13 Christmas Side Dishes Recipes That Free Up Your Oven

Christmas dinner always comes down to the sides. The turkey or roast gets the spotlight, but the plates everyone remembers are the ones piled with crispy potatoes, creamy gratins, roasted roots, and something green that actually gets eaten. What makes a Christmas side dish work is contrast: something rich next to something bright, something soft next to something with a browned, shattering edge. The supporting ingredients matter as much as the main player, whether that is a sharp cheese pulling a gratin together or a handful of herbs waking up roasted carrots.

The recipes below take that same foundation in genuinely different directions. If you want the most traditional, comforting bowl on the table, start with the classic mashed potatoes or the maple roasted carrots. Go for the Brussels sprouts with balsamic glaze if you want something darker and stickier, the garlic butter mushroom skillet if you need a stovetop save, and there is a slow cooker creamed corn for when your oven is already full.

Which Christmas Side Dishes Should You Make?

Classic Creamy Mashed Potatoes

This is the benchmark version, the one you make when the rest of dinner is already loud and you want a quiet, reliable bowl of comfort. I go heavier on the butter than most recipes do because dry mashed potatoes are the saddest thing on a holiday table.

Ingredients (makes 8 servings)

• Russet potatoes, peeled and quartered: 1.4 kg (3 lb)
• Unsalted butter, cubed: 170 g (3/4 cup)
• Whole milk, warmed: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Sour cream: 120 g (1/2 cup)
• Salt: 2 tsp
• Black pepper, freshly ground: 1/2 tsp
• Fresh chives, chopped: 2 tbsp

Instructions

Step 1: Put the 1.4 kg of quartered potatoes in a large pot and cover them with cold water by about 5 cm (2 inches). Add 1 tbsp of the salt to the water, bring it to a boil, and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, until a knife slides through a potato with zero resistance.

Step 2: Drain the potatoes, return them to the hot pot, and set it over low heat for 1 minute to steam off any extra water. You want the potatoes as dry as possible before anything creamy goes in.

Step 3: Pass the potatoes through a ricer into the same pot, or mash them thoroughly with a hand masher. Add the 170 g of cubed butter first and stir until it melts completely through.

Step 4: Pour in the 240 ml of warmed milk and the 120 g of sour cream, then fold everything together just until smooth. Overmixing turns mashed potatoes gluey, so stop the second the liquid disappears.

Step 5: Season with the remaining 1 tsp salt and the 1/2 tsp black pepper, top with the 2 tbsp chopped chives, and serve hot next to whatever roast is waiting.

Honey Glazed Roasted Carrots

Roasting brings out the natural sugar in carrots, and the honey glaze turns that up until the edges go sticky and browned. This version is the one I put down in front of kids and adults who say they don’t really like cooked carrots, and they both go back for seconds.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise: 900 g (2 lb)
• Olive oil: 3 tbsp
• Honey: 60 ml (4 tbsp)
• Unsalted butter, melted: 2 tbsp
• Fresh thyme leaves: 1 tsp
• Salt: 3/4 tsp
• Black pepper, freshly ground: 1/4 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Heat your oven to 220C (425F) and line a large baking sheet with parchment. Cut any thick carrot halves in half again lengthwise so all the pieces are roughly the same width.

Step 2: Whisk the 3 tbsp olive oil, 60 ml honey, 2 tbsp melted butter, 1 tsp thyme leaves, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a bowl. Toss the carrots in this mixture until every piece is coated.

Step 3: Spread the carrots on the baking sheet in a single layer, cut side down, and roast them for 20 minutes. Flip them over and roast for another 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges look dark and the thickest part offers no crunch.

Step 4: Slide the carrots onto a serving platter while they are still hot, scraping any sticky glaze from the pan over the top, and serve.

