Category: Side Dish Recipes for One

Some meals are complete all by themselves, but others need a little something to fill out your plate.  If your main course is made with vegetables, you may only need some rice or noodles for a full meal.  If not, these side dish recipes for one are just the thing.

They are all one serving, so there’s no waste, and no leftovers. They can be prepared fairly quickly, for the most part (with one exception). Plus, you get something a bit more interesting than just a plain salad on the side.

I’ve divided them up by whether or not you have to cook them.  The cole slaw requires no cooking, but it does taste better if you have the time to let the flavors blend for a few hours.

Cooked Side Dishes

Honey Mustard Glazed Carrots for One

Roasted Cinnamon Nutmeg Butternut Squash

Roasted Paprika Potatoes (this is the exception, but it’s worth it)

Raw Side Dishes

White Bean Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes

Chopped Israeli Salad for One Person

No Mayo Healthy Cole Slaw Recipe for One

Small Batch Charoses

What is charoses? It’s part of the Passover celebration and is meant to represent the mortar that the Israelites used to build Pharoah’s cities when we were slaves in Egypt. My grandma used to make enormous batches of it, but being unable to eat 5 or 6 apples worth of food, this is a small batch charoses recipe.

If you are not familiar with charoses, the Ashkenazi (Eastern European) version is a mixture of nuts, apples, wine, and sugar.  The Sephardim (Jews from Spain and the Middle East) make it with dates and oranges. Think of it as sort of a chunky applesauce with nuts and wine.

Charoses is traditionally eaten each year as part of the Seder (the Passover service) with matzo. It’s also good as a snack on more matzo during the week.

It’s both vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free. Charoses is traditionally made with red wine, but if you don’t want wine, you could substitute grape juice instead. I’m sure my grandma used something like Manischewitz concord grape wine or malaga (both heavy and super-sweet). However, I find both undrinkable, so I used old vine zinfandel instead.

More Passover Recipes

homemade small batch matzoHomemade Small Batch Matzo

Eat your charoses with a small batch of homemade matzo. Unlike the stuff from the store, this has actual flavor!

 

small batch matzo ball soup

Small Batch Matzo Ball Soup

Once you’ve made your matzo, it’s time for the soup. This is rich, flavorful, and really the centerpiece of the Passover meal as far as I’m concerned. And your house will smell wonderful while it’s cooking.

stovetop coq au vin

Stovetop Coq au Vin Chicken with Red Wine Sauce

An easy version of a French classic. This is much less effort than the usual, but still special/fancy enough for a special occasion. Use potato starch instead of flour to make in Passover-friendly. If you don’t want to mix meat and dairy, use oil instead of butter.

crispy garlic basil potato bitesCrispy Garlic Basil Potato Bites

Tiny bits of potato kicked up with garlic and basil. Crispy outside and tender inside.  Almost like fries (but a lot less messy).

 

Cinnamon Sugar Brandy Bananascinnamon sugar bananas

Finish off with these easy-to-make bananas, sprinkled with cinnamon. They take only a few minutes to make and the brandy is OK for Passover.

Homemade Small Batch Matzo

Delicious and matzo are not usually combined in the same sentence. But this homemade small batch matzo is actually tasty. Really!

We eat matzo, and other special foods, as part of the observance of Passover. If you are not familiar, the Passover holiday celebrates the Israelites’ escape from slavery in Egypt. The occasion is observed by having a feast, featuring special foods: matzo (signifying the unleavened bread we had to eat because we had to leave in a hurry and couldn’t wait for the bread to rise), charoset (a mixture of nuts and apples with wine that signifies bricks and mortar), horseradish (signifying the bitterness of slavery), lettuce or other greens dipped in saltwater (for tears), and four cups of wine.  We also read the story of the escape (exodus) from a book called the Haggadah. The entire meal and ceremony is called a seder (order).
Back to the matzo. The supermarket stuff is, frankly, awful. My grandma used to call it hemstitched cardboard. Everything you’d normally eat that’s made with flour or leavening (noodles, rolls, pie, etc. has to be made with matzo). Since there’s no leavening it’s all really dense and heavy and hard to digest.
However, some time ago, I discovered I could make my own matzo. I found this recipe and it actually has something that store bought matzo sorely lacks. Namely… taste!
Since this is for one, I halved the recipe. Note that your oven temp may vary, and the matzo cooking time may vary. Keep an eye on it!







