30 Essential Christmas Dinner Sides That Are Actually Easy to Make

Fast and Easy Creamed Spinach

This easy twist on the classic creamed spinach is a “little lighter, a little easeir, and a little quicker” than it’s traditional counterpart, according to Chef John. Feel free to make it even easier by using frozen spinach that is thawed and completely drained.

“This is the most delicious creamed spinach I’ve ever eaten,” raved reviewer Lyric Brenda. “The light lemon flavor and fresh nutmeg with the shallots are simply divine with the creamy sauce. Total ease of preparation makes it a cinch to add to your menu. You will love it. 10 stars….at least.”

Simple Roasted Butternut Squash

This no-fuss side dish will make a splash on your holiday table—at least according to the 1,000-plus five-star raters. Some stores sell pre-cubed butternut squash, which would make this four-ingredient vegetable side even easier.

“It was absolutely delicious,” said one Allrecipes reviewer. “The minced garlic and roasting the squash enhanced the flavor to perfection.”

Maple Glazed Carrots

Coated in maple, butter, sugar, and salt, these glazed carrots are an easy addition to your holiday menu.

“I made these carrots for Thanksgiving and have been asked by several guests to please make them again for Christmas Eve,” said Allrecipes user Judy. “These carrots were a big hit!”

Cream Corn Like No Other

This side dish may be the first to disappear this holiday season—that’s how good it is. It has a near-perfect 4.8-star rating with thousands of rave reviews from home cooks around the world.

“I made this while I was vacationing with my wife’s family,” said one Allrecipes user. “I thought they were going to fight over who gets to lick the bowl clean.”

Mouth-Watering Stuffed Mushrooms

Five ingredients, and a handful of spices, come together to make this decadent and “mouth-watering” side dish that your guests will like more than the steak house version!

“I’ve used this recipe a million times it’s always a hit everyone loves them,” shared one home cook. “Sometimes I use smoked paprika other times I’ve made some bacon chopped it up and threw it in there it’s absolutely delicious!!”

Patty’s Mashed Turnips

Allrecipes member Patty Spencer, who shared this recipe, says these hot buttery mashed turnips always reminds her of the holiday season when her grandmother prepared this dish for the family. This dish is delicious alongside turkey, ham, or roast beef.

“My family and I cannot make a turkey dinner without it, it’s so good,” said one Allrecipes user.

Parmesan-Roasted Acorn Squash

“A perfect recipe! Easy to prepare, simple list of ingredients, fast to cook, and delicious. I try to get healthier foods into my family and it isn’t always easy, but these were a hit, even with the self-professed squash haters,” said one reviewer. “You can’t go wrong with this recipe.”

Candied Sweet Potatoes

This classic recipe is perfect for the holidays—and it couldn’t be easier. Four ingredients, plus optional cinnamon and nutmeg, makes this recipe both easy and inexpensive.

“This was a hit with my whole family last Christmas. I put it together the night before and just warmed it up on Christmas Day, then added the marshmallows on top to brown,” Allrecipes member Tasha Lee said.

Green Beans Almondine

Green beans almondine (a.k.a. amandine) is a French dish that consists of green beans cooked in butter and seasonings, then topped with toasted slivered almonds. It sounds fancy, but it’s surprisingly simple to make this impressive dish at home with just a few basic ingredients. Add some dried cherries or cranberries for a pop of sweetness and color.

“So easy and so yummy,” said one Allrecipes member. “I made it for first night of Hanukkah and again a few days later for Christmas dinner.”

Mushy Peas

This classic British side dish adds festive color and flavor to your Christmas spread. And with only three ingredients, it may be the easiest thing you make all season. If you froze any summer green peas, this would be a great way to use them up.

Creamy au Gratin Potatoes

Cathy Martin, the Allrecipes member who shared this recipe, says these au gratin potatoes are her husband’s favorite, and that he considers it a special occasion every time she make them! She believes creamy cheese sauce and tender potatoes in this classic French dish make a delicious flavor combination—and she’s not the only one. This recipe has over 4,000 five-star ratings!

“This au gratin is amazing and will become part of our family recipe collection,” shared one Allrecipes member. “I used extra sharp cheddar for a touch of tanginess. I made a full 9X13 casserole pan and there was none leftover.”

Smashed Brussels Sprouts

“Smashing Brussels sprouts and covering them with cheese guarantees lots of crispy, crunchy edges!” said Laura F, who shared this fun holiday recipe. “Play with the seasonings and amount of cheese to suit your taste.”

“I love Brussels sprouts, so a new way of fixing them is great,” said one reviewer. “Quick, easy, and good. Definitely will make again.”

Easiest Sausage Stuffing

This hack on boxed stuffing is so easy but so good that your guests will think you made it from scratch! Ground sausage with sage adds an especially nice flavor, but you can make this with any mild ground breakfast sausage.

“This was a hit this Christmas,” said reviewer Jenn. “Fast side with extra flair. Thanks for sharing. I used one cornbread and one chicken stuffing.”

Cranberry Jell-O Salad

“This is so delicious, and I really don’t like cranberries much or traditional cranberry sauce, but this is wonderful stuff,” said one home cook. “There’s just something about the tart, sweet crunchiness encased in jello that makes this dish a tasty alternative to the holiday dinner table. I recently made this with orange zest and a couple of pinches of ground cloves (added both to boiling water). This took an already amazing-tasting dish to a whole different level of goodness. This is definitely a permanent dish for the holiday menus.”

Sautéed Swiss Chard

Balance out more decadent sides with simple, Sautéed Swiss Chard. Feel free to make ahead of time and reheat before serving.

