31 Comfort Food Side Dishes To Make With Dinner

When you’re craving warmth and comfort, there’s nothing quite like digging into a plate or bowl of comfort food. Just thinking about those cherished childhood meals brings back a rush of happy memories. The smell of garlic bread straight from the oven, the creamy satisfaction of mac and cheese, or the heavenly flavor of silky mashed potatoes. Every bite of these comfort food side dishes is like an instant pick me up!

Creamy Mushroom Risotto

Mushroom risotto, a delicious dish perfect for any occasion, cooked in a pan with a wooden spoon. — Creamy Mushroom Risotto. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

This is the best creamy mushroom risotto! For a relatively simple risotto recipe, it boasts huge flavour. This is a wonderful side dish for chicken or turkey, or a standalone dish.
Get the Recipe: The Best Creamy Mushroom Risotto

Gouda Cheddar Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes Au Gratin

Cheesy potato casserole, a delightful Christmas side dish, served in a white dish with a wooden spoon. — Gouda Cheddar Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes Au Gratin. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Gouda cheddar parmesan scalloped potatoes are the perfect side dish. The smoked Gouda, white cheddar and parmesan cheese go well together.
Get the Recipe: Gouda Cheddar Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes Au Gratin

Air Fryer Puff Pastry Garlic Cheese Twists

Cheesy garlic bread sticks in a basket on a wooden table, perfect for your next gathering. — Puff Pastry Garlic Cheese Twists. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Parmesan and mozzarella air fryer puff pastry garlic cheese twists make a wonderful air fryer appetizer or side dish. It is so easy to make cheese twists from scratch. Homemade puff pastry cheese straws are so much more delicious than the store-bought kind.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Puff Pastry Garlic Cheese Twists

Sweet Skillet Cornbread Recipe

Country style cornbread cooked in a skillet with a drizzle of honey. — Sweet Skillet Cornbread Recipe. Photo credit: xoxoBella

A delicious sweet skillet cornbread, perfect as a side for chili or a tasty snack. With honey, butter, and cornmeal, it’s a real treat!
Get the Recipe: Sweet Skillet Cornbread Recipe

Smoked Gouda Mac And Cheese With Pancetta

Macaroni and cheese served in bowls at a rustic wooden table, perfect for pub and bar food enthusiasts. — Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese with Pancetta. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Take standard mac and cheese to inspiring new heights with this smoked gouda mac and cheese with pancetta recipe. Elbow noodles pair up with gouda cheese, white cheddar, garlic, pancetta or bacon, shallots, and more, to create this seriously impressive dish. You can enjoy this grown up mac and cheese as a side dish or as the main dish and I guarantee second helpings and clean plates!
Get the Recipe: Smoked Gouda Mac And Cheese With Pancetta

Air Fryer Bacon Loaded Cornbread Pudding

Cheesy corn casserole served as a delicious side dish for turkey. — Air Fryer Bacon Loaded Cornbread Pudding. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

Bacon loaded cornbread pudding pairs with everything from chicken to ham or turkey. It’s a wonderful potluck dish, and sure to be a hit. It’s easy to assemble this air fryer cornbread pudding made with Jiffy cornbread mix. This bacon corn casserole will become a family dinner tradition.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Bacon Loaded Cornbread Pudding

Roasted Broccolini Quick & Easy

A plate of roasted broccoli with lemon wedges. — Roasted Broccolini Quick & Easy. Photo credit: Seasonal Cravings.

Roasted Broccolini with garlic and lemon is tasty and flavorful and perfect for a quick, easy, healthy weeknight side dish.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Broccolini Quick & Easy

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers With Broccoli

Delicious skillet recipe with stuffed peppers, featuring the healthy addition of broccoli and melted cheese. — Quinoa Stuffed Peppers With Broccoli. Photo credit: Seasonal Cravings.

These quinoa stuffed peppers with broccoli makes the perfect wholesome winter side dish. It’s packed with savory flavors and nutritious ingredients!
Get the Recipe: Quinoa Stuffed Peppers With Broccoli

Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes

Grilled sweet potatoes with butter and chives, a perfect side dish for turkey. — Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes. Photo credit: PinkWhen.

Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes are my new favorite way to make sweet potatoes. You’ll get deliciously crispy skin and perfect fluffy potato on the inside. Only 3 ingredients for the best sweet potatoes you’ll ever taste.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes

Red Skin Mashed Potatoes

Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs — Red Skin Mashed Potatoes. Photo credit: PinkWhen.