More Passover Foods

stovetop coq au vinStovetop Coq au Vin Chicken with Red Wine Sauce

An “easy button” version of a French classic. The usual version takes a lot of time and effort. This one doesn’t.

For Passover, swap the flour for potato starch.

Jewish chicken curry chitarneeJewish Chicken Curry Chitarnee

This Sephardic recipe is packed with flavor. It’s spicier than Eastern European food, but not super-hot.  Flavored with onion, garlic, ginger, mild chilis, and cardamom, all of which become warm and mellow as they cook. The wine vinegar is OK for Passover too. And only one pot!

Cinnamon Sugar Brandy Bananascinnamon sugar bananas

Finish off your feast with sweet bananas, lightly dusted with cinnamon. It’s simple, and delicious too.

 

 

poached pears with chocolate sauce and ice creamPoached Pears with Chocolate Sauce and Ice Cream

Sure, this looks decadent. It might me. It’s also rich, easy, and delicious. Fancy enough for company or a special feast, but simple enough for a Wednesday.

 




Simple Panzanella Salad for One

Summer tomatoes are (finally!) here and I am soo glad to be rid of the sad supermarket versions! I had some stale bread, and inspired by a friend, I decided to make a simple panzanella salad for one.

Panzanella is a classic Italian dish made from day-old crusty bread, tomatoes, cucumber, and onion. After that, you can add more veggies (such as bell pepper or zucchini), toss in olives, and either a simple oil and vinegar dressing, or a full-out vinaigrette.

This one is adapted from Ina Garten’s version. Her recipe was for 12 people! It is traditional to let the whole salad sit for 30 minutes.  That allows the bread to soak up the flavors. It also gives you soggy bread. Since I prefer it crisp, I ate it right away. Besides, that way there’s no waiting to eat!

I’ve cut her recipe for the vinaigrette in half and substituted white wine vinegar for Champagne vinegar.  I have six or seven kinds of vinegar, and enough is enough! You can use the champagne version if you have it.  This is a bit more dressing than you need for one salad, but it will keep and you can use it for something else (or more panzanella another day).




Simple Panzanella Salad for One Substitutions and Variations

  • Replace the capers with olives
  • Add other fresh veggies, more kinds of bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, or some cabbage
  • Make it heartier with good quality tuna or some fresh mozzarella pearls (tiny balls of cheese)




More Side Salad Recipes

israeli chopped saladIsraeli Salad

Easy, healthy, and no cooking. Serve as is, or add humus, olives, and pita for a light lunch.

 

dill caper potato saladDill Caper Potato Salad

Sweet/sour capers plus lemony dill combine for a salad that’s big on flavor, but light on mayo.

 

lemony cucumber salad recipeLemony Cucumber Salad

A lemony cucumber salad is the perfect antidote to a brutally hot day. It’s light, refreshing, and delicious too.

 

dijon mustard vinaigrette potato saladDijon Mustard Vinaigrette Potato Salad

This Dijon mustard vinaigrette potato salad is different from the usual potato salads. Since it’s French, it’s got no mayo. Instead, there’s  olive oil, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard for a bit of bite.

 

 




Roasted Root Vegetable Medley

This roasted root vegetable medley is a product of a bit of serendipity and a few internet searches. My local grocery delivery service was offering a farm share at a reduced price (and reduced size). I’ve wanted to try this for some time, but most of the boxes are way too much for one. So I pounced. And ended up with a box of mizuna (Japanese mustard greens) which I really liked, turnips, carrots, and sweet potatoes.

So, what to do with them? I’ve never made anything with sweet potatoes, and I’ve only used turnips for soup. I found this recipe for roasted sweet potatoes, and thought, well why not add more root vegetables, roast them all together, and make it a medley?

Potatoes and carrots are both sweet to start with.  Turnips start out a bit pungent and strong, but roasting them transforms that sharp, almost bitter, flavor into something sweet and slightly peppery, which is a good foil for the sweet carrots and potatoes.

This recipe takes advantage of that change and adds a bit of heat from chili powder, cumin, and paprika. And it’s easy too. Just peel and cut up the veggies, sprinkle them with some spices, toss in some olive oil, and pop it all in the oven.

Cook this with some roasted chicken (like the recipe I used for the chicken in my apple almond chicken salad). They both cook at the same temperature, and for the same time.  Then you only have to “cook” once to get a whole meal. Tricky huh?

