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The Passport Kitchen

18 Old-Fashioned, Vintage Side Dishes That We Should Bring Back

March 9, 2025 by Amanda Tyler Leave a Comment

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The best part of a meal?

The side dishes, of course!

These nostalgic side dishes are the perfect accompaniment to any meal you might have planned. Some recipes have been around forever for a reason. They were delicious then and are delicious now. For some reason, they aren’t as popular now, but they should be! We need to bring them back into style!

These old-fashioned, vintage side dishes deserve to grace our tables again!

Gluten-Free Homemade Potato Salad

Gluten Free Homemade Potato Salad
Image Credit:theheritagecook.com.

This old-fashioned simple Potato Salad is the perfect side dish for summer gatherings. It’s easy and quick to make and best served chilled. Make it a day ahead for a hassle-free meal!

Get The Recipe: Gluten-Free Homemade Potato Salad

Creamed Peas With Pearl Onions

Creamed Peas with Pearl Onions.
Image Credit: Gypsyplate.

This Creamed Peas with Pearl Onions is a simple, incredibly easy, and quick side dish that’s a classic from our grandmother’s era.

Get the Recipe: Creamed Peas with Pearl Onions

Green Bean Potato Salad

Green Bean Potato Salad.
Image Credit: Vegan Focus.

Try the Vegan Green Bean Potato Salad for a refreshing and nutritious vintage side dish. This simple vegan recipe pairs soft baby potatoes with crunchy green beans, creating a pleasing mix of textures and flavors.

Get the Recipe: Green Bean Potato Salad

Spicy Dill Pickle Spears 

Easy Spicy Dill Pickle Spears Recipe.
Image Credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

If you’re searching for a tasty snack or side dish, try these simple spicy dill pickle spears. They offer a delightful way to savor the zesty crunch of pickles without the lengthy process of traditional canning.

Get the Recipe: Easy Spicy Dill Pickle Spears Recipe

Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole.
Image Credit: Save Money Fever.

This Roasted Sweet Potato Casserole is one of my preferred side dishes. The delightful combination of sweet potatoes with maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger creates an incredibly delicious flavor!

Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Casserole

Creamed Cabbage 

Creamed Cabbage Recipe.
Image Credit: The Peasant’s Daughter.

The comforting flavors of traditional creamed cabbage with this delicious recipe are perfect for adding a rich, savory side dish to your meals.

Get the Recipe: Creamed Cabbage 

Marvelous Marshmallow Fruit Salad 

Make This Marvelous Marshmallow Fruit Salad in Minutes.
Image Credit: Two Kids and a Coupon.

Create this delightful marshmallow fruit salad for an enjoyable, calm, no-bake summer treat. Talk about a classic treat!

Get the Recipe: Marvelous Marshmallow Fruit Salad 

Fried Okra

Fried Okra,
Image Credit: Miss in the Kitchen.

These Southern Fried Okra is a crispy and delightful treat. It’s prepared with fresh okra, dipped in buttermilk, and coated in a seasoned blend of flour and cornmeal. This dish makes a flavorful addition to any meal.

Get the Recipe: Fried Okra

Black Cherry Jello Salad With Cream Cheese

Black Cherry Jello Salad with Cream Cheese.
Image Credit: Life Around the Table.

Jello salads need to be making a comeback! The Black Cherry Jello Salad with Cream Cheese and Pecans, for instance, is a sophisticated choice for a side dish or dessert, offering a rich fruit flavor that’s delightfully refreshing. The inclusion of small chunks of cream cheese and the crunch of pecans interspersed within the black cherry jello provide a unique texture that’s quite appealing.

Get the Recipe: Black Cherry Jello Salad with Cream Cheese

Cafeteria Rolls

Cafeteria Rolls.
Image Credit: Maria’s Mixing Bowl.

Cafeteria Rolls make an ideal complement to any dish. Whether paired with a robust soup or served as buttery rolls during a festive dinner, these tender and airy rolls are bound to be crowd-pleasers.

