22 Side Dish Recipes Perfect for Christmas Dinner (2024)

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 15-Minute Garlic-Butter Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad with Cranberries for a flavorful, healthy and seasonal addition to the holiday dinner table.

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Old-Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole

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Thanksgiving isn't complete without a homemade sweet potato casserole. We like to sprinkle chopped pecans on top along with the marshmallows for a bit of texture.

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Beet Salad

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This simple beet salad recipe uses just a handful of ingredients to create a delightful side dish. Roasted beets add a sweet, earthy and aromatic flavor that shines in this side salad.

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15-Minute Garlic-Butter Brussels Sprouts

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These super-quick Brussels sprouts have a hefty amount of garlic that’s softened by a splash of butter and grated Parmesan cheese. Serve this easy side with roasted chicken, seared pork tenderloin or salmon.

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Roasted Cabbage Wedges with Caesar Dressing

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This delicious twist on a Caesar salad features cabbage in place of romaine lettuce. Roasting the cabbage brings out its natural sweetness, which pairs nicely with the umami-forward dressing. Keeping the wedges whole makes for a stunning presentation, but you can also chop the wedges if desired. Brushing the cabbage with a lemon-garlic oil ensures each crevice is bursting with flavor.

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Kale Salad with Cranberries

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This easy holiday salad gets its flavor from a sweet citrus dressing that's infused into the kale by massaging the greens and the dressing together with your hands. We like a mix of kale for this recipe, but any type of kale will work.

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Maple-Roasted Sweet Potatoes

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In this healthy side dish recipe, sweet potatoes are tossed with maple syrup, butter and lemon juice and roasted until tender and golden brown. The delicious glaze that forms on these maple-roasted sweet potatoes transforms this ultra-simple dish into something sublime.

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Broccoli Casserole

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This lightened-up broccoli casserole is sure to be a hit. Learn how to make this classic side dish healthier.

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Oven-Roasted Squash with Garlic & Parsley

22 Side Dish Recipes Perfect for Christmas Dinner (8)

Learn how to roast squash in this healthy recipe adapted from Alice Waters. Look for squash varieties, including buttercup, kabocha or hubbard, at your farmers' market and try them in this tasty side dish.

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No-Sugar-Added Sweet Potato Casserole

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Instead of loading up this comfort food side with tons of brown sugar and marshmallows, we have turned to sweet spices, vanilla and inherently sweet dried fruit to enhance the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes. A topping of pecans and pepitas replaces traditional marshmallow topping to keep it healthy and add texture and color for a beautiful casserole.

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Butternut Squash Casserole

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This simple recipe combines sweet butternut squash with a touch of brown sugar and cinnamon, and is finished with a buttery, crunchy topping.

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Goat Cheese & Pomegranate

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This gorgeous warm salad with nutty roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet-tart pomegranate seeds and creamy goat cheese is perfect for any winter meal—from a weeknight dinner to Christmas dinner or any other holiday celebration. The recipe is easily doubled if you are entertaining a crowd: just be sure to spread the sprouts out (use 2 pans if necessary) so they roast instead of steaming.

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Sauteed Broccoli & Kale with Toasted Garlic Butter

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In this easy vegetable side dish, broccoli and kale are drizzled with a butter, garlic and crushed red pepper sauce. Serve this healthy recipe alongside roasted chicken, turkey or ham--or on top of your favorite whole grain, such as quinoa or farro.

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Healthy Green Bean Casserole

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Typical green bean casseroles bathe ingredients in a heavy cream sauce. Our healthy version has fewer calories and fat, thanks to a homemade roux.

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Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole

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This crowd-pleasing mashed potato casserole is made for entertaining. You can prep it ahead of time and pop it in the oven when you’re ready to eat. Waxy Yukon Gold potatoes yield a creamier texture than more starchy russets. Leaving their thin skin on instead of peeling them cuts down on prep time and also offers a boost of fiber.

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Wilted Kale with Warm Shallot Dressing

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Vinegar is the key to making this sautéed kale recipe special. Look for vinegar that's cloudy--it likely still has some of the mother in the bottle and will give you a sweet acidity rather than a harsh bite. Organic apple cider vinegar is usually your best bet. For the most eye-catching version of this side, use different colored varieties of kale.

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Caramelized Onion & Apple Stuffing

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Caramelized onions are a sweet and savory addition to this healthy stuffing recipe. Choose an apple that becomes tender yet holds its shape when cooked—try Jonagold or Cortland.

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Honey-Glazed Roasted Delicata Squash

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Tangy cider vinegar, sweet honey, crunchy pine nuts and fresh mint come together to make an amazing glaze in this healthy roasted winter squash recipe. If you use delicata, the whole squash--including the gorgeous skin--is edible.

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Carrot-Parsnip Gratin

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Make this creamy carrot-and-parsnip casserole for your next holiday meal--everyone will beg you for the recipe! Our healthier version skips the heavy cream and butter found in most recipes--saving about 160 calories and 12 grams of saturated fat compared to a traditional version.

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Kale-Butternut Squash Gratin

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This colorful gratin dish livens up any holiday plate. Creamy melted Gruyère is comforting, while a blend of cumin, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper lends a warm, spicy note.

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Christmas Waldorf Salad

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We've dressed the classic Waldorf salad up for Christmas by swapping out the raisins for festive dried cranberries. A combination of Greek yogurt and mayonnaise makes the salad creamy while keeping it light.

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Slow-Cooked Sweet and Sour Cabbage

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The combination of cloves, cabbage and cider vinegar gives this slow-cooker cabbage recipe its sweet-and-sour flavor. Don't skip the apples-the hit of natural sweetness is worth the time it takes to core and chop them.