 







Roasted Root Vegetable Medley Substitutions and Variations

  • Try different potatoes, such as yellow or red
  • Experiment with different root vegetables, like celery root or parsnips
  • Ditch the “hot” spices and use rosemary, balsamic vinegar, and fresh garlic instead
  • Try this with some butternut squash (technically not a root vegetable, but still good)

More Root Vegetable Recipes

honey mustard glazed carrotsHoney Mustard Glazed Carrots for One

Seems fancy, but it’s really easy to prepare. Another recipe that’s both sweet and savory (from the mustard).  This will also pair beautifully with roast chicken, and perhaps a glass of chardonnay.

crispy garlic basil potato bitesCrispy Garlic Basil Potato Bites

Little bite-size pieces of potato heaven that are crispy outside and fluffy inside. Easier than making French fries, and a lot less messy too. Plus there’s garlic! And basil.

 

skin on garlic mashed potatoesSkin On Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Because potatoes, especially mashed potatoes, are really a food group. Right? These leave the skin on, so they’re less work. Then there’s half and half and garlic, for a warm, creamy mouthful of delight.

Dill Caper Potato Salad

Nothing really says summer like potato salad (at least in America). It’s a staple of barbecues, picnics, and outdoor parties. This dill caper potato salad recipe comes via Smitten Kitchen via Bon Appetit via Rosanne Cash (daughter of Johnny).

I modified it a bit (OK, maybe a lot), but the essence of it is, I think, the same. First, I substituted yellow potatoes for red.  Second, I used capers rather than pickles. Third, I left out the hard boiled egg (because I was low on eggs and wanted them for something else). And finally, I swapped yellow onion for red.

The key here is the crunchy sour/sweet flavor of the capers paired with the starchy potatoes and the lemony, sweet dill.

And, since I don’t like that much dressing, I cut that too (even Deb said it was a bit much the original way).

The odd thing is, I was writing up the recipe, and I realized I hadn’t written down the reduced measurements (duh). So, I went back to the original to see what the amounts should be (planning to divide by 8).  Then I noticed she’d said that the dressing was enough for 150% of the original quantity of potatoes.

Since my brain balked at calculating how to get 150% down to whatever fraction is appropriate, I winged it and wrote down what I thought would work.
At the end, there was another note to use half the dressing and then only add more if you felt it needed it. Seems that amount of dressing would have worked for twice as many potatoes, as well as 150%. Then I thought, wait, better divide by 16 then just to make sure.

I started to do that, and found my “guessestimates” were exactly accurate. The only thing that was off was the capers, which I had consciously and deliberately reduced a bit.

Anyway, on to the recipe!




Dill Caper Potato Salad Substitutions and Variations

  • add a hard boiled egg
  • use red onion
  • if you use pickles, incorporate some of the pickle juice into the dressing
  • try white wine vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar
  • cut the mayo with some yogurt or sour cream

More Potato Recipes

dijon mustard vinaigrette potato saladFrench Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette Potato Salad

Delicious potato salad without the heavy mayo dressing. Get your starch fix here! Good warm or chilled.

 

mixed greens egg potato chicken saladMixed Greens Egg Potato and Chicken Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

A great way to get your veggies and clean out the fridge. All you have to cook is an egg, and add leftover chicken.  Or skip the chicken and make it vegetarian.

roasted paprika potatoesRoasted Paprika Potatoes

Think extra-thick French fries.  These are crispy outside, fluffy inside. Great comfort food, which my grandma used to make me.

 

skin on garlic mashed potatoesSkin On Garlic Mashed Potatoes

No peeling! No kidding. These mashed potatoes are rich, creamy, and super-easy.  The garlic mellows out and sweetens as you cook it.

 




Crispy Garlic Basil Potato Bites

If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you know I loooove starch: pasta, rice, potatoes, you name it. Especially the noodles and the potatoes.  The trouble with the potatoes though, is that baking them takes a while. Yes, I know you can microwave them, but the texture isn’t right.  Or, you can fry them. That’s faster. On the other hand, cutting up and frying French fries still takes a while, uses lots of oil, and it’s messy.  However, there is a solution! The answer is these crispy garlic basil potato bites.  They’re bite size pieces of crispy, fragrant, fluffy potato heaven.

You cook them in a skillet, with just a couple of teaspoons or so of oil, and a bit of butter. Unlike a baked potato, they’re ready in under 25 minutes!  And the only thing you really need to chop is the potato. Yay!

The potatoes end up crispy and brown on the outside, and creamy on the inside. Almost like French fries (but much easier) and with an extra flavor boost from the garlic and the basil.

