During the holidays, everybody knows that sides make the meal. Whether you like traditional recipes handed down from Grandma, trendy dishes inspired by global cuisine, or something in between, Vitamix is here to help you make a meal worth celebrating.
For Vitamix Culinary Team member Derek Clayton, side dishes are about foods that evoke comforting, happy, holiday memories. Derek grew up just outside of Detroit, Michigan, the son of an engineer and an educator. Both of Derek’s parents grew up on farms and raised him with an appreciation for backyard gardens and seasonal fruits and vegetables.
In the early 2000s, Derek worked as a sous chef to James Beard Award–winning chef Takashi Yagihashi at Tribute, which The New York Times called "maybe the best restaurant between New York and Chicago, and certainly the finest in Detroit." There, Derek learned true culinary innovation was more about perspective than ingredients. “There isn’t a lot that’s new in terms of flavor combinations,“ Derek says. “Maybe it's more about changing your point of view.” Watching Yagihashi approach French dishes with a Japanese sensibility opened up a world of possibilities and influenced Derek’s approach to recipe creation. As chef at Michael Symon’s restaurant Lola, one of Derek's signature creations was a short rib dish that captured the flavors of his grandmother’s pot roast.
Derek likes traditional side dishes, like mashed potatoes. “I’ve eaten at some really great restaurants, but I love meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans when my wife cooks.” When creating on-trend side dishes, Derek strives for a cohesive menu. Instead of being trendy for the sake of being trendy, Derek’s approach combines familiar dishes with a change of perspective. And sometimes, that shift is global, “One thing I love about food is the cross-culturalness of it,” Derek notes. “Food doesn’t respect borders.” For instance, Derek transformed green bean casserole with a touch of Latin American flavor. For his Green Bean and Poblano Casserole, Derek swapped in Tofu Crema for mushroom soup and topped it with crispy, julienned tortilla strips instead of fried onions, creating a dish that’s both trendy and traditional. “I’m inspired by memories of foods I used to enjoy and then combining them with a new sensibility,” he says.
Side dishes matter most when they bring comfort and just enough freshness to feel new. Derek’s approach is simple: honor the classics, add a thoughtful twist or two, and let great ingredients speak for themselves. Here are his dos and don’ts for holiday sides worth remembering.
Derek’s Guide to Awesome Sides
Don’t try to reinvent the wheel.
Keep it simple. Too many flavors and influences can ruin a dish. Think pumpkin pie sushi rolls dipped in blue cheese sauce. Don’t do that.
Do cook seasonally.
Use ingredients that are fresh and in season in your area — that’s when their flavor shines the brightest.
Don’t debut something brand new on a big holiday.
A high-pressure meal like Thanksgiving dinner isn’t the time for experiments. Stick with dishes you know and love.
Do add one or two dishes.
Bring something new to the table, but keep it in balance. Adding just one or two thoughtful dishes is enough to surprise and delight without overwhelming the holiday spread.
Don’t mess with perfection.
Be humble. Derek says, “What can you do to a great peach to make it better? Not much.” Sometimes, the simplest prep is the best.
