Side Dish Recipes

Italian asparagus baked in oregano-seasoned tomato sauce and topped with Swiss cheese. A simple, diabetic-friendly side dish with an oven or microwave option.

Molded vegetable salad sets crunchy cabbage, carrots, and celery in tangy orange diet gelatin with celery seed. A retro low-calorie potluck classic.

Moroccan tomato and roasted green pepper salad from Fez with cumin, paprika, preserved lemon, and olive oil. A smoky, bright North African appetizer or side dish.

Brown rice side dish using a 6-hour soak method for faster, more even cooking, then finished with slivered almonds and bright lemon zest. A simple, diabetic-friendly low-fat recipe.

Whole wheat pasta with broccolini and radish gets tossed in a sherry-orange vinaigrette and crowned with creamy feta. A bright vegetarian pasta salad equally good warm or chilled the next day.

Green bean and mushroom casserole made from scratch with a homemade cream sauce enriched with egg yolk and fresh mushrooms, no canned soup. Topped with buttered bread crumbs and baked golden for the holidays.

Ratatouille with cinnamon basil served inside hollowed-out eggplant shells. A stunning vegan side dish with zucchini, plum tomatoes, red pepper, and two types of fresh basil.

Pineapple sweet potatoes mashed with pineapple tidbits and their syrup for a naturally sweet, tropical side dish. Diabetic-friendly with no added sugar, just five simple ingredients.

Roasted asparagus with olive oil, Parmesan, and lemon at high heat for crisp-tender spears in just 20 minutes. A simple, elegant vegetable side dish that works with any main course.

Creamy pasta with pine nuts builds a quick roux-based cream sauce with white wine, fresh dill, and toasted pine nuts. A 20-minute alternative to Alfredo with brighter, herbier character.

Easy sweet potatoes and broccoli is a 5-ingredient gluten-free vegetarian side: diced sweet potato steamed with broccoli, tossed with low-fat cottage cheese and toasted sesame seeds.

Quick egg drop soup made from chicken noodle soup mix, beaten eggs and a splash of soy. Ribbons of egg in savory broth, ready in 30 minutes from pantry staples.

Mediterranean garlic soup made with five whole heads of garlic, white wine, and a silky egg-yolk-and-olive-oil emulsion finish. A French aigo bouido style soup that's pure aromatic comfort.

Chilled coleslaw loaded with boiled shrimp in a tangy lemon-mayo dressing spiked with Worcestershire, mustard, and Tabasco. A coastal side dish that gets better overnight.

Roasted winter squash with garlic and parsley tosses caramelized cubes of butternut or kabocha with warmed garlic and fresh Italian parsley. A clean, healthy side that lets the squash do the talking.

Panfried smashed potatoes boil red potatoes tender, flatten them, then pan-fry in olive oil until shatteringly crisp. Finished with parmesan and black pepper. Three ingredients.