18 Lazy Christmas Sides That Practically Cook Themselves

Spread the holiday cheer with these simple make-ahead sides.

By
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora's passion for cooking began early on as a young girl, working in the kitchen at her father's Greek diner in Brooklyn, NY. Her recipes have appeared on Delish, Spruce Eats, Today.com, Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon, Dinnerly, Simply Recipes, and in various cookbooks.
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Published December 18, 2025
Theodora Kaloudis
Overhead view of garlic Parmesan pull apart bread in a pan with a linen underneath.
Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

If you’re having trouble coming up with side dishes to bring or serve at your Christmas gathering, we’re here to help. We pulled together a selection of impressive sides that are not only delicious but are simple to make, can be made ahead of time, and won’t be too fussy to reheat or assemble before dinner. Read on to find the perfect shareable potatoes, veggies, salads, and breads that feel fancy enough for a holiday, without a lot of effort.

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  • Crispy Parmesan Potatoes Recipe

    crispy parmesan potatoes (close-up)

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    The potatoes can be made up to a day ahead. To reheat, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the potatoes cut side down on the baking sheet and reheat in a 375°F oven until hot and the Parmesan has recrisped. Alternatively, the potatoes can be reheated in the air fryer.

  • Brussels Sprout Slaw Recipe

    Brussel Sprout Cole Slaw in a Bowl Next to a Bowl of Dressing and Bowl of Pecans

    Simply Recipes / Micah Siva

    “The best part about this Brussels sprouts slaw? It holds up exceptionally well, meaning you can dress it ahead of time to make dinner prep a breeze. Prepare the ingredients up to three days in advance and toss with the dressing up to two hours in advance. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for three days.” —Micah Siva, Recipe Developer

  • Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Rolls Recipe

    Overhead view of garlic Parmesan pull apart bread in a pan with a linen underneath.
    Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

    “To serve later, let the rolls cool completely (without the butter), then store them in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for up to three days. Alternatively, wrap the baked rolls in foil and place in an airtight plastic bag in the freezer for up to three weeks. Remove from the fridge and let thaw for a few hours until the rolls are at room temperature.” —Karishma Pradhan, Recipe Developer

  • Sour Cream and Onion Mashed Potato Casserole Recipe (Make-Ahead)

    overhead view of Mashed Potato Casserole in a dish with one serving scooped out

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Alex Huang / Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

    “This dish is a great make-ahead holiday side. It can be prepped a day or two in advance and refrigerated until ready to cook.” —Jamie Anulewicz, Recipe Developer

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  • Classic Glazed Carrots

    Overhead view of a serving bowl of glazed carrots.
    Michelle Becker

    “Store glazed carrots in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Reheat them on the stovetop with a little added butter or in the microwave. We do not recommend freezing glazed carrots because their texture after defrosting will be mushy and unappealing.” —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Roasted Root Vegetable Panzanella Recipe

    Bowl of Roasted Root Vegetable Panzanella Surrounded by a Slices of Bread, Vase of Flowers, Utensils, and a Kitchen Linen

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    “While you can dig into it almost immediately, you can make it up to four hours in advance. Technically, it can hold for even longer because the vegetables won't wilt and the bread will continue to soak up more flavor. I recommend refreshing it right before serving with a generous drizzle of olive oil and vinegar. You may also need to season it with a bit of salt and black pepper.” —Sheela Prakash, Recipe Developer

  • Angel Biscuits Recipe

    Irvin Lin

    “Want fresh-baked biscuits in the morning with minimal effort? Make your angel biscuit dough ahead of time! In fact, letting the dough sit in the refrigerator overnight slows the yeast's rise, which gives the biscuits a better, more complex yeasted flavor.” —Irvin Lin, Recipe Developer

  • Turkish Braised Green Beans

    Side view of braised green beans on an oval platter.
    Alison Bickel

    “This is a fantastic dish to make ahead as the flavors only improve with time. It will also taste better the next day once all the ingredients have had time to harmonize. You can serve this warm, cold, or at room temperature (the latter being how it is commonly eaten in Turkey)” —Yasmin Khan, Recipe Developer