I adapted this from a recipe that called for making the dish with sage leaves.  I had none, so I used basil leaves instead. It would also be good with rosemary (preferably fresh). The garlic clove is left whole, so it adds lots of flavor without being overpowering.  Also, the recipe said to peel the potatoes, but I’m lazy, so I didn’t bother.  Besides, more vitamins that way!

Not to mention, it’s an easy side dish that doesn’t require a lot of fussing.  And, it goes well with crispy lemon chicken, a lamb chop, or meatloaf.  You can pop the chicken in the oven and then start the potatoes about half way through. Or, start a lamb chop about halfway through cooking the potatoes.  Great with a hamburger too (you may have spotted them in the background of last week’s newsletter).




Crispy Garlic Basil Potato Bites Substitutions and Variations

  • Use different fresh herbs, such as rosemary, oregano, or sage
  • Add more garlic
  • Try some hot pepper flakes
  • Or, add some crispy bacon
  • Try the potatoes with lemon, garlic, and sage

More Potato Side Dish Recipes

skin on garlic mashed potatoesSkin On Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Creamy, buttery, and sweet (yes sweet) from gently cooked garlic that mellows as it cooks.  My sister-in-law is a potato fiend (worse than me) and this is her favorite.

 

roasted paprika potatoesRoasted Paprika Potatoes

These are tossed in olive oil and dusted with paprika, then cooked slowly in a hot oven.  Crispy outside, fluffy inside.

 

dijon mustard vinaigrette potato saladFrench Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette Potato Salad

Since this is French potato salad, it’s made with olive oil, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard. No mayo in sight. It’s good for picnics (no mayo), and you don’t even have to peel the potatoes!

dill caper potato saladDill Caper Potato Salad

A staple of barbecues, picnics, and outdoor parties. This one is a bit different from the usual mayonnaise-heavy salad. Instead, it’s got sour/sweet capers and lemony, sweet dill.

 




Garlic Ginger Turmeric Rice

An online food group I belong to is celebrating “rice month.” The idea is to highlight a recipe featuring, well rice.  Someone suggested that nearly every culture uses rice so everyone ought to be able to find something to fit the theme.  Unfortunately, I come from a long line of noodle and dumpling people.  So, at first I was stumped.  What could I possibly make for this challenge?  Then I had an idea.  I could borrow a “sister” culture!  Eastern European Jewish people focus heavily on noodles, but the Sephardim (from Asia, India, the Middle East, etc.) have plenty of rice dishes.  So, I looked through my cookbooks and found garlic ginger turmeric rice.

It’s a Bene Israel recipe, meaning that it was created by the Jewish population in India.  You might almost call it a pulao. I’ve adapted this recipe from The Book of Jewish Food.  Her version served six.  Mine is about three servings (because extra rice is always good; more on that later).

This particular rice dish is packed with garlic, ginger, green cardamon pods, and a pinch of turmeric for that beautiful yellow color. It’s tasty (and it fights germs too, which made it even more appealing since I’m still fighting the creeping crud!).  Don’t be put off by all the garlic and the ginger, both start out spicy and sharp but mellow and become almost sweet as they cook.  The cardamom adds a complex taste; it’s a bit minty, with a hint of citrus and a spicy/warm flavor.  The original calls for basmati rice (which I didn’t have), but ordinary long grain white rice will do just as well. If you use the basmati rice, rinse it several times before starting to cook it.

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Turn Your Garlic Ginger Turmeric Rice Side Dish into A Main Dish

As is, this is a side dish. But with a bit of extra effort, it can become a main dish too.  There are a couple of ways to do this. For example, you could make it more substantial by cooking up some chicken or adding leftover pre-cooked chicken to the rice. Or, cook up some spinach and fry and egg (in the same pan if you want), and add that to the top.  You can do the same thing with the leftovers a few days. later. Instant food!

The recipe says that for special occasions, this dish was often served topped with blanched almonds and raisins. While this wasn’t a fancy occasion, I decided to do it anyway. I didn’t have blanched almonds, so I just roughly chopped a few whole ones.  Soak the raisins in water a bit before you use them, in order to soften them.

More Rice Recipes

easy lentils and rice recipeEasy Lentils and Rice Recipe

Super easy to make, and has a surprise ingredient you probably don’t expect.  Maybe not pretty, but healthy and tasty! And uses pantry ingredients too.

 

black beans and rice recipe one personBlack Beans and Rice Recipe for One Person

A complete meal (and complete protein too). I’ve adapted this from a Cuban-Colombian friend’s recipe.  It can also be adjusted to make soup!

