17 Boomer Sides That Have Stood the Test of Time (and Taste)

Some side dishes never lost their spot on the table. These 17 recipes have lasted because they work, no trends, no tricks, just food that always delivers. They’re the kind of sides that filled plates for decades and still earn seconds without saying a word. As you scroll, expect comfort, a little nostalgia, and dishes that don’t need fixing.

A bowl of mashed potatoes with gravy and sprigs of thyme and sage. — Creamy Mashed Potatoes. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Garlicky Green Beans with Fried Onions

A delightful side dish of green beans topped with crispy fried onions, perfect for pleasing both adults and kids alike. — Garlicky Green Beans with Fried Onions. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Garlicky Green Beans with Fried Onions bring a throwback flavor that doesn’t need the casserole dish to prove their worth. With crispy onions and a garlic punch, this boomer side keeps things sharp without losing the familiarity people count on. It’s the kind of green bean dish that’s quietly stuck around for good reason. Every bite feels like something you’ve had at a hundred dinners—and still want at the next one.
Get the Recipe: Garlicky Green Beans with Fried Onions

Cranberry Apple Stuffing

A glass baking dish filled with a baked stuffing sits on a wooden cutting board. A serving spoon is in the stuffing, and a red cloth is draped to the left, perfect for cozy fall recipes. — Cranberry Apple Stuffing. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Cranberry Apple Stuffing is a side dish that’s been passed around more than once at holiday tables across generations. The mix of tangy cranberries and soft apples makes it a boomer side that feels both festive and reliable year after year. It’s baked the old-fashioned way and still checks all the boxes without needing extra upgrades. You know it’s stood the test of time when no one ever asks for a different version.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Apple Stuffing

Roasted Cabbage Steaks

Roasted cabbage steak topped with tomatoes, bacon, goat cheese, and more. — Roasted Cabbage Steaks. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Roasted Cabbage Steaks deliver the kind of hearty, no-nonsense satisfaction boomer sides are known for. The thick slices caramelize in the oven and soak up every bit of bacon and garlic like they’ve been doing it since the ’60s. They’re rich, comforting, and rely on nothing fancy to make an impact. There’s something grounding about a cabbage dish that still holds up on modern plates.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Cabbage Steaks

Brown Sugar Baked Sweet Potato Slices

Baked sweet potato slices on a cutting board with a spoon. — Brown Sugar Baked Sweet Potato Slices. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Brown Sugar Baked Sweet Potato Slices feel like the kind of dish that could’ve been pulled from a 1970s family recipe box—and that’s exactly the point. Their soft texture and cinnamon-spiced coating keep them firmly rooted in tradition. As a boomer side, they hit that nostalgic balance of sweet and savory that families haven’t stopped craving. Each bite brings back a sense of the familiar in the best way.
Get the Recipe: Brown Sugar Baked Sweet Potato Slices

Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts are the kind of side dish that brings back the kind of flavor older generations never questioned. Roasted until tender with a glaze that hits both sweet and tangy notes, it’s the kind of timeless preparation that continues to show up on dinner tables for a reason. This is one of those boomer sides that hasn’t needed reinventing—it just works. The balance of bold glaze and simple prep still hits like it always has.
Get the Recipe: Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Brioche Rolls

Brioche Rolls have stood the test of time thanks to their soft texture and lightly sweet flavor that pairs effortlessly with any classic meal. They’re one of those boomer sides that require patience but pay it back with every golden, buttery bite. Nothing too modern or overly fussy—just a roll that’s been showing up at Sunday dinners for decades. Their richness still makes a quiet statement on any table.
Get the Recipe: Brioche Rolls

Oven Roasted Root Vegetables

A dish of beets, sweet potatoes, and parsnips roasted in the oven with sprigs of sage. — Oven Roasted Root Vegetables. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Oven Roasted Root Vegetables speak to the kind of earth-grown, no-frills cooking that’s kept boomer sides going strong. Carrots, sweet potatoes, and parsnips roast together in a single pan until they’re caramelized and soft. It’s a side that’s stood up to changing food trends by never pretending to be anything other than what it is. The colors may brighten the plate, but it’s the roots of tradition that hold it there.
Get the Recipe: Oven Roasted Root Vegetables

