Salads & sides
64 easy salads & sides recipes with clear steps and short ingredient lists.
64 recipes
Salads & sidesRoasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze
Transform Brussels sprouts with this simple and delicious recipe. Perfect for a side dish or a healthy snack.
Salads & sidesHearty Farro Salad with Roasted Vegetables
A warm and satisfying farro salad perfect for any season.
Salads & sidesArugula and Pear Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
A refreshing salad that brings together peppery arugula and sweet pears with a zesty dressing.
Salads & sidesMediterranean Pasta Salad
This vibrant pasta salad is a great way to bring Mediterranean flavors to your table.
Salads & sidesQuinoa and Roasted Vegetable Salad
A hearty and healthy salad that’s perfect for lunch or a light dinner.
Salads & sidesGarlic Kale
This simple garlic kale is tender, bright, and ready in about 20 minutes. It is a useful side dish for weeknights, grain bowls, eggs, pasta, or roasted chicken.
Salads & sidesCrisp Fennel Salad with Orange and Lemon Dressing
This fresh fennel salad is crunchy, juicy, and bright, with sweet orange slices, salty Parmesan, and a simple lemon-olive oil dressing. It is a good side for fish, chicken, pasta, or any meal that needs something crisp.
Salads & sidesGarlic Lemon Broccolini
This simple broccolini side dish cooks quickly in one pan, with crisp-tender stems, lightly browned tips, garlic, and a squeeze of lemon. It is easy enough for a weeknight and bright enough for a holiday table.
Salads & sidesRoasted Delicata Squash with Maple, Thyme, and Pepitas
Delicata squash is the weeknight-friendly winter squash: sweet, quick to roast, and tender enough to eat with the skin on. This simple side dish adds maple, thyme, and crunchy pepitas for a colorful fall or holiday plate
Salads & sidesLebanese Fattoush Salad
Lebanese fattoush is a bright chopped salad with crisp vegetables, herbs, tangy sumac, and crunchy pieces of toasted pita. It is fresh, flexible, and perfect beside grilled meat, fish, falafel, or a simple bowl of lentil
Salads & sidesRed Fruit Salad
This bright red fruit salad gathers strawberries, raspberries, cherries, watermelon, and pomegranate in one juicy bowl. A light lime-honey dressing keeps the fruit glossy without covering up its fresh flavor.
Salads & sidesGarlic Bread
Crisp-edged, buttery garlic bread is simple to make at home and easy to adjust to your taste. Serve it with pasta, soup, salad, or anything that could use a warm, savory side.
Salads & sidesClassic Macaroni Salad
Creamy, tangy, and full of crunch, this macaroni salad is the kind of side dish that fits right in at picnics, cookouts, and easy lunches. A quick rinse after cooking keeps the pasta firm and ready for its simple, mayo-m
Salads & sidesCreamy Lemon Parmesan Orzo
This cozy orzo is cooked like a quick risotto, but with less stirring and a shorter cook time. Lemon, Parmesan, and a little butter make it creamy without needing cream.
Salads & sidesGerman Potato Salad
This warm German potato salad is tangy, savory, and lightly sweet, with tender potatoes, crisp bacon, and a mustard-vinegar dressing. It is a sturdy side dish for sausages, roast chicken, burgers, or a simple weeknight “
Salads & sidesGreen Bean Casserole
This classic green bean casserole has tender beans in a creamy mushroom sauce, finished with crisp fried onions. It is a reliable holiday side, but it is simple enough for a Sunday dinner, too.
Salads & sidesCreamy Coleslaw Dressing
This simple coleslaw dressing is creamy, tangy, and lightly sweet, with enough zip to wake up a bowl of shredded cabbage. Whisk it together in minutes, then toss it with your favorite slaw mix for a reliable side dish.
Salads & sidesGarlic Butter
This simple garlic butter is rich, savory, and ready in about 10 minutes. Spread it on bread, melt it over vegetables, toss it with pasta, or keep a small tub in the fridge for quick weeknight flavor.
Salads & sidesCilantro Lime Rice
Fluffy long-grain rice gets a bright finish from fresh lime juice, lime zest, and chopped cilantro. Serve it with tacos, beans, grilled chicken, roasted vegetables, or anything that needs a fresh side.
Salads & sidesTwice Baked Potatoes
These creamy, cheesy twice baked potatoes are a cozy side dish for steak night, roast chicken, or a simple salad. Bake the potatoes once, scoop and season the filling, then bake them again until the tops are lightly puff
Salads & sidesClassic Hollandaise Sauce
This silky lemon-butter sauce is the one to spoon over eggs Benedict, asparagus, salmon, or roasted potatoes. A gentle heat and slow stream of butter make it smooth, rich, and doable at home.
Salads & sidesCreamy Mashed Potatoes
These mashed potatoes are smooth, buttery, and easy to make with everyday ingredients. A mix of starchy potatoes, warm dairy, and gentle mashing gives you a classic side dish without fuss.
