40 Delicious Veggie Sides You Can Enjoy Every Day

These recipes cater to all skill levels, making it a breeze to incorporate more vegetables into your daily meals. Get ready to turn ordinary dinners into extraordinary feasts with these 40 tasty and easy vegetable side dishes. Vegetables are not just a supporting act; they’re culinary powerhouses, capable of transforming any meal into a gastronomic experience. From crispy roasted Brussels sprouts to zesty grilled zucchini, these recipes will introduce you to exciting ways to enjoy your greens (and reds, yellows, and purples, too!). For many more easy and healthy side dishes make sure to check out our Sides Recipes Page! The best way to serve this vegetable side dish is with butter and chives, or even better, with a generous amount of mushroom gravy.

2. Sauteed eggplant

This easy sauteed eggplant recipe is cooked in a pan on the stovetop in just 20 minutes and is convenient for a last-minute dinner served on pasta. You can serve it as an Italian side dish, on bruschetta, next to your main dish, or upgrade it to a main dish, similar to a pasta alla Norma.

3. Quick sauteed zucchini

Serve this green vegetable side with pasta or risotto, in a frittata, or on pizza. It’s a quick vegetable side ready in about 10 minutes, and the sautèed zucchini shines with fresh lemon juice and finely chopped parsley. This vegetable side melts in your mouth and is fantastic as an addition to starters, soups, hummus, vegetable salads, mujadara, and sandwiches.

5. Pan-fried asparagus

Lemon sautéed asparagus is the tastiest and best way to cook asparagus on the stove. The asparagus turns out tender-crisp in just 10 minutes, and you can use this spring side dish in salads, frittata, and stir-fries.

6. Steamed artichokes

These steamed artichokes are easy to make and delicious, soft, and buttery. You’ll be able to taste the artichoke flavor fully, and you can jazz them up with chimichurri and vegan mayonnaise.

7. Sauteed mushrooms

Here’s how to make perfect sauteed mushrooms on the stovetop with a few simple ingredients in about 15 minutes. They are not only a delicious side dish on their own but also an excellent addition to pasta, salads, and grain bowls. You can expect a familiar, comforting flavor, similar to classic mashed potatoes, but with cheesy notes and a mild cauliflower taste.

9. Braised red cabbage

Braised red cabbage requires minimal effort and attention while it simmers for 40 to 50 minutes. It’s an excellent recipe to make ahead because the day after will be even tastier. You can serve it as a delicious side dish to most meals, such as lentil loaf and stuffed butternut squash. It’s a cozy, tender, sweet, aromatic, nourishing recipe for your family.

10. Mashed sweet potatoes

Take your pick from 2 variations of mashed sweet potatoes: sweet or savory. Sweet potatoes are a great autumn and winter side dish and pair well with other veggies, stews, mushroom gravy, and lentil Wellington.

11. Fried zucchini

You’ll love this fried zucchini recipe because it is easy to make, light without eggs, with simple ingredients, and with minimal mess in the kitchen. Plus, you can choose your favorite cooking method; the options are deep-fried in oil, “fried” in the oven, or in the air-fryer. This recipe is easy to make in one skillet in less than 30 minutes and is perfect for meal prep.

Vegetable sides in the oven

All you need to make them tasty and meaty is salt, garlic, and olive oil at a high oven temperature.

14. Roasted sweet potatoes

Easy and nutritious, these roasted sweet potatoes are the perfect side dish for an everyday dinner. And since they are easy to top with tahini sauce and fresh herbs, they are also ideal for special dinners, holidays, and celebrations.

15. Garlic-roasted broccoli

Oven-roasted broccoli is so tasty you won’t believe it’s actual broccoli. Crunchy, lemony, slightly spicy, and with the perfect twist of garlic, they are ideal as a pre-dinner appetizer, snack, or vegetable side dish. You can peel the sweet potatoes or make these wholesome skin-on sweet potato wedges; they make a rustic and healthful side dish served with marinara sauce.

17. Roasted eggplant

Roasted eggplant is an easy, delicious side that complements a variety of main dishes. You can easily use it to make other recipes, such as salads, caponata, and curries, and serve as a healthy side dish with a drizzle of salsa verde on top.

18. Roasted potatoes

These tender and buttery roasted potatoes are perfect as an appetizer or side dish; we eat these a lot as a healthier alternative to french fries. You can serve them as they are or with a dip like mayonnaise, chipotle sauce, and tahini sauce.

19. Roasted vegetable tray

These roasted vegetables are colorful, tasty, tender, and aromatic, perfect as an all-year side dish. Follow our roasted veggie mix recommendations, and serve this colorful vegetable side with your favorite pasta, soup, or pizza. The breadcrumb topping gives a lot of flavor to the zucchini, and it gets all golden, crisp, and crunchy as the breadcrumbs are gratin in the oven. Drizzle with an Italian marinade and serve with focaccia bread for a Mediterranean, aromatic, and flavor-packed side dish.

22. Tomato confit

Tomato confit is the easiest, meltiest, most delicious tomato recipe. Soft, juicy, packed with oregano and garlic aroma. Tomatoes made this way can elevate any meal: as a juicy side dish, a starter served with toasted crostini, or as a topping to a bowl of pasta.

