Unusual side dish - cooking features, recipes and reviews

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Good housewives always try to diversify the diet of their family, wanting to pamper and surprise them. Every day they are looking for something new to serve with chicken, meat and fish, so that the food is both he althy and attractive. There are many options for a side dish, but all of them have long been beaten and require some kind of culinary improvement.

And now we come to a rather intricate question for amateur chefs: "Is it possible to get unusual side dishes from ordinary products?" Let's figure it out together and see how you can eat deliciously.

How unusual to cook pasta for a side dish?

Pasta is one of most people's favorite side dishes. Wanting to quickly feed the household, the housewives simply boil them and serve them in the form of the so-called "empty" dish. However, there are a huge number of variations in the preparation of this popularproduct. You should not accustom yourself to cooking simple boiled pasta. And so that you do not waste your time on failed experiments, we offer some interesting recipes.

How unusual to cook pasta for a side dish?

Pasta in tomato-mayonnaise sauce

A very simple but unusual side dish that can be called a "quick recipe". That is, budget, fast, and most importantly - delicious.

For this you will need:

• 300 grams of pasta of any shape;
• tomato paste - 2-3 tablespoons;
• garlic - 2 cloves;
• mayonnaise - 2 tablespoons.

Preparing everything is very simple:

1. First of all, cook pasta until half cooked. Throw in a colander until the liquid drains completely.
2. Heat the pan, melt the butter in it or replace it with vegetable oil.
3. The garlic is crushed and fried for a couple of minutes.
4. Then spread pasta to it, set a slow fire on the stove.
5. Add mayonnaise and tomato paste to the almost ready side dish in the pan, cover and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Such a simple but very tasty (and high-calorie) dish goes well with meat and chicken.

Pasta with caramelized onions

To prepare the following recipe, take:

• pasta (any) - 400 grams;
• tablespoon of sugar;
• red onion - 2 heads;
• bunch of parsley;
• 2 tbsp olive oil;
• balsamic vinegar - teaspoon;
• s alt to taste.

Cooking steps:

1. Boil pasta in s alted water. Finished products are thrown into a colander, they do not need to be washed under cold water.
2. Finely chop onion and parsley.
3. Sliced onion spread on a heated pan with olive oil. Fry for 2 minutes.
4. Sugar is spread on the onion and sautéed for 10-15 minutes until it is completely melted. Don't forget to stir.
5. Then add pasta and parsley to the caramelized onions and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Everything is thoroughly mixed and tasted for s alt.
6. The ready-made garnish is served hot with meat, vegetables and even wine.

Some cooking tips:

• fresh parsley can be replaced with a mixture of dried herbs;
• before throwing the pasta into a colander, the latter must be scalded with boiling water.

Improvising with rice

How unusual to cook rice for a side dish? Many people ask this question, since this product is considered a tasty and very he althy cereal. But how boring it is just to cook it! I want some novelty with my favorite side dish.

Next, we will present a couple of original and troublesome recipes, but first:

• don't overcook the rice if you don't want to get mush instead of crumbly cereal;
• for the same reason, do not use round grain rice for cooking.

Rice with vegetables "Paintssummer"

To serve unusual rice as a side dish for dinner, the hostess can use simple and affordable ingredients. For example:

• red root vegetable, aka carrot - 1 pc.;
• long parboiled rice - 300 g
• can of peas;
• onion - 1 pc.;
• canned corn - 1 can;
• bell pepper - 1 pc.;
• vegetable oil - for frying, so the amount is at your discretion;
• s alt and spices to taste.

Preparing an unusual side dish in several stages:

1. First of all, diced carrots and onions are fried in a pan.
2. The Bulgarian pepper is fried in a separate frying pan. It is also cut into squares.
3. Both types of frying are mixed together.
4. The groats are boiled until completely cooked.
5. The canned vegetables are drained of water and spread in rice. Next add the frying. Stir the resulting mixture.
6. The final step will be adding spices and s alt to the finished dish.

