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When you need dinner in a flash, the side dishes need to be a snap as well. These easy side dishes will have your family eating in no time!
More Collections: Sunday Dinner Ideas, Easy Dinner Ideas, Quick Dinner Ideas
Gotta Love Easy Sides!
Other than being a dish that you serve alongside the main entrée, a side dish can have some useful functions:
- Diversify flavors. These may use common ingredients but they are still packed with flavor and variety.
- Add nutritional value. With just a few ingredients you can round out your meal.
- Functionality. Think bread or rice to soak up sauces and gravy.
- Easy. They can be made ahead of time and don’t need a lot of attention.
Whether it’s veggies, potatoes, rolls, or fruit – this collection of easy sides is perfect for even the most novice chef. And they do not skimp on flavor!! We’ve made meal planning easy, so go read a book.
How Much to Make
When I have guests, planning how much to make gets a little trickier. In general, I follow this guide:
- potato dish: 6 ounces per person
- rice: 1½ ounces per person
- pasta: 2 ounces per person
- vegetable dish: 4 ounces per person
- bread: 1½ rolls per person
- salad: ½-1 cup per person
Meal Planning Tips
When planning a party or gathering it’s important to have enough food! Use these tips:
- Picking sides. Sides should complement your meal and provide additional flavors and textures.
- Serve both hot and cold sides.
- Try not to repeat ingredients in the main dish and side
- Plan to provide 3-4 different side dishes for a group of 6 or less. Add another side dish for every 5 more people.
- Make ahead of time. Many side dishes can be made ahead or prepped in advance.
- Keep it warm.
- crock pots and chafing dishes
- an insulated cooler
- a gas grill with a thermometer (keep the internal temp around 200°F)
- insulated food carrier
Most Popular Easy Sides
Who doesn’t love a simple side dish? Enjoy any of these classic easy sides. They are all delicious!
Easy Vegetables
Make sure to get your veggies with these easy vegetable side dishes. Each easy side dish recipe is quick, and perfect for adding some color to your meal!
Easy Potatoes
Potatoes are a versatile side dish. They can take on many flavor profiles, are filling, and pair well with any main dish! In our opinion, potatoes are the perfect side dish.
Easy Side Salads
Salads are always a go-to easy side. They whip up quickly and can lend themselves to so many different flavor profiles!
More Easy Sides
We have too many fabulously easy sides to share so enjoy this bonus list of even more sides to complete your meal!
Simple Sides
With so many delicious recipes to choose from watch out – your side dish might just steal the show!
More Collections: Healthy Side Dishes, Mexican Side Dishes, Italian Side Dishes
I make your Spanish rice a few times each month. Love your baked beans as well. I often come to your site to find new recipes when I’m trying to change things up with our dinner rotation. This list makes it easy to decide what to try next.
I love all your side dishes! Simple and all delicious.
What a fabulous collection! I just made the asparagus bundles and can’t wait to make more. Thank you!
All of these recipes look AMAZING!!! Can’t wait to try the green beans! Thanks for the best roundup!!
These are such great ideas. I always struggle coming up with good sides!
You have so many delicious side dish recipes on your site!! I go to your site daily, because my family is never disappointed & the recipes are super easy to make.