Skip to content

Top Navigation

EatingWell EatingWell
  • Healthy Recipes
  • Special Diets
  • Diabetes
  • Healthy Meal Plans
  • Healthy Eating
  • Healthy Lifestyle
  • Healthy Cooking
  • News
  • Videos
Log In Account Details

Profile Menu

Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Favorites
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Favorites
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Pin FB

Explore EatingWell

EatingWell EatingWell
  • Explore

    Explore

    • What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Nuts Every Day

      What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Nuts Every Day

      Here's what the research says about this nutritious and versatile type of food. Read More
    • African Heritage Diet as Medicine: How Black Food Can Heal the Community

      African Heritage Diet as Medicine: How Black Food Can Heal the Community

      We’ve been conditioned to think that traditional Black food is not nutritious, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. History and food are a source of empowerment to change the narrative regarding nutrition and health across the African diaspora. Read More
    • 20 Healthy 5-Ingredient Dinners in 30 Minutes or Less

      20 Healthy 5-Ingredient Dinners in 30 Minutes or Less

      All you need is 5 ingredients—aside from pantry staples like salt, pepper and oil—to make one of these delicious meals. Plus, they only take 30 minutes or less to prepare, so dinner tonight is bound to be a breeze. Recipes like our Creamy Chicken & Mushrooms and Teriyaki-Glazed Cod with Cauliflower Rice are healthy, tasty and easy choices for any night. Read More
  • Healthy Recipes

    Healthy Recipes

    See All Healthy Recipes
    • Healthy Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
    • Healthy Lunch Recipes
    • Healthy Dinner Recipes
    • Healthy Snack Recipes
    • Healthy Dessert Recipes
    • Healthy Soup Recipes
    • Healthy Salad Recipes
    • Healthy Smoothie Recipes
    • Healthy Quick & Easy Recipes
    • Healthy Slow-Cooker & Crockpot Recipes
    • Healthy Kids Recipes
    • Healthy Holiday Recipes
    • Healthy Vegan Recipes
    • Healthy Vegetarian Recipes
    • Healthy Mediterranean Diet Recipes
    • Healthy Diabetes-Friendly Recipes
    • Healthy Low-Calorie Recipes
    • Healthy Weight Loss & Diet Recipes
    • More Lifestyle Diet Recipes
    • More Health Condition Recipes
    • More Dietary Restriction Recipes
    • More Nutrient Focused Recipes
  • Special Diets

    Special Diets

    See All Special Diets
    • Clean Eating Diet Center
    • Mediterranean Diet Center
    • Low-Carb Diet Center
    • Weight Loss Center
    • Dairy-Free Diet Center
    • Gluten-Free Diet Center
    • High-Fiber Diet Center
    • Vegan Diet Center
    • Vegetarian Diet Center
    • Heart-Healthy Diet Center
    • Cholesterol Diet Center
    • Diabetes Diet Center
    • High Blood Pressure Diet Center
    • Low Sodium Diet Center
    • Healthy Aging Diet Center
    • Pregnancy Diet Center
  • Diabetes

    Diabetes

    See All Diabetes
    • Meal Plans for Diabetes
    • Diabetes-Friendly Recipes
    • Diabetes Diet Center
  • Healthy Meal Plans

    Healthy Meal Plans

    See All Healthy Meal Plans
    • Meal Planning 101
    • Dinner Plans
    • Clean Eating Meal Plans
    • Mediterranean Diet Meal Plans
    • Low-Carb Meal Plans
    • Weight-Loss Meal Plans
    • Dairy-Free Meal Plans
    • Gluten-Free Meal Plans
    • High-Fiber Meal Plans
    • Vegan Meal Plans
    • Vegetarian Meal Plans
    • Heart-Healthy Meal Plans
    • Low Cholesterol Meal Plans
    • Meal Plans for Diabetes
    • Blood Pressure Meal Plans
    • Low Sodium Meal Plans
    • Anti-Aging Meal Plans
    • Pregnancy Meal Plans
    • Healthy Kids Meal Plans
    • ThePrep
  • Healthy Eating

