Healthy Easter Side Dish Recipes

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.

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.

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!

In this roasted cabbage recipe, cabbage wedges are roasted at a high temperature, creating an amazing texture and sweet flavor. Serve the roasted cabbage wedges drizzled with the chive-mustard vinaigrette as a side dish for roast poultry, meat or fish, or alone with crusty bread.

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

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.

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.

A combination of brown sugar and apple juice makes these easy candied carrots sweet but not cloying. Chopped fresh thyme brightens the flavor in this classic side dish, but feel free to omit it if you want an even simpler dish. Serve with chicken, pork or your Thanksgiving dinner.

Sizzling green beans in a little oil helps to bring out their natural sweetness. Prosciutto, pine nuts and lemon zest dress up the flavor without adding a lot of fat--a nice alternative to full-fat, creamy green bean casseroles.

These candied sweet potatoes are super simple to make. The sweet potatoes are tender and buttery, while cinnamon and cardamom add warmth and flavor. The pecans add a great crunch.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

This creamed spinach recipe is loaded with greens and bound together with just enough creamy goodness to make it luscious but not heavy. Serve it alongside just about anything—from holiday roasts and ham to grilled steak or tofu, you really can't go wrong!

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

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.

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.

Typical green bean casseroles bathe ingredients in a heavy cream sauce. Our healthy version has fewer calories and fat, thanks to a homemade roux.