Healthy, Quick & Easy Side Dish Recipes

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

Staff Picks

Crispy Smashed Cauliflower with Pesto

Cauliflower gets steamed before it gets flattened and flavored with a dollop of pesto. A quick trip under the broiler gives it a satisfying, crispy exterior.
By Carolyn Casner

Loaded Cauliflower Casserole

Rating: 4.75 stars
16
You'll never want to eat roasted cauliflower any other way once you try this tasty recipe. Bacon, sour cream and sharp Cheddar cheese coat good-for-you cauliflower in deliciousness for an easy side that will make everyone actually want to eat their vegetables.
By Carolyn Casner

Roasted Chicken Thighs, Potatoes & Scallions with Herb Vinaigrette

Rating: 5 stars
1
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.
By Carolyn Casner

Green Salad with Edamame & Beets

Rating: 3.33 stars
4
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.
By Katie Webster

Japanese Cucumber Salad

Rating: 4.4 stars
5
This Japanese-inspired cool, crisp salad is as elegant and well balanced as it is simple.
By Jessie Price

Zucchini & Mushroom Saute

Rating: 4.67 stars
3
Serve this simple side dish with grilled turkey burgers. Other fresh herbs, like thyme or oregano, work well too.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Spiralized Zucchini & Summer Squash Casserole

Rating: 4.86 stars
5
If you don't have a spiralizer to make this healthy zucchini noodle casserole (aka zoodles), use a vegetable peeler to make long thin strips of the squash and zucchini, stopping when you reach the seedy center. Just a few minutes under the broiler gives these ricotta-and-basil-filled nests a light golden top.
By Hilary Meyer

Asparagus Casserole

Rating: 5 stars
1
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.
By Adam Hickman

Bacon and Avocado Topped Baked Potato

A baked russet potato is topped with crumbled bacon, diced avocado, salsa, and shredded Colby Jack cheese--a meal in itself!
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Air-Fryer Kale Chips

Homemade kale chips are incredibly easy to make. Thanks to the air fryer, fresh kale leaves turn extra crispy in under 15 minutes with much less fat than some store-bought options. Warning: These will go fast!
By Adam Hickman

Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Southwestern spices coat slices of sweet potato that are baked, smashed and then broiled to create a light, crispy exterior. A sprinkle of flaky sea salt finishes the dish.
By Carolyn Casner

Cucumber-Yogurt Salad

Rating: 5 stars
2
A refreshing accompaniment to a main course of meat or fish, this cucumber-yogurt salad also makes a tasty filling for pita bread. If the cucumbers are grated instead of chopped, this mixture can be served as a dip.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen
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Inspiration and Ideas

Make Garlic-Parmesan Hasselback Zucchini

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

How to Make Mexican Pasta Salad
A quick homemade avocado dressing pulls together the Mexican flavors in this healthy pasta salad recipe.
FREE Vegetable Side Dish Cookbook!

FREE Vegetable Side Dish Cookbook!
19 Easy Sautéed Veggie Sides for Weeknights

19 Easy Sautéed Veggie Sides for Weeknights
Fresh Fruit Salad

Fresh Fruit Salad
Rating: Unrated
2
Tomato Salad with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette

Tomato Salad with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette
Rating: Unrated
7

Stuffed Potatoes with Salsa & Beans

Rating: 4.5 stars
2

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.

All Healthy, Quick & Easy Side Dish Recipes

Crispy Smashed Broccoli with Za'atar

Za'atar spice coats broccoli florets that crisp up under the broiler. A dollop of yogurt adds a creamy finish. Serve as an easy side paired with grilled kebabs or as a light appetizer.
By Carolyn Casner

Citrus-Arugula Salad

Rating: 5 stars
1
This easy salad recipe makes a stunning side dish for anything you've got cooking for dinner. The bright flavor of the citrus pairs perfectly with peppery arugula and avocado, plus a bit of jalapeño for a slight kick.
By Liz Mervosh

Salad of Avocado & Romaine with Black Olive Dressing

Rating: 5 stars
1
John Willoughby helped to launch Cooks Illustrated, was executive editor at Gourmet and has authored several cookbooks, including Big Flavors of the Hot Sun, from which this salad was adapted for a March/April 1995 EatingWell story about olives. It's one of the favorites--chosen from more than 1,000 salad recipes--that we revisited in our 30th anniversary issue.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Sautéed Peppers & Onions

