Here’s the thing about potatoes: They deserve every ounce of praise we give them. Whether they’re mashed or hashed, baked, or battered—or, yes, even frittered—potatoes can fill in the gaps of any weeknight supper, dinner party, or holiday meal. And that’s a pretty impressive feat, considering all they really need is cheese, cream, and something crunchy on top. Simply put, the potato is the perfect vessel for dinnertime success.
In the South, no summer cookout is complete without potato salad, and every Christmas gathering needs a potful of buttermilk mashed potatoes. Not to mention, you haven’t lived until you’ve tried to make our Melting Potatoes. We’ve rounded up some of our greatest potato side dishes of all time, and you’ll find all of your classic favorites and plenty of new ones, too. From Classic Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes to Twice-Cooked Sweet Potatoes with Citrus and Honey, these potato sides are easy, delicious, and downright spud-tacular—and they’re serving you many days of weeknight dinner inspiration.
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Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
Cheesy scalloped potatoes are the pinnacle of hearty, comforting potato side dishes: super creamy, ultra cheesy, and over-the-top delicious. The potatoes are so tender they cut like butter, and the cream sauce is velvety and savory, coating the potatoes perfectly.
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Chicken-Fried Mississippi Potato Logs
Also known as “party potatoes,” these potato logs are a true crowd pleaser. Thick wedges of baked potato that are battered and fried like chicken tenders,
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Smashed Fried Potatoes With Field Peas And Corn
Give these crispy smashed potatoes a fresh element with a succotash-inspired corn and field pea relish on top.
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Twice Baked Potatoes
These cheesy boats of heaven will have you rethinking basic baked potatoes.
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Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole
A mashed potato casserole without cheese? Once you’ve tried this, you wouldn’t dare.
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Ranch Potato Salad
Give this classic barbecue side dish a rich, herby update. The creamy homemade ranch dressing, Cheddar cheese, and bacon mesh together to make a potato salad reminiscent of a loaded baked potato.
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Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries
You don’t need a deep-fryer or even an air fryer to make crispy sweet potato fries in a flash.
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Roasted Potato Salad
A tasty potato salad doesn’t always need mayonnaise. The roasted potatoes mixed with the tangy Dijon vinaigrette makes for a fresh, lightened up version of the classic Southern side dish.
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Sweet Potato and Chorizo Sausage Bites Recipe
Sausage balls are a Southern favorite on any appetizer table, and this recipe adds some delicious twists to your standard sausage ball. The earthiness of the sweet potatoes and spice from the chorizo makes for a unique, addicting side dish that all will love.
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Sweet Potato Rolls
If you’re willing to put in some time, these sweet potato rolls are gorgeous, delicious side that will be the star of your dinner spread. Made just like regular yeast rolls, the sweet potatoes add an earthy flavor that truly elevates this side dish.
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Loaded Potato Soup
Creamy soups are some of the most comforting dishes on a chilly night, and this loaded potato soup is a hearty, savory side dish that’ll be gone quick.
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Crispy Potato Galette
Crispy, creamy, and totally Instagram-worthy side dish will impress your family.
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Microwave Baked Potato
In 10 minutes, you can make fluffy, tender baked potatoes with the help of the microwave. The toppings are up to you, but classic choices include butter, salt, and pepper.
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Instant Pot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
This easy side dish only takes 10 minutes of hands-on time and six ingredients.
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Hasselback Sweet Potato Casserole
You’re going to love this tasty twist on sweet potato casserole. It’s not overly sweet, and the added texture will be much appreciated.
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Super Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Use a sheet pan to make the cooking process for these smashed potatoes even easier.
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Red Potato Salad
Fresh herbs balance out the rich flavor that bacon gives this new potato salad recipe.
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Twice Baked Potato Casserole
Twice-baked potatoes are a dinnertime favorite for a reason. Put them to work in this flavor-packed casserole.
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Meringue-Topped Sweet Potato Casserole
A stalwart on holiday tables, the sweet potato casserole gets an elegant meringue topping in this family-favorite recipe.
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Herbed Potato Stacks
Baked in a muffin pan, these potato towers are easier than you think—and only require a short ingredient list. Expect them to come out wonderfully crispy on the outside, yet creamy and tender on the inside.
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Potato Hash
This hash goes easily from brunch to dinner, which puts it high on the list of “greatest-ever.”
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Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes
You’ll be wondering why you haven’t been putting goat cheese in your mashed potatoes all along. It’s a game changer.
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Skillet-Toasted Gnocchi with Peas
This simple side dish will be ready in 30 minutes. Usually just boiled, gnocchi is so much better when the pillowy potato bites are toasted in a skillet.
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Deviled Potatoes
Two Southern classics, deviled eggs and potato salad, join forces to create these two-bite wonders.
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Fennel-and-Potato Gratin
This fancy-ish version of potato gratin packs its weight in flavor, thanks to the addition of fennel and the tiniest touch of nutmeg.
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Crispy Potatoes
Pair all-purpose potatoes with sweet potatoes for a more interesting version of weeknight roasted spuds.
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Tangy Potato-Green Bean Salad
This potato salad is spring-ready. We replace the usual mayo-heavy dressing with a zingy lemon-dill vinaigrette.
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Zucchini-Potato Casserole
Serve this beautiful centerpiece of layered vegetables at every affair, from spring party to holiday feast.
