I take the notion of store-bought shortcuts for home cooking very seriously. Because while scratch cooking is always mygoal, hello, reality! Especially during the holidays when my to-do list is particularly long. So finding shortcuts in thesupermarket withshort, all-natural ingredients lists is a lifesaver for me, making entertaining and cooking way easier over the holidays.
Using agood jarred sauce in a recipe is one of my favorite store-bought shortcuts, andwe’ve already featured a great list offantastic holiday appetizer recipesthat put my trick to use.
Today, I’m moving past appetizers into holiday-worthy side dishes that helpmaximizeany celebratory meal, whether you’re planning a massive holiday dinner party, or just gathering a fewfriendsfor a Friday night home-cooked meal.
Top:Hasselback Potatoesat Wright Family Table |Eggplant Involtiniat Alexandra Cooks
Given that using good jarred sauce is indeed among the most versatile store-bought shortcuts for so many dishes,we couldn’t be happier to bring you these recipes on behalf of our sponsor, Francesco Rinaldi. As a family-owned business making tomato-based and Alfredo sauces from authentic handed-down Italian recipes, I reallyappreciate how much they care about helping make home cooking easier for busy families like mine.
So grab a jar, check out these delicious side dish recipes, and get cooking! It’ll take no time at all.
Well, okay, a little time. But that I can do.
Easy Holiday Side Dish Recipe #1:
Tomato Braised Green Beans with Crumbled Feta
Braised green beans are a traditional Greekdish that you’ll find all over Greece— and in Greek-American homes all over this country too, if my own family is any gauge. It’s “simple peasant food,” as my dad liked to call it, made fromgreen beans stewed in a tomato sauce that you start building with tomato paste.
You can shortcut your way to deliciousness, though, by using jarred sauce instead. I created thisrecipe usingFrancesco Rinalidi Marinara, which works really nicely sinceit serves up robust, but simple tomato flavor that easily takes on a Greek flavor profile with a dash of cinnamon.
Yes, cinnamon. Really. Trustthis Greek gal!
I like to topthese babies with a handfulof crumbled feta, which gives mea crowd-pleasing veggie side dish with a Mediterranean flair toamp up a dinner featuringeven traditional holiday main courseslike ham, turkey, or beef roast.
Tomato Braised Green Beans
Serves 4–6 as a side
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 lbs green beans, washed and trimmed
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups chicken broth, plus an extra 1/4 cup if desired
1/2 cup Francesco Rinaldi Marinara Sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Crumbled Feta cheese, for garnish (optional)
1. Add oil and garlic to a large, high-sided pan (that comes with a cover) and set over medium heat. Cook until the garlic is fragrant and the edges begin to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the string beans and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper; stir to coat beans well and cook for about 3 minutes.
3. Add broth, marinara sauce, oregano, and cinnamon. Stir to combine, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 15 minutes. Uncover and, if the sauce has thickened a little more than desired, add 1/4 cup of additional broth, cover, and cook for another 3–5 minutes. Otherwise, adjust salt and pepper to taste, and serve plain or garnished with crumbled Feta cheese.
Easy Holiday Side Dish Recipe #2:
Eggplant Involtini
I love eggplant, but I admit I havea hard time getting even my otherwise adventurouskids to buy into it. ThisEggplant Involtini recipeat Alexandra Cooks might be the solution. Thinly sliced, stuffed with flavored cheese, and smothered in tomato sauce, it’s hard for even picky kids toresist any vegetable prepared this way.
(Though maybe I want them to resist so that there is more for me?)
Therecipe is fantastic aswritten, but if preparing the eggplant and cheese stuffing from scratch is work enough, finish*t with a quality jarred sauce — I’d go with Francesco Rinaldi Three Cheese Sauce— to reducework without reducing flavor.
Easy Holiday Side Dish Recipe #3:
Ricotta and Quinoa Stuffed Mushrooms
In my world, a greatholiday dinner isn’tcomplete without stuffed mushrooms, and I love how this recipe for Ricotta and Quinoa Stuffed Mushroomsat Simply Quinoa transforms them fromappetizer to a hearty side dish.
The recipe is actually vegan, complete with instructions on how to make non-dairy ricotta, butyou can easily swap in regular ricotta. If so, I suggest that you splurge on fresh ricotta from a local cheese shop. It’s a bit more expensive, but so worth it for a special holiday meal.
What you can get from your supermarket, though, is a goodjarred sauce and I’d go for Francesco Rinaldi Garden Combo to pack this with even more veggie goodness.
