16 Last-Minute Christmas Side Dishes

December 24, 2020

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Credit: Fred Hardy

Complete your holiday meal with these last-minute side dishes. These recipes are easy to make and require just 15 minutes or less of active cooking time. Whether it’s Air-Fryer Brussels Sprouts or Honey-Roasted Carrots, these side dishes are flavorful and perfect for the holidays.

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Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

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Oven-roasted fingerling potatoes can be a special holiday side dish, but they're quick enough to enjoy on a weeknight too. The secret to these crispy roasted fingerling potatoes? Getting the baking sheet nice and hot before you spread the potatoes on it.

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Air-Fryer Brussels Sprouts

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These super-crispy and browned air-fryer Brussels sprouts with sweet onions and salty bacon--all amped up with bright lemon juice--are sure to be a hit, whether you serve them for a weeknight side dish or as part of your holiday spread for Thanksgiving. This recipe makes enough to serve eight but is easily halved, though once you taste it you may well want a double serving. And if you prefer a vegetarian side, simply omit the bacon.

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Roasted Honeynut Squash

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Honeynut squash looks just like mini butternut squash, but on the inside you'll find an even sweeter, deeper orange flesh. This winter squash has only been available at farmers' markets and in select grocery stores for a few years. If you see it, grab a few to try! This simple roasting method enhances the natural flavor of the squash with butter and spices.

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Warm Pear & Spinach Salad with Maple-Bacon Vinaigrette

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Mature, larger-leaved spinach holds up better to the warm bacon vinaigrette than baby spinach in this healthy spinach salad recipe. If you don't want the spinach to wilt, let the dressing cool before tossing it with the salad.

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Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

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Make this classic comfort food side dish in an electric pressure cooker, like the Instant Pot, to get the potatoes soft and tender in a jiff! This easy, 5-ingredient recipe is perfect for the holidays because it's all done in one pot and doesn't take up any extra oven or stove space.

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Honey-Roasted Carrots

Credit: Fred Hardy

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These sweet and tender honey-roasted carrots get a bit of char from the oven. These are topped with sesame seeds, but topping with a fresh herb like parsley can add a pop of color to this easy side dish.

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Roasted Green Beans with Applewood Bacon

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Cooking bacon and green beans on a sheet pan together simplifies holiday meal prep. Red-wine vinegar and lemon juice provide a balanced, bright flavor.

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Simple Green Salad with Citronette

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Frisée and radicchio are both assertive, slightly bitter greens that add color and texture to any salad. Match them with mellower-flavored greens, such as red leaf lettuce, baby spinach or even Boston lettuce.

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Colorful Roasted Sheet-Pan Veggies

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These easy roasted vegetables will give your plate a pop of color. Give the cubes of butternut squash a head start for 10 minutes to soften in the oven before adding in the other veggies. The broccoli, peppers and onion are naturally more tender than the butternut squash and cook more quickly. That way everything ends up finishing at the same time.

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Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole

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This version of the holiday staple uses a little bourbon to boost the flavor of the sweet potatoes, but you can also use orange juice. Baking the potatoes in their skins allows their natural sugars to caramelize for enhanced sweetness.

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Honey-Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

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Balsamic vinegar and honey combine to give a sweet-tart coating to these roasted Brussels sprouts. These honey-balsamic Brussels sprouts are quick enough for a weeknight meal, but they are special enough to make a no-fuss side dish for Thanksgiving or any other holiday meal.

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Hasselback Potatoes with Cheese

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Hasselback potatoes are the perfect side dish for people who love crispy potato-chip-like slices as well as the tender interior of a baked potato. Simple to prepare, these hasselback potatoes look impressive and decadent with melted Cheddar cheese and a sprinkle of paprika on top.

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Lemon-Roasted Mixed Vegetables

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Tossing these roasted vegetables with lemon zest gives them a bright, fresh flavor. Serve them along with roasted chicken or add them to sandwiches and grain bowls for an easy, healthy dinner or lunch.

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Tangerine Cranberry Relish

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Tangerines bring natural sweetness to this relish, so you need less sugar to balance the tartness of the cranberries.

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Balsamic-Parmesan Sautéed Spinach

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Tender spinach with a hint of garlic, Parmesan cheese and sweet balsamic vinegar makes a quick and flavorful side dish. The sturdy leaves of mature spinach hold up best during cooking.

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Roasted Potatoes & Brussels Sprouts

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Roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts make a great quick and easy side dish for dinner, or you can twist it into a breakfast hash served with an egg on top. Either way, with its super-easy prep, you'll come back to these roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts again and again.

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