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"Use a Spoon" Chopped Salad

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When Paul Newman and Michel Nischan opened their Westport, Connecticut, restaurant Dressing Room, Paul's request was that the menu always include a chopped salad that you could eat with a spoon. This chopped salad recipe is full of great flavors, colors and textures, featuring celery, carrots, red pepper, apple, cucumber, greens, cabbage, goat cheese and almonds. This is great for any holiday meal: you can let it stand and it stays crisp.

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22 Side Dish Recipes Perfect for Christmas Dinner (2024)

FAQs

How many sides do you need for Christmas dinner? ›

Speaking of sides—you'll want to pick recipes that complement your main course. When choosing the number of sides, plan for about 1–2 appetizers and about 2–3 side dishes. For 8 people or more, choose 2–3 appetizers and 3 or more sides.

What vegetables do you have with Christmas dinner? ›

Discover the perfect amounts of potatoes, carrots, parsnips, sprouts, peas and red cabbage to serve with your roast turkey. Need help planning your Christmas dinner?

What is the best Christmas dinner to make? ›

  • Lasagna. Regina Schrambling. ...
  • Easy. Prime Rib Roast. ...
  • Pepperpot. Millie Peartree. ...
  • Jansson's Temptation (Creamy Potato Casserole) Eric Kim, Jens Linder, Johanna Westman. ...
  • Christmas Glazed Ham. Yotam Ottolenghi. ...
  • Vegan Jackfruit Pernil. Christina Morales, Lyana Blount. ...
  • Easy. Cola-Braised Beef With Chile-Lime Onions. ...
  • Easy.

How many sides to make for dinner? ›

For six diners, three sides is enough, so you will need to be judicious about which sides you pick. Aim for at least one starch, like a Neapolitan pasta with lentils; one vegetable dish; and a bright salad, like Michael Solomonov's kale tabbouleh to break everything up.

How much food for 20 guests? ›

For a party with 20-25 people, plan on serving approximately 8-10 different food items. Aim for a variety, including appetizers, main dishes, and snacks. Calculate quantities based on the type of event and whether it's a full meal or just light bites.

How much food for a 20 people party? ›

Each adult will consume 1 pound of food total; children, about 1/2 pound. The more options you have, the less you need of each; decrease the main course portion sizes by 1 to 2 ounces if served on a buffet.

What is the most eaten vegetable at Christmas? ›

Within this article we will outline the 5 most popular Christmas vegetables, and how to keep them fresh for the big day!
  • 1) Carrots.
  • 2) Broccoli.
  • 3) Potatoes.
  • 4) Cauliflower.
  • 5) Brussel sprouts.

How many potatoes for Christmas dinner? ›

Potatoes gonna potate

It's roast potatoes. 200g per person is perfect, and if there are any leftovers you can chuck 'em in a bubble and squeak, hash, or just grab a cold roastie right out of the fridge. This is a no-judgement zone.

What are 3 food items that are popular for Christmas dinner? ›

They cover the savory side of Christmas dinner, from prime rib, baked ham, and roast turkey to scalloped potatoes, green bean casserole, and cranberry sauce.

What are the top 5 Christmas dinner dishes? ›

Top 10 Christmas Dinner Recipes
  • Maple-Bourbon-Brined Turkey.
  • Tarragon Crusted Roast Beef.
  • Classic Bread Stuffing.
  • Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Pecans.
  • Pillsbury™ Tourtière.
  • Roasted Rosemary-Onion Potatoes.
  • Crispy-Coated Lemon-Pepper Salmon.
  • Perfect Apple Pie.

What is a traditional Christmas dinner menu? ›

Traditional Christmas dinner features turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and vegetables. Other types of poultry, roast beef, or ham, are also used. Pumpkin or apple pie, raisin pudding, Christmas pudding, or fruitcake are staples for dessert.

What are popular side dishes? ›

30 best side dishes
  • Classic potato salad. Elevate your barbecue or picnic with our timeless potato salad recipe. ...
  • Cauliflower cheese. ...
  • Epic summer salad. ...
  • Quick kimchi. ...
  • Roasted carrots. ...
  • Easy pilau rice. ...
  • Ultimate roast potatoes. ...
  • Giant couscous & tomato salad with zhoug-style dressing.

What is the most common side dish? ›

Side dishes such as salad, potatoes and bread are commonly used with main courses throughout many countries of the western world. Rice and couscous have grown to be quite popular throughout Europe, especially at formal occasions (with couscous appearing more commonly at dinner parties with Middle Eastern dishes).

What are some examples of side dishes? ›

Side Dishes
  • Potato Side Dishes.
  • Coleslaw.
  • Applesauce.
  • Fries.
  • Curry Side Dishes.
  • Sauces and Condiments.
  • Stuffing and Dressing.
  • Hushpuppies.

How many things should be on a Christmas list? ›

Try to shoot for around 10-20 items. For example, let's say you have really wanted a digital camera for the past two years. That's something to keep on the list.

How many potatoes per person for Christmas dinner? ›

Potatoes gonna potate

It's roast potatoes. 200g per person is perfect, and if there are any leftovers you can chuck 'em in a bubble and squeak, hash, or just grab a cold roastie right out of the fridge. This is a no-judgement zone.

How many appetizers for Christmas dinner? ›

How Many Appetizers to Make. On average, each guest will have about six appetizers, although this number may double if it's a co*cktail-style event. You want enough to keep your guests satisfied, but not so many that their appetites will be ruined. (Here are some quick crowd-pleasing apps in 15 minutes or less.)

How many potatoes do I need for Christmas? ›

5 or 6 each I would plan for. I always cook as many as I can fit in the tray, I like to eat them cold later in the day if there's leftovers. I would say 5 each is enough plus a couple spare. It depends if you're doing mash or other types of potatoes.

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