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  • Challah Rolls Recipe

    Challah Rolls on a Tray with Some Cut in Half and Smeared with Butter

    Simply Recipe / Micah Siva

    “If you want to plan ahead, there are two ways to freeze the challah rolls. After you shape the rolls—but before you do the second rise—pop the unbaked rolls in the freezer until frozen solid, or bake the challah rolls and cool them fully. Then, transfer them into a large zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to two months.” —Micah Siva, Recipe Developer

  • Brussels Sprouts Gratin Recipe

    Elise Bauer

    “If you're getting ready for a big dinner party or a holiday feast, you can make this dish the day before. Just prepare all of the ingredients in a baking dish, cover, and refrigerate. Then, remove from the fridge, and bake as directed, adding a little extra time since the casserole will be going in cold.” —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Lion House Rolls

    Utah's famous lion house rolls on a baking sheet with a jar of melted butter to the left.
    Cindy Rahe

    “To make the rolls ahead of time, make them through the shaping stage, then instead of giving them a second rise, freeze them on a sheet pan. Once completely frozen, pop them into a freezer bag. They will last at least a month in the freezer.” —Cindy Rahe, Recipe Developer

  • Bombay Aloo Recipe (Bombay Potatoes)

    Bombay Aloo (Bombay Potatoes) in a large bowl

    Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

    The potatoes can be prepared up to the point of adding the fresh lime juice and cilantro, and stored in the fridge for up to four days. They can be reheated in the microwave until warmed through and tossed with the reserved lime juice and cilantro before serving.

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  • Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

    A casserole dish filled with mashed potatoes topped with chopped herbs baked and slightly browned around the edges
    Elise Bauer

    “You can make your mashed potatoes ahead and refrigerate or freeze them. Once prepared, let the mashed potatoes cool completely, then cover and store in the fridge for up to two days or in the freezer for up to two weeks. The high fat content in these mashed potatoes means that they will freeze and thaw just fine.” —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Sautéed Fennel With Fennel Fronds Recipe

    Sautéed fennel on a white platter.

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    “You can cook the fennel a day before you plan to serve it. Refrigerate it, tightly covered, and reheat it, covered, slowly in the oven at 300°F for 30 minutes, until warmed through. You could also microwave it in 1-minute intervals until warmed through” —Emily Weinberger, Recipe Developer

  • Cheesy Baked Cauliflower

    Scooping Easy Cauliflower Bake out of a glass casserole dish.
    Coco Morante

    “This casserole can be assembled up to one day in advance, then baked just before serving. If you’re taking the casserole directly from the fridge to the oven, you’ll need to bake it for a few additional minutes. Just test with a fork or probe thermometer to make sure it’s piping hot in the middle (about 170°F).” —Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

  • Potatoes Au Gratin Recipe

    Potatoes Au Gratin on a Plate with a Fork

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    “If you want to get a head start on your holiday cooking, then it’s best to bake this the day before your dinner and reheat it the day of. Reheat it covered loosely with foil to keep the crust from browning too much, until hot all the way through. Remove the foil for the last few minutes of baking so that the crust gets nice and crispy.” —Sally Vargas, Recipe Developer

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  • Twice Baked Potato Casserole Recipe

    A wooden spoon lifting a serving of twice baked potato casserole from a baking dish

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    “Once the casserole is assembled (leaving the bacon and green onions off), cover it with plastic wrap and hold in the fridge for up to five days. When you’re ready to bake, take it out 30 minutes before cooking, remove the plastic wrap, then bake according to the recipe instructions.” —Brianne Ross, Recipe Developer

  • Easy Brazilian Cheese Bread Recipe (Pão de Queijo)

    Easy Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pão de Queijo) in a Bowl

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    “The baked cheese bread can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for one day or in the fridge for one week. Reheat for several seconds in the microwave or for one to two minutes in the toaster oven before serving. They can also be frozen for up to one month and reheated in a toaster oven or low oven until thawed and crisp.” —Elise Bauer, Founder

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