easy. Seasonal vegetables are a favorite of mine but if I can't get to a store, I know there are other options. Take a look at some of my favorite sides. You don't even need a recipe for these as there is very little effort in making these dishes.

    Cook some rice and substitute half chicken broth and half white wine for the water. Stir in some peas and Parmesan cheese while cooking. This is how you cheat on risotto!

     

    Rosemary Roasted Potatoes are very simple. Toss together bite size pieces of potatoes with olive oil, garlic powder, dried rosemary, salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees for 35 minutes or until potatoes are brown and tender.

    A simple salad is one of the easiest and most frequent side dishes we have. Some arugula and tomatoes are tossed with Parmesan, olive oil and vinegar.

     

    I love to roast carrots and mushrooms. I buy baby carrots and toss the carrots and mushrooms with onion powder, salt and pepper. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and roast for 30 minutes in a 400 degree oven.

    Here are some more yummy sides from the blogosphere. What is your favorite side dish?

    Chive and Onion Mashed Potatoes

    Kale Salad and Oven Baked Kale Chips

    Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds

    Mediterranean(ish) Cous Cous

    Warm Lentil and Beet Salad

    Baked Zucchini Sticks

    « Easy Gnocchi Recipe with Bolognese Sauce and Ground Turkey
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    Comments

    1. The Japanese Redneck says

      September 19, 2011 at 4:25 pm

      Those sound good. I like the rice idea. It fancies it up.

      Reply
    2. Becki's Whole Life says

      September 19, 2011 at 4:42 pm

      I'm always looking for new side dishes and it's one area that I seemed to be stumped or get into a little bit of a slump. I LOVE the rice and peas recipe and I also really like your simple salad. I think we would eat more salads if they were all that simple and flavorful. Thanks for sharing all of these!

      Reply
    3. Erica says

      September 19, 2011 at 4:42 pm

      Roasted veggies always take the cake- so good!

      Reply
    4. Katrina says

      September 19, 2011 at 5:24 pm

      Love the "cheatin" risotto.
      Thanks for linking me. Side dishes are always my nemesis, too! Nice to have a little go-to here.

      Reply
    5. Mari says

      September 19, 2011 at 5:32 pm

      The Rosemary Roasted Potatoes , and roasted carrots and mushrooms are my favorite. Great side dish options! Thanks.

      Reply
    6. chinmayie.bhat@gmail.com says

      September 20, 2011 at 4:23 am

      Love these simple recipes 🙂

      Reply
    7. LaPhemmePhoodie says

      September 20, 2011 at 10:34 am

      I love the "cheat" recipe for risotto. I will definitely try that. I don't have the patience to make risotto. Thanks for including my mashed potatoes in your post!

      Reply
    8. Dan says

      September 20, 2011 at 1:30 pm

      I think my favourite side is still a baked or mashed potato. Just comforting.

      Reply
    9. That Girl says

      September 20, 2011 at 5:03 pm

      I'm always in a side rut.

      Reply
    10. Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says

      September 20, 2011 at 5:11 pm

      Roasted veggies are my favorite side dish. Just the taste of caramelized veggies from roasting, takes it to another level 🙂

      Reply
    11. Jeanette says

      September 20, 2011 at 11:02 pm

      Such a nice idea to think ahead for side dishes...I get stumped too!

      Reply
    12. Lana @ Never Enough Thyme says

      September 21, 2011 at 10:09 am

      Sides can sometimes be a problem for me, too. Hard to pair just the right compliment with the main. Great ideas here for most any meal!

      Reply
    13. kellypea says

      September 21, 2011 at 1:33 pm

      Nice collection of sides -- we had roasted potatoes with rosemary last night -- they're a fave!

      Reply
    14. Curt says

      September 28, 2011 at 10:42 pm

      All fairly simple and they all look delicious.

      Reply
    15. Sam Henderson says

      October 07, 2011 at 7:16 pm

      Side dishes can certainly be a struggle. I love the rosemary potatoes. I've just stumbled upon your site. I see I have lots of catching up to do.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Lisa

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