While the main dish gets all the credit, it’s really the humble sides that deserve more attention. A healthy arsenal of easy-to-make vegetable sides makes for more enjoyable and healthier eating all week long. These 23+ craveable vegetable recipes are prepared to perfection using fast yet flavor-packed techniques like roasting, grilling and sautéing.
From crispy Brussels sprouts to sauteed asparagus and beyond. Every vegetable has a go-to cooking method that highlights its texture and flavors and textures come out the best.
These recipes are:
- Quick – featuring simple ingredients and prep for fast weeknight meals
- Nutritious – packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals
- Delicious – new techniques boost natural flavors and textures
- Seasonal – spotlighting veggies at their flavor peak
Get kids involved in making easy veggie sides too. Helping in the kitchen makes kids far more likely to eat their veggies! Break out the child-friendly chef knives and make meal prep an engaging activity.
Methods for Cooking Vegetables
Vegetables shine when paired with the optimal cooking technique to highlight their unique flavors and textures. Getting creative with preparation is an enjoyable way to transform ordinary produce into extraordinary sides.
Certain methods work especially well for specific vegetables:
- Roasting – This dry heat caramelizes and intensifies flavors for vegetables like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and more. Simply toss in oil, season well and roast at high heat.
- Sautéing – Quick cooking over medium-high heat in a little oil preserves a crisp-tender texture for veggies like asparagus, green beans, zucchini and spinach. Toss and stir frequently.
- Grilling – Imparting smoky char flavor, the high direct heat of the grill is great for vegetables like eggplant, onions, squash, corn and portobello mushrooms. Brush or toss with oil first so they don’t stick to the grill.
- Steaming – Using steam to cook vegetables like broccoli, carrots and green beans gently preserves nutrients and their bright, fresh flavors. The crisp-tender texture is also delightful.
- Blanching – Briefly boiling in salted water then shocking vegetables in ice water to set color and texture is great for broccoli, green beans, asparagus and more before freezing or sautéing.
- Sous Vide – Cooking vegetables like carrots, beets and onions in vacuum-sealed bags immersed in a temperature-controlled water bath yields super tender, concentrated flavors.
- Pickling – While not technically a cooking method, vegetables like carrots, cauliflower, onions and cucumbers soaked in a brine of vinegar/salt/sugar solution pickle and preserve the vegetables while infusing tangy flavor.
- Frying – Coating vegetables like onions, mushrooms, zucchini and eggplant in batter or breadcrumbs then quickly frying locks in moisture and forms a super crispy-crunchy exterior.
Vegetable Side Dish Recipes
Buttery Boiled Carrots
Learn how to boil carrots and incorporate them with a few simple pantry ingredients like butter and herbs transforms humble carrots into an irresistible, crowd-pleasing side in less than 10 minutes.
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Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Three ingredient crispy roasted brussels sprouts will be on the table in just 15 minutes and are so delicious.
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Roasted Sweet Potato Bites
Cubes of sweet potato roasted until crispy and caramelized. This easy oven-roasted recipe turns the humble sweet potato into a crave-worthy side. With just a bit of seasoning, the natural sweetness shines through.
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Simple Sautéed Zucchini
In just 10 minutes, slices of fresh zucchini quickly sautéed in olive oil with garlic and shallot become the perfect, versatile side for any meal that is so simple to prepare.
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Perfect Green Beans
The key to cooking perfect green beans is to actually cook them twice. French green beans, also called Haricot Verts are blanched then sautéed with butter and shallots.
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Sauteed Broccolini
Simple, easy, quick, and delicious. Sauteed Broccolini is the amazing vegetable that will be your new favorite healthy side dish.
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Sauteed Green Beans with Garlic
Quick and easy side with just 5 simple ingredients and about 15 minutes from start to finish. The green beans are blistered for flavor, while still crunchy, fresh and garlicky.
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Grilled Broccolini
A crave-able, super simple and healthy side dish that is packed with flavor. Just a few simple ingredients and it's ready in under 10 minutes to perfectly complement any grilled main course.
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Roasted Cauliflower
Crispy, caramelized roasted cauliflower made with just a few pantry ingredients. This easy recipe transforms mild florets into irresistibly sweet, crispy perfection.
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Asparagus with a Fried Egg & Parmesan Recipe
Elevate your breakfast, brunch or appetizer game with this mouth-watering recipe for asparagus topped with a crispy fried egg and grated Parmesan cheese.
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Simple Sautéed Corn
Quick & easy, sweet, crunchy and delicious with just 4 ingredients and only 5 minutes of cooking make this sautéed corn even sweeter!