Crispy Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

These potatoes have a cheese crust that fries against the hot pan, so every piece comes out with a salty, crunchy underside and a soft middle. You want small waxy potatoes here, the kind that hold their shape and get creamy inside instead of falling apart.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Baby potatoes, halved: 1 kg (2.2 lb)
• Parmesan cheese, finely grated: 60 g (2/3 cup)
• Olive oil: 4 tbsp
• Garlic powder: 1 tsp
• Smoked paprika: 1 tsp
• Salt: 1 tsp
• Black pepper, freshly ground: 1/2 tsp
• Fresh parsley, chopped: 2 tbsp

Instructions

Step 1: Heat your oven to 220C (425F) and pour the 4 tbsp olive oil onto a large rimmed baking sheet. Tilt the pan so the oil covers the entire bottom evenly.

Step 2: Mix the 60 g grated parmesan, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle this mixture directly over the oiled pan in an even layer.

Step 3: Place the 1 kg of halved potatoes cut side down onto the cheese mixture, pressing each one gently so it sticks. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the undersides are deeply golden and you can smell the parmesan toasting.

Step 4: Let the potatoes sit for 5 minutes after they come out of the oven, then use a thin spatula to lift them off in clusters. Scatter the 2 tbsp chopped parsley over the top and serve hot.

Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole

This is the make-ahead classic that feeds the largest group at the table and never leaves leftovers. The rice soaks up the cheese sauce while it bakes, so what you get is somewhere between a casserole and a very rich, very cheesy risotto.

Ingredients (makes 10 servings)

• Broccoli florets, chopped small: 600 g (6 cups)
• Long grain white rice, uncooked: 300 g (1 1/2 cups)
• Cheddar cheese, shredded: 300 g (3 cups)
• Chicken stock: 720 ml (3 cups)
• Whole milk: 480 ml (2 cups)
• Onion, finely diced: 1 medium
• Unsalted butter: 4 tbsp
• All-purpose flour: 3 tbsp
• Garlic, minced: 3 cloves
• Salt: 1 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Heat your oven to 190C (375F) and butter a 23×33 cm (9×13 inch) baking dish. Spread the 600 g chopped broccoli and the 300 g uncooked rice across the bottom and toss them together with your hands.

Step 2: Melt the 4 tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then add the diced onion and cook for 5 minutes until it softens. Stir in the 3 minced garlic cloves for 30 seconds, then whisk in the 3 tbsp flour and cook for 1 minute more.

Step 3: Slowly pour in the 720 ml chicken stock and 480 ml milk while whisking, then bring the sauce to a gentle bubble and let it thicken for 3 minutes. Stir in 200 g (2 cups) of the shredded cheddar and the 1 1/2 tsp salt until the cheese melts.

Step 4: Pour the cheese sauce over the broccoli and rice, stir everything together, and cover the dish with foil. Bake for 40 minutes, uncover, sprinkle the remaining 100 g (1 cup) cheddar on top, and bake for another 15 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling.

Step 5: Let the casserole sit for 10 minutes before you scoop into it, then serve it straight from the dish.

Garlic Butter Mushroom Skillet

This one stays entirely on the stovetop, which makes it quietly heroic on a day when the oven has been running since morning. The mushrooms release their liquid, then fry in garlic butter until the edges turn deep brown and the whole kitchen smells like a steakhouse.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Cremini mushrooms, halved or quartered: 900 g (2 lb)
• Unsalted butter: 6 tbsp
• Olive oil: 2 tbsp
• Garlic, minced: 5 cloves
• Fresh thyme leaves: 1 tbsp
• Soy sauce: 2 tsp
• Salt: 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper, freshly ground: 1/4 tsp
• Fresh parsley, chopped: 3 tbsp

Instructions

Step 1: Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the 2 tbsp olive oil. Once it shimmers, add half of the 900 g mushrooms in a single layer and leave them alone for 5 minutes, until the bottoms are deeply browned.

Step 2: Stir the first batch, cook for 3 more minutes, then scoop them into a bowl and repeat with the second half of the mushrooms. Crowding the pan steams them instead of browning them, so you want two separate batches.