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About our sponsor
You might be surprised at whatshows up on theingredients list of many jarred tomato sauceswhen you read the labels, which is why we love family-ownedFrancesco Rinaldi. Their high-quality ingredients and simple recipe blends arethe key to big, fresh flavor, making their tomato and Alfredo sauces delicious.
Not only are theirsauces made by Italians from family recipesto help you feed your own familymore easily, but Francesco Rinaldi has even made their jars family-friendly too. Their newlightweight, shatterproof package is a boon to parents (especially if your kids are old enough to help carry the groceries to the car) and, of course, they’re totally recyclable. Yay for store-bought goodness, inside and out.
Be sure to try these holiday recipes — and also use your favorite Francesco Rinaldi sauce over pasta for a quick weeknight dinner that the whole family will love — and share your creations onFacebookusing the hashtag #GetSaucy.
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Easy Holiday Side Dish Recipe #4:
Baked Polenta Casserole
Baked Polenta Casserole| Photo by Fredrika Stjarne for Food & Wine
Creamy polenta is one of my favorite side dishes for any day of the year because it’s so easy, cooks fast, and is totally versatile. And however you make it, polenta is especially greatalongside the kinds of roasted meats that are typically served at holiday meals, making a creative alternative to mashed potatoes or bread. (Not that I ever say no to mashed potatoes or bread.)
You can serve it with just a pat of butter or topped with sautéed mushrooms, but if you want tomake it something extra special, I recommend this outrageousBaked Polenta Casseroleat Food & Wine. The recipe calls for tomato sauce, which you can make from scratch, but if you’re trying to save time in the kitchen, a good jarred sauce will do. I’d recommendFrancesco Rinaldi Tomato & Basil Sauceas the perfectchoice to keep the flavors simple in this decadent side dish.
Easy Holiday Side Dish Recipe #5:
Hasselback Potatoes with Creamy Sauce
It’s no secret that Ilove Hasselback potatoes,and while they’re delicious on their own, there’s no better time than the holidays to gild the lily. So instead of serving them plain, take your lead from this fantastic recipe for Hasselback Potatoes with Roasted Garlic Gouda Sauce at Wright Family Table and drape a deliciously decadent sauce over the top for a mouthwatering side dish.
To makethis recipe easier on yourself, you canskip the from-scratch sauce and instead tryFrancesco Rinaldi Roasted Garlic Alfredo Sauce. Then, gussy it upusing the recipe’s fantastic combo of melty cheese and spices.
Easy Holiday Side Dish Recipe #6:
Creamy Italian Asparagus
I think fresh asparagus is delicious just roastedwith olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt. But for something really holiday-worthy, especially if you’re serving a simple main course, try smothering asparagusin a creamy sauce andtopping with meltedcheese. I think thisrecipe for Creamy Italian Asparagus at Will Cook for Smilesis absolutely heavenly.
In this case, a store-bought substitute is less about saving time and more about adding flavor. Instead of usingheavy cream as the base of the sauce, try swapping inFrancesco Rinaldi Classic Alfredo Sauceto make the flavor even richer. (Because, holiday eating.) Then just top, melt, and serve.
Easy Holiday Side Dish Recipe #7:
Italian Farro with Chickpeas andTomato Sauce
Most people go to veggies and carbs when looking for side dishes — including me, as you can tell! — but beans are a favorite of mine too, since they’re packed with protein and flavor.
This fabulous recipe for Italian Farro with Chickpeas and Tomato Sauceat Ciao Chow Bambinagoes especially well with a main course of roasted meator fish.Plus, there’s a carb here too, for one-stop cooking. Hey, I couldn’t help myself.
Therecipe calls for already cooked sauce, so it’s a perfect opportunity to pull out your favorite jarred sauce. Francesco Rinaldi Tomato, Garlic & Onion Saucewill go nicelyin this dish. Yum.
Thank you to our sponsorFrancesco Rinaldifor their wholesome tomato-based sauces and Alfredo sauces, all made by Italians from handed-down recipes. We can feel good about sharing them with our families, while making family dinners — and even holiday meals! — that much easier to pull off. To learn more about their products, visit theFrancesco Rinaldi websiteor find them on Facebookwhere you can share your Francesco Rinaldi creations, including these recipes, using the hashtag #GetSaucy.
Tags: beans, christmas, easy recipes, entertaining, hanukkah, holidays, recipes, vegan, vegetables
Tags: beans, christmas, easy recipes, entertaining, hanukkah, holidays, recipes, vegan, vegetables
