Deciding on a main course is hard enough without worrying about what you’re going to serve on the side. To make life a little easier, here are 10 side dish options to pair with your table’s main attraction this week – via Martha Stewart.
#1. Sautéed Corn, Bacon and Scallions
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch strips
- 4 cups corn kernels
- Coarse salt and ground black pepper
- Pinch of red-pepper flakes
- 2 to 3 scallions, sliced
Directions
- Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until browned, 4 to 6 minutes.
- Add corn kernels; season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring often, until corn is tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in scallions. Serve immediately.
#2. Oven-Roasted Grape Tomatoes with Chives
Ingredients
- 2 pints grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh chives
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss tomatoes, oil, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until tomatoes are browned on bottom and begin to collapse, about 15 minutes. Toss with chives.
#3. Zucchini and Yellow Squash Gratin
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 medium zucchini (about 7 ounces each), sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
- 2 medium yellow squash (about 7 ounces each), sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
- 2 shallots, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup panko
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat; add zucchini, yellow squash, shallots, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini and squash are crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
- Add cream, and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; stir in 1/2 cup panko and cup Parmesan.
- Spoon mixture into a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining panko and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Bake until top is golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
#4. Easy Creamed Spinach
Ingredients
- coarse salt and ground pepper
- 3 to 4 bunches (2 1/2 pounds total) flat-leaf spinach, trimmed and cleaned
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 medium onion, minced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 ounces bar cream cheese, cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup milk
- pinch ground nutmeg
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spinach, and cook just until wilted, about 1 minute. Drain in a colander; rinse with cold water until cool. Squeeze spinach to remove as much liquid as possible; coarsely chop, and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add cream cheese and milk; cook, stirring, until cream cheese is melted and smooth. Stir in spinach. Simmer over medium heat until mixture thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. Add nutmeg; season with salt and pepper.
#5. Fried Green Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup light mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1 1/2 teaspoons seafood seasoning
- 2 medium green tomatoes (both ends sliced off), each cut crosswise into 4 slices
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil, such as safflower
Directions
- In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, lemon juice, and hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper, and set sauce aside.
- Place flour, eggs, and cornmeal each in a separate bowl, and season each with 1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning.
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with paper towels. Working with a few slices at a time, dip tomatoes in flour, then eggs, and finally cornmeal.
- In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium. Working in two batches, fry tomatoes until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side; transfer to baking sheet, and sprinkle with salt. Serve immediately with sauce.
#6. Honey-Glazed Carrots
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, such as safflower
- 2 pounds carrots, cut into 1-inch lengths, halved if thick
- 1 cup canned reduced-sodium chicken broth or water
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Directions
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add carrots; cook, stirring once, until beginning to brown, 2 minutes
- Add broth, honey, and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until crisp-tender, 10 minutes. Uncover, and cook over medium-high until carrots are tender and liquid is syrupy, 7 to 9 minutes more (there should be only a small amount of liquid remaining).
- Remove skillet from heat; add butter, and swirl skillet until melted. Season with salt and pepper
#7. Asparagas Gruyere Tart
Ingredients
- Flour, for work surface
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
- 5 1/2 ounces (2 cups) Gruyere cheese, shredded
- 1 1/2 pounds medium or thick asparagus
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 16-by-10-inch rectangle. Trim uneven edges. Place pastry on a baking sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce dough inside the markings at 1/2-inch intervals. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
- Remove pastry shell from oven, and sprinkle with Gruyere. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over Gruyere, alternating ends and tips. Brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until spears are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
Cook’s Note
Store-bought puff pastry works well in this savory tart; thaw it according to package instructions. Emmentaler or Fontina cheese can be substituted for the Gruyere.
#8. Potato-Chive Pancake
Ingredients
- 1 bag (16 ounces) frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives or scallions
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
- Place potatoes between paper towels; press to remove excess moisture. Transfer potatoes and chives to a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.
- In a medium nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium. Add potato mixture; press with a heatproof spatula to flatten and form into one even pancake. Cook until underside is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Slide pancake onto a plate; invert onto a second plate. Slide pancake (browned side up) back into skillet. Continue to cook until underside is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes more. Slice into wedges before serving.
#9. Cream Corn with Parmesan
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 6 cups fresh corn kernels (about 8 ears)
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock
- 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces), plus more for sprinkling (optional)
Directions
- Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until it starts to shimmer (but not smoke), about 2 minutes. Add corn, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and slightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add cream and stock, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove pan from heat, and stir in Parmesan. Transfer to a serving dish, and sprinkle with more Parmesan if desired.
#10. Lemony Baby Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 bunches baby broccoli (6 to 8 ounces each), tough ends trimmed
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes, (optional)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus wedges for serving
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
Directions
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add broccoli, garlic, and, if using, red-pepper flakes. Cook until broccoli is bright green, about 2 minutes.
- Add 1/4 cup water to skillet; cover, and cook until broccoli is crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Serve immediately, garnished with lemon wedges.