Side Dish Recipes

No-mayo Tuscan potato salad dressed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and fresh herbs. Served at room temperature, this light Italian side dish is a refreshing swap for heavy picnic potato salads.

Bulgur wheat pilaf with dried figs, orange juice, sherry, and toasted sesame seeds. A nutty, fruity grain side dish with California flair.

Easy quinoa tabbouleh: ripe tomatoes, parsley, scallions, and fresh mint tossed with cooked quinoa, lemon juice, and oil. A gluten-free Middle Eastern salad meant to rest overnight.

Summer white bean soup with sauteed celery, swiss chard or kale, a splash of rice vinegar, and a hint of liquid aminos. Light, vegetarian, naturally high in fiber and gentle enough for warm weather.

Microwave pumpkin butter cooks in 8 minutes with brown sugar and a 5-spice warm blend of allspice, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. A fall spread for toast, biscuits, or pancakes.

Herbed fresh tomato soup blends six peeled tomatoes with basil, thyme, and a hit of hot pepper sauce, then purees smooth for a low-fat, freezer-friendly weeknight bowl. Light, herby, and budget kind.

Spicy red bean soup with a smoky ham hock, cheesecloth-bundled cumin and cayenne, and a finish of Tabasco and parsley. A slow-simmered pot of Southern comfort food.

In a surprising twist, Tuscan kale is served raw—and makes for a substantial and satisfying fall salad. Sweet currants (or raisins) soaked in tangy white balasmic vingegar and salty parmesan punctuate the dressed, shredded kale.

Easy Mexican rice with carrots, peas, picante sauce and canned tomatoes with green chilies. A one-pot vegetarian side dish that's ready in under an hour.

Quick stir-fried snow peas and water chestnuts in walnut and sesame oil. A crisp, diabetic-friendly vegetable side dish that's on the table in minutes.

Gnocchi with chickpeas, butternut squash, and greens pan-sears pillowy gnocchi, then tosses them into a skillet of sage-scented squash, currants, garlic, and wilted spinach. A hearty vegetarian one-pan meal.

A light, brothy borscht of cabbage and beets simmered with carrot, celery, and tomato juice into a ruby-red, sweet-and-sour soup. Vegan, low in calories, and even better the next day.

Zucchini and tomatoes simmered with garlic, basil and a savory onion soup mix into a quick stovetop side. A vegan way to use up summer squash, ready in about 30 minutes and microwaveable too.

Baked plantain loaf from Ivory Coast made with mashed ripe plantains, rice flour, chilli sambal, and turmeric. A gluten-free West African side dish served with salted peanuts.

Sautéed pancetta with balsamic beans simmers crispy pancetta, garlic, crushed tomatoes, and white beans in a sweet-tart honey-balsamic glaze. A rustic Italian side or weeknight main.

Green peas and sauteed mushrooms with green onions tossed in reduced-sodium soy sauce. A quick, low-fat, diabetic-friendly vegetable side dish ready in 15 minutes.