25 Vegetable Side Dish Ideas Kids Will Actually Like

August 27, 2019
We're always looking for new vegetable sides the whole family will love. These kid-friendly vegetable recipes are healthy and easy—perfect for weeknight dinners!
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Maple Roasted Carrots

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Roasting brings out the inherent sweetness in carrots--but add a little maple syrup and butter and you have a caramelized vegetable your kids (and you!) will actually want to eat seconds of.

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Kid-Friendly Salad

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Make salad something your kids will actually want to eat with this kid-friendly crudité. Put it out before dinner and watch them eat all their veggies without a fuss!

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Broccoli Casserole

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The lightened-up luscious sauce elevates this easy casserole recipe over standard broccoli and cheese side dishes.

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Homemade Ranch Dressing with Veggies

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Make a big batch of homemade ranch dressing to keep on hand for dipping crisp, raw vegetables anytime for a healthy snack both kids and adults will enjoy.

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Maple-Roasted Sweet Potatoes

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In this easy vegetable side dish recipe, sweet potatoes are tossed with maple syrup, butter and lemon juice and are roasted until tender and golden brown. The delicious glaze that forms on these maple-roasted sweet potatoes transform this ultra-simple dish into something sublime.

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Parmesan Broccoli Bites

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Almond flour (aka almond meal) makes the coating on these broccoli "fries" extra-crunchy and flavorful. Find it in the gluten-free section of large supermarkets and natural-foods stores.

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Maple-Chili Roasted Butternut Squash

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To give this healthy vegetable side dish recipe a different kind of heat, try a single-chile powder, such as ancho or chipotle. Serve with simple roasted salmon or chicken, or toss into a green salad with sunflower seeds.

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Smashed Cucumber Salad with Lemon & Cumin

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Don't skip salting the cucumbers in this quick cucumber salad recipe--just 10 minutes pulls out some of their excess moisture, concentrating the flavor and keeping the salad from being watered down. Serve as a healthy side dish at a summer cookout alongside burgers and hot dogs.

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Oven Sweet Potato Fries

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Making oven fries out of sweet potatoes brings out their inherent sweetness.

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Parmesan Cauliflower Tater Tots

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Cauliflower stands in for potato in this taterless cauliflower tot recipe. Cauliflower is mashed, then mixed with cheese and given a crispy breadcrumb coating before being baked. These healthy cauliflower tater tots make a delicious side dish, appetizer or movie-night snack. Dip them in regular ketchup or make a spicy dipping sauce: Combine 1/3 cup ketchup with 2 tablespoons sriracha chile sauce and a dash of Worcestershire sauce.

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Zucchini Gratin

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This delicious zucchini gratin recipe has a delectable crispy Parmesan and breadcrumb topping and is made without any butter or cream, allowing the fresh zucchini flavor to shine. Slice the zucchini uniformly to ensure even cooking.

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Broccoli with Creamy Parmesan Sauce

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Topping steamed broccoli with a good-for-you cheese sauce is an easy way to entice picky eaters to eat their veggies.

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Boiled Corn on the Cob

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Want to know how to boil corn on the cob? This boiled corn on the cob recipe starts with 4 ears of fresh summer corn.

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Roasted Acorn Squash with Cider Drizzle

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Roasting squash in the oven caramelizes its natural sugars. Here we serve acorn squash with a cider reduction that's spiced with cinnamon and cloves. A touch of butter gives it a luxurious finish.

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Kale Chips

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Not a fan of kale? These crispy baked kale chips will convert you! For the best result, don't overcrowd the pans.

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Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes

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This healthy recipe is a savory riff on the traditional brown-sugar-and-pecan-topped sweet potato casserole so often found on Thanksgiving tables. Crispy baby kale leaves make a stunning garnish, but any green or herb that suits you will look great, fried or not.

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Skillet Cauliflower Gratin

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Nonfat milk and a bit of sharp Cheddar combine to make a rich sauce without all the butter usually found in gratins.

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Avocado Fries with Sriracha Aioli

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Creamy avocados are a delicious foil to crunchy breading in this healthy oven-fried avocado fries recipe. Dip into spicy Sriracha dipping sauce for a flavor explosion. Save your ripe avocados for guacamole or toast--only firm ones will do when making these fries.

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Edamame Nibbles

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This healthy edamame recipe is a classic Japanese preparation. Enjoy these nibbles as an appetizer or healthy snack.

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Brown Sugar-Glazed Beets

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Try a sweet glaze on beets or other root vegetables to help balance their earthy flavor. This easy recipe will work with steamed carrots, turnips or rutabaga too.

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Sesame Carrots

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Toasted sesame seeds add taste and eye appeal to a cheery plate of crunchy carrots.

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Crunchy Popcorn Cauliflower

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A cunchy, savory pretzel-pecan coating turns roasted, caramelized cauliflower into an irresistible appetizer or kids' snack that mimics flavored popcorn. Serve this popcorn cauliflower straight from the oven with a dipping sauce and watch these tasty little bites disappear.

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Colorful Roasted Sheet-Pan Veggies

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These easy roasted vegetables will give your plate a pop of color. Give the cubes of butternut squash a head start for 10 minutes to soften in the oven before adding in the other veggies. The broccoli, peppers and onion are naturally more tender than the butternut squash and cook more quickly. That way everything ends up finishing at the same time.

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Garlic-Rosemary Smashed Potatoes

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A combination of baked, mashed and roasted, these crusty, garlicky smashed potatoes are a healthy and creative alternative. Serve alongside a seared steak or roasted pork tenderloin and green beans.

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Guacamole-Stuffed Mini Peppers

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The simple homemade guacamole in this healthy snack recipe couldn't be easier to whip up! We cut some carbs by stuffing the guac in halved mini bell peppers--or use them as guacamole dippers instead of tortilla chips.

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