Healthy, Quick & Easy Side Dish Recipes

Find healthy, quick and easy side dish recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Peanut Butter Energy Balls

Rating: 4 stars 18
These healthy peanut butter and chocolate energy balls deliver a mixture of simple and complex carbohydrates to help fuel you up whenever you need a little boost.
By Lisa Valente

Sunomono (Japanese Cucumber Salad)

Rating: 4.5 stars 6
This version of sunomono uses more readily available English or slicing cucumbers, but if you live near an Asian market you could substitute Japanese cucumbers. Some recipes call for salting the cucumbers first, but we found that squeezing them in paper towels removed enough excess moisture without adding additional sodium. This Japanese-inspired salad is cool, crisp and simply delicious.
By Jessie Price

Balsamic-Parmesan Sautéed Spinach

Rating: 5 stars 2
Tender spinach with a hint of garlic, Parmesan cheese and sweet balsamic vinegar makes a quick and flavorful side dish. The sturdy leaves of mature spinach hold up best during cooking.
By Carolyn Casner

Eat-the-Rainbow Chopped Salad with Basil & Mozzarella

Rating: 5 stars 5
This fresh and colorful chopped salad has all of the delicious flavors you love from a classic caprese salad, plus even more healthy veggies. Add grilled or roasted chicken for a quick main dish.
By Carolyn Casner

Zucchini & Mushroom Sauté

Rating: 4.5 stars 5
Serve this simple side dish with grilled turkey burgers. Other fresh herbs, like thyme or oregano, work well too.
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By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Steamed Fresh Green Beans

Rating: 5 stars 1
Steaming (but not for too long!) is a foolproof way to get perfect, crisp-tender green beans, every time. This easy recipe is a great starting point for other flavors or preparations, like adding cooked green beans to a salad.
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By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Creamy Cucumber, Radish & Tomato Chopped Salad

Rating: 5 stars 6
A mix of cool, crunchy vegetables gives this healthy salad satisfying bite for a perfect potluck side.
By Devon O'Brien

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

This incredibly simple and quick roasted sweet potatoes recipe relies on the most basic of seasonings: olive oil, salt and pepper. Serve it with your favorite main dish for a quick weeknight meal.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Green Salad with Edamame & Beets

Rating: 3 stars 10
This big salad is a feast for the eyes and an everyday way to incorporate nutrient-rich beets and plant-based protein from edamame (green soybeans). If you're not a fan of cilantro, mix in freshly chopped basil or dill instead.
Katie Webster
By Katie Webster

Broccoli Salad with Bacon

Rating: 5 stars 5
Classic broccoli salad, the perfect dish for a potluck, is updated with cauliflower, bacon and a sprinkle of crunchy sunflower seeds in this so-easy recipe that's sure to be a new picnic favorite.
By Carolyn Casner

Watermelon, Cucumber & Feta Salad

Rating: 5 stars 6
Here's a healthy salad recipe to make at the height of summer when watermelon and cucumbers are at their juiciest and most flavorful. Feta adds the perfect creamy, salty, tangy edge, and mint makes this salad taste even brighter. This is one easy side salad you'll want to serve at all your summer BBQs.
By Pam Lolley

Stuffed Potatoes with Salsa & Beans

Rating: 4.5 stars 3
Taco night meets baked potato night with this simple recipe for loaded baked potatoes with salsa, beans and avocado. This easy, healthy family dinner comes together with just 10 minutes of active time, so you can make it on even the busiest of weeknights. This recipe is just as delicious with sweet potatoes in place of russets.
By Devon O'Brien
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Inspiration and Ideas

Make Garlic-Parmesan Hasselback Zucchini
Thinly slicing zucchini almost to the bottom—known as the hasselback technique—provides an easy avenue to sneak in lots of flavor.
How to Make Mexican Pasta Salad
A quick homemade avocado dressing pulls together the Mexican flavors in this healthy pasta salad recipe.
Balsamic Roasted Cabbage
Rating: 4 stars 3

These roasted cabbage wedges with honey and balsamic vinegar make an attractive and healthy side dish that's also very easy to prepare. You can use red or green cabbage--or make a double batch with one of each for a pretty presentation.