25+ Side Dish Recipes Perfect for Christmas Dinner

Estimated read time 9 min read



Complete your Christmas meal with side dishes everyone will remember. Featuring festive, wintry ingredients like broccoli, beets and sweet potatoes, these delicious sides pair perfectly with any main dish. Try our Crispy Garlic-Parmesan Smashed Brussels Sprouts and Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Citrus-Maple Glaze for a flavorful, healthy and seasonal addition to your holiday dinner table.

Melting Broccoli

Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell


This broccoli recipe is the simple, flavorful side dish you’ve been waiting for! It’s all about slow-roasting broccoli until it’s tender and caramelized, then adding a flavorful liquid to the pan and cooking it a little longer for that melt-in-your-mouth texture. This savory, satisfying side pairs well with just about any meal.

Crispy Garlic-Parmesan Smashed Brussels Sprouts

Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Marianne Williams, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle


These crispy garlic-Parmesan smashed Brussels sprouts balance tender, sweet Brussels sprouts with a crispy Parmesan crust reminiscent of frico (the lacy, crisp cheese snack).

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. 

Creamy Cabbage with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell


This creamy cabbage with sun-dried tomatoes is pure comfort in a casserole dish. Tender, sautéed cabbage melds beautifully with the rich, cheesy sauce, and sun-dried tomatoes add a touch of tangy sweetness that brightens every bite. 

Roasted Cabbage Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Ali Redmond


This roasted cabbage salad combines the sweetness of roasted cabbage with the bright, zesty flavors of lime, orange and cumin. This versatile side dish works well alongside roasted chicken or steak. Or make it a vegetarian main dish by mixing it with brown rice and black beans.

Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce

Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf


This roasted cauliflower with tahini-yogurt sauce takes simple roasted cauliflower to new heights with bold, Middle Eastern and North African–inspired flavors. Harissa sauce adds spice and complexity to the yogurt sauce. If you can’t find harissa sauce, you can use harissa paste in its place. However, since the paste is more concentrated, use only half the amount specified in the recipe.

Lemon-Parmesan Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Sylist: Kelsey Moylan, Prop Stylist: Breanna Ghazali


Smashing parboiled potatoes creates more surface area and craggy edges that get crisp when roasted in a hot oven. We top the crispy potatoes with lemon zest and Parmesan cheese for a bright, cheesy bite, but you can easily mix up the toppings. Try fresh rosemary or parsley or opt for a different cheese, like Pecorino Romano. Serve these potatoes as part of a holiday meal or for a weeknight dinner.

Melting Garlic-Butter Cauliflower

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless


Garlic butter and Parmesan cheese coat tender cauliflower florets in this melt-in-your-mouth side dish. This dish works wonderfully alongside any protein, or make it a meatless main dish tossed with white beans and served with whole-wheat pasta.

Crispy English Roasted Potatoes

Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Sylist: Sammy Mila, Prop Stylist: Breanna Ghazali


If you’ve ever had an English roast potato, then you must already know that they are very special. They are golden and crispy on the outside and incredibly tender on the inside, thanks to a few simple tricks.

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows

Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf


These baked sweet potatoes with marshmallows strike the perfect balance between savory and sweet, making them a crowd-pleasing favorite. This no-fuss recipe nods to classic sweet potato casserole and adds a festive touch to any holiday spread.

Roasted Carrots with Sage Brown Butter

Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Sylist: Kelsey Moylan, Prop Stylist: Breanna Ghazali


When you need an easy vegetable side, make these carrots. A brown butter and sage sauce takes these carrots to another level, perfect for a holiday meal. They only take 15 minutes to roast, so pop them in the oven while you make the sauce.

Spiced Butternut Squash & Apple Casserole

Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf


This spiced butternut squash and apple casserole is a warm, cozy dish that captures the essence of fall. This easy dish combines the natural sweetness of roasted butternut squash with the tartness of fresh apples, finished with savory goat cheese and sweet maple-glazed walnuts. We love the tart flavor that Granny Smith apples provide, but feel free to swap in a sweeter baking apple like Honeycrisp if you prefer.

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.

High-Protein Spinach Dip

Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Annie Probst, Prop Stylist: Joseph Wanek


This spinach dip recipe gives the classic appetizer a high-protein twist. In addition to adding plenty of protein, using cottage cheese and feta instead of cream cheese and Cheddar cuts back on saturated fat and calories. Enjoy this easy dip as a side dish, appetizer or snack served with whole-grain bread and veggies for dipping.

Spice-Roasted Sweet Potatoes over Garlicky Yogurt

Photographer: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Sally McKay, Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood


These spice-roasted sweet potatoes over garlicky yogurt is the recipe you need right now for the perfect blend of warmth, flavor and comfort. The sweet potatoes, caramelized to perfection with a mix of aromatic spices, are served over a tangy yogurt base that adds a cool, creamy contrast. This simple yet sophisticated recipe will elevate your next gathering.

Roasted Vegetables with Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette

Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Annie Probst, Prop Stylist: Joseph Wanek


A zesty vinaigrette makes these roasted Brussels sprouts, fennel, carrots and beets pop. If you can’t find small carrots, halve larger ones crosswise then quarter lengthwise. Serve these roasted vegetables as a side dish to your favorite main.

Cheesy French Onion Cabbage

Photographer: Hannah Hufham, Food Stylist: Melissa Gray, Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong


These cheesy French onion cabbage wedges are a delicious twist on the classic flavors of French onion soup. Roasted cabbage is topped with caramelized onions, savory Gruyère cheese and a sprinkle of fresh thyme and pepper for extra depth.

Miso–Garlic Butter Roasted Delicata Squash

Photographer: Jacob Fox, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Breanna Ghazali


This delicious, gut-friendly side dish is rich in prebiotics to keep your digestive system running smoothly. Delicata squash has a tender, edible skin, so there’s no need to peel it, making it extra convenient while providing an added boost of fiber.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Kimchi Vinaigrette

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman


These roasted Brussels sprouts are coated in a spicy kimchi vinaigrette for a high-fiber side that you’ll want to make again and again. Kimchi offers a healthy dose of probiotics to keep your gut happy and healthy.

Balsamic Roasted Cabbage Steaks

Photographer: Ali Redmond


These balsamic roasted cabbage steaks are a flavorful and simple dish where thick slices of cabbage are brushed with olive oil and seasonings and roasted until tender and caramelized, then finished with a coating of balsamic vinegar. The roasting brings out the natural sweetness of the cabbage, while the balsamic vinegar adds a tangy richness. 

Roasted Garlic-Butter Sweet Potatoes

Ali Redmond


Roasting a whole head of garlic brings out its sweetness and mellows its pungency, creating a smooth, caramelized paste that blends beautifully with melted butter. When tossed with perfectly roasted sweet potatoes, the result is a delicious side dish that’s easy to prepare and pairs with almost everything.

Roasted Cabbage with Miso Yogurt Sauce

Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel


This roasted miso cabbage is a flavorful dish that combines the earthy sweetness of roasted cabbage with the savory flavor of miso topped with the spicy crunch of chili crisp. White miso, with its sweet and mild flavor profile, works well here, but if you want a stronger flavor, red miso can be used in its place.

Cornbread & Oyster-Mushroom Stuffing

Mushrooms are a rich, meaty addition in this healthy cornbread stuffing recipe. Here we use oyster mushrooms, but you can use any variety you like. If you have time, bake the cornbread a day or two in advance so it has time to dry out a bit, which lets it absorb the flavors more readily.

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!

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.



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