 

bibimbap rice bowlBibimbap Rice Bowl with Meat and Vegetables

Layers of flavor piled into a single bowl.  First the meat, then the sweet carrots, balanced by the sharp cabbage, and spicy chili garlic sauce. All topped with a slightly crispy fried egg.

arroz con pollo for oneArroz Con Pollo for One

Another one-pot wonder, this chicken and beans dish will fill your home with aromatic flavors from chorizo, beans, garlic, and jalapeño pepper. Not to mention dinner in an hour.




Oven Roasted Greek Potatoes

I just discovered these recently.  They are often served for Greek Easter (which is in a few weeks). I am not Greek, and I don’t observe Easter, but I am always a fan of potatoes (and starch generally). I really don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but I do have a fat/carb tooth. So, oven roasted Greek potatoes definitely caught my eye!

These are pretty easy to make and don’t require any special ingredients (always a bonus). I used Yukon Gold potatoes (I am a potato fan, but not a russet fan as I find them too floury).  I didn’t bother to peel them either.  Why waste the vitamins in the peel?  And why do extra work if you don’t have to? I am always in favor of shortcuts, particularly if it means less cleanup.

Besides, the skins of Yukon Gold potatoes are thinner than russets, so peeling isn’t necessary.  If you do use russets, you probably ought to peel them, as the peels are tougher and heavier.

The result is slightly crispy outside, and fluffy inside.  These would pair nicely with roast chicken, or roast lamb.  If you make lamb, use the pan drippings instead of the chicken broth.

I made them in the toaster oven because I didn’t want to heat up the whole oven just for potatoes. Plus it was easier to take the tray out to add the lemon juice and the chicken broth, since my oven is squashed in the corner of the kitchen area.




 

Oven Roasted Greek Potatoes Substitutions and Variations

  • swap the chicken broth for some tomato paste
  • use fresh oregano instead of dried (or add some at the end)
  • add some shallots and mix that with the oil, lemon, oregano to make a vinaigrette
  • top with some feta cheese
  • or try some Parmesan (not terribly traditional, but couldn’t hurt)
  • if you don’t like red pepper flakes, use black pepper instead

More Potato Recipes

skin on garlic mashed potatoesSkin On Garlic Mashed Potatoes

A rich, creamy starch bomb perked up with garlic. No peeling!

 

roasted paprika potatoesRoasted Paprika Potatoes

A childhood favorite (thanks grandma). She’d make these for me as a special treat. Think fries without the frying part.

 

dijon mustard vinaigrette potato saladFrench Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette Potato Salad

If you’d rather skip the mayo in your potato salad, this is for you. There isn’t any. Instead, this salad is made with a mustard vinaigrette. It’s much lighter, and I think tastier too.

 

crispy garlic basil potato bitesCrispy Garlic Basil Potato Bites

Crispy. Garlic. Potato. Do I have to say anything else?  These are mini bite-size pieces of potato heaven.

 




Roasted Butternut Squash with Brown Sugar and Vanilla

Sure this roasted butternut squash with brown sugar and vanilla looks like an ordinary vegetable side dish. But, it’s really a dessert wearing a clever vegetable disguise.  The first time I made it, I immediately wanted to eat it again.  Sometimes, single serving is a bummer!  Sadly, it was the last of the squash and the last of the nuts.

What made this recipe so good?  The vanilla and nuts add a touch of sweetness, without being overpowering. It was almost like eating a cookie or some sort of dessert rather than a vegetable. Yet, it has very little sugar.  Topping it with a mixture of nuts and craisins (dried, sweetened cranberries) added a bit of crunch and a sweet/tart tang.

The original version of this recipe (which I found on the Neilsen-Massey web site), called for vanilla sugar. Since I didn’t have any and had no interest in going out and searching for some in the stores, I simply added a bit of vanilla to some brown sugar instead. As far as I’m concerned it worked perfectly, and I didn’t have to buy an extra ingredient. Win win!

The nuts I used were an unsalted mixture from Trader Joe’s with hazelnuts, cashews and pecans.  Use whatever mix you like, although I think I would skip something with peanuts. The craisins were an unintentional bonus.  I had a few leftover from making the turkey chipotle enchilada recipe from a couple of weeks ago, and had thrown them in the bag of nuts.  I forgot that when I mixed them into the topping, but it turned out to be a good “accident.”