Such an unusual garnish for fish will do. Sprinkle a few drops of lemon juice on the dish for a special touch.

The "summer" rice dish was praised by many as hearty yet not heavy.

Carrot Pineapple Rice

It is difficult to call this dish a garnish, it is rather independent. But this does not prevent him from combining perfectly with fish and evenmeat culinary delights.

For cooking we take:

• rice long steamed - 250 ml;
• canned pineapple in juice;
• 1 carrot;
• 3-4 green onion stalks;
• dry white wine - 20 ml;
• 1 and 1/3 cup water;
• half tsp s alt;
• 1 tsp olive oil, you can use any other vegetable oil.

This unusual dish is prepared as follows:

1. Carrots are peeled and then rubbed on a coarse grater.
2. Green onions cut into rings.
3. Pour juice from a jar of pineapples and the same amount of water into a separate saucepan. Washed rice, carrots and s alt are also spread there. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium.
4. As soon as the rice remains a couple of minutes until ready, wine is poured into it and simmered under the lid for 5 minutes.
5. At the end of the process, rice, small pieces of pineapple, green onion and olive oil are mixed and served.

Vegetable garnish

Vegetables are meat's best friends. And the point is not only in taste harmony, but also in balancing useful substances: protein + fiber. Therefore, if you decide to cook a meat or fish delicacy, then give preference to vegetables, besides, you can cook them in all sorts of ways: boil, fry, steam, bake, etc.

So, what an unusual side dish for meat can be prepared from vegetables?

Spice broccoli

Broccoli if correctand cook deliciously, they turn from the category of "grass-grass" into a wonderful side dish for meat or into an independent dish. Here is one of the proven recipes.

We take the following products:

• 450g fresh or frozen broccoli sprigs;
• 2-3 tablespoons olive/sunflower oil;
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar;
• 6 garlic cloves;
• 1 level teaspoon s alt;
• red pepper - quantity to taste;
• lemon pieces - for decoration.

Preparation is as follows:

1. Broccoli is thawed, boiled. Divided into small inflorescences, which can still be cut into pieces, or can be left whole.
2. Use a blender to prepare a thick sauce of red pepper, olive oil, vinegar, garlic and s alt.
3. Spread the resulting sauce over broccoli.
4. A sheet of parchment is lined on a baking sheet, and broccoli is laid on it.
5. Send the baking sheet to the oven preheated to 200°C and bake for 15 minutes.

The finished dish is decorated with chopped lemon slices. The dish does not lose its taste either hot or cold. It goes well with meat, fish, and chicken.

Not only ladies, but also the male audience, who love meat, are delighted with this performance. Hearty and spicy.

Glazed Carrots

A very unusual side dish recipe that will complement a meat dinner. This dish is also suitable as an appetizer on the festive table.

Ingredientsthe following:

• kg of carrots;
• a 60g piece of butter;
• s alt, ground pepper - to taste;
• a glass of 200 ml orange juice;
• 2 tablespoons of sugar, but honey is better;
• fresh thyme - for decoration (you can also dry it).

Preparing an unusual side dish like this:

1. Carrots are peeled and washed. Cut into cubes, the length of which should be about centimeters 5.
2. Meanwhile, heat up a large frying pan and melt the butter in it.
3. As soon as it melts, put carrots in a container. S alt it, pepper it. Fry over medium heat until the sticks become soft and brighten.
4. As soon as the carrot softens, citrus juice and honey (sugar) are added to it.
5. Continue to cook the dish, stirring, until the added ingredients turn into glaze.
6. At the end of cooking, you can add more pepper.
7. The finished dish is laid out on a plate and sprinkled with cumin, preferably fresh.

The dish was liked by many lovers of unusual food. According to reviews, this side dish has become a regular in many families.

Potatoes

How can you make an unusual potato side dish? Yes, in different ways, one puree is worth something. Remember how in the movie "Girls" the main character said that more than 100 dishes can be cooked from potatoes?

Next, we will present not 100, of course, options, but the most original and simple of them.

