Easy! 5 Essential Recipes for the Perfect Cheap Sides (2024)

I am a complicator at times. I will complicate supper. In fact, I can complicate it so much that I get overwhelmed and frustrated, and end up making burgers every night.

My kids will tell you that we should have stock in french fries, too. Seriously, I will cook fries almost every night because I’m worn out and don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking. Although, I might switch it up and cook tater tots on occasion. I want us to be well-rounded after all, right?

Now, the first essential recipe include potatoes, simply because they are the perfect cheap sides.

Crack Potatoes

I call these crack potatoes because they are so addictive. These are a cinch to make and don’t cost much at all. You’re only going to use half of the potatoes, so you can make these again soon with the other half. They’re great for a side dish or appetizer when you don’t feel like spending much time in the kitchen. They work with almost any main meal, too.

• 32 oz. bag frozen diced potatoes
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 – 1/2 cups sour cream
• 1/4 cup onion (chopped)
• 2 cups Corn Flakes (Gluten-free alternative – Arrowhead Mills Organic Gluten-Free Maple Buckwheat Flakes).
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Mix half the bag of diced potatoes, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and chopped onion in a large bowl. Pour into a 9″ x 9″ casserole dish. Spread the Corn Flakes over the top. Melt the butter in a small bowl and pour over the Corn Flakes. Bake for approximately 60 minutes.

Crock Pot Corn on the Cob

So, I set a record in my family for eating the most corn on the cob. I was pretty young, too–around 13 or 14-years-old. I’m pretty proud of that accomplishment.

Some people have trophies, I have corn memories.

My grandparents raised corn on their farm and it was delicious, to say the least. If you tasted their corn, you’d be fighting me for the corn-eating title. I just know it.

This is a super easy recipe and it turns out so yummy.

• 6 ears of corn
• 1 – 13.5 oz. can of coconut milk
• 1 stick butter (diced into tablespoons)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• water

Clean off the corn and place the ears into the Crock Pot. Add the coconut milk, butter, salt, and pepper. Add enough water to cover the corn. Cook on low for 4 hours, or high for 2 hours.

Crock Pot Southern Green Beans

In all truth, I am not big of veggies. But, I do like green beans. Green beans with bacon are even better. This is a simple recipe that you can cook up in the Crock Pot while you’re at work or running kids all over the place. If you’re already cooking bacon on the weekend for breakfast, throw in some more in the frying pan and set it aside for later in the week. That way, you won’t have to spend much time prepping for this side dish. Or, you can buy cooked bacon.

• 4 – 14.5 oz. cans green beans
• 14 oz. chicken broth
• 1/2 cup onion (chopped)
• 1/2 pound bacon and drippings
• dash of salt
• dash of pepper

Add everything to the Crock Pot on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2 hours.

Looking for something easy to cook? you’ll love this

Cheap and Easy Southern Chicken and Dumplings.

Cornbread Casserole

• 1 – 15 oz. can whole kernel sweet corn
• 1 – 15 oz. can cream corn
• 1 – 8.5 oz. box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
• 1 stick butter (melted)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Mix everything, (except the cheese) in a medium-sized bowl. Pour into a greased 9″ x 9″ casserole dish. Bake for 45-minutes or until the center is done. Pull it out of the oven, sprinkle the cheese on top, and return to oven. Bake until cheese is melted.

Check out some more delicious recipes at Made by You Monday over on Skip to my Lou!

Maple Syrup and Baked Beans

This is a great meal to fill up tummies. Beans are super filling and good for you. It’s an easy mix-up and doesn’t take too long to cook. You could even make this a meal if you wanted to. Plus, it’s inexpensive to make. You can prepare the bacon ahead and save yourself some time, or buy it from the store precooked.

• 1 – 28. oz. can pork and beans
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp. prepared mustard
• 2 Tbsp. ketchup
• 2 strips of bacon (cooked, crumbled)
• Handful of onion (diced)

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Mix the pork and beans, syrup, ketchup, mustard, and onion in a medium-sized bowl. Pour into a 9″ x 9″ casserole dish. Add the crumbled bacon on top. Bake for 40-45 minutes, uncovered.

Check out more delicious recipes over at the following five blogs:

SouthernBite|Big Bear’s Wife|SouthernPlate|ASouthernSoul

Julia’s SimplySouthern