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Baby Hasselback Potatoes with Blue Cheese and Bacon
This recipe is already to-die-for, but a duo of blue cheese and bacon tips the scale over into side dish greatness.
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Potato-Bacon Hash
Enter: the perfect hash. With bell peppers and bacon, this potato recipe works just as well served with fried eggs for brunch as any hearty, simple protein for dinner.
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Slow-Cooker Sweet Potatoes with Bacon
This oh-so easy side dish is a crowd-pleaser. (And not just thanks to the bacon.)
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Potato Gratin with Rosemary Crust
This herb-filled recipe looks just as good as it tastes.
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Potatoes Patio
This recipe is the dressed-up version of your cheesy potato casserole, with a mixture of Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses.
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Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
If you never thought “make-ahead” and “mashed potatoes” could go together in a sentence, think again. This recipe will save you so much stress.
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Hot Potato Salad
This warmed-up casserole version of potato salad is just the refresh the classic Southern side needs.
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Classic Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes
This recipe is a weeknight classic. Hint: You’ll know it’s done when it’s bubbly, melty, and golden brown. Yum.
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Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
All you need to enjoy crispy sweet potato fries is olive oil, salt, and cooking spray.
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Scalloped Potatoes with Ham
This versatile, comforting potato casserole is the perfect vehicle for your leftover Easter ham.
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Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole
We love having our slow cooker on hand for the busy holiday season.
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Potato Salad with Dijon and Scallions
This is the most colorful and flavorful potato salad you’ll make for cookout season.
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Sweet Potato Soufflé
This creamy soufflé is topped with a crunchy, sweet pecan mixture.
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Mashed Potatoes and Rutabaga with Collards
Three vegetables meet in one creamy side dish that tastes indulgent but is actually packed with some good-for-you nutrients.
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Creamy Whipped Potato Casserole
Our Test Kitchen said this is the fluffiest mashed potato casserole they’ve ever created.
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Hash Brown Patties
Frozen shredded hash browns become something beautiful when made into crispy, golden patties.
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Melting Sweet Potatoes
If you’re over the usual sweet potato casserole you serve on holidays, try serving something new and beautiful.
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Deviled Egg-Potato Salad
We combined two Southern favorites—deviled eggs and potato salad—in this side dish that will be the star of every summer supper.
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Fried Skillet Potatoes
These crispy potatoes are delicious at breakfast, brunch, or dinner.
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Andrew’s Potato Latkes
This no-fuss latkes recipe will be your go-to way to whip up a batch.
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Perini Ranch Steakhouse Southern Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar Pecans
Tom Perini of the Perini Ranch Steakhouse in Buffalo Gap, Texas, shared his family recipe that’s been feeding happy guests for more than 37 years.
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Mashed Potato Casserole
This mashed potato casserole will go with basically any main dish you serve. Instead of one or the other, we topped it with breadcrumbs and crispy fried onions.
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Oven-Baked Sweet Potatoes
A little bit of seasoning and butter make for an easy, delicious way to cook sweet potatoes at dinnertime.
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Air Fryer French Fries
What’s the point in having an Air Fryer if you don’t use it to make French fries that are better-than-takeout?
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Potato Salad with Sweet Pickles
Sweet pickles add a zesty, tangy kick to this simple potato salad recipe.
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Make-Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole
You can prep this sweet potato casserole up to four days in advance to help you out before a big holiday.
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Mashed Potato Cakes
We’d happily enjoy these patties at breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
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Instant Pot Potato Salad
Your Instant Pot helps make classic potato salad quicker than ever.
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Dairy-Free Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Vidalia Onions
For family members who are lactose-intolerant, holidays can feel unbearable with all the heavy cream-laden food. Treat them to classic mashed potatoes with a dairy-free, caramelized onion-filled spin.
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Melting Potatoes
Melting potatoes have become an internet sensation—and now you’ll understand why. These are deliciously crispy on the outside, soft on the inside.
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Grilled Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet potato fries are transformed when cooked on the grill and topped with honey and queso fresco.
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Basic Baked Potato
Every cook needs to know how to make a Basic Baked Potato, and this recipe will be your guide.
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Sweet Potato Stacks
This grown-up, gorgeous version of your favorite sweet potato casserole is perfect for personal portioning.
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Grilled Potatoes
A kiss from a hot grill takes the flavor of these potatoes up several notches.
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Honey-Buttered Goguma Casserole With Turmeric
Korean sweet potatoes take center stage in cookbook author and New York Times food staff writer Eric Kim’s recipe for Honey-Buttered Goguma Casserole With Turmeric.
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Funeral Potatoes Recipe
While you don’t have to serve this casserole at a funeral, it gets its name from its popularity at bring-a-dish functions, as well as the reliable dose of comfort it provides.
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Two-Potato Gratin
What’s better than one type of potato in a gratin? Two! Add Yukon gold to sweet potatoes for a celebration of everyone’s favorite side.
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Smokey Sweet Potato Mashed Potato Bake
Try your hand at this mashed potato bake recipe for a melange of flavors both savory and sweet.
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Hash Brown Casserole
Few potato side dishes have the versatility of hash brown casserole. It can work for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
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Chipotle Scalloped Potatoes
This addition of chipotle gives these scalloped potatoes a deliciously smoky kick.