So, while this may look like a vegetable, it’s definitely a dessert in a clever vegetable disguise! In fact, I’m half-tempted to put it in the dessert category instead of as a side dish. Serve it with a simple piece of roast chicken or a pork chop. I baked a chicken thigh with some olive oil, oregano, a bit of garlic, and salt and pepper.




Butternut Squash with Brown Sugar and Vanilla Substitutions and Variations

  • Don’t have mixed nuts?  Try just plain walnuts or pecans instead
  • Use maple syrup instead of brown sugar
  • Toast the nuts first
  • Buy some puff pastry and spoon the squash into it—voilà butternut squash tart!

Tools and Ingredients for Roasted Butternut Squash

Oxo peeler

Oxo Swivel Peeler

This peeler cuts through butternut squash skin easily. Might as well be peeling a carrot. The little scoop at the end is perfect for removing potato eyes or bruised spots on an apple.

six inch baking pan

Stainless steel 6 inch square pan

Just the right size for baking for one. This pan is six inches square, and can go in the dishwasher. Perfect for squash, moussaka, brownies, or peach crumble,

More Butternut Squash Recipes

curried butternut squash soup with applesCurried Butternut Squash Soup with Apples

Warm/spicy and sweet all at the same time. This soup is great for chilly days (or pantry cooking).

 

butternut squash cream sauce pastaButternut Squash Cream Sauce Recipe for One Person

Add sage and a touch of cream and you get a perfect pasta sauce. It’s rich, creamy and makes a nice change from the usual humdrum tomato sauce.

 

roasted cinnamon nutmeg squashRoasted Cinnamon Nutmeg Butternut Squash

A classic combination that’s great with a simple main dish, like roast chicken.

 

 




Oven Roasted Lemon Garlic Broccoli

I know, broccoli is controversial (though not quite as much as brussels sprouts). Some love it, some hate it.  If you’re not a broccoli fan, this recipe for oven roasted lemon garlic broccoli might change your mind. Roasting helps reduce the bitterness and gives the broccoli a nutty flavor (from the caramelization).  It also makes the broccoli crispy outside, tender and sweet inside.

I have used frozen broccoli florets, because they cook more quickly (and I had a big bag of them). This is also more practical, since it’s tough for one person to eat an entire head of broccoli all at once!  This way I can take out just what I need and the rest can stay frozen until I want it for something else.

Plus, frozen vegetables often have more vitamins and better nutrition than fresh vegetables do.  That’s because the frozen version has been picked and then preserved (by freezing) immediately, while fresh produce may have traveled for days from some other state (or even country) before it gets to your supermarket.

If you have fresh broccoli (or a farmer’s market nearby), you can use that too.  Don’t toss out the stems, they are just as good as the florets.  They do cook faster (and better) if you remove the tough outer layer from the stems first. A vegetable peeler will work just fine for this.

You’ll also need to cook fresh broccoli a bit longer (since the frozen broccoli has been blanched first).  Roast the fresh broccoli for about 25 minutes. If you like it super-crispy, roast it for half an hour (turning it once).




Oven Roasted Lemon Garlic Broccoli Substitutions and Variations

  • Toast some breadcrumbs or panko and sprinkle them over the broccoli
  • Sprinkle some pine nuts or chopped walnuts over the broccoli
  • Make it a full meal by topping it with a fried egg or mixing the cooked broccoli with some pasta
  • Use the same roasting technique and change the seasoning to make it Asian with garlic, ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil

More Broccoli Dishes

pasta with broccoli, mushrooms, and chicken sausagePasta with Broccoli, Mushrooms, and Chicken Sausage

Easy, delicious, and adaptable. If you don’t have sausage, use bacon. No broccoli? Try asparagus instead.  It’s got all your veggies, your protein, and your starch in a single bowl.

Lmab keema with potatoes and broccoliLamb Keema with Potatoes and Broccoli

A sort of South Asian shepherd’s pie. Made with ground lamb, this isn’t overly spicy, and only needs one pot. Ready in about half an hour.

More Vegetable Side Dishes

honey mustard glazed carrotsHoney Mustard Glazed Carrots for One

Savory mustard, tender sweet carrots, and a little bit of honey. These carrots go great with roast chicken, pork, or a steak.

 

sauteed garlic parmesan spinachSautéed Garlic Parmesan Spinach

An Italian side dish that’s fairly pantry-friendly too. The original version was too much bother, so I simplified it. It’s now also time and effort friendly.  Great with some grilled fish.