Salads & sidesCreole Seasoning
This homemade Creole seasoning is bold, savory, and easy to mix in minutes. Keep a jar on hand for chicken, shrimp, beans, roasted vegetables, fries, and weeknight soups.
Salads & sidesClassic Tartar Sauce
This creamy tartar sauce is bright, tangy, and easy to stir together in about 10 minutes. Serve it with fish sticks, fried seafood, crab cakes, or roasted potatoes.
Salads & sidesTeriyaki Sauce
This simple teriyaki sauce is glossy, salty-sweet, and ready in about 15 minutes. Brush it on chicken, spoon it over rice bowls, or use it as a quick stir-fry sauce.
Salads & sidesEel Sauce
This glossy Japanese-style eel sauce is sweet, salty, and simple to make at home. Spoon it over sushi bowls, grilled fish, rice, tofu, or vegetables.
Salads & sidesPotato Pancakes
Crisp-edged potato pancakes made with grated potatoes, onion, egg, and a little flour. Serve them hot with sour cream, applesauce, or a simple green salad.
Salads & sidesFried Cabbage
This easy fried cabbage is tender, savory, and lightly browned at the edges. Cook it with bacon for a smoky side dish, or use butter and olive oil for a simple meat-free version.
Salads & sidesHomemade BBQ Sauce
This easy BBQ sauce is tangy, lightly sweet, and smoky enough for ribs, chicken, burgers, and roasted vegetables. It comes together in one saucepan with pantry ingredients and keeps well in the fridge.
Salads & sidesSushi Rice
Glossy, gently seasoned sushi rice is the base for homemade rolls, hand rolls, rice bowls, and onigiri. The key is rinsing the rice well, cooking it evenly, then folding in the vinegar seasoning while the rice is still a
Salads & sidesHoney Mustard
This creamy honey mustard is sweet, tangy, and ready in about 10 minutes. Use it as a dip for chicken tenders, a spread for sandwiches, or a quick dressing for crisp salads.
Salads & sidesSushi Rice
Good sushi starts with properly seasoned rice. This simple method gives you glossy, lightly sticky grains with a gentle sweet-tangy flavor for rolls, bowls, and hand-shaped sushi.
Salads & sidesCreamed Corn
This cozy creamed corn is rich, gently sweet, and simple enough for a weeknight side dish. Use fresh corn in summer or frozen corn any time of year.
Salads & sidesFresh Fruit Salad
A bright, juicy fruit salad with a light citrus-honey dressing. It is simple enough for breakfast and pretty enough for a picnic, brunch, or dessert table.
Salads & sidesTwice Baked Potatoes
Crisp potato skins filled with fluffy mashed potato, cheddar, sour cream, and scallions. These twice baked potatoes are cozy enough for dinner but easy to make ahead for a holiday table or steakhouse-style side.
Salads & sidesGarlic Aioli
Creamy garlic aioli is a simple sauce for fries, sandwiches, roasted vegetables, seafood, and grain bowls. This version uses an egg yolk, lemon, and a slow stream of oil to make a thick, glossy emulsion at home.
Salads & sidesAu Gratin Potatoes
Thin slices of potato bake in a creamy garlic sauce with a golden cheese top. This classic side dish feels special, but the method is simple and easy to follow.
Salads & sidesFrog Eye Salad
This sweet, creamy potluck salad is made with tiny acini di pepe pasta, pineapple custard, fruit, marshmallows, and whipped topping. It is a retro favorite that tastes like a cross between fruit salad and dessert.
Salads & sidesStrawberry Spinach Salad
This bright strawberry spinach salad is fresh, crunchy, and lightly sweet, with a simple balsamic dressing you can shake in a jar. Serve it as a spring or summer side, or add protein to make it a light meal.
Salads & sidesLemon-Dill Salmon Salad
This fresh salmon salad is hearty enough for lunch or a light dinner, with tender flakes of salmon, crisp vegetables, and a creamy lemon-dill dressing. It works with freshly cooked salmon or leftover salmon from the day
Salads & sidesAntipasto Salad
This hearty Italian-inspired salad turns the flavors of an antipasto platter into a crisp, colorful bowl. It is full of salami, cheese, olives, vegetables, and a tangy red wine vinaigrette.
Salads & sidesKorean BBQ Sauce
This glossy Korean-style BBQ sauce is sweet, savory, garlicky, and a little spicy. Brush it on grilled meats, spoon it over rice bowls, or use it as a quick marinade when dinner needs more flavor.
Salads & sidesClassic Basil Pesto
Fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, and olive oil turn into a bright green sauce in minutes. Toss it with pasta, spoon it over eggs, or spread it on sandwiches.
Salads & sidesGarlic Aioli
Creamy, garlicky aioli is a simple sauce that makes fries, sandwiches, grilled vegetables, and seafood feel more complete. This version uses an egg yolk and a slow stream of oil for a smooth, spoonable texture.
