20+ Feel-Good Vegetable Side Dishes
Looking for some delicious and feel-good vegetable side dishes? This collection of amazing veggies sides will help you add flavorful vegetables to meals in way that is guaranteed to dazzle your tastebuds.
This is probably not a big surprise to anyone but….
Vegetables just make most people feel good.
However, many of us don’t get enough of them into our bellies. By a long shot!
Why is that? Why don’t we eat more vegetables even we know that they are good for us?
Because many of feel kinda blah about veggies. We might find them boring, not enjoy their texture, and some might even say that vegetables downright gross. They feel like they have to choke down veggies or live off salads alone to get that important veggie daily intake in. But they don’t!
Veggies can be enjoyed in so many ways. I’ve made a whole career out of showing people how to effortlessly get vegetables in through our veggie-loaded recipes. You do not have to eat boring vegetables, people!
They can be delicious. And fun. And still be healthy for you.
If you aren’t ready to jump into all things veggie-loaded but are interested in getting more vegetables into your diet in a way that is delicious, here are 20+ healthy vegetable side dishes that will get those 2-3 cups in and make your tastebuds sing at the same time.
Mashed Instant Pot Potatoes with Cauliflower
These Mashed Instant Pot Potatoes with Cauliflower are delicious, creamy and easy! You can get these mashed potatoes on the table in about 30 minutes! Plus, they’re a great way to get more cauliflower into your family's diet!
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Quick Oven-Baked Kale Chips with Parmesan
Wondering how to bake kale chips at home? It is super easy, and requires no fancy kitchen gear, just your oven and a baking sheet! With a little added flavor from grated parmesan cheese, these kale chips are a crispy, crunchy, savory snack, and an easy way to enjoy this oh-so healthy green veggie
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Perfectly Tender 10-Minute Sautéed Carrots
This sautéed carrots recipe is easy, delicious, are perfectly tender (without being mushy) and makes for the perfect vegetable side dish for any meal. Plus, they’re done in just 10 minutes— making them a quick addition to any weeknight dinner!
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Sweet or Savory Mashed Butternut Squash
This mashed butternut squash makes for the perfect veggie side dish for any meal. Sweet or savory, you pick how to enjoy this vegetable mash…we've included both versions in the recipe!
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25-Minute Garlic Roasted Radishes
This easy recipe for roasted radishes is delicious, easy to make, and is the perfect vegetable side. Roasting radishes cuts the bite out of this root veggie and enhances its natural sweetness. I've added garlic powder, olive oil, and a little salt to the mix for the ultimate flavor pairing to this underrated veg!
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Air Fryer Green Beans
Cooking greens beans in the air fryer makes for the perfect easy vegetable side! Perfectly tender, flavorful and oh so easy to make. This quick side dish is perfect to throw together on a busy weeknight and uses just 3 basic ingredients.
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Instant Pot Artichokes
Have you ever made artichokes in the Instant Pot? Because honestly, it’s the easiest, least fussy way I’ve found to cook this slightly intimidating (but very delicious) veggie. Minimal prep, no guesswork, and they come out perfectly tender every time.
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Garlic Roasted Potatoes and Carrots
These roasted potatoes and carrots are one of those dependable veggie side dishes that goes with just about everything. Perfectly seasoned and roasted until tender inside with golden, caramelized edges, they’re easy enough for a weeknight dinner but delicious enough for a holiday table too.
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Easy Homemade Applesauce (with veggies!)
Making your own delicious homemade applesauce is so easy! With just a few ingredients, this recipe is kid-friendly and packed with added veggies. Easy, wholesome and so tasty . They whole family is going to love this healthy recipe!
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30-Minute Instant Pot Butternut Squash Risotto
This Instant Pot butternut squash arborio rice risotto is way faster to make compared to traditional stovetop risotto recipes. Ready within 30 minutes (start to finish), it’s an easy veggie-loaded side dish or enjoy the risotto as a vegetarian main meal. Fresh or frozen (but thawed) butternut squash can be used for cooking convenience. It’s creamy comfort in a bowl!
