Healthy Recipes Side Dishes Vegetable Side Dishes Our 13 Best New Vegetable Side Dishes to Make This Week By Dillon Evans Dillon Evans Dillon Evans fell in love with cooking at a very young age. He remembers the novel experiences of microwaving a bowl of oatmeal without his parents' permission and asking to make his mother's morning pot of coffee. These moments became catalysts for his interest in cooking and baking. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on May 20, 2024 Close Photo: Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster Check out our new, most popular vegetable sides! No matter what the main dish is—poultry, tofu, beef, seafood or even more vegetables—this collection holds a delicious and nutritious recipe you can use to complete your meal. Each of these new dishes has already received four- and five-star ratings from EatingWell readers. Add crowd-pleasing Loaded Potato Pancakes to your plate. Or, make something bright and zesty like our Carrot Salad in as little as 10 minutes of active prep time. 01 of 13 Potato Pancakes Loaded with Bacon, Cheddar & Sour Cream Photographer: Stacy k. Allen, Props: Christina Brockman, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf For fans of loaded baked potatoes, this potato pancake recipe delivers all the same satisfaction with crispy, golden pancakes adorned with sour cream, bacon and cheese. This twist on classic comfort food can be modified any way you like. Go beyond the loaded-potato flavor profile and top with some smoked salmon and a dollop of crème fraîche or serve with any of your favorite dipping sauces. View Recipe 02 of 13 Carrot Salad Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster This zesty carrot salad features a sweet-and-savory vinaigrette that adds punch to every bite. Serve it on its own, mix it with greens, or use it as part of a sandwich or wrap filling. Let it stand for at least 10 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld. Freshly grated carrots work best here. Grate them using the large holes on a box grater, or use the shredding disk for your food processor if you have one. View Recipe 03 of 13 Sautéed Spinach with Lemon, Garlic & Parmesan Photographer: Stacy K. Allen, Props: Christina Brockman, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf The thinly sliced lemons in this versatile side dish add a dressy element to sautéed spinach with garlic, but they are not there just for looks! Sautéing lemon slices captures flavors from both the juice and the rind for an easy side dish that works any day of the week. When cooking larger quantities of spinach, add it in batches, letting the spinach wilt a little before adding more to avoid overcrowding the pan. View Recipe 04 of 13 Balsamic-Rosemary Butter Melting Potatoes Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jasmine Smith, Prop Stylist: Tucker Vines These melting potatoes earn their name with a technique that combines high-heat roasting and braising for a crispy outside and a wonderfully creamy texture inside. The broth cooks off, leaving behind a sweet and tangy coating. Serve them with roasted chicken or pork and a side salad for dinner. View Recipe 05 of 13 Crispy Lemon-Parmesan Leeks Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser Enjoy the sweet and delicate flavor of roasted leeks with this elegant and unique side. We slice leeks into rounds and top them with savory Parmesan cheese and lemon zest that crisps up in the hot oven. Remember to thoroughly rinse and dry the leek rounds to ensure any trapped dirt or sand is removed before roasting. View Recipe 06 of 13 Garlicky Green Beans Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco These easy garlic green beans are the perfect side for any protein. You can cook the beans ahead of time and then reheat and season them right before serving. If you don't like tarragon, substitute dill or leave it out completely. View Recipe 07 of 13 Cabbage Salad with Apple, Walnuts & Gorgonzola Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser This crisp and fresh cabbage-apple salad features carrots, walnuts and creamy Gorgonzola cheese. Allowing the cabbage to sit before serving helps develop the flavor and soften the cabbage. While any type of cabbage will work well, tender cabbage like napa will need less time to soften, while a sturdier cabbage like red or green cabbage will take a bit longer. View Recipe 08 of 13 Spiced Chickpea Confit Ali Redmond This endlessly versatile side dish pairs beautifully with any grilled meat or fish and can also be a wonderful plant-based main dish. You can serve it over rice or pasta to round it out, or pair it with whole grains or whole-wheat pasta to reinforce the nuttiness. You can also turn it into a terrific salad by serving it over baby spinach, escarole or arugula. Leftovers can be blended into a chunky dip that is great with pita wedges or crostini. Or make leftovers into a soup by reheating with an equal volume of vegetable or chicken broth. View Recipe 09 of 13 Loaded Cabbage Salad Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Sue Mitchell This loaded cabbage salad features crisp chopped green cabbage tossed in a creamy dressing flavored with smoky bacon. We use bacon fat from the skillet to pump up the savory flavor in the dressing, but you can swap it out for oil if you prefer. While green cabbage holds up well in chopped salads, red cabbage or even napa cabbage can be used in its place. View Recipe 10 of 13 Lemon-Garlic Marinated Cabbage Wedges Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser These roasted cabbage wedges let the lemony marinade seep into their folds for added flavor in every bite. Preheating the baking sheet gets a jump-start on the caramelization—the process that makes these cabbage wedges sweet and golden brown. Serve this easy side with anything from roast chicken to pork roast or sautéed pork loin. View Recipe 11 of 13 Roasted Miso-Garlic Cauliflower Bites Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Sue Mitchell Tender cauliflower florets are coated in a flavorful blend of mild white miso and garlic, complemented by the sweetness and subtle heat of sweet chili sauce, in this irresistible side dish. This miso-garlic cauliflower is the perfect accompaniment to grilled chicken or fish. Alternatively, serve it atop rice or noodles for a simple and delicious vegetarian meal option. View Recipe 12 of 13 The Simplest Spinach Salad Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser This bright spinach salad, with sweet notes from the fresh orange segments and briny feta cheese, is sure to make it into your regular rotation. Make this easy salad a more substantial main dish by adding grilled chicken or roasted tofu on top. View Recipe 13 of 13 Quick & Easy Green Beans with Bacon Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser These tender-crisp green beans with bacon are sautéed and steamed in the same skillet for a speedy accompaniment that complements virtually any main dish, whether it’s chicken, shrimp or steak. Use a mixture of yellow and green beans to jazz up the presentation. 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