Vegetable Side Dishes: Leafy Salads, Chard and Kale
Choose what you would like beside dinner: a leafy salad, tender chard, a creamy vegetable dish, or crisp kale chips. These sides bring different textures and different bits of preparation, so you can pick one that fits around the main you are making.
5 recipes · Ingredients
Illustrative serving idea.
A few ideas for the week.
Add a vegetable-focused accompaniment to an existing dinner plan and compare raw, skillet-cooked and baked preparations.
Choose portions and review ingredients before confirming anything in your pantry.
The stems cook before the leaves, with garlic and butter providing a different finish from the creamed chard.
The little job to plan for: Some of the finishing happens after the pan comes off the heat. Have those ingredients ready and follow that order, rather than adding everything at the beginning.
How it begins: Wash chard and shake dry.
At the finish: Season generously with salt & pepper to taste.
Heavy cream and seasoned salt make this a distinct chard preparation, with stems and leaves added at different stages.
The little job to plan for: Take a look at the chopping, slicing or shaving step before bringing the parts together. Use the preparation described there so the food goes into the next stage in the form the recipe expects.
How it begins: Wash chard and dab dry.
At the finish: Season with additional salt & pepper to taste.
Check the list for: Swiss chard, Heavy cream, Seasoned salt.
Lettuce, tomato, cucumber and onion provide an uncooked option, with dressing added just before serving.
The little job to plan for: Take a look at the chopping, slicing or shaving step before bringing the parts together. Use the preparation described there so the food goes into the next stage in the form the recipe expects.
How it begins: Wash and dry lettuce.
At the finish: Add dressing just before serving.
Check the list for: Lettuce, Tomato, Cucumber, Onion.
Lettuce, Caesar dressing, Parmesan and croutons offer a different leafy salad from the cucumber-and-tomato garden salad.
The little job to plan for: Take a look at the chopping, slicing or shaving step before bringing the parts together. Use the preparation described there so the food goes into the next stage in the form the recipe expects.
How it begins: Wash and thoroughly dry lettuce, then chop into bite-size pieces.
At the finish: Add Parmesan and croutons immediately before serving.
Check the list for: Lettuce, Caesar dressing, Parmesan, Croutons.
Kale is thoroughly dried, coated with oil and baked until crisp, adding a baked accompaniment to the salads and skillet greens.
The little job to plan for: Start with the oven-preheating step in the recipe. Then use the preparation steps that follow to get the food ready for the hot oven.
Salads and stovetop greens use different equipment from baked kale. Read the method before deciding which job you can do alongside dinner.
Check the leafy-green preparation
Chard stems and leaves can have separate steps. Keep the preparation in the recipe you choose rather than treating every green the same way.
Keep the dressing or finish close
Salad dressing, cream, butter and oil belong to their individual recipes. Set out the finish your chosen side needs.
Before the shop
Check what is already in the kitchen
These are accompaniments rather than complete dinner suggestions. Dressing and cheese ingredients vary by product; read the full recipe and labels if you follow a particular diet.
A couple of useful questions
How do I choose one for tonight?
Start with the ingredients and cooking job you want. The notes beside each recipe show the preparation to plan for; open that recipe for the complete method before getting started.
What should I check before shopping?
Choose the dinners you want to make, then compare their full ingredient lists with what is already in the kitchen. Keep different prepared products, sauces and ingredient forms separate when checking the amounts.
Make it your kind of week.
Review dates, portions and what is already in the pantry before saving your meals or grocery additions.