Fried potatoes with rosemary

Suitablesuch an unusual side dish for cutlets, vegetable salads, meat, and as an independent dish will do.

List of ingredients is small:

• kilogram of new potatoes;
• tablespoon of olive (any other vegetable) oil;
• tbsp dried rosemary (or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh);
• s alt to taste.

Preparing in stages:

1. The young potatoes are thoroughly washed, the skin is not peeled off.
2. Cut the washed tubers into quarters.
3. After the potato wedges are mixed with oil, s alt and rosemary. The root crop must be completely covered with "sauce".
4. The oven is heated to 220°C. Foil or parchment paper is lined on a baking sheet, on which the potatoes are evenly laid out.
5. Place everything in the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes, remembering to stir every 15 minutes.

This unusual side dish is best served hot. It will no longer be cold or heated, because it will not remain after that.

Potato "Countess"

Exquisite unusual side dish for chicken, vegetables or fish. What is it made from? Required:

• butter - 100 g;
• potato - 1.5 kg;
• nutmeg - on the tip of a teaspoon;
• cream of any fat content - 50 ml;
• egg yolk - 6 pcs;
• 1 egg, white and yolk;
• s alt and spices to taste.

The "Countess" is being prepared as follows:

1. Mashed potatoes.
2. Immediatelyit is worth turning on the oven to heat up to 200 ° C.
3. Yolks are added to the finished and slightly cooled puree. Stirring.
4. S alt, spices and nutmeg are added to mashed potatoes and yolks.
5. The mixed puree is placed in a pastry bag, and then the rose patterns are squeezed onto a baking sheet covered with foil.
6. The egg is driven into a separate bowl, s alt and cream are added to it.
7. Potato rosettes are coated with the resulting mixture and sent to bake in the oven. 20 minutes is enough.

Many housewives appreciated the creativity of such a side dish. Some noted that they are preparing such a dish as an appetizer on the festive table.

Unusual buckwheat side dish

Buckwheat is one of the he althy cereals that must be in the diet. And it is not necessary to simply boil it with s alt. Here's how you can deliciously cook an unusual buckwheat side dish.

Buckwheat with herbs and egg. For cooking you will need:

• a glass of buckwheat;
• 2 chicken eggs;
• 2 sprigs of dill, parsley and green onions each;
• 20 grams of butter;
• tablespoon of olive oil;
• s alt and ground black pepper.

Preparing the side dish as follows:

1. A glass of washed buckwheat is poured into a saucepan and poured with 0.5 liters of water.
2. Bring the porridge to a boil, s alt, reduce heat and cook for 20 minutes.
3. Eggs are boiled in parallel. Enough 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool.
4. Ba cube of butter is added to the finished porridge.
5. The eggs are cut into cubes and poured into the garnish.
6. The greens are washed and finely chopped. Pour everything to the porridge. Stirring.
7. Olive oil is added to porridge.

Ready-made garnish goes well with any dishes: meat, vegetables, chicken. Also suitable as an independent dish for dinner.

"Buckwheat + cabbage". Two side dishes that complement each other perfectly. Prepares simply and quickly. You will need:

• head of cabbage - half a kilo;
• 1, 5 cups buckwheat;
• carrot - 1 piece;
• pair of onions;
• sunflower or olive oil for frying;
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste;
• s alt and spices of your choice.

Steps of the cooking process:

1. Onions and carrots are cut and grated. Fried in vegetable oil.
2. Cabbage is cut into strips and sent to fry in a pan.
3. Everything is mixed and stewed under the lid for 5 minutes.
4. At the end, add tomato paste, mix, remove from heat.
5. Washed buckwheat.
6. Buckwheat and the contents of the pan are put into a separate cauldron or thick-walled pan. Pour hot water so that the contents of the cauldron are completely covered with water.
7. Stew under the lid for half an hour and you can serve.

Such a simple masterpiece appreciated by many ladies who monitor their diet and count calories. Minimum calories, but more than enough benefits and taste.