# Easy side dish recipes

The sides that make a plain dinner feel finished. Most take under 30 minutes, and each one uses a little science, like a hot oven and dry vegetables for real browning.

- [Baked Mac and Cheese](https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/baked-mac-and-cheese): 55 min, 690 kcal. Baked mac and cheese with a creamy cheddar sauce and a crisp buttery crumb topping that never turns dry. Ready in 55 minutes, perfect for holidays. Get it.
- [Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries](https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/baked-sweet-potato-fries): 50 min, 200 kcal. Crispy baked sweet potato fries with golden edges and a tender center. A cornstarch coating and hot oven keep them from going soggy. Ready in 50 minutes.
- [Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits](https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/buttermilk-biscuits): 29 min, 300 kcal. Flaky, tall buttermilk biscuits with golden tops and buttery layers, made with grated cold butter in 29 minutes of hands-on time. Makes 8 biscuits.
- [Homemade Caesar Salad](https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/caesar-salad): 35 min, 330 kcal. Homemade Caesar salad with a creamy anchovy-garlic dressing, crunchy croutons and lots of Parmesan. Ready in 35 minutes and better than store-bought.
- [Fluffy Cilantro Lime Rice](https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/cilantro-lime-rice): 30 min, 240 kcal. Fluffy cilantro lime rice with bright citrus and fresh herbs, burrito bowl style. Ready in 30 minutes on the stovetop with 5 ingredients.
- [Classic Creamy Coleslaw](https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/classic-coleslaw): 20 min, 130 kcal. Classic coleslaw with crunchy cabbage and a creamy, tangy dressing that never turns watery. Ready in 20 minutes plus chilling. Perfect for BBQ and burgers.
- [Classic Potato Salad](https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/classic-potato-salad): 45 min, 240 kcal. Classic potato salad with tender Yukon Gold potatoes, eggs and a creamy mustard dressing. Ready in 45 minutes plus chilling. Perfect for picnics and BBQ.
- [Skillet Cornbread](https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/cornbread): 35 min, 290 kcal. Moist, buttery cornbread baked in a cast iron skillet with a crisp golden crust, ready in 35 minutes with one bowl. Cuts into 8 wedges.
- [Creamy Mashed Potatoes](https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/creamy-mashed-potatoes): 40 min, 240 kcal. Creamy mashed potatoes that are fluffy and buttery, never gluey. Simple method with warm cream and butter. Ready in 40 minutes and serves six.
- [Crispy Breakfast Home Fries](https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/crispy-home-fries): 40 min, 260 kcal. Crispy home fries with a crunchy golden crust and soft centers, made by parboiling with baking soda first. Ready in 40 minutes in one skillet.
- [Crispy Oven Fries](https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/crispy-oven-fries): 1 h, 210 kcal. Crispy oven fries with golden edges and a fluffy middle, no deep fryer needed. Soak, dry and bake hot for fries that really crunch. Ready in about an hour.
- [Crispy Roasted Potatoes](https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/crispy-roasted-potatoes): 1 h 10 min, 230 kcal. Crispy roasted potatoes with a crunchy golden crust and fluffy middle. Parboil with baking soda, then roast hot. Ready in 70 minutes with pantry staples.
- [Easy Focaccia Bread](https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/focaccia): 50 min, 230 kcal. Easy focaccia with a crisp golden bottom, airy chew and olive oil dimples, mixed in one bowl with 50 minutes of hands-on time plus rising. Makes 12 pieces.
- [Crispy Garlic Bread](https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/garlic-bread): 22 min, 210 kcal. Crispy garlic bread with a buttery, garlicky spread and golden, toasted edges. Ready in 20 minutes with simple ingredients. Perfect with pasta and soup.
- [Garlic Green Beans](https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/garlic-green-beans): 20 min, 100 kcal. Garlic green beans that stay bright green and tender-crisp. Blanch, then sauté in garlic butter with lemon. Ready in 20 minutes for an easy side dish.
- [Classic Greek Salad](https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/greek-salad): 15 min, 260 kcal. Classic Greek salad with ripe tomatoes, cucumber, olives and a slab of feta in an oregano olive oil dressing. Ready in 15 minutes with no cooking at all.
- [Honey Glazed Carrots](https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/honey-glazed-carrots): 25 min, 130 kcal. Honey glazed carrots with a shiny, buttery glaze and tender bite. Cooked in one skillet with just a few ingredients. Ready in 25 minutes as an easy side.
- [Restaurant-Style Mexican Rice](https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/mexican-rice): 40 min, 280 kcal. Restaurant-style Mexican rice that is fluffy, never mushy, with toasted grains, tomato and cumin. Ready in 40 minutes in one pot as a side. Get the method.
- [Easy Italian Pasta Salad](https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/pasta-salad): 32 min, 310 kcal. Easy Italian pasta salad with rotini, salami, mozzarella and crunchy vegetables in a zesty red wine vinaigrette. Ready in 32 minutes, great for make-ahead.
- [Crispy Roasted Broccoli](https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/roasted-broccoli): 30 min, 130 kcal. Roasted broccoli with crispy browned edges and tender stems. High heat and a dry start make it crunchy, not soggy. Ready in 30 minutes.
- [Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts](https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/roasted-brussels-sprouts): 35 min, 150 kcal. Crispy roasted Brussels sprouts with caramelized edges and a tender middle. A balsamic maple glaze balances the bitterness. Ready in 35 minutes.
- [Roasted Cauliflower Steaks](https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/roasted-cauliflower-steaks): 40 min, 230 kcal. Roasted cauliflower steaks with crisp caramelized edges and a creamy lemon tahini sauce. A simple vegan main ready in about 40 minutes.
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Source: https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/side-dishes (Cooking Scientist). Learn the science of cooking in the Cooking Scientist app for iPhone and iPad: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6830326846