Some side dishes are so hearty and delicious that they can easily qualify for the title MAIN. Such is the case with this scrumptious dish made with just three ingredients (plus a little olive oil for frying). This is so easy and filling that we often have it two or three nights a week. Paired with a robust green salad and crispy artisan bread, it’s an excellent weeknight dinner.

Wouldn’t you say, “When it comes to side dishes, the easier the better”? That’s what makes vegetables terrific. They don’t need a lot of attention to come out right: If you pan-fry them, they need to sit and sizzle. If you roast them, there’s a magic temperature of 425 degrees F that results in perfection.

And three veggies that fit this description are potatoes, onions, and bell peppers. When combined, you can’t go wrong. And even better, this recipe turns into a main dish with only a few more minutes of work. The timing depends on what you want to add. Shrimp, beef, and chicken are the three proteins we used at our house. Leftover pulled pork or cooked and crumbled bacon would be delicious as well.

I first found this recipe on www.allrecipes.com and we’ve used and loved it ever since. It comes with a huge list of rave reviews and lots of reader suggestions. For instance:

“Use your favorite ingredients. For a colorful and healthy dish, try using purple fingerling potatoes and multi-colored bell peppers. Adding a dose of cayenne pepper gives it extra zing.”

“Roast them. Instead of the stove top, you can make this in the oven. Add green peppers along with the red for a dazzling dish. Roast the vegetables in the oven at 400 for about 35-40 minutes or until potatoes are done (turning the mixture once or twice). And add some garlic, too. Finally, this is also good with half white and half sweet potato."

“Make it fancy. It’s a perfect side dish with steak or beef tips. Substituting garlic infused oil for plain olive oil really boosts the flavor. And try substituting some of the sweet onion with shallots for a little complexity.”

“Make breakfast. It’s a terrific substitute for hash browns. Or work it into your favorite breakfast burrito recipe. And for one of the best ever breakfasts, be sure to add sausage!”

We’ve tried these suggestions and they’re spot on. Here’s the recipe. Add your touch of creativity and let us know what you think!




Add Recipe to Cook'n

    Alice Osborne
    DVO Newsletter Contributor since 2006
    Email the author! alice@dvo.com