Healthy Easter Side Dish Recipes

The original version of this cheesy potato casserole stars canned soup, full-fat sour cream, a stick of butter and a crust of crushed potato chips. We lightened it considerably by using a homemade white sauce instead of canned soup and swapping nonfat Greek yogurt for the sour cream. Crushed corn flakes replace the potato chips. All in all, we slashed 200 calories, 25 grams of fat (12 grams saturated) and 170 milligrams of sodium per serving. Dig in!

This quick and easy lemony and herb pasta dish makes a delicious side. Try adding chicken or shrimp for a more complete meal.

This summer berry fruit salad recipe makes enough for a crowd. Serve with granola and yogurt at brunch, as a healthy potluck side, or halve the recipe to serve 4.

Made with asparagus, roasted red pepper and mushrooms, this hash has a fresh and light, springtime taste. Serve with hearty whole-grain toast for an easy vegan breakfast or with an egg on top for a vegetarian take.

As delicious as it is beautiful, this spring pea salad recipe is a potluck or dinner party stunner. Assemble the salad and dress just before serving--or serve the dressing next to the salad for people to drizzle. The tangy champagne vinaigrette balances the grassy sweetness of the peas and fruity pop of the berries.

This whole-grain wild rice and quinoa salad recipe is perfect for toting to summer potlucks. It features sweet cherries, crunchy celery, nutty aged goat cheese and toasted pecans. If you can find red quinoa, it's particularly pretty.

These simply prepared artichokes can be served at room temperature or chilled. Serve as a first course or as a side dish with grilled chicken or fish.

Rhubarb roasted for just a few minutes is a tart topping for a mixed green salad with raisins, walnuts and goat cheese.

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.

Whoever said potato salad needs to be cold? For this warm version, new potatoes are roasted right alongside green beans, then tossed in a tangy champagne vinegar and Gorgonzola dressing. If you like, you can toss in some baby arugula.

This impressive-looking asparagus salad recipe is actually very easy to make. After quickly boiling the asparagus, the same water is used to soft-boil the eggs. Piment d'Espelette is a sweet, spicy ground pepper from the Basque region of France. While it's not essential, it does add a subtle kick to the otherwise mellow flavors of this salad. Look for this spice at specialty stores and well-stocked markets--or substitute smoked paprika.

This no-cook main-dish salad pairs a flavorful dressing featuring sharp horseradish and tangy crème fraîche with smoked trout.

Roasting garlic and thyme in olive oil infuses them with a heady flavor that makes a luxurious addition to these mashed potatoes. Purple potatoes make a delightful lavender mash, but you can use white potatoes if you prefer.

In this springtime salad, dandelion greens (or spinach, if you prefer) are tossed with a warm roasted garlic dressing, tangy goat cheese and toasted pine nuts for melt-in-your-mouth results.

Here a simple bread filling is accented with anchovies, herbs and Parmesan cheese to create these stuffed artichokes. When choosing artichokes, look for firm stems and unblemished leaves.

Lemon zest and fresh parsley brighten up plain orzo for a great side dish you'll find yourself adding to your repertoire.

To make this easy wilted spinach recipe, simply give spinach a quick toss in hot, garlicky oil for the perfect quick and easy side dish for salmon, chicken or just about any main course. This versatile dish is ready in just 10 minutes so it's a cinch for weeknight dinners.

In this Asian-inspired salad, the peppery flavor of watercress is paired with another emblematic spring vegetable--sugar snap peas. Tossed with a warm dressing made with caramelized onions, rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil, this salad is the perfect antidote to the chill of early spring. For the best-tasting watercress, look for supple, thin stems (not woody stalks) with small, heart-shaped, dark green leaves that have no yellow blemishes.

This creamy cauliflower mash makes a perfect low-carb stand-in for mashed potatoes. Here we take simple mashed cauliflower and mix in garlic, buttermilk and a touch of butter to create a flavorful side dish that has about one-quarter of the calories of typical mashed potatoes. If you like, vary it by adding shredded low-fat cheese or chopped fresh herbs.