23. Smashed potatoes

These smashed potatoes are the perfect finger food, similar to nachos, and you can even top them with cheese or dairy-free cheese if you like. This recipe is excellent for so many occasions: weeknight dinner or Sunday dinner; you can serve them as a side dish and substitute for roasted potatoes.

24. Roasted carrots

Roasted carrots are a lovely side dish, perfect for many occasions, from a simple weeknight dinner to a special celebratory meal. These carrots are tender, slightly caramelized, tasty, and can be drizzled with chimichurri, green goddess dressing, or chili oil. A creamy mustard vinaigrette coats the crevices of the oven-roasted Brussels sprouts with sweet, tangy, acidic, and slightly spicy notes.

26. Roasted butternut squash

Make them sweet or savory; this tender roasted butternut squash recipe is the ultimate fall side dish. One is with garlic and fresh herbs, The other is with cinnamon and maple syrup. Both recipes are delicious as a side for an everyday or holiday dinner, such as Thanksgiving or Christmas celebrations.

Easy vegetable sides

27. Moroccan carrots

This warm carrot salad is a warming and wholesome side dish for any meal. To build a beautiful mezze platter, serve the carrots with couscous, falafel, and Moroccan couscous salad.

28. Pickled red onions

Pickling vegetables is a quick and healthy way to prep veggies (and add extra zest to your meals). Make them in 30 minutes without cooking and with four ingredients. We are sure you’ll want to put them on everything, including bowls, tacos, sandwiches, and salads.

29. Red cabbage slaw

This red cabbage slaw is perfect for any special occasion – Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and more. The recipe is easy: crunchy red cabbage as a base, shredded carrots to add sweetness, sliced green apples to add sour notes, and chopped walnuts to add a nutty and earthy flavor. Eat it as is, as a vibrant vegetable side, or load it with chickpea salad or quinoa salad to turn it into a tasty and healthy main dish.

31. Cauliflower rice

This cauliflower rice recipe is grated with a box grater or processed in a food processor, then lightly cooked on the stove and served as if it were regular rice. Eat it as a low–carb side dish when you feel like a little extra green next to curries, stews, and stir–fry meals.

32. Shaved Brussels sprout salad

This Brussels sprouts salad is a crispy side dish for the fall and winter seasons when Brussels sprouts are in season. It’s a beautiful and different dish for a quick lunch or everyday dinner, and it’s excellent for a special holiday meal from Thanksgiving through Christmas.

33. Green bean salad

Green bean salad is easily upgraded with fresh basil, cherry tomatoes, slivered almonds, and a creamy mustard dressing. In about 15 minutes, you’ve got a delicious and super tasty side dish everyone will love. They are similar to oven-baked asparagus, except that they are faster to “roast,” crispier on the outside, and juicer on the inside, thanks to the quick cooking time.

35. Sautèed green beans

Sautèed green beans are crunchy on the outside and tender juicy on the inside. They cook in just 15 minutes with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and you can serve them with a garnish of fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice.

36. Tomato and cucumber salad

Cucumber tomato salad is a vibrant, crisp, and refreshing dish you can have as a light meal, colorful appetizer, or versatile side dish with most mains.

37. Zucchini salad

This raw zucchini salad will exceed your expectations because it’s delicious, refreshing, and easy to make. We use a vegetable peeler to slice the zucchini thinly. It’s an easy technique and a super easy side dish that takes 10 minutes to prepare.

38. Sautèed kale

This recipe takes 10 minutes to make. You can use any kale and only need extra virgin olive oil, salt, red pepper flakes, and garlic.

39. Air fryer zucchini

Air fryer zucchini is an easy, healthy, and tasty way of preparing this delicious vegetable. The air fryer’s hot air and quick cooking time produce a tender-crisp zucchini with minimal use of oil.

40. Coleslaw

We finish this list with a creamy and refreshing coleslaw recipe. You’ll love our homemade coleslaw because it’s easy to make with a few simple vegetables; you can prep it in advance, and it’s light and refreshing. The secret is all in the dressing, which we make with a combination of mayonnaise (we use our homemade vegan mayo, but any other mayo works) and Greek-style yogurt (non-dairy yogurt works well too).

More vegetable side dishes

If you want more side dishes to choose from, get healthy ideas from these salads and vegetable recipes:

45 easy salad recipes or these 25 easy vegan salad ideas. Our best recipes with eggplant, zucchini, or sweet potato. 15 best sides for lasagna and 25 ideas for what to eat with hummus. Vegetarian appetizers and light soup ideas.

25 easy tofu recipes with curries, soups, and stir-fry dinner ideas. 40 easy pasta recipes with Italian pasta favorites and plant-based pasta ideas. Easy dinners with stews, soups, vegetarian meals, and salad recipes. Lentil recipes, bean meal ideas, or chickpea recipes.

40 Chickpea Recipes (easy meals)

25+ Lentil Recipes (easy meals)

45 Easy Pasta Recipes

20 Easy Curry Recipes

25 Easy Eggplant Recipes

25 Easy Zucchini Recipes

25 Potato Recipes (sides & meals)

25 Sweet Potato Recipes

Our aim is to help you and your family eat more veggies through delicious recipes with simple ingredients. Easy right? Comment * Name Email Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Notify me when Louise or Nico reply to my comment.

Δ Thanks so much for your feedback. And by the way, Catania is a wonderful city – the elephant fountain was just spectacular! All the best, Louise Our aim is to help you and your family eat more veggies through delicious recipes with simple ingredients.