Low-Calorie Vegetable Side Dish Recipes

Find healthy, delicious low-calorie vegetable side dish recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Most Popular

Roasted Honeynut Squash

Rating: 5 stars 6
Honeynut squash looks just like mini butternut squash, but on the inside you'll find an even sweeter, deeper orange flesh. This winter squash has only been available at farmers' markets and in select grocery stores for a few years. If you see it, grab a few to try! This simple roasting method enhances the natural flavor of the squash with butter and spices.
By Carolyn Casner

Beet Salad

Rating: 4 stars 9
This simple beet salad recipe uses just a handful of ingredients to create a delightful side dish. Roasted beets add a sweet, earthy and aromatic flavor that shines in this side salad.
By Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarbrough

Sheet-Pan Roasted Root Vegetables

Rating: 5 stars 11
One pan is all you need for a heaping pile of nutritious, tender and colorful roasted root vegetables. Whip up this recipe at the beginning of the week to use in easy, healthy dinners all week long.
By Sylvia Fountaine

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Onions

Rating: 5 stars 11
Fresh herbs, onion and sautéed bacon flavor this easy Brussels sprouts recipe. This savory dish is delicious in the fall and winter months, when Brussels sprouts are in season. If you can find them still attached to the stalk, don't be intimidated—buy them, as they're likely more fresh. Recipe adapted from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters.
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By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Quick Cucumber Kimchi

Rating: 4 stars 9
This cucumber kimchi recipe gets its flavor from garlic, fish sauce and a hint of Korean chile powder. Make this side dish ahead of time to let the flavors absorb into the cucumbers.
By Jamie Purviance

Esquites (Mexican Corn)

Rating: 5 stars 2
This street corn dish, known as esquites, is served in cups instead of on the cob for all the flavor of elote without the mess.
A portrait of Breana Killeen, M.P.H., RD
By Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD

Maple-Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Rating: 5 stars 15
In this healthy side dish, sweet potatoes are tossed with maple syrup, butter and lemon juice and roasted until golden brown. The delicious glaze that forms transforms this simple dish into something sublime.
By Kathy Farrell-Kingsley

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

Colorful Roasted Sheet-Pan Vegetables

Rating: 4.5 stars 3
Give your plate a pop of color with these healthy sheet-pan veggies.
Katie Webster
By Katie Webster

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

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

Caprese Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Rating: 4.5 stars 16
We've taken the key ingredients of the popular Caprese salad—tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil—and piled them into portobello mushroom caps to make a delicious and satisfying vegetarian main dish.
By Carolyn Casner
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Inspiration and Ideas

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Curly Fries
Rating: Unrated 10
This healthy recipe combines two bar food favorites--fried zucchini and curly fries--into one tempting package. Serve these baked zucchini fries with a simple dipping sauce made with ranch dressing and marinara sauce for a crowd-pleasing appetizer or a side dish for burgers, chicken or pizza. No matter what you serve them with, they're a fun way to eat more vegetables for kids and adults alike.
Stuffed Potatoes with Salsa & Beans
Rating: Unrated 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.
Maple Roasted Carrots
Rating: 5 stars 3

Roasting brings out the inherent sweetness in carrots--but add a little maple syrup and butter and you have a caramelized vegetable your kids (and you!) will actually want to eat seconds of.