13 Easy Vegetable Side Dishes That Aren’t The Same Old Side Salads & Roasted Broccoli

Entirely Emmy’s recipe might be the easiest way to get your kids to eat carrots, because it turns them into lightly sweet, crunchy little fry shapes. The hardest part of the recipe is just slicing them into thin enough sticks, and you can skip the whipped feta if you’re short on time or energy (but come on... it’s whipped feta).

This spicy cucumber salad from All The Healthy Things is tangy and just a little bit sweet, and of course, it has some bomb texture thanks to a healthy scoop of chili crunch. All it takes to make is chopping the cucumbers, measuring out a few dressing ingredients, and giving it a good toss.

These are not the nasty, smushy Brussels sprouts we grew up with, oh no. Feel Good Foodie’s smashed Brussels are crispy and cheesy thanks to a dash of Parmesan, and they’ll only cost you like 10 minutes of time.

For some reason, it never occurs to me to just make a bunch of mushrooms and eat them straight up; every time I have them out, I think, Why don’t I make these at home more often? Damn Delicious’ recipe takes 15 minutes all in, and leaves you with savory, buttery mushrooms to serve alongside chicken thighs, steaks, or on their own.

Roasted veggies are the bomb because they’re simple, easy, and require no work from you once they’re in the oven. All The Healthy Things will show you how to dress up a regular batch of roasted cauliflower, carrots, and onions with some smoky, peppery harissa paste.

If you’re grilling dinner (or happen to have a grill plan for your stovetop), you have to try Feel Good Foodie’s grilled cabbage recipe. You literally only need cabbage, oil, and a few seasonings you definitely already own to get this delicious, savory side done in minutes.

If you don’t like mincing, just keep scrolling. But if you want a no-cook veggie-heavy side that’s just about getting a little slicing and dicing done, try this cauliflower tabbouleh from Budget Bytes. It’s got all the same freshness and zest as the classic dish, but it replaces the usual grain base with riced cauliflower instead.

Easy peasy lemon squeezey is quite literally the recipe for Jessica in the Kitchen’s air fryer green beans. You literally just air-fry them for 10 minutes, tossing halfway through, and then top with some fresh shredded parm and a little dash of lemon juice for freshness.

Baked potatoes are great for their ease, but they can be pretty bland without a ton of toppings. Damn Delicious’ Greek potatoes have way more flavor thanks to the fresh parsley and smoked paprika, and the best part is they get tender and fluffy in the slow cooker with zero babysitting required from you.

Elote is the elite corn side dish to bring to summer barbecues and order out, but honestly you can make it so easily at home. Entirely Emmy’s recipe happens to be high in protein because she uses chickpea pasta and Greek yogurt to boost your grams per serving.

While we’re thinking about summer and corn, Damn Delicious’ parmesan corn and zucchini side dish is a must-try. All you have to do is cook your veggies through on a skillet for five minutes, top with cheese, and serve.

Honestly, Jessica in the Kitchen’s edamame salad is a nutritionally complete meal thanks to all the protein and fiber from the white beans and edamame, on top of the tasty avocado, cabbage, and cashews. This salad has a few more ingredients than the other recipes in this list, but if you’re someone who has sesame oil and soy sauce on hand anyway, just know the prep is super simple.

OK, yes, I know it’s giving appetizer and not side dish, but hear me out. Can we normalize the idea of a weeknight veggie tray? I notice when I have a good dip in the fridge, I eat way more raw veggies throughout the week, and Averie Cooks’ whipped feta dip is a super easy one to whip up and keep on hand. It literally takes five minutes and a food processor, and then you can let your kids fill up on a crudités platter while you make dinner.