Step 3: Return all the mushrooms to the skillet, reduce the heat to medium, and add the 6 tbsp butter, 5 minced garlic cloves, and 1 tbsp thyme leaves. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the butter smells nutty and the garlic is fragrant.

Step 4: Stir in the 2 tsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper, sprinkle with the 3 tbsp chopped parsley, and serve hot with a spoon for the garlic butter pooled at the bottom.

Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts

The high heat here is what changes the sprouts from something people push around their plate into the dish that disappears first. Halved Brussels sprouts get a deep char on the cut side, then the balsamic glaze cooks down into a sticky, sweet tang that clings to every leaf.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Brussels sprouts, halved: 900 g (2 lb)
• Olive oil: 4 tbsp
• Balsamic vinegar: 60 ml (4 tbsp)
• Honey: 2 tbsp
• Garlic, minced: 3 cloves
• Salt: 1 tsp
• Black pepper, freshly ground: 1/2 tsp
• Dried cranberries: 60 g (1/2 cup)

Instructions

Step 1: Heat your oven to 230C (450F) and line a baking sheet with foil. Toss the 900 g halved Brussels sprouts with the 4 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper directly on the pan.

Step 2: Arrange every sprout cut side down, which is the single move that guarantees the char you are after. Roast for 18 minutes without touching them, until the undersides are dark brown and the loose outer leaves look crisp.

Step 3: Whisk the 60 ml balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp honey, and 3 minced garlic cloves together in a small bowl. Pour this over the sprouts, toss them quickly with a spatula, and roast for 5 more minutes so the glaze thickens.

Step 4: Scatter the 60 g dried cranberries over the hot sprouts, tumble everything onto a platter, and serve while the glaze is still shiny.

Scalloped Potatoes with Thyme

This is the elegant one, thin slices of potato baked in a thyme-scented cream until the top turns golden and the inside goes completely tender. A mandoline makes the slicing fast, but a sharp knife and a little patience get you there too.

Ingredients (makes 8 servings)

• Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled: 1.2 kg (2.6 lb)
• Heavy cream: 480 ml (2 cups)
• Whole milk: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Garlic, minced: 3 cloves
• Fresh thyme leaves: 2 tsp
• Gruyere cheese, shredded: 120 g (1 1/4 cups)
• Butter, for the dish: 1 tbsp
• Salt: 1 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper, freshly ground: 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Heat your oven to 190C (375F) and rub the 1 tbsp butter all over the inside of a 23×33 cm (9×13 inch) baking dish. Slice the 1.2 kg potatoes as thin as you can, around 3 mm (1/8 inch).

Step 2: Combine the 480 ml cream, 240 ml milk, 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp thyme leaves, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in a saucepan and bring it to a simmer over medium heat.

Step 3: Layer one third of the potato slices in the dish, overlapping them slightly like shingles, then pour one third of the hot cream mixture over them. Repeat with two more layers, pressing down gently so the liquid covers the top layer.

Step 4: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes, then uncover, sprinkle the 120 g gruyere over the top, and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes. The potatoes are done when a paring knife meets no resistance in the center and the top is golden brown.

Step 5: Let the dish rest for 10 minutes before you cut into it, then serve scoops of the creamy potatoes with the browned cheese on top.

Maple Cinnamon Sweet Potato Mash

Sweet potato mash can go one of two ways: watery and bland, or silky and deeply spiced. This version leans into the cinnamon and maple so the natural sweetness of the potatoes reads as intentional and cozy, not baby food.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed: 1.2 kg (2.6 lb)
• Unsalted butter: 5 tbsp
• Maple syrup: 3 tbsp
• Ground cinnamon: 1 tsp
• Ground nutmeg: 1/4 tsp
• Heavy cream: 120 ml (1/2 cup)
• Salt: 3/4 tsp
• Pecans, chopped: 50 g (1/2 cup)

Instructions

Step 1: Put the 1.2 kg cubed sweet potatoes in a large pot, cover them with cold water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the cubes fall apart when you press one with a fork.

