Side Dish Recipes

Tomatoes are packed with lycopene, an antioxidant that helps prevent heart disease and cancer. They are a good source of vitamin C as well as vitamin E to help protect the body from oxidative damage. Cucumbers provide anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits. Capsicum is a great source of beta-carotene which is an antioxidant and precursor to vitamin A, helping to promote vision and support reproduction, growth as well as a healthy immune system. Olives are antioxidant powerhouses and contain anti-inflammatory compounds, known for their role in preventing coronary artery disease.

Vegetable couscous combines fluffy couscous with chickpeas and thinly sliced zucchini in a buttery, just-add-water side dish. On the table in 15 minutes flat.

Easy 5-ingredient cheese soup made with canned cream of chicken, cream of celery, sharp cheddar cheese spread, and chicken broth. Stovetop in under 30 minutes, no roux needed.

French onion soup builds slow-cooked golden onions on a thyme-and-bay-scented chicken broth, topped with toasted French bread and broiler-bubbled Gruyere. Bistro classic ready in under an hour.

Quick mushroom sauce of sliced mushrooms browned in butter and finished with a splash of Worcestershire. A fast, savory pan sauce to spoon over steak, omelets, or fish. Ready in minutes.

Creamy potato cheddar soup with sautéed mirepoix, cubed potatoes, and a Worcestershire kick. Hearty stovetop comfort soup ready in about 30 minutes.

Red lentil soup with caramelized onions, dried mint, and paprika simmered in beef stock. A pantry-friendly soup that purees silky or stays brothy with tender lentils throughout.

Fennel Nicoise braises quartered fennel with tomatoes, white wine, and thyme for a silky Provencal side dish served cold. A do-ahead starter from the South of France.

Fried batilgian is egg-dipped eggplant fried in olive and vegetable oil until crisp outside and creamy inside. Just five ingredients for a classic Middle Eastern side.

Garlic egg soup: a whole head of mellow simmered garlic in chicken broth, enriched with tempered egg yolks and ribbons of egg white, brightened with lime and cardamom. A soothing, restorative bowl.

Glazed sweet potato wedges with butter, orange juice, and cinnamon cooked in the microwave. A quick, caramelized side dish ready in just 20 minutes.

Grilled portobello mushroom salad with baby greens, bacon, Roquefort, and a honey-balsamic vinaigrette. A steakhouse-style main-course salad that leans on marinated mushroom caps as a meat substitute.

Grilled red and green bell peppers brushed with a Dijon mustard, garlic, and red wine vinegar marinade. A low-fat side dish ready in 20 minutes, served hot or cold.

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.

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.