Dinner Side Dishes

This hearty ratatouille is a country dish from the Provence region of France that's an easy mix of seasonal vegetables, garlic, and olive oil.

We love salty-sweet combinations, and this perfect Watermelon, Orange, and Feta lunch salad is a great play on those flavors. It's also got a refreshing crunch.

Keep a bag of frozen dumplings on hand and mix our tasty dipping sauce while you heat them -- they make fine hors d'oeuvres for last-minute holiday visitors, or a light, easy dinner with steamed vegetables or rice.

Cooking softens and sweetens these vegetables for a perfect side dish.

Serve alongside our Baked Cod with Olives and Rosemary Lentils.

This member of the lily family has been cultivated for more than 2,000 years. Asparagus is at its peak from February through June and is a good source of fiber, folic acid, and potassium.

Instead of sugar pumpkins, you can use other winter squash in our Roasted Pumpkin Soup recipe. Kabocha, calabaza, and Hubbard are the best alternatives. Choose a squash that feels heavy for its size and is free of soft spots. The soup can be garnished with toasted pepitas or a dollop of sour cream—or both.

The vegetable side has a slightly sweet-and-sour flavor.

A pair of kitchen shears is the key to making even cuts.

Especially when made with plump, in-season asparagus, this dish makes for a sophisticated, visually pleasing appetizer.

Spring is the season to take full advantage of the subtle, grassy flavors of asparagus and this easy sauce comes together in minutes.

This Monterey Jack-topped casserole is made with green chiles from New Mexico's Hatch Valley, along the Rio Grande.

Boiled asparagus is a simple, delicious side dish that goes with just about any main, especially during the spring. Try it with your favorite steak or chicken recipe.

All it takes is a sprinkling of salt and pepper to enhance the earthy flavors of the carrots in this simple side dish.

You may not have considered cucumbers for a vegetable sauté, but these will change your mind.

This healthy snack you can make ahead and have a container handy when you are on-the-go.

You can prep the components of this Pasta Salad with Goat Cheese and Arugula in advance—toss together just before serving. The spicy arugula, creamy goat cheese, and a touch of Dijon mustard give the dish plenty of flavor.

This salsa goes well with grilled or broiled chicken, pork, seafood, or beef.

In this fresh take on tabbouleh, trade bulgur for brown rice, then toss with heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, mint, and feta. A couple spoonfuls of sherry vinegar tie it all together.

Recipe adapted from "Food From Many Greek Kitchens," by Tessa Kiros. Copyright 2011 by Tessa Kiros. Used with permission of Andrews McMeel Publishing.

Make these individual potato gratins for Thanksgiving dinner or serve them along with any weeknight supper. They go well with steak, roast beef, chicken, or sautzéed fish.

This side goes well with roasted pork or turkey.

Steaming the garlic with the artichokes mellows its flavor in this easy hors d'oeuvre. This recipe is included in Butterflied, Rolled, and Roasted Leg of Lamb.

A stir-in of cilantro and lime juice transforms plain cooked rice into a lively side that's an ideal accompaniment for Mexican main dishes, such as Chicken Fajita Tostadas.