Easy Holiday Side Dishes

With all the holiday gatherings that will be taking place between now and the end of the year, there’s a lot of pressure on us to make sure everything is just right. So to help you out, let us share a handful of ideas that start with a few refrigerated and frozen shortcuts that’ll make any holiday get-together stress free.

Test Kitchen Tips

Easy-Peasy Mashed Potatoes: For quick & easy mashed potatoes, mix a bit of butter and sour cream with a container of refrigerated mashed potatoes. (You may want to microwave them for 20 seconds or so, so they mix easier.) Place them in a casserole dish (This way your family will think you made them from scratch!) and sprinkle with some shredded cheddar cheese before baking them off. Garnish with sliced scallions.
Pecan-Crusted Sweet Potato Casserole: Refrigerated, store-bought mashed sweet potatoes are good, but if you want to make them extra-special, try topping them with a pecan streusel. Just mix together 1 cup chopped pecans, 1 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, and 1/2 stick softened butter until crumbly. Place sweet potatoes in a casserole dish and sprinkle on the pecan streusel before baking. (If you have extra topping left over, keep it in the fridge in a resealable plastic bag for up to a few weeks and make another batch, as these are that good.)
Country-Style Sausage Stuffing: If you’re looking for an easy way to jazz up your stuffing, try adding some crumbled refrigerated or frozen sausage (you can even use a plant-based option) along with some frozen diced onions (These are a real time-saver around the holidays!).If you’re feeling extra fancy, toss in a few frozen cranberries for a burst of color.
Roasted Harvest Veggies: Want to make roasted veggies but don’t have time to prep them? Toss some frozen Brussels sprouts and frozen butternut squash with some olive oil and your favorite seasonings, and just pop them in your air fryer. (This will not only save you time, but oven space, too!) And since everything is better with bacon, feel free to sprinkle on some chopped cooked bacon right before serving.