Christmas isn’t only about jingling bells, chilly weather, and Santa surprises. It’s also (and mostly) about food, too. Succulent roast beef tenderloin, decadent cakes, and chilled eggnog – yum!
While most of us pay a lot of attention to our main courses and desserts, what often gets left behind are the side dishes. But trust us; when you have a party to feed, side dishes play a huge role. They expand your menu, add variety, and complete the meal.
So, what are some perfect Christmas-worthy sidelines that you must add to your menu? Here’s a list for you.
Baked Potatoes
Who doesn’t love a fluffy and moist potato sideline? It’s melt-in-the-mouth good and tastes super satisfying on a cold winter night.
The only bummer here is the cooking time. If you’re baking potatoes in the oven, it’ll take about 60 long minutes, and if you do them in the microwave, the skin will get too chewy.
What do you do? You pull out your instant pot and try this recipe:
- Place the trivet at the bottom of the pot’s metal insert.
- Pierce washed and dried potatoes using a fork.
- Pour a cup of water into the pot.
- Place the potatoes on the trivet. Overlap if needed.
- Put the lid, lock it, and turn the valve to the “sealed” position.
- Now, press “manual” and set the timer to 14 minutes for small potatoes and 16 minutes for big potatoes.
- Let the pressure release naturally after the timer goes off. It’ll take 10 minutes.
- To release pressure, switch the valve to VENT. Open the lid when the float valve has dropped.
Your baked potatoes are ready. If you want to learn how to make them crispier and more flavorful, check out this baked potatoes in the instant pot recipe.
Slow Cooker Green Beans
Want to add some red and green to your holiday table? This recipe is it! It only takes 20 minutes to prepare, and all the rest of the cooking happens in the slow cooker – no human input is required. The best part? You can cook this yummy side dish about two days in advance. So, no extra work on the party day.
Here’s a recipe you can follow:
- Cook bacon in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat for about 7-9 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined dish.
- In the same skillet (and bacon drippings), cook your onions on medium heat for 3 minutes.
- Add garlic and stir for thirty seconds or until you get that nice garlicky aroma.
- Pour chicken broth and mix well. Add this mixture to your 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add tomatoes and tomato paste to the slow cooker and season with your choice of spices and herbs.
- Add half of the bacon, stir in green beans, and cover the pot.
- Let it simmer and cook on low for 6 hours, or turn up the heat and let it sizzle on high for 3 hours.
- Add some vinegar, taste for salt, and adjust accordingly. Cover the pot again and let the green beans cook for another hour.
- Once done, top the dish with the remaining bacon and serve.
Mushroom Gravy
Everyone loves the earthy mushrooms, especially when they’re in a gravy form. This side dish is perfect to pair with your holiday roast beef or turkey, and it’s easy to make. What you’ll love the most about this recipe is the cooking time – it takes only 15 minutes. That’s right, just 15!
Tip: Pick baby Bella or white button mushrooms for this recipe.
As for the recipe, here’s a failproof one for you:
- Cook mushrooms in olive oil for 4 minutes. Use a large-sized skillet.
- Sprinkle salt, thyme, and pepper. Give everything a good stir.
- Add onions and garlic. Cook for two more minutes.
- Lower the heat and pop in some butter. When it melts, add flour and cook for a minute. Keep stirring.
- Pour vegetable stock and soya sauce into the gravy and stir to combine everything.
- Crank the heat to medium-high and let the dish simmer.
- Simmer some more on low heat, dress with parsley, and serve.
Roasted Cauliflower
What’s a holiday meal without something roasted? And if you want to add some vegetable goodness to your sides, roasted cauliflower is the way to go. You can serve it as an appetizer, use it as a side dish, or even toss it up in a salad. It’s easy to make, requires minimal ingredients, and tastes so good!
Here’s how you can make some:
- Set the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Cut the cauliflower into florets, making sure they’re all even in size.
- Place them on a prepared baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
- Season with salt, pepper, and any herb or spice blend you like.
- Roast for 30 minutes. After 15 minutes, flip the florets to get an even roast on both sides.
- Once done, take the cauliflower out of the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving.
Sweet Potato Casserole
Christmas and casseroles jam like a dream! This sweet potato casserole is like an edible hug. It’s sweet, creamy, and guaranteed to make everyone happy. Plus, it’s easy to make in advance and bake later or even freeze for up to 3 months.
This recipe serves eight, so add more if needed:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, add mashed sweet potatoes, sugar, melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and milk. When the mixture is smooth, transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish.
- In another bowl, mix brown sugar, flour, melted butter, and chopped pecans or walnuts. Spread this mixture over the sweet potato layer.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the topping turns golden brown. If baking from frozen, add 15 minutes to the cooking time.
Putting the “Merry” in Christmas Dinner with Side Dishes
Christmas is all about love, laughter, and enjoying good food with family and friends. And what better way to spread some holiday cheer than with delicious side dishes made from scratch? Whether you’re hosting a big Christmas dinner or having a small gathering, these recipes are sure to impress and add the perfect finishing touch to your meal. So go ahead and try them out, and don’t be afraid to add your own twist to make them even more delicious.
Happy cooking, and Merry Christmas!