Side Dishes

 Cherries and mint make for a healthy, tasty and refreshing combination in this quinoa dish.

Serves 6-8

Here's a potato salad that tastes closer to an "everything" bagel than it does to traditional potato salad. This dish is best when it's served fresh.

Serves 8-10

This recipe is for garlic lovers! I like this recipe because of its simplicity and robust flavor. I always use fresh garlic and take the time to peel it myself before I mince it. If you’re short on time, jarred garlic works as well. I serve this dish room temperature or slightly warmed up.

Serves 6-8

This dish can be served as an appetizer, side dish or even a main course! Thanks to my friend Hildi for helping me brainstorm about the dressing.

Here's an easy way to make sure everyone gets their greens. Serve on their own or with your favorite dip. I assure you, you'll never stop at just one.

Serves 4

This meatless moussaka is a delicious vegetarian dish guaranteed to find a home at your dinner table.

Quiche always gives off the illusion of being a difficult dish to prepare. Nothing could be farther from the truth! This simple quiche recipe will have your guests impressed while only you know the secret of how easy it was to prepare!

Sometimes it's hard for an ordinary cucumber to compete with cookies and chips. Here's a few ways to give veggies a head start into your kids' bellies.

Serves 6-8.

Looking to add a flavorful, colorful dish to your table? Here's a fail-proof recipe! And your kids won't even have to know how healthy they are eating!

We’re at the halfway mark of this Passover holiday so it’s time to break out the potatoes! I find that as the week of Passover goes by, I need to get more and more creative in the kitchen. Here are ten different ways to prepare potatoes.

Serves 4-6.

We are very lucky to have so many Persian friends. This dish is a staple in so many homes. With all the parties Achashverosh threw, I bet this rice was served to Queen Esther when she was queen of the Persian Empire!

Yes, you read that right. Fried black eyed peas. My friend Mosh is a FABULOUS cook. He's incredibly fun and creative about the dishes he prepares. He takes the simplest foods and turns them into something dynamic. Like these Black Eyed Peas -- who would have thought these simple beans could taste SO good? Serve them as hors d'oeuvres before a meal, pack them as a snack in your kids' lunches, or have them out just to munch on when the guys are over to watch the football game.
 

About 4 servings

It's not a BBQ without potato salad. This one is a cross between deli style mayo based and German vinegar. The Dutch baby potatoes have a buttery taste and a waxy texture, perfect for this dish. If you cannot find them at your market, substitute red new potatoes, small Yukon gold or fingerling.

Serves 8-10.

I love Asian food. But between all of the lo meins and rice dishes, there are only so many starches I can handle. Enter the string bean. I decided to combine my recipes for Sesame Noodles (insert hyperlink) and my normal green been recipe for this fusion dish -- delish!
 

I opened my fridge one evening to find a whole bunch of zucchinis. What to make?... what to make… I decided to throw this concoction together. It’s kind of like a ratatouille, except that it’s only zucchini and onions. The chopping will take you a few minutes, but with a good knife, it’s virtually effortless. You can serve this over rice or as a stand-alone salad.

Serves 6

I was inspired to make this salad on a recent trip to Israel. At one of the hotels, they served a variant of this salad. The combination of the kick from the radish, the tartness of the dried cranberry and the tang of the dressing makes for the perfect flavorful bite – and the color, it’s so pretty!

Yields 10 egg rolls.

When I was a kid, egg rolls was my first favorite "grown up" kind of food. (I'm not sure why I considered it grown up -- maybe because egg rolls are so full of vegetables!) Today, I still love them. I order them at restaurants, buy them frozen in a package, pick some up at my deli counter -- you name it. But I just discovered how easy, and not time consuming (and economic!) it is to make my own. They really do look labor and time intensive to prepare. Your guests will marvel that you took the time to make these egg rolls!

Serves 8

Everyone loves sesame noodles -- and they are so easy to make! Leftovers? Sesame noodles are perfect to pack for lunch at work or school.

Serves 10.

Fried rice is one of those dishes that if you like more of one component, add it. Don't like another? Replace it or leave it out all together. To me, if you add some peas and carrots (not pictured here), fried rice is an all-in-one dinner dish -- it can have starch, protein and a vegetable. I never have any leftovers of this dish -- our company always takes a doggy bag of whatever is left home!

Yield: Approximately 10 cups

This is not your traditional applesauce. For one, it calls for pears. And second, this fruit concoction is cooked in a good amount of honey. It takes just a few minutes to prepare. Serve it warm or cold, over latkes or as a stand-alone side dish. My kids like taking it to school for snack.

Serves 6-8.

Sweet potatoes are one of those foods my family can't get enough of. And when you caramelize them, it's like eating sweet potato candy. The key to success with this dish is slicing the sweet potatoes evenly with a good, sharpened knife.

