Healthy Vegan Vegetable Side Dish Recipes

Butternut squash gets tender with slightly crispy edges when it's cooked in the air fryer. The simple seasonings here complement the subtle sweetness from the squash. Serve this quick and easy side dish with just about anything, from roast chicken to pork.

Classic french fries get their crispy exterior and pillowy soft interior thanks to a dunk or two in hot oil. The trick for achieving the same craveable results minus the deep fryer is to boil cut-up potatoes in salted, acidulated water prior to putting them into the oven. Yes, it's an extra step, but it's worth it. The salt helps extract excess moisture from the potatoes while the vinegar strengthens the exterior and helps the fries hold their shape. The result? Crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside.

These air-fryer sweet potatoes are nicely crisped around the edges and tender on the inside. Ground sumac adds a nice tang to the spice mix, but paprika can be used in its place.

Don't skip salting the cucumbers in this quick cucumber salad recipe—just 10 minutes pulls out some of their excess moisture, concentrating the flavor and keeping the salad from being watered down. Serve this smashed cucumber salad at a summer cookout alongside burgers and hot dogs.

For these easy pickled beets, you only need to let them marinate in the pickling mixture for about 30 minutes to get great flavor. Marinating them longer just enhances the taste. Try them in place of cucumber pickles as a condiment or as a vegetable side dish for roasted chicken or beef.

Sautéeing butternut squash in olive oil quickly yields perfectly cooked results and slighly caramelizes the squash for extra flavor. This recipe makes a delicious vegetable side dish to pair with roasted meats.

These pickled red onions take on a beautiful pink hue. The slivers have just the right amount of sweet, tangy and salty flavors for use in salads, sandwiches and more. The onions are thin enough to absorb the flavors yet maintain their crunch.

These savory air-fryer potatoes are crispy on the outside and make a perfect no-fuss side dish that pairs well with just about everything while freeing up your oven.

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.

As these onion halves cook, the balsamic mixture becomes syrupy and caramelizes the onions, giving them a bronzed caramel color and a luscious, rich flavor.

This sweet-and-salty quick pickled cabbage is great to have on hand for a topping for sandwiches, hot dogs or brats. Both green and red cabbage work well and maintain their crunch after marinating in the pickling liquid that imparts a subtle, spicy flavor thanks to chile peppers.

Baked pumpkin is a fun twist on tradition. A sprinkle of cinnamon is a delicious nod to the usual pie and transforms the squash into an enchanting side dish recipe.

Now everyone can enjoy classic Thanksgiving favorites, like this dairy-free green bean casserole. We make a homemade vegan cream of mushroom soup using almond milk for the creamy base that's combined with fresh green beans. Top it off with classic french-fried onions (we have a vegan recipe for that, too!) for a side dish everyone will devour.

Peanut butter, balanced with a little soy sauce and vinegar, makes a delicious and kid-friendly sauce for broccoli and other vegetables. Giving the broccoli a head start by steaming it before sautéing it with the other vegetables ensures that all the vegetables are nicely cooked at the same time.

Crispy roasted potatoes get transformed with a fiery paprika sauce. Patatas bravas are served in restaurants and bars throughout Spain; this version uses baked potatoes instead of fried. Use the leftover paprika sauce as a topping for veggies or mix with mayo to create a spread for a sandwich or wrap.

This simple technique of cooking onions and peppers is a useful way to get your veggie servings in. Use these peppers and onions on a burger or sausage sandwich, stuff them into quesadillas or layer them into casseroles.

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.

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.

Get crispy, crunchy fries with much less oil than deep frying requires with these air-fried spuds. For the best texture, keep each fry as evenly sized as possible. Try a mandoline to make quick work of equal fries if your knife work could use some help.

Baking sweet potato fries in the oven brings out their inherent sweetness.

This easy roasted butternut squash and root vegetables recipe is incredibly versatile. Pile the squash and veggies onto grain bowls, add to sandwiches, toss in soup, serve as a side dish--you name it. Roasting vegetables in the oven gives you 20 minutes of hands-off cooking time to assemble the rest of your meal.

Grilled zucchini and yellow squash are tender off the grill with a hint of char, spicy garlic and a bit of zing from fresh lemon juice.

This fermented food delivers a healthy dose of probiotics for gut health. Learn how to make sauerkraut at home and our favorite dish pairings.

Steaming green beans in the microwave is quick and convenient, helping you to get dinner on the table in minutes. This basic recipe is a great starting point for the seasoning of your choice--a little butter, toasted nuts or a creamy sauce.