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Roasted Beets
How to roast beautiful, healthy, vibrant and earthy Beets. Beets are a vegetable we all could probably use a little more of.
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Roasted Mushrooms
Oven roasted mushrooms with garlic, shallot, fresh herbs and topped with parmesan cheese that are ready in 30 minutes and have endless uses.
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Potatoes [add more]
Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
Air fryer baked potatoes deliver restaurant-worthy results in a fraction of the time. Enjoy light & fluffy insides with irresistibly crispy skin, perfect for all your favorite toppings.
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Crispy Smashed Fingerling Potatoes
Crispy and crunchy on the outside, buttery on the inside. Smashed fingerling potatoes are a perfect and super easy side for any meal.
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Mashed Potatoes
The creamiest, most luxurious and delicious mashed potatoes. A beloved side dish that can become the star of the meal.
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Grilled Potatoes
Grilling potatoes is the perfect way to round out a meal on the grill. Easily cooked right alongside your chicken, steak or veggie burgers, these potatoes make for a delicious and satisfying side dish.
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Scalloped Potatoes
Creamy, cheesy, potato-y and simply irresistible. The thinly sliced potatoes are layered with a creamy sauce made of milk, cheese and butter, and then baked to golden perfection.
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Sous Vide Carrots
Perfectly cooked, deeply flavorful and super simple. It's an easy bet that sous vide makes the simple carrot into an elegant and healthy side dish.
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Sous Vide Potatoes
Sous vide is a great way to perfectly cook one of the most versatile and easily available ingredients we have: the humble spud.
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Sous Vide Mashed Potatoes
If your main ingredient is being cooked sous vide, you just might want to make your mashed potatoes the same way. Creamy, delicious and so easy to make.
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Pickled Red Onions
Quick, easy and beautifully bright and delicious. Pickled red onions are an add-on to brighten any dish with 5 minutes of prep and ready in just 30 minutes.
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Eggplant Bruschetta Recipe
Savor the satisfaction of low effort crispy and crunchy eggplant bruschetta—an easy-to-make delight that delivers irresistible texture and flavor in every bite.
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A Few Veggie Tips
- Buying Vegetables – When selecting vegetables, opt for those with vibrant colors, firm textures, and no signs of wilting. A few blemishes that are just cosmetic are just fine. Choose in-season produce for the freshest flavors, and don’t be afraid to explore local farmers’ markets for a variety of high-quality locally sourced options.
- Cook What’s in Season – Unlock the full potential of flavor by cooking with seasonal vegetables. Not only does this ensure freshness, but it also supports local agriculture and sustainability. Stay attuned to the natural cycles of produce, adapting your recipes to showcase the best of each season.
- How to Store Vegetables – Maximize the shelf life of your vegetables by storing them properly. Keep leafy greens and herbs in damp paper towels in the fridge, store potatoes and onions in a cool, dark place, and refrigerate most other vegetables in the crisper drawer.
- Rehydrating Wilted Vegetables – Revive wilted vegetables by immersing them in ice water for a refreshing crispness. For heartier vegetables, consider soaking them in a bowl of cold water for a few hours. This simple rehydration process can breathe life back into your veggies, ensuring they maintain both their taste and texture.
- Don’t Throw It Away – Embrace a zero-waste approach to vegetable preparation. Instead of discarding parts like beet leaves and carrot stems, consider creative uses for them in salads, soups, or sauces like carrot top pesto. Compost the remaining kitchen scraps to contribute to a sustainable cycle.
Vegetable Side Dish Recipes
These roasted Brussels Sprouts are a perfect example of a simple and easy to prepare vegetable side dish that only needs a few ingredients to transform seasonal produce into a healthy side that will be enjoyed by all.
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Servings: 4
Calories: 112kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb Brussels Sprouts trimmed and halved
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/8 cup Olive Oil
Instructions
- Place a sheet pan that will fit the brussels sprouts in the oven and preheat oven on broil.
- In a bowl, combine the brussels sprouts with salt, pepper and sugar. Then mix in the olive oil.
- Transfer brussels to a piece of parchment paper that has been pre-cut to fit on the sheet pan.
- Very carefully place parchment + brussels onto the sheet pan in the oven.
- Broil for 6 minutes then stir and rotate the sheet pan to promote even cooking.
- Broil for another 6 minutes or until brussels are crispy but not burned.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 112kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 319mg | Potassium: 441mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 855IU | Vitamin C: 96mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 2mg