Serves 8

Vanilla Pear Bread Pudding is the perfect recipe for your leftover challah. This golden treat is a delicious side dish at any (every!) festive meal.

Yield: 1 pie.

When it comes to food, one of highest compliments bestowed by my father-in-law is “now that’s not bad.” So when he bit into this sweet potato pie and proclaimed in his DC drawl accent, “now that’s not bad at all!” my mother-in-law had to translate his understated prose into “this is the best sweet potato pie I’ve ever had!”

This stuffing is SO good that whenever turkey is served, we will double this recipe. One batch goes into the turkey, and the other is baked in loaf pans. (also, perfect for the vegetarian at the table!) The recipe I’m sharing below is enough to fill an 18 lb turkey.

Nothing says fall and the Thanksgiving season like pumpkin. Pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie, toasted seeds… the possibilities are endless. This year, I opted to make pumpkin bread. This is a great make-ahead recipe that you can top with an icing sugar glaze and serve as dessert, or you can top it with oats and serve it as a side, or you can leave it as is and have it with your morning coffee. Serve it any which way – you’ll have a bunch of happy customers!

Serves 8

This autumnal recipe will keep your Thanksgiving looking festive and tasting delicious! You can make it as a standard kugel or as individual “cupcakes.”

Serves 8

Since my childhood there has never been a meal that turkey was served without jell-o relish. It is sweet, simple and the perfect companion to turkey. You may make this for Thanksgiving, but you’ll continue making it all year long!

Serves 8

Smokey flavored pecans, sweet and tart dried cranberries and an earthy wild rice mix create a side dish so good, your guests will be asking for seconds! A quick timesaver: I use a wild rice pilaf mix. It cuts the prep time down.

These roasted chickpeas can be served as a side dish, used as a garnish on soup or as a salad topping. Frankly, I snack on these all day. If you’re looking for a delicious (and easy!) way to get more protein and fiber into your (and your kids’!) diet, try these – I bet you can’t have just one!

Serves 8

Adding a bit of cooked tabouli to your Israeli salad changes the whole texture and feel of this dish. Some add chopped mint or parsley. Everyone serves it with lemon juice, olive oil and a pinch of salt. You can find Tabouli in the rice aisle or ethnic food section of your local supermarket. You can use plain, unflavored Tabouli, or the even the pre-seasoned brands. (Similar to buying a box of rice pilaf.) The Tabouli only takes a minute to prepare, and another 5 minutes until it’s ready!

Serves 12

This savory noodle kugel screams "warm comfort food" like no other kugel. The ingredients are inexpensive and are readily available in most of our pantries. Warning: this is NOT a low fat dish, so I only make it for special occasions. It's best served warm.

Makes 24 muffins.

I decided to play around with a couple of my muffin/kugel recipes and came up with this delicious side dish. Your kids can help with this recipe: the big kids and measure and mix and the little ones can line the muffin tins with cupcake liners. Wrapped tightly, these muffins freeze well.

The debate rages on: Is apple cobbler a side dish or a dessert? I grew up in a home where sweet dishes were strictly for dessert. If you're saving this apple cobbler for the end of your meal, consider serving it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. But why not serve it as a side dish? Either way, this apple cobbler is the perfect complement to your Rosh HaShana meal.

Serves 6.

The combination of squash and hummus makes this dip unique and fabulous.
 

Serves 6.

This rich salad is great served with pita or French bread!

In honor of the 33rd day of the Omer, Lag BaOmer, ChallahCrumbs has come up with 33 toppings for your bonfire-baked potatoes.

A comprehensive guide on how to grill your veggies.

We are always looking for something to spread on our matza!

A great addition to your Shavuot meal!

Serves 6-8

A very sophisticated updated version of your standard deli roll.

This recipe makes a great afternoon activity with delicious results!

Serves 4.

This eye-catching rice dish makes a great side dish when serving meat.

Serves 6.

This dish truly embodies Rosh HaShana ingredients. This is the recipe mentioned in our YouTube video on seeding a pomegranate.

Serves 6

The rice and orzo combination makes this pilaf stand out!

Serves 8

A lighter version of the standard zucchini kugel. A great addition to Shabbat or holiday meal.

Serves 8-10

Serve it on spaghetti or as a spread on Challah (of course our favorite!). Homemade pesto is always a welcome addition to a meal.

Serves 8

A warm side-dish that gives you your starch and your vegetables!

The truth about asparagus. I have had asparagus soup, asparagus quiche, asparagus tarts, asparagus risotto and asparagus timbale. All have been good, but nothing in my opinion is as good as steamed asparagus. It needs no adornment and is elegant with nothing done to it.

Liven up your roasted vegetables with mustard seeds! They have a great zing, and a freshness that sings of spring.

A healthy way to bring sweetness to your Purim seuda!