Healthy, Quick & Easy Side Dish Recipes

A mixture of tomatoes, spinach, feta, olives and fresh oregano gives portobellos a Mediterranean vibe in this healthy stuffed mushroom recipe. Serve these along with chicken, fish or tofu as a super-satisfying side dish, or add a hearty salad and make them the centerpiece of a vegetarian dinner.

This foolproof recipe for perfectly cooked quinoa is fast and easy! Use cooked quinoa as a simple healthy side dish, in a salad or as a base for a delicious main dish.

Roasting carrots brings out their sweetness, which is enhanced further with a tangy balsamic and maple glaze. Serve them straight-up for an easy weeknight side dish or garnish with chopped hazelnuts for holiday meals and dinner parties.

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

Roasting cauliflower transforms it into a crispy, tender vegetable. A sponge for other flavors, cauliflower can absorb any spice mix or marinade you add, like this warm and toasty combination of turmeric, cumin and garlic. Serve as a simple side dish, or stir it into salads or grain bowls to add more plant power.

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.

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.

Oven-roasted fingerling potatoes can be a special holiday side dish, but they're quick enough to enjoy on a weeknight too. The secret to these crispy roasted fingerling potatoes? Getting the baking sheet nice and hot before you spread the potatoes on it.

This simple technique of cooking onions and peppers is a useful way to get your veggie servings in. They're quite versatile--use these peppers and onions on a burger or sausage sandwich, stuff them into quesadillas or layer them into casseroles.

Cheddar cheese, scallions and bacon flavor these "twice baked" sweet potatoes. Cooking the sweet potatoes in the microwave first (instead of baking them) helps keep this easy loaded sweet potato recipe quick.

Roasting chicken thighs directly on top of the vegetables bastes the scallions and potatoes with delicious drippings in this healthy dinner recipe. Serve with steamed broccoli, sautéed spinach or a mixed green salad.

We jump-start this baked Brussels sprouts recipe by preheating the baking sheet for quick roasting.

Typically you puree sesame seeds to make the dressing for this traditional spinach side dish recipe, but we use tahini to make it easier and quicker.

Blanching the asparagus before assembling this casserole helps to maintain its vibrant green color. Feel free to skip that step if you're crunched for time, but the vegetables will be more army green.

These super-crispy and browned air-fryer Brussels sprouts with sweet onions and salty bacon--all amped up with bright lemon juice--are sure to be a hit, whether you serve them for a weeknight side dish or as part of your holiday spread for Thanksgiving. This recipe makes enough to serve eight but is easily halved, though once you taste it you may well want a double serving. And if you prefer a vegetarian side, simply omit the bacon.

In 1998, we did our first story about pairing craft beer and food. We visited Dock Street Brasserie in Philadelphia, where executive chef Olivier De Saint Martin served up food, like this salad, that had more in common with Parisian bistros than brew pubs. This was one of the favorites chosen from more than 1,000 salad recipes for our 30th anniversary issue. Try it with an American pale ale.

Brussels sprouts have surged in popularity recently and it's easy to understand why. They're high in nutrients while low in calories and can be prepared quickly in a variety of ways--baked, steamed, and even eaten raw! This simple side dish recipe serves up roasted sprouts seasoned with just a touch of olive oil, salt, and pepper.

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

A sprinkle of Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil transform tomatoes into the perfect side dish. Or try sandwiching them between slices of your favorite whole-wheat country bread.

The bold flavors of the lemon-cumin dressing in this healthy bean salad recipe make it a wonderful side dish to grilled beef and lamb, yet it's also a stellar meatless main when served with whole-wheat couscous.

Perk up your popcorn with a bit of lemon pepper and Parmesan cheese.

Coated with olive oil and baked in a hot oven, these fries are soft and buttery inside and crisp on the outside--the perfect combination.

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.

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