Side Dish Recipes

Herb garden couscous salad with black beans, fresh dill, mint, parsley, tomatoes, olives, and a lemon-olive oil dressing. A bright, no-cook grain salad.

Entertain those guests you're having over for dinner tonight with this delicious side dish that's really easy to make.

A quick, spicy hot sauce for falafel: tomato paste simmered with vegetable stock, chili paste, cumin, lemon and fresh herbs into a bright, fiery sauce in about five minutes. Drizzle it over falafel, shawarma or grilled veg.

Hunter's buns made with pastry dough kneaded with currants and brushed with milk before baking. A simple British-style tea bun that can be filled with jam for a sweeter treat.

Kashmiri stir-fry with eggplant and broccoli seasoned with asafetida, cayenne, and paprika. A simple, vegan Indian wok dish that uses just a handful of spices to bring bold Kashmiri flavor to everyday vegetables.

Khichadi cooks basmati rice and moong dal with cinnamon, cloves, mustard seed, and asafetida, then folds in toasted nuts, coconut, currants, and garam masala. Ayurvedic Indian comfort one-pot.

Koimo Nori-Ae: Japanese taro potatoes simmered in dashi broth and rolled in flame-toasted crumbled nori seaweed. A traditional side dish served at room temperature.

Sugar-free marinated cucumber salad with vinegar, garlic, and black pepper. Salt-brined thin slices release their water, then soak up a tangy dressing for a crisp, diabetic-friendly side dish.

Mediterranean mushrooms simmered in a garlicky tomato and olive oil broth with lemon juice, bay leaf, and fresh parsley. A low-calorie vegetarian side dish or appetizer bursting with bright, clean flavors.

Basmati rice simmered in chicken broth with sliced mushrooms and a bay leaf. A simple, fragrant 4-ingredient side dish ready in 35 minutes.

Mushroom salad tosses crisp iceberg and Boston lettuce with cucumbers, green beans, and raw sliced mushrooms in French dressing. Light, vegetarian, diabetic-friendly side.

Nasu karashi sumiso-ae, a Japanese eggplant dish with boiled eggplant cubes tossed in a tangy white miso, soy sauce, and hot mustard dressing. A simple, savory side served at room temperature.

Indian-inspired curried rice cooked in chicken broth and orange juice with raisins and slivered almonds. A fragrant, sweet-savory side dish in one skillet.

Steamed Brussels sprouts tossed with toasted hazelnuts, extra-virgin olive oil, and ground cardamom. A simple 20-minute side dish with just four ingredients.

Parchment-wrapped potato parcels: microwave papillote packets of sliced ham, potato, zucchini, winter squash, and red pepper with lemon and basil. A 15-minute single-serve dinner, no dishes to wash.

Pepper salad is a blender coleslaw with cabbage, carrot, and chili peppers pulse-chopped with water, drained, and dressed with mayonnaise. A quick, diabetic-friendly, 10-minute side dish.