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.
By Katie Webster

Quick Vegetable Saute

Rating: 3.25 stars
1
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.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Air-Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

Air-fried sweet potato fries are crispy, tender and delicately sweet. They're also made with less fat than traditional fries, so they're a healthier option when you're craving crunchy spuds. If the cinnamon-pepper spice is too intense, try thyme, oregano, paprika or garlic instead.
By Sarah Epperson

Calabacitas

Rating: 4 stars
1
Enjoy this traditional Southwestern dish of sautéed summer squash, onions and peppers as a side or as a vegetarian filling for tacos.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Moroccan Kidney Bean & Chickpea Salad

Rating: 4 stars
4
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.
By Katie Webster

Broccoli & Grape Salad

An unlikely pairing of grapes and broccoli creates an out-of-the-ordinary quick side dish. The sweet snappy bite of the grapes complements the crispy raw broccoli and onion, while the creamy dressing and toasted almonds pull it all together. Enjoy it for lunch or double the recipe for an easy potluck recipe everyone will love.
By Julia Levy

Broccoli and Cauliflower Sauté

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

Oven Sweet Potato Fries

Rating: 3.9 stars
9
Making oven fries out of sweet potatoes brings out their inherent sweetness.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Turmeric-Roasted Cauliflower

Rating: 5 stars
1
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.
By Carolyn Casner

Basic Green Salad with Vinaigrette

Rating: 3.5 stars
2
Make a larger batch of this basic vinaigrette to have on hand for salads throughout the week.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Broccoli, Chickpea & Pomegranate Salad

Rating: 5 stars
2
Simple steps give this broccoli salad recipe a more nuanced flavor: soaking the onion tempers its bite and toasting the cumin enhances its aroma. Serve alongside grilled chicken, pork or fish.
By Christine Burns Rudalevige

Cheeseburger Stuffed Baked Potatoes

Skip the bun and serve all of your favorite cheeseburger ingredients--beef, cheese, tomatoes, red onions and lettuce--with baked potatoes for a hearty and easy dinner recipe that kids and adults will love. Feel free to swap out the ground beef for ground turkey or tofu crumbles.
By Devon O'Brien

Japanese-Style Spinach (Gomae)

Rating: 5 stars
1
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.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Easy Steamed Zucchini

This foolproof way to cook zucchini is also the easiest and fastest. Just steam it on the stovetop for a few minutes and you have a healthy vegetable side dish to add to dinner. Toss with a little pesto for extra flavor.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Grilled Vegetables In Foil

Rating: 5 stars
1
Grilled vegetables in foil is a great recipe to have on hand when camping or cooking over an open fire, but it's also nice on your backyard gas grill too. Here, we cook asparagus, mini peppers and zucchini together with a hint of garlic and butter. Delicious!
By Jasmine Smith

Zucchini Noodle "Pasta" Salad

This healthy zucchini noodle salad has all the flavors you love in a classic Mediterranean pasta salad but we've swapped in zoodles for wheat pasta, which makes the salad lighter, lower in carbs and gluten-free. Serve it with grilled chicken or fish for a light and healthy summer dinner.
By Robin Bashinsky

Balsamic Roasted Cabbage

Rating: 4 stars
1
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.
By Marianne Williams

Greens with Parmesan Vinaigrette

Rating: 4.8 stars
3
Make a simple vinaigrette more interesting with freshly grated Parmesan.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Balsamic Roasted Zucchini with Feta

Rating: 5 stars
2
We've got a great way to use up your garden zucchini! Zucchini softens while roasting and soaks up the flavor of balsamic vinegar. The sweet flavors are complemented by salty feta cheese sprinkled on just before serving. It's an easy summer side you'll come back to again and again.
By Carolyn Casner

Easy Fried Rice

Mixed frozen vegetables make this healthy fried rice recipe quick, easy and economical. If you don't have leftover cooked rice on hand, be sure to thoroughly cool your rice before adding it to the wok--if it's too warm, it creates too much steam and sticks to the wok. To quickly cool warm rice, spread out on a large baking sheet and refrigerate while you prep the rest of your ingredients, about 15 minutes.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Balsamic-Parmesan Sautéed Spinach

Rating: 5 stars
1
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
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