Get the Recipe: Cafeteria Rolls

Old Fashioned Cucumber Salad 

Easy Old Fashioned Cucumber Salad (with onions).
Image Credit: Blackberry Babe.

Prepare this classic old-fashioned cucumber salad with fresh garden cucumbers! It’s delightful, featuring a sweet and straightforward vinegar dressing reminiscent of the kind Grandma used to make.

Get the Recipe: Old Fashioned Cucumber Salad

Healthy Creamed Spinach

Healthy Creamed Spinach.
Image Credit: Living Chirpy.

This healthy creamed spinach is a nutritious, gluten-free, and keto-friendly side dish that’s as delicious as it is visually appealing! Perfect for any weeknight dinner, this simple creamed spinach recipe combines fresh spinach, rich heavy cream, tender cauliflower, and savory parmesan cheese to create a scrumptious spinach in cream sauce. 

Get the Recipe: Healthy Creamed Spinach

Bacon Succotash

Bacon Succotash.
Image Credit: Little Black Skillet.

Celebrate all that warm-weather produce has to offer with this scrumptious bacon succotash made in my favorite cast-iron skillet! It has a mixture of fresh sweet corn, lima beans, tomatoes, crispy bacon, and fresh basil, making this a delicious side dish the whole family will love!

Get the Recipe: Bacon Succotash

Chicken Salad With Grapes

Chicken Salad with Grapes.
Image Credit: Homemade Hooplah.

This sweeter twist on chicken salad features grapes, pecans, celery, poppy seeds, and hints of lemon and honey, making it perfect for a side dish or a sandwich!

Get the Recipe: Chicken Salad with Grapes

Grandma’s Baked Rice With Mushrooms

Grandma’s Baked Rice With Mushrooms.
Image Credit: Cooking with Carlee.

This delicious baked rice recipe incorporates beef broth and mushrooms, making it the ideal savory side dish. It only takes a few minutes to prepare and is completely hands-off once in the oven, making it an easy and tasty addition to any dinner menu.

Get the Recipe: Grandma’s Baked Rice With Mushrooms

Greek Lemon Rice Recipe

Greek Lemon Rice Recipe.
Image Credit: Kalyn’s Kitchen.

If you’ve enjoyed the lemon rice at a Greek restaurant, try this Greek Lemon Rice Recipe to recreate this traditional dish at home. You can use converted rice with fewer carbs than standard white rice, so this delicious side dish is not as high in carbohydrates as you might expect!

Get the Recipe: Greek Lemon Rice Recipe

Vegan Southern Squash Casserole

Vegan Southern Squash Casserole (Gluten-Free, Allergy-Free).

Image Credit: Strength and Sunshine.

This Vegan Southern Squash Casserole recipe is just like the old-fashioned classic.  It’s made with fresh seasonal yellow squash, a creamy, cheesy dairy-free sauce, and buttery gluten-free cracker crumb topping. It’s a perfect allergy-free side dish to feed a crowd at potlucks or holiday gatherings. 

Get the Recipe: Vegan Southern Squash Casserole

Easy One Pot Stewed Potatoes

Easy One Pot Stewed Potatoes.

Image Credit: Moon and Spoon and Yum.

These easy one-pot stewed potatoes make a delicious side dish that can be served alongside a large variety of main courses or enjoyed just as it is for a bit of comfort food.

Get the Recipe: Easy One-Pot Stewed Potatoes

 

Read More:

young woman eating chocolate cake.

Image Credit: Kues/Shutterstock.

Looking for more yummy desserts? Check out these awesome recipes!

Like this: 17 Dump-and-Go Dessert Recipes That Are Super Easy

And This: 30 No-Bake Dessert Recipes To Make When It’s Too Hot to Bake

And This: 23 Irresistibly Delicious Puff Pastry Desserts That Are Incredibly Good

 

Filed Under: Great Food

Previous Post: « 12 Vegetable Side Dishes to Add to Your Menu That Will Make Everyone Come Back for More
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