Salads & sidesHaroset
This classic Passover haroset is a sweet, chunky mix of apples, walnuts, cinnamon, and wine or grape juice. It is simple to make ahead and easy to adjust to your family’s taste.
Salads & sidesClassic Cobb Salad
A Cobb salad is a full meal in a bowl: crisp lettuce, juicy chicken, bacon, eggs, avocado, tomatoes, and blue cheese with a sharp red wine vinaigrette. It is colorful, practical, and easy to adjust with what you have.
Salads & sidesAsparagus in the Oven
Roasting asparagus is one of the easiest ways to turn a bunch of green spears into a crisp-tender side dish. All you need is a hot oven, a little oil, salt, pepper, and about 15 minutes.
Salads & sidesRoasted Cabbage Steaks
Thick slices of cabbage roast into tender, caramelized “steaks” with crisp edges and a savory garlic-lemon finish. Serve them as an easy vegetable side, or add a sauce and make them the center of a simple meal.
Salads & sidesBang Bang Sauce
Creamy, sweet, and lightly spicy, bang bang sauce is the quick stir-together condiment you’ll want for shrimp, chicken, fries, bowls, and vegetables. It takes about 10 minutes and uses easy supermarket ingredients.
Salads & sidesSalsa Fresca
This fresh tomato salsa is bright, crunchy, and quick to make. Serve it with tortilla chips, spoon it over tacos, or use it to wake up grilled chicken, fish, beans, or eggs.
Salads & sidesCrab Salad
This cool, creamy crab salad is bright with lemon, crisp with celery, and easy to tuck into sandwiches, lettuce cups, or a simple lunch plate. Use fresh crab when you can, or good-quality pasteurized crab for a faster, p
Salads & sidesCilantro Lime Rice
This bright, fluffy cilantro lime rice is a simple side for tacos, grilled chicken, beans, burrito bowls, and weeknight dinners. A little lime zest, fresh juice, and chopped cilantro make plain rice taste fresh without a
Salads & sidesSeven Layer Salad
This chilled seven layer salad is a retro potluck favorite for good reason. Crisp lettuce, sweet peas, cheddar, eggs, bacon, and a creamy dressing stack into a colorful side dish that can be made ahead.
Salads & sidesClassic Yellow Squash Casserole
Tender yellow squash, sweet onion, cheddar, and a buttery cracker topping bake into a cozy side dish that belongs at Sunday dinner, potlucks, and holiday tables. The key is draining the squash well so the casserole turns
Salads & sidesBéchamel Sauce
A smooth béchamel is one of the most useful sauces you can learn. This simple white sauce turns milk, butter, and flour into the creamy base for lasagna, gratins, croque monsieur, and baked pasta.
Salads & sidesCaesar Salad
Crisp romaine, garlicky dressing, crunchy croutons, and a shower of Parmesan make this Caesar salad a reliable classic. This version uses mayonnaise for a creamy dressing without raw egg, so it is simple and approachable
Salads & sidesOven Roasted Potatoes
Crisp-edged, golden potatoes are a side dish that fits almost any dinner. This simple oven method uses pantry seasonings and a hot baking sheet for reliable browning.
Salads & sidesBaked Asparagus
This simple baked asparagus is tender, lightly crisp at the tips, and ready in about 20 minutes. Serve it with chicken, fish, pasta, eggs, or anything that needs a fresh green side.
Salads & sidesRoasted Green Beans
Roasted green beans are a simple side dish with crisp edges, tender centers, and a little natural sweetness from the oven. This version uses olive oil, garlic, lemon, and a hot sheet pan for green beans that are easy to\
Salads & sidesPickled Ginger
Make crisp, tangy pickled ginger at home with fresh ginger, rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. It is a bright little side for sushi, rice bowls, noodles, and grilled fish.
Salads & sidesBacon Ranch Pasta Salad
This creamy bacon ranch pasta salad is a cookout classic with tender pasta, crisp bacon, cheddar, and fresh vegetables. It is easy to make ahead and even easier to carry to a picnic, potluck, or weeknight dinner.
Salads & sidesSweet and Sour Sauce
This glossy sweet and sour sauce is tangy, fruity, and ready in about 12 minutes. Spoon it over stir-fries, serve it with crispy snacks, or use it as a quick dipping sauce for weeknight dinners.
Salads & sidesCobb Salad
This classic American Cobb salad is hearty enough for dinner, with rows of chicken, bacon, eggs, avocado, tomatoes, blue cheese, and crisp lettuce. A simple red wine vinaigrette keeps it bright and balanced.
Salads & sidesSautéed Asparagus
This quick sautéed asparagus is bright, tender, and lightly crisp at the tips. It is a simple side dish for weeknights, spring dinners, or any meal that needs something green on the plate.