Worcestershire Green Beans

Worcestershire Green Beans earn their place with a savory depth that comes from a sauce older generations knew how to use well. The beans stay crisp, and the shallots bring a little extra without stealing the show. This is a boomer side that doesn’t make a fuss but still manages to impress. It’s the kind of dish you taste once and trust for every big dinner after.
Get the Recipe: Worcestershire Green Beans

Basic Polenta

Basic Polenta is one of those boomer sides that’s quietly stuck around because it does its job well every time. Whether served soft and creamy or firm and sliced, it holds its place on the table like it always has—reliable, hearty, and adaptable. The preparation may be simple, but its versatility is exactly why it’s never faded out. It’s the kind of dish that doesn’t try hard but always gets remembered.
Get the Recipe: Basic Polenta

Brown Butter Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Brown Butter Garlic Mashed Potatoes are a classic side that owes its staying power to deep flavor and comforting texture. The brown butter and sage bring out a richness that’s been appreciated for generations without needing change. It’s a boomer side that’s been part of everything from holiday spreads to casual family dinners. One spoonful is all it takes to remember why some things don’t need fixing.
Get the Recipe: Brown Butter Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Screaming Skillet Green Beans

Screaming Skillet Green Beans carry the kind of heat and edge that made them a staple long before green beans went trendy. A hot pan, garlic, and a splash of white wine keep things flavorful without overcomplicating the prep. It’s exactly the kind of straightforward side dish that’s been cooking on stovetops for decades. The technique may be loud, but the staying power is quiet and sure.
Get the Recipe: Screaming Skillet Green Beans

Honey Garlic Carrots

Honey Garlic Carrots have that glossy, well-worn charm of a side that’s been doing things right for generations. They cook fast, they taste bold, and they don’t complicate the plate—exactly the traits that make a true boomer side. Sweetened just enough and rich in garlic, they walk the same trusted line between flavor and simplicity. They’re the kind of dependable side you’d find in a passed-down recipe card.
Get the Recipe: Honey Garlic Carrots

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad may look modern, but its flavors echo the layered, reliable combos that boomer sides are known for. Raw Brussels sprouts give crunch, while apples, cheese, and mustard dressing add the kind of balance that’s stood the test of time. It’s crisp and sturdy, like something your relatives would’ve approved of without needing convincing. Even with raw greens, it carries the weight of tradition on the plate.
Get the Recipe: Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots

Red, yellow, and orange honey glazed carrots on a slate board. — Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots lean into the kind of sweetness and softness that generations of diners have come to expect on the table. A honey-thyme glaze brings out what makes this boomer side feel like it belongs next to just about any main. They roast quickly and always seem to disappear just as fast. Some things stay popular because they simply do what they’re supposed to, and do it well.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots

Loaded Cauliflower Mash

Mashed cauliflower in a white bowl. — Loaded Cauliflower Mash. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Loaded Cauliflower Mash may look new at first glance, but its approach follows the rules that made boomer sides last: simple ingredients, layered flavor, and second-helping potential. Topped with cheese, bacon, and green onions, it feels like a nod to the casseroles of decades past. It swaps out the starch but keeps the richness, proving the spirit of classic sides doesn’t have to change. It’s a modern echo of the same big-hearted comfort older generations leaned on.
Get the Recipe: Loaded Cauliflower Mash

Easy Oven Asparagus

Cooked asparagus in a white bowl. — Easy Oven Asparagus. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Easy Oven Asparagus makes the case for simple sides that have lasted not because they’re fancy—but because they’re fast and good. With minimal prep and a clean roast, it’s one of those boomer sides that shows you don’t need a long recipe to get real flavor. There’s nothing flashy about it, and that’s part of its charm. It’s the quiet kind of dependable that still makes it to weeknight plates.
Get the Recipe: Easy Oven Asparagus

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Creamy Mashed Potatoes have been showing up to nearly every gathering without needing to announce themselves. Whipped with cream cheese for extra richness, they’re a side that’s just as expected today as they were 40 years ago. This is one of those boomer sides that everyone knows and still reaches for first. Their fluffiness always finds a way to bring people back to the table.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Mashed Potatoes