Step 2: Drain the potatoes well and return them to the pot over low heat for 1 minute to drive off moisture. You want them dry before mashing, or the finished dish will be loose.

Step 3: Add the 5 tbsp butter, 3 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and 3/4 tsp salt to the pot. Mash everything together with a hand masher until the butter melts and the potatoes are smooth.

Step 4: Stir in the 120 ml cream a little at a time until the mash reaches a silky, spoonable texture. Top with the 50 g chopped pecans and serve hot.

Green Bean Casserole from Scratch

This is the from-scratch answer to the canned soup classic, with a real mushroom cream sauce and crispy onions you fry yourself. It takes longer, but you get actual mushroom flavor and green beans that still have some snap, not the grey softness of the shortcut version.

Ingredients (makes 8 servings)

• Fresh green beans, trimmed and halved: 900 g (2 lb)
• Cremini mushrooms, sliced: 450 g (1 lb)
• Onion, thinly sliced: 2 medium
• Unsalted butter: 6 tbsp
• All-purpose flour: 4 tbsp
• Chicken stock: 480 ml (2 cups)
• Heavy cream: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Vegetable oil, for frying: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Salt: 1 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper, freshly ground: 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Heat your oven to 190C (375F) and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the 900 g green beans and cook them for 4 minutes, then drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking.

Step 2: Melt 4 tbsp of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the 450 g sliced mushrooms. Cook for 8 minutes, until the mushrooms release their liquid and it cooks away, leaving them browned around the edges.

Step 3: Add the remaining 2 tbsp butter to the skillet, then whisk in the 4 tbsp flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the 480 ml chicken stock while whisking, then the 240 ml cream, and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Season with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Step 4: Toss the blanched green beans in the mushroom sauce and spread them in a 23×33 cm (9×13 inch) baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes, until the sauce bubbles around the edges.

Step 5: While the casserole bakes, heat the 240 ml vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Toss the 2 thinly sliced onions with 2 tbsp flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper, then fry them in two batches for 3 to 4 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels, pile them over the hot casserole, and serve immediately.

Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots

These are the quick stovetop carrots you make when the oven is spoken for and you still want something glossy and sweet on the plate. The butter and brown sugar melt down into a syrup that coats every carrot, and a pinch of cayenne keeps the whole thing from tilting into dessert.

Ingredients (makes 5 servings)

• Carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds: 800 g (1.8 lb)
• Unsalted butter: 4 tbsp
• Brown sugar: 3 tbsp
• Salt: 1/2 tsp
• Cayenne pepper: 1/8 tsp
• Water: 120 ml (1/2 cup)
• Fresh parsley, chopped: 2 tbsp

Instructions

Step 1: Melt the 4 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the 3 tbsp brown sugar and stir until it dissolves into the butter completely.

Step 2: Add the 800 g sliced carrots, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp cayenne, and the 120 ml water to the skillet. Stir everything together, cover, and cook for 8 minutes, until the carrots are crisp-tender.

Step 3: Uncover the skillet, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often, until the liquid reduces to a thick, glossy glaze that clings to the carrots.

Step 4: Taste a carrot and add a little more salt if the sweetness needs balancing, then scatter the 2 tbsp parsley over the top and serve hot.

Slow Cooker Creamed Corn

This is the side dish for when your oven has been fully claimed by the turkey and the roast potatoes and the pie. The slow cooker does the work, and what comes out is a rich, velvety corn that tastes like you stirred it for an hour, not like you dumped it and walked away.

Ingredients (makes 10 servings)

• Frozen corn kernels: 1.2 kg (2.6 lb)
• Cream cheese, cubed: 225 g (8 oz)
• Unsalted butter, cubed: 6 tbsp
• Whole milk: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Heavy cream: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Sugar: 1 tbsp
• Salt: 1 tsp
• Black pepper, freshly ground: 1/2 tsp
• Fresh chives, chopped: 3 tbsp

Instructions

Step 1: Put the 1.2 kg frozen corn, 225 g cubed cream cheese, 6 tbsp cubed butter, 240 ml milk, 240 ml cream, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper into a 6 litre (6 quart) slow cooker.