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7-Minute Sautéed Asparagus
Easy and quick, this sautéed asparagus recipe is a fast (done in 7 minutes, start to finish) and delicious way to get a healthy and flavorful veggie side on the table in no time!
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10-Minute Sautéed Green Beans
Sautéed greens beans are a classic veggie side. They are a healthy addition to any meal and are easy to quick to make in just 10 minutes! This is my tried-and-true method for flavorful crisp green beans that is always a crowd pleaser.
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Tex-Mex Vegetarian Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
These Tex-Mex Vegetarian Quinoa Stuffed Peppers just tick all the boxes: simple, satisfying, and packed with feel-good ingredients like corn and quinoa. They’re sososososo tasty and just perfect as a veggie-packed side for family dinners or a standout meatless main
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Creamy Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole
This cauliflower broccoli casserole is a creamy, cheesy veggie side that’s easy enough for weeknights but special enough for holidays. My lightened-up take on the classic with tender broccoli and cauliflower tossed with garlic powder, cheddar, and creamy Greek yogurt, then finished with a crispy herby breadcrumb topping and baked until golden. Simple but the kind of side that disappears fast.
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Asparagus + Pea Risotto (without wine)
This Asparagus and Pea Risotto is one of those veggie sides that feels a little fancy—but is actually so easy. It all comes together in one pot (yes please!) and is done in about 40 minutes. Instead of wine, I use a little vinegar to get that same pop of brightness. Creamy, cozy, and loaded with spring veggies, it’s a total crowd-pleaser and a delicious way to get more green veggies on the table.
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Zesty Scoopable Corn & Black Bean Side Salad
This Corn and Black Bean Salad is wildly easy to make + paired with a simple (yet zingy!) lime dressing that makes it the perfect thing to to serve as a side to any summer meal or to scoop up with chips for a veggie-filled snack or app. Oh and I've added cucumbers, bell peppers, and red onion into the mix, making this the ultimate feel-good summer salad!
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Quick & Easy No-Cook Zucchini Salsa
This Easy Zucchini Salsa is the perfect addition to any summer spread. Quick to make, no cooking and loaded with fresh flavors.
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Roasted Cauliflower
This is my go-to method for making roasted cauliflower! A delicious and easy veggie side to just about any meal or perfect to make as part of meal prep!
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Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
These seriously delicious baked buffalo cauliflower wings are a fun way to eat your veggies! Easily vegan and/or gluten free, these veggie-loaded bites are going to be a hit with any crowd!
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Zucchini and Corn Fritters
These Zucchini and Corn Fritters bring together two classic summer veggies in one crispy, golden, snackable little package. They’re easy to make, totally handheld, and perfect as a savory breakfast, midday snack, or veggie-loaded side for whatever you’ve got on the table.
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The BEST Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Roasted Brussel sprouts are a veggie house staple. Perfectly tender with a crispy outside, they are the perfect side to any dinner and totally kid-approved.
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Cheesy Cauliflower Nuggets
These Cheesy Cauliflower Nuggets are delicious, easy to make, and kids love them! The perfect blend of rice, cheese and oodles of cauliflower they are naturally gluten-free and the perfect finger food for any meal!
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Healthy Vegetables Side Dishes: Roasted Potatoes and Carrots
Two classic veggies made extra delicious, these Roasted Potatoes and Carrots are full of flavor and make for the perfect side to any dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots, cut into coins
- 1 pound potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- black pepper , to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400° F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- In a large bowl, whisk together oil, garlic, parsley, salt, thyme and pepper.
- Add cut carrots and potatoes to the bowl and toss a few times to coat.
- Spread in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Avoid crowding veggies if possible. Crowded veggies steam vs roast.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until carrots and potatoes are fork tender. If your veggies are cut thicker, they may take closer to 40 minutes to roast.
- Remove from oven and enjoy warm. Let cool and store in fridge for up to 4 days.
Calories: 100kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 188mg, Potassium: 425mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 9472IU, Vitamin C: 15mg, Calcium: 30mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information provided here is only an estimate shared for convenience and as a courtesy. Information will vary based on ingredients + brands used to create the recipe.