Credit: Simply Recipes / Coco Morante
If you have an Easter feast coming up and you’re short on sides, we can help! This hand-picked collection of recipes will complement whatever else you decide to serve. Think Garlic Butter Smashed Potatoes, Broccoli Crunch Salad, and Baked Mac and Cheese. The best part? Every recipe features a make-ahead component. To make life even easier, we pulled out the important make-ahead details for you! All you have to do is to pick your favorites and get ready to host a stress-free gathering.
01 of 18
Credit: Simply Recipes / Photo by Alex Huang / Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
Get Recipe: Sour Cream and Onion Mashed Potato Casserole
“The additional prep work—grating cheese and slicing scallions—is minimal and more than compensated for by the fact that this casserole can be fully prepared days in advance and popped into the oven right before dinner.” —Jamie Anulewicz, Recipe Developer
02 of 18
Credit: Simply Recipes / Laurel Randolph
Get Recipe: 4-Ingredient Cucumber Salad
“For the best cucumber salad around, listen to the queen, Ina Garten. She suggests salting and draining the sliced cucumbers before combining with the dressing. This does a couple of things—it pulls water out of the cucumbers, which helps keep the dressing from turning watery. It also infuses the slices with a bit of saltiness and makes for a deeply flavorful salad. This is especially great if you’re making the salad ahead of time. It majorly cuts down on the wateriness, so you can serve up a crisp, creamy salad the next day.” —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director
03 of 18
Credit: Sally Vargas
Get Recipe: Creamed Corn
“By itself, it is pure heaven, but you could vary it by adding some spicy jalapeños or chopped poblano peppers; other additions that come to mind are chopped basil, sliced cherry tomatoes, and cooked bacon crumbles. Once made, it can be stored in the refrigerator for at least 3 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.” —Sally Vargas, Recipe Developer
04 of 18
Credit: Simply Recipes / Coco Morante
Get Recipe: Baked Mac and Cheese
“You can assemble the casserole ahead of time. Just put it all together, but don’t bake it just yet. Wrap the baking dish tightly, then refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 2 months before baking.” —Coco Morante, Recipe Developer
05 of 18
Credit: Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel
Get Recipe: Twice Baked Potato Casserole
“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 5 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
06 of 18
Credit: Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
Get Recipe: Grinder Pasta Salad
“You can serve this pasta salad right away after you make it, but it’s better if you let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill everything and mingle the flavors. If you want to make it in advance for a party, I would make it no more than a day ahead. After that, the lettuce starts to noticeably wilt.” —Nick Evans, Recipe Developer
07 of 18
Credit: Sally Vargas
Get Recipe: Cheesy Grits Soufflé Bake
“This casserole puffs as it bakes, but the puff isn’t dramatic. You can make the casserole in advance, let it cool, cover and refrigerate it, and bake it the next day. It won’t be as puffy, but it’ll make timing the rest of your meal a breeze! You’ll need to add a little baking time, about 20 minutes. My favorite way to eat this is leftover, cold, and straight from the pan. Refrigerate the leftovers for up to four days.” —Sara Bir, Former Senior Editor
08 of 18
Credit: Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
Get Recipe: Coronation Coleslaw
“If you plan to make the slaw ahead of time, reserve the cashews and add them just before serving. The slaw will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days, just toss again before serving.” —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director
09 of 18
Credit: Cindy Rahe
Get Recipe: Lion House Rolls
“The dough for these rolls can be made the night before and left in the refrigerator for a slow first rise. This will firm the butter in the dough considerably, and it will be super silky and easy to roll out. The next day, bake them off and serve.” —Cindy Rahe, Recipe Developer
10 of 18
Credit: Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
Get Recipe: Olivier Potato Salad
“This salad is great at room temperature right when you stir it together, but like most potato salads, the flavors benefit from some chilling time. This makes it good for preparing ahead. Once you have everything mixed together, this salad will keep in the fridge for 4 days.” —Nick Evans, Recipe Developer
11 of 18
Credit: Sally Vargas / Simply Recipes
Get Recipe: Green Chile Cornbread
“Keep leftover cornbread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F (or toaster oven at 325°F), covered loosely with foil to prevent overbrowning, 10 to 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can reheat individual pieces in the microwave on high for 20 to 30 seconds each.” —Elise Bauer, Founder
12 of 18
Credit: Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer
Get Recipe: Broccoli Crunch Salad
“If you want to make this salad ahead of time, reserve the peanuts and fried noodles and add them just before serving. The salad will keep in the fridge for up to two days, just toss before serving.” —Amanda Blum, Recipe Developer
13 of 18
Credit: Michelle Becker
Get Recipe: Green Bean Salad with Basil, Balsamic, and Parmesan
“Refrigerate your salad in an airtight container for up to 5 days. In fact, this is one that tastes even better after a day in the fridge.” —Elise Bauer, Founder
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Credit: Elise Bauer
Get Recipe: Zucchini, Eggplant, Tomato Gratin
“Cover the dish and refrigerate 3 to 5 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or the entire dish in the oven at 350°F until just warmed through.” —Elise Bauer, Founder
15 of 18
Credit: Elise Bauer
Get Recipe: Mediterranean Potato Salad
“It’s sort of a potato salad à la Niçoise. No mayo, the dressing is a mustard vinaigrette; new potatoes are tossed with green beans, roasted red bell peppers, red onion, minced Kalamata olives, parsley and arugula. The best thing is that you can make it days ahead. The vinaigrette acts as a marinade, so the longer the salad sits, the more infused with flavor it becomes.” —Elise Bauer, Founder
16 of 18
Credit: Sheryl Julian
Get Recipe: Pasta and Bean Picnic Salad
“Prep work for this salad is minimal. You just need to cook pasta, make a vinaigrette, chop up some herbs and vegetables, and open a few cans of beans—and it can be prepared up to a day ahead.” —Sheryl Julian, Recipe Developer
17 of 18
Credit: Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
Get Recipe: Garlic Butter Smashed Potatoes
“If you are short on time, the best way to make these potatoes ahead is to smash and roast them for 20 minutes so they are par-roasted. Then, you can keep them in the fridge for a few days. When you are ready to finish the smashed potatoes, roast them for the last half of cooking, adding the butter sauce at the end.” —Nick Evans, Recipe Developer
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Credit: Simply Recipes / Annika Panikker
Get Recipe: Curry Rice Salad
“Occasionally, I would make much too much rice, especially brown rice. Not wanting to eat it plain, I invented this curry rice salad as a tasty way to stretch out my rice leftovers. This curry salad is ideal to cook ahead, as the flavors blend better after the salad has sat in the refrigerator overnight.” —Elise Bauer, Founder
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