These rich, creamy, red skin mashed potatoes are a comforting side dish that has a rustic appearance and a delicious flavor.
Get the Recipe: Red Skin Mashed Potatoes

Creamy Cauliflower And Brussels Sprout Casserole

Cozy up with this delicious Creamy Cauliflower and Brussels Sprout Casserole! It makes a perfect comfort food side dish.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Cauliflower And Brussels Sprout Casserole

Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese

This high protein Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese is the ultimate comfort food lightened up! Each serving has over 13 grams of protein!
Get the Recipe: Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese

Cheesy Corn Fritters

These Cheesy Corn Fritters are an easy 15 minute side dish or breakfast recipe made with fresh sweet corn, cheddar and chives.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Corn Fritters

Potato Salad With Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

This Potato Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette is creamy and delicious. It’s a make-ahead, tasty potato salad recipe you’ll love.
Get the Recipe: Potato Salad With Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Cheesy Bacon Pull-Aparts

These Cheesy Bacon Pull-Aparts are ridiculously easy and scrumptious! They’re a quick and satisfying breakfast, lunch, or dinner the whole family adores.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Bacon Pull-Aparts

Cajun Smothered Green Beans

Smothered green beans cooked down with bacon, ham, onions, and garlic for a rich and savory flavor. Perfect side dish for your southern meal.
Get the Recipe: Cajun Smothered Green Beans

Garlic Butter Mushrooms

Loaded with garlic and rich with butter, these Garlic Butter Mushrooms are completely irresistible and versatile.
Get the Recipe: Garlic Butter Mushrooms

Parmesan Orzo

Enjoy Parmesan orzo – a fantastic weeknight meal for the family! Quick and easy to make, this one-pot dish is ready in less than 30 minutes!
Get the Recipe: Parmesan Orzo

Cheesy Stuffed Eggplant Recipe

This delicious Cheesy Stuffed Eggplant Recipe is easy to make and very cheesy. The eggplant is roasted for extra flavor. Perfect as a side dish.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Stuffed Eggplant Recipe

Creamy Parsnip Gratin

Creamy Parsnip Gratin for the Side Dish win! You’ll love this comforting side dish so much, you’ll make it all year.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Parsnip Gratin

Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole (Creamy With Crunchy Topping)

This old-fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole is a creamy and crunchy side dish. It’s quick and easy to assemble and can be made in advance.
Get the Recipe: Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole (Creamy With Crunchy Topping)

Southern Broccoli Rice Casserole (No Canned Soup!)

Easy classic Broccoli Rice Casserole with fresh broccoli, mushrooms, and cheddar and Parmesan cheeses is extra-cheesy good!
Get the Recipe: Southern Broccoli Rice Casserole (No Canned Soup!)

Creamy Corn With Crispy Bacon

This homemade creamed corn with crispy bacon is the perfect easy side dish recipe. This is always the biggest hit at any dinner and the first vegetable side dish to be finished.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Corn With Crispy Bacon

Air Fryer Potato Skins (Crispy & Loaded!)

Cheesy potato wedges with bacon and sour cream. — Air Fryer Potato Skins (Crispy & Loaded!). Photo credit: PinkWhen.

These Air Fryer Potato Skins are crispy and loaded and delicious! Made with petite potatoes, cheese, bacon, sour cream, and chives.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Potato Skins (Crispy & Loaded!)

Bacon and Broccoli Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potato stuffed with ham and broccoli. — Bacon and Broccoli Stuffed Sweet Potatoes. Photo credit: Healy Eats Real.

These bacon and broccoli stuffed sweet potatoes are a hearty, savory, and delicious comfort food side. It’s sure to fill you up, especially during the colder months.
Get the Recipe: Bacon and Broccoli Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Creamy Cauliflower Puree

A cheap potluck Thanksgiving dish of mashed potatoes with olive oil and sprigs of rosemary. — Creamy Mashed Garlic Cauliflower. Photo credit: Healy Eats Real.

This creamy cauliflower puree recipe is smooth like mashed potatoes with savory, salty, garlic, and herb flavors!
Get the Recipe: Creamy Cauliflower Puree

Cheesy Herbed Garlic Bread

Cheesy herbed garlic bread is the perfect appetizer for a crowd, with mozzarella, cheddar, green onions, garlic and parsley.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Herbed Garlic Bread

Lemon Dill Potatoes

These flavorful spuds are tossed in a tangy lemon dill dressing for a refreshing twist on roasted potatoes – a perfect side dish or snack.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Dill Potatoes

Creamy Pesto Gnocchi

This comforting creamy pesto gnocchi is delicious. You’ll only need five ingredients and less than 10 minutes to make them.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Pesto Gnocchi

Southern Collard Greens Ham Hocks

Collard Greens with ham hocks are tender and savory. This southern-style side dish is a crowd-pleaser and simple to make.
Get the Recipe: Southern Collard Greens Ham Hocks

Pizza Potatoes Casserole

This easy recipe for Pizza Potatoes has just 3 main ingredients! This pizza potato casserole is baked right in a skillet!
Get the Recipe: Pizza Potatoes Casserole