Low-Calorie Vegetable Side Dish Recipes

Roasted kohlrabi has a pleasantly tender yet not watery texture, similar to broccoli stalks. Its mild flavor lets the garlic, serrano and cilantro play starring roles in this easy side dish recipe.

With layers of soft, buttery leeks and tender-crisp kohlrabi, this is not your grandma's gratin--it's better. Use a mandoline for the most even slices of kohlrabi. Serve this healthy side dish in place of potato gratin with roast chicken or pork for a satisfying dinner.

Caesar salad, croutons and all, meets sautéed Swiss chard in this healthy side dish recipe. Serve along with roasted or baked chicken or fish for a healthy weeknight dinner.

You may not have considered onions as candidates for the spiralizer, but you should. They create beautiful ribbons that make this recipe reminiscent of fried shoestring onions. And because this onion ring-inspired recipe is baked rather than fried, they're really easy to make. Serve them as a side with burgers or as a crunchy healthy snack for game night.

Madeira, a fortified wine from the Portuguese island of the same name, has a sweet, mellow flavor somewhat like sherry (which can be used as a substitute here). Serve this healthy vegetable side dish with steak or chicken or add it to a salad or grain bowl.

If Mexican street corn took a trip to Genoa, it might come back slathered in pesto butter like this grilled corn on the cob recipe. This Italian flair works because the flavors of basil and Parmesan have a natural affinity with corn.

Serve these crispy zucchini fritters with creamy dill-yogurt sauce during the summer when zucchinis are abundant at the farmers' market (or in your backyard garden). The key to the best fritters is moisture management. Zucchini is primarily made up of water, so this recipe starts with a two-step process of salting and squeezing the vegetable to remove as much of that water as possible. Once that simple step is done, this easy healthy recipe comes together in a snap.

Lively tasting quick pickled zucchini is a nice addition to any summer lunch or dinner spread. Cutting the zucchini into long strips makes for a pretty presentation.

Zucchini or any other kind of summer squash will work in this easy vegetable side dish. Serve with grilled chicken or fish for a quick and healthy dinner.

This grilled zucchini recipe is perfect for summertime bumper crops of zucchini. The tomato-mint relish would be great on all sorts of grilled vegetables.

If you can find torpedo onions, try them in this healthy grilled recipe. These long, cylindrical purple onions, similar in flavor and texture to leeks, soften and caramelize to a sweet finish on the grill. You can find them at farmers' markets in spring or fall. Any spring onion or even 1-inch-thick slices of sweet onion make a good substitute.

The multilayered fruitiness of fig-infused balsamic (look for it with other vinegars at the market) is a nice balance for the sweet and salty prosciutto-wrapped asparagus spears.

For this healthy side dish recipe, kale bundles are grilled and topped with an easy sauce. "Enhancing" store-bought barbecue sauce with tart (or sour) cherry juice to make a drizzle nudges this side dish into the speedy category.

Rainbow carrots are a feast for the eyes in this healthy and easy side dish, although any colors will be just as tasty. If you like, save some of the carrot greens for garnish.

In this easy and healthy side dish recipe, broccolini turns vivid green and gets sweeter on the grill--delightful when drizzled with the juice of grilled lemons.

If you are short on time, you can purchase labneh from well-stocked grocery stores and Middle Eastern markets, but making your own is as simple as straining yogurt and lemon juice overnight in the refrigerator. The tangy sauce is a perfect foil for these garlicky, crispy fried artichokes.

The nutty saltiness of Parmesan cheese is an excellent match for the sweet, delicate licorice flavor of fennel in this quick and easy side dish recipe.

In this veggie-forward spin on Texas-style barbecue, we swap the traditional brisket for root vegetables and rely on the chipotles in the sauce to bring the smokiness to the table. These vegetables are a versatile side for all sorts of mains, whether you're in the mood for meat or want to go vegetarian with grilled tofu or a bean dish.

Cooking radishes in bacon drippings mellows the flavor and tempers their bite. The crispy bacon gives the dish a rich, meaty flavor that is complemented by garlic and thyme. Serve this easy side dish alongside pork chops or chicken.

Peanut butter, balanced with a little soy sauce and vinegar, makes a delicious and kid-friendly sauce for broccoli and other vegetables. Giving the broccoli a head start by steaming it before sautéing it with the other vegetables ensures that all the vegetables are nicely cooked at the same time.