“Awesome recipe! Will make again for sure,” said one reviewer. “Even the largest of chard leaves were tasty and tender! Thank you for a great recipe.”

Spiralized Brown Butter Sage Sweet Potato

Impress guests with a plate of spiralized sweet potatoes (or butternut squash) topped with sage and sage-infused butter.

“This is officially on our Thanksgiving menu,” said Allrecipes Allstar Buckwheat Queen. “Too easy and delicious to pass up. I used the large toothed plate on my spiralizer, so the ribbons were pretty thick. They took a bit longer to cook than written. Thank you for the recipe.”

Tasty Roasted Beets

Dried thyme seasons sweet, earthy beets in this 20-minute side. Take a cue from our home cooks and add rosemary, basil, garlic, or Parm for extra flavor. If you want larger pieces of veg, you may need to cook longer.

“To quote Thoreau- ‘Simplify! Simplify,’ it doesn’t get much more simple than this,” said one reviewer. “Tasty side dish or addition to a salad.”

Simple Macaroni and Cheese

Quick, easy, and tasty macaroni and cheese dish. Fancy, designer mac and cheese often costs a lot of money to prepare when you have so many expensive cheeses, but nothing can beat the classics. This simple recipe is cheap and tasty.

“Comes together so quick and everyone loves it, and it’s easy to scale up for a big crowd,” said a reviewer. “And it tastes great however you want to modify it—add garlic, hot sauce, spices, whatever your in the mood for. Put the sauce over broccoli or cauliflower for a low carb meal. Put it on a baked potato. It’s really so versatile.”

Roasted Romanesco

Beautiful Romanesco will take center stage with this herby roasted dish that’s sure to impress.

“Interesting new vegetable for our repertoire,” added one Allrecipes user. “This was simple and quite good. I’ll be watching for Romanesco at my local grocery and fruit stands.”

Apple Cider Turkey Gravy

This rich, make-ahead apple cider turkey gravy starts with making a flavorful homemade turkey stock, then finishes with pan drippings, a silky roux, and a splash of reduced apple cider for depth. It’s smooth, savory, and perfect for pouring generously over turkey, potatoes, and all your holiday favorites.

Grandma Jeanette’s Amazing German Red Cabbage

This German red cabbage recipe with apples is flavored with sugar, vinegar, and cloves for a sweet and sour festive side dish that pairs well with roast pork, turkey, or duck.

“Great recipe,” said Allrecipes member Joan. “Reminds me of holidays at grandmas house 65 years ago!!”

Potato Rolls

“I have been eating these potato rolls since I was a kid,” says Allrecipes member Derrick Van Hoeter, who shared the recipe. “I don’t know where the recipe came from, but I remember my grandmother making them. They freeze well and taste great when split open and toasted.”

“I first made these rolls in a high school Home Economics class over 40+ years ago,” added one Allrecipes user. “Still my go to recipe.”

Christmas Pomegranate Salad

This quick salad only has five ingredients, and no chopping is involved! It just doesn’t get easier (or more festive) than this.

“Simple and delicious with all the colors of Christmas,” added one Allrecipes member. “I made it exactly as written. Half the amount of pomegranate seeds would be plenty. I used a cranberry vinaigrette from Aldi, which is a seasonal item. It’s very versatile and you could swap out for different nuts or cheeses. Definitely making this one again!”

Oven-Baked Parsley Red Potatoes

This tasty potato dish comes together quickly, and can be prepared ahead of time. It’s nice and simple—and is considered a classic for a reason.

“Made it just like the recipe says and my wife went crazy over it,” said reviewer Jeff Yoder. “She said to be sure to save it or print it!”

Hot Honey Brussels Sprouts

These hot honey Brussels sprouts are a simple side dish with all the elements you’ll ever need in a side. They’re sweet, spicy, crispy, and melt in your mouth. These can be served warm or room temp—so feel free to make them ahead of time.

Creamy Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

These make-ahead mashed potatoes are rich, creamy, and smooth. You can do nearly everything up to two days ahead—a great option to give you a few extra hours on those big holidays. Adding butter after you reheat them makes them taste freshly mashed.

“I love dishes that can be made ahead, they save so much time when trying to get the meal on the table,” said one reviewer. “This worked well and I’ll make them again. Thanks for sharing.”

Cranberry Sauce with Apples

This cranberry sauce with apples is made with fresh cranberries and Granny Smith apples, which add an extra layer of tart flavor to a classic cranberry sauce recipe. Make this a sauce several days in advance to relieve some of the holiday stress, then pull it out to serve with turkey and all of your holiday sides.

“Love it,” said Emma Veea, Allrecipes member. “Great recipe. Very easy and tasty. Making it again for Christmas.”

Cheese Grits Casserole

“My sister and I made this Christmas morning and it turned out amazing,” said one reviewer. Another added “This recipe has been in my family for years. It always disappears! My grandmother always served it with roast beef, fresh green beans or home canned green beans and homemade rolls. Comfort food at it’s best.”

Sweet Stuffing

This is a great stuffing that has just enough sweet and the right touch of sour. Guaranteed to be a favorite at your next holiday get together. This makes enough to stuff one 12 to 14 pound turkey. Chicken or vegetable broth can be used for this recipe.

“Every year for Christmas I make this stuffing, said one Allrecipes member. “People in my family who don’t like stuffing eat this great dish. Very good indeed!”

Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

These Brussels sprouts with bacon are roasted with maple syrup until crispy and caramelized for a delicious side dish that’s quick and easy to make.

“Easy to make and the best Brussels sprout recipe I have ever made,” raved Allrecipes member Kevin. “Definitely had great reviews from my wife, and it tasted restaurant quality! Definitely can’t have this very often though as it’s so decadent.”