Step 2: Stir everything together as well as you can, the cheese and butter will not be melted yet, then cover the slow cooker and set it to low for 4 hours.

Step 3: After 2 hours, remove the lid and give everything a good stir so the cream cheese melts evenly into the corn. Cover again and let it finish cooking.

Step 4: Stir once more before serving, then spoon the creamed corn into a serving bowl and top with the 3 tbsp chopped chives.

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Gratin

Cauliflower steps in for potatoes here, so you get the same bubbling cheese crust over a vegetable that keeps some bite underneath. Roasting the garlic first softens its edge, and the whole thing comes out of the oven looking like the richest dish on the table while staying firmly in the vegetable column.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Cauliflower, cut into florets: 1 large head, about 900 g (2 lb)
• Garlic, whole head: 1
• Heavy cream: 360 ml (1 1/2 cups)
• Cheddar cheese, shredded: 180 g (2 cups)
• Parmesan cheese, grated: 40 g (1/2 cup)
• Unsalted butter: 3 tbsp
• All-purpose flour: 3 tbsp
• Dijon mustard: 1 tsp
• Salt: 1 tsp
• Black pepper, freshly ground: 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Heat your oven to 200C (400F) and trim the top off the whole head of garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle it with a little oil, wrap it in foil, and roast for 35 minutes until the cloves are completely soft and squeezable.

Step 2: While the garlic roasts, steam the 900 g cauliflower florets over boiling water for 6 minutes, until a knife tip pierces one with light resistance. Spread the florets in a buttered 20×30 cm (8×12 inch) baking dish.

Step 3: Melt the 3 tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the 3 tbsp flour for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the 360 ml cream, whisking the whole time, then add 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper, and cook for 3 minutes until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon.

Step 4: Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins into the cream sauce and whisk until they break apart. Pour the sauce over the cauliflower, then sprinkle the 180 g cheddar and 40 g parmesan evenly over the top.

Step 5: Bake for 25 minutes, until the cheese is golden brown and the sauce bubbles up around the edges. Serve the gratin hot, straight from the dish.

Sautéed Green Beans with Almonds

A lighter, brighter green side that takes ten minutes and cleans up in one pan. The beans keep their snap, the almonds go toasty, and a squeeze of lemon at the end lifts the whole thing so it can sit next to heavy roasts without adding to the weight.

Ingredients (makes 5 servings)

• Fresh green beans, trimmed: 700 g (1.5 lb)
• Sliced almonds: 60 g (2/3 cup)
• Olive oil: 3 tbsp
• Garlic, minced: 3 cloves
• Lemon juice: 1 tbsp
• Lemon zest: 1 tsp
• Salt: 3/4 tsp
• Black pepper, freshly ground: 1/4 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Warm a large skillet over medium heat and add the 60 g sliced almonds. Toast them for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan now and then, until they smell nutty and turn light golden, then tip them into a small bowl.

Step 2: Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the 3 tbsp olive oil. Once it shimmers, add the 700 g green beans in a single layer and cook for 5 minutes, tossing once or twice, until they are blistered in spots but still bright green.

Step 3: Add the 3 minced garlic cloves, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper to the pan and cook for 1 more minute, stirring, so the garlic toasts without burning.

Step 4: Turn off the heat, squeeze the 1 tbsp lemon juice over the beans, and toss them with the reserved almonds and 1 tsp lemon zest. Serve immediately while the beans are still hot and glossy.

Whatever dish you decide to make, the step that matters most with holiday sides is the final tasting. Season at the end, taste a spoonful or a forkful, and adjust the salt and acid before the food hits the table, because a holiday plate with bland sides is a holiday dinner nobody asks for again. Pick the one that sounds like what your table is missing, and go cook it.