    Healthy Eating

    See All Healthy Eating
    • Healthy Eating 101
    • Eat More Vegetables
    • 30-Day Challenges
    • Good Food Fast
    • Healthy Eating for Kids
    • Best Healthy Foods
    • Green and Sustainable Eating
    • The Beet
    • Transformed
  • Healthy Lifestyle

    Healthy Lifestyle

    See All Healthy Lifestyle
    • Wine, Beer & Spirits Guide
    • Entertaining
    • EatingWell in Real Life
    • Plant Your Plate
    • Healthy Pets
    • American Food Heroes
    • Future of Food
    • Food with Purpose
    • Obsessed
  • Healthy Cooking

    Healthy Cooking

    See All Healthy Cooking
    • Healthy Cooking How-To's
    • Ask the Test Kitchen
    • Budget Cooking Guide
    • Thrifty
    • Heritage Cooking
  • News
  • Videos

Profile Menu

Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Favorites
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Favorites
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home
  2. Healthy Recipes
  3. Recipes for Specific Health Condition
  4. Healthy Diabetic Recipes
  5. Diabetic Side Dish Recipes
  6. 18 Quick & Easy Diabetes-Friendly Holiday Side Dishes

18 Quick & Easy Diabetes-Friendly Holiday Side Dishes

Alex Loh
Alex Loh Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD December 22, 2020
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Green Beans Amandine

Make a fast and flavorful side dish to accompany your holiday meal. These diabetes-friendly recipes are low in calories, sodium and saturated fat, so you can easily follow a healthy eating pattern. Side dishes like Green Beans Amandine and Kale Salad with Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing are easy, delicious and on the table in 25 minutes or less.

Start Slideshow

1 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Kale Salad with Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing

Kale Salad with Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

The lightly sweet, creamy homemade poppy seed dressing takes this crunchy salad to the next level for a mouthwatering vegetable side dish or light lunch. Top with cooked chicken for a heartier meal.

1 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Roasted Kalettes

3758928.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Kalettes, a cross between kale and Brussels sprouts, cook quickly in a hot oven in this easy vegetable side dish recipe.

2 of 18

3 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Garlic-Parmesan Asparagus

7561903.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

In this garlic-Parmesan-crusted asparagus recipe, we combine Parmesan cheese, whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs and walnuts for a crispy topping that's baked over asparagus. Roasting the asparagus spears in a hot oven keeps them tender-crisp in this quick side dish!

3 of 18

Advertisement

4 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Zucchini & Mushroom Saute

7669449.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Serve this simple side dish with grilled turkey burgers. Other fresh herbs, like thyme or oregano, work well too.

4 of 18

5 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Green Beans Amandine

Green Beans Amandine
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

A rich browned butter and white wine sauce updates this holiday mainstay. Haricots verts are French-style green beans that are slender and delicate. You can usually find bags of them in the produce section. The packaged beans are often trimmed, which saves time. You can sub traditional green beans; steam those about 2 minutes longer in Step 1.

5 of 18

6 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Simple Sautéed Spinach

Simple Sautéed Spinach
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Sautéed spinach (or any greens) with garlic and a squeeze of lemon (or vinegar) is a simple formula that lets spinach shine and will never go out of favor.

6 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Brown Sugar-Glazed Beets

3757020.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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.

7 of 18

8 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Roasted Asparagus Parmesan

7213170.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This oven-roasted asparagus Parmesan has just the right amount of cheese--and it's incredibly easy to make. Serve this healthy side dish with chicken, fish, lamb--or any other protein.

8 of 18

9 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Broccoli and Cauliflower Sauté

5450463.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Mix up these nutrient-packed cruciferous vegetables for a flavorful and healthy side dish.

9 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Basic Green Salad with Vinaigrette

3832916.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Make a larger batch of this basic vinaigrette to have on hand for salads throughout the week.

