Side dishes are a popular accompaniment, but they’re usually made from carbs like bread, chips or even pasta, resulting in most of us not eating enough protein in our diets. A good meal, however, will be balanced, so a side dish can be anything you want it to be, as long as it complements the main meal.
A side dish must be delicious and easy to prepare alongside everything else – it shouldn’t take up more than 10% of the time it takes you to cook the actual meal. Quick and easy side dishes include salads and veg, but is that enough?
If you’re stuck on what to cook, here are some alternative (and yummy) side dishes that wow guests and add that little bit extra.
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Garlic and potatoes go together like peas in a pod, but it’s important not to add too much garlic, or you risk overpowering the main meal. However, garlic mashed potatoes are a delicious side to any dinner. They are creamy, garlicky, and flavourful. The best part is they are a cinch to make! Once you try these, you will never go back to the traditional mash.
- Cheesy Roasted Broccoli
Broccoli is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K and also contains folate, potassium, fibre and beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant. You may not know it, but broccoli is also low in fat and calories, but this isn’t the only reason to love this vegetable. Roasted broccoli is a delicious side dish that can be served with just about any meal, and it’s super easy to prepare. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with lemon juice, sea salt, black pepper and parmesan and cook until golden.
- Honeyed Sweet Potato
Honeyed sweet potato, made with simple ingredients and roasted slowly in the oven, is a side dish that any table would be lucky to have.
If you’re looking for different side dishes to wow your dinner guests, try this. Sweet potato is a starchy root vegetable that turns beautifully crispy in the oven, but stays wonderfully fluffy inside. They are high in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, manganese, and fibre and low in sodium and cholesterol. Perfect as an alternative to standard potato chips, they add a bright splash of orange to the plate.
Side dishes are often an afterthought when meal time rolls around. You have your main meal, and then you have your side dish, but side dishes can add some variety to your menu, and they can be a great way to add a pop of colour to your meal.
Side dishes that wow are an under-appreciated asset in any home chef’s arsenal. They’re simple to make, taste great, and pair perfectly with a wide variety of your favourite meals.
As a family, it’s important to have a bunch of go-to recipes that always get the thumbs up from everyone, but every once in a while, it’s fun to switch things up.
The side dishes you serve are as important as the main dishes you serve at a dinner party. Side dishes can be the star of the dinner table, or they can be the unsung heroes. But whatever the case, it pays to have some good side dishes up your sleeve.
Eating better doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. A quick search on the internet will provide you with hundreds of easy, delicious recipes. Some old favourites are homemade chicken tenders, peanut butter banana oat balls, or blue cheese and bacon poppers. These recipes are designed for busy people, so they don’t take long to make, but they’ll impress your guests.
There are hundreds of yummy side dish recipes that one can use to make a healthy meal. These side dishes are extremely easy to make as they require no special technique. The only points to keep in mind are that the dish should be simple and should be tasty!