10 of 18

11 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Creamed Corn

<p>Our take on this classic is subtly flavored and every bit as creamy as the full-fat original.</p>
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Our take on this classic is subtly flavored and every bit as creamy as the full-fat original.

11 of 18

12 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Broccoli Rabe with Orange & Sesame

<p>You can go without using oil if you are cooking broccoli rabe in the dry heat of a skillet. It adds a nice sear to the oranges as well. Seasoned with toasty sesame, this healthy vegetable side dish is an easy flavor upgrade.</p>
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

You can go without using oil if you are cooking broccoli rabe in the dry heat of a skillet. It adds a nice sear to the oranges as well. Seasoned with toasty sesame, this healthy vegetable side dish is an easy flavor upgrade.

12 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Sautéed Mushroom Salad

Roasted Mushroom Salad
Credit: Photography / Jenny Huang, Food Styling / Tyna Hoang, Prop Styling / Nicole Louie
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Here we make a warm sherry-mushroom dressing to toss over bitter greens. The dressing wilts the greens until they are just tender.

13 of 18

14 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Quick Vegetable Saute

3757414.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Add a little shallot and dried dill or tarragon to any mixture of frozen vegetables and have a delicious side dish on the table fast. If you'd like to make this recipe with fresh vegetables instead, cut them into bite-size pieces and add a tablespoon or two of water to the skillet when you add the vegetables; adjust the cooking time as needed.

14 of 18

15 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Simple Green Salad with Citronette

3994519.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Frisée and radicchio are both assertive, slightly bitter greens that add color and texture to any salad. Match them with mellower-flavored greens, such as red leaf lettuce, baby spinach or even Boston lettuce.

15 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Broccoli with Caramelized Onions & Pine Nuts

3755531.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Broccoli's impressive nutritional profile (think folate, vitamins C and A, fiber, phytochemicals) puts it high on the list of foods to eat more of, an inviting task when you toss it with crunchy pine nuts, soft, sweet onions and tangy balsamic vinegar.

16 of 18

17 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Charred Green Beans with Mustard Vinaigrette & Hazelnuts

5486646.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Our go-to trick for this crunchy, mustardy vegan side dish: Use a grill basket--it lets you cook all the things that would ordinarily fall through the grill grates, no skewering required. Pick one up from the hardware store or order one online for less than $15.

17 of 18

18 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Warm Red Cabbage Salad

3756475.jpg
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

In this quick German-inspired side dish, red cabbage is cooked until just tender and combined with sweet apples, caraway and a tangy vinaigrette. Serve with roasted pork loin or turkey kielbasa.

18 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Alex Loh

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 18 Kale Salad with Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing
    2 of 18 Roasted Kalettes
    3 of 18 Garlic-Parmesan Asparagus
    4 of 18 Zucchini & Mushroom Saute
    5 of 18 Green Beans Amandine
    6 of 18 Simple Sautéed Spinach
    7 of 18 Brown Sugar-Glazed Beets
    8 of 18 Roasted Asparagus Parmesan
    9 of 18 Broccoli and Cauliflower Sauté
    10 of 18 Basic Green Salad with Vinaigrette
    11 of 18 Creamed Corn
    12 of 18 Broccoli Rabe with Orange & Sesame
    13 of 18 Sautéed Mushroom Salad
    14 of 18 Quick Vegetable Saute
    15 of 18 Simple Green Salad with Citronette
    16 of 18 Broccoli with Caramelized Onions & Pine Nuts
    17 of 18 Charred Green Beans with Mustard Vinaigrette & Hazelnuts
    18 of 18 Warm Red Cabbage Salad

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    EatingWell

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing
    • Recipe Index
    • Jobs
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletters
    Sign Up
    Meredith© 2023 EatingWell.com is part of the Allrecipes Food Group. EatingWell may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. All Right Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright EatingWell. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.eatingwell.com

    Sign in

    View image

    18 Quick & Easy Diabetes-Friendly Holiday Side Dishes
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.