Healthy side dishes recipes are an excellent way to add variety to your meals without spending too much money. They also provide extra nutrients that you may be lacking during the week. Many people opt to eat salads rather than other side dishes because they think they’ll get more nutrition out of their food. However, there are plenty of healthy side dishes recipes that are packed full of vitamins and minerals. These include carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli, beans, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, onions,
etc. Below, you’ll find several delicious side dish recipes that you can use to spice up your dinners.
1. Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
This is a great side dish to serve with chicken or pork. It’s also good as an accompaniment for fish, but it works best with meat.
Ingredients:
- Four large sweet potatoes.
- 1/2 cup butter.
- Three tablespoons olive oil.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Preparations:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cut the tops off of the sweet potatoes, so they are flat on top.
- Put all ingredients into a bowl and mix well.
- Place in baking pan and bake for about 1 hour or until tender.
- Serve hot!
2. Roasted Root Vegetables
These roasted root vegetables are delicious served warm or cold. They make an excellent addition to many meals.
Ingredients:
- Two medium carrots.
- One small turnip.
- One medium rutabaga.
- One medium parsnip.
- Olive Oil.
- Salt & PepperPreheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Preparations:
1. Peel and slice the vegetables into thin slices. Toss together with enough olive oil to coat evenly.
2. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Spread on a cookie sheet and roast for 30-45 minutes or until browned. Serve warm.
3. Purple Potatoes with Rosemary and Olives
We love this simple side dish that can be made ahead of time. The purple color makes it look very festive at Thanksgiving dinner.
Ingredients:
- Six new red potatoes.
- One tablespoon of fresh rosemary leaves.
- 1/2 cup black olives.
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
Preparations:
Boil the potatoes until fork-tender. Drain and cool slightly. Cut each potato lengthwise into quarters. In a small bowl, combine the rosemary, olives, salt, and pepper. Toss gently to blend. Place the potatoes in a serving dish. Sprinkle with the olive mixture. Serve immediately.
4. Quinoa With Garlic, Pine Nuts, and Raisins
You will find quinoa in most grocery stores these days, but if you don’t have access to it, feel free to use rice instead. This recipe is easy to prepare and tastes great.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa.
- 1/2 cup water.
- 1/4 cup pine nuts.
- One clove garlic, minced.
- 1/2 cup raisins.
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt.
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper.
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil.
- 1/4 cup lemon juice.
- Freshly cracked pepper.
Preparations:
1. Rinse the quinoa under running water; drain. In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes—fluff with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat for 3to 4 minutes, frequently stirring, until golden brown. Transfer to a plate.
3. Heat the olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat—cook the garlic for 2 minutes. Stir in the cooked quinoa, raisins, salt, and cayenne pepper—Cook for another minute.
4. in the lemon juice, and season with pepper to taste. Top with the pine nuts.
5. Mango Cucumber Rice Salad
This salad has become my favorite summertime side dish. It’s light, refreshing, and full of flavor.
Ingredients:
- One mango, peeled and sliced.
- One cucumber, seeded and diced.
- One green onion, chopped.
- 1/2 cup arugula.
- 1/2 cup jicama, cut into matchsticks.
- 1/4 cup feta cheese crumbles.
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds.
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds.
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds1/4 cup sesame seeds.
- 1/4 cup flax seed.
- Three tablespoons apple cider vinegar.
- One tablespoon honey.
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder.
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder.
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix well and serve chilled.
6. Lemon Pepper Mushrooms
These mushrooms are delicious, served hot as an appetizer or cold as a salad. They are perfect for any occasion. You can also freeze them and enjoy them later.
Ingredients:
- 12 ounces white button mushrooms.
- 1/2 cup olive oil.
- Two lemons.
- 1/2 cup parsley.
- 1/2 cup basil.
- 1/2 cup tarragon.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Preparations:
1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wash the mushrooms and remove the stems. Slice the caps into 1/8 inch slices. Place the mushroom slices on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
2. Drizzle the olive oil over the top of the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn the mushrooms over and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes.
3. When done, they should be tender and lightly browned. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container for up to one week.
7. Spicy Summer Squash with Herbs
Summer squash is a beautiful vegetable that is available year-round. Try this recipe when you want something different than your usual veggie. If you like spicy food, add more chili flakes.
Ingredients:
- One small zucchini.
- One yellow summer squash.
- One red bell pepper.
- One small shallot.
- One clove garlic.
- Olive oil cooking spray.
- Red chili flakes.
- Salt and pepper.
Preparations:
1. Cut the squash lengthwise into six wedgesTrim off the ends and discard. Spray a baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Lay the squash pieces flat in the pan and sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Roast at 400°F for about 20 minutes or until just tender. Sprinkle with the chili flakes and continue roasting for another 5 to 7 minutes. Serve warm.
8. Roasted Garlic Asparagus
Asparagus is a spring vegetable that is easy to grow and very tasty. This simple recipe will have everyone asking where you got it from!
Ingredients:
- Six heads garlic.
- Extra virgin olive oil.
- Sea salt.
- Freshly ground black pepper.
- Asparagus spears.
Preparations:
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut each head of garlic in half crosswise. Remove the papery outer skin of the garlic cloves by rubbing them between your fingers.
2. Arrange the garlic halves in a single layer on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Wrap the baking sheet tightly in aluminum foil.
3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until soft. Unwrap the baking sheet and let stand for 15 minutes. While still warm, squeeze out the softened garlic pulp into a medium bowl. Mash the garlic with a fork. Stir in 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Set aside.
4. Trim the tough bottom ends of the asparagus. Rinse the asparagus under running water and pat dry with paper towels. Toss the asparagus with the remaining two teaspoons of olive oil and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
5. Spread the asparagus in an even layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 to 14 minutes or until crisp-tender. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let stand for 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the roasted asparagus to a serving platter. Spoon the mashed garlic mixture over the asparagus and serve immediately.
9. Whole-Grain Herbed Garlic Bread
This delicious bread is made using whole wheat flour, making it heartier than regular white breIt’sIt’s also gluten-free. You can use any herb combination you prefer; try basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage, tarragon, chives, parsley, cilantro, dill, marjoram, mint, lavender, lemon balm, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, cardamom, coriander, fennel, caraway seeds, curry powder, saffron, turmeric, curry leaves, or crushed juniper berries.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole wheat flour.
- 1/4 cup sugar.
- 3 1/2 tablespoons active yeast.
- One tablespoon kosher salt.
- One teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper.
- 1/2 cup lukewarm water.
- 5 to 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
- One egg beat with one tablespoon of milk.
- Two garlic cloves, minced.
Preparations:
1. Combine the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and pepper in a food processor fitted with the dough blade. Pulse several times to mix well. With the motor running, add the water through the feed tube slowly.
2. When the dough comes together, turn onto a floured work surface and knead briefly. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
3. Punch down the dough, divide it in half, shape each piece into a ball, and flatten slightly. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans.
4. Divide the dough evenly between the prepared pans. Brush the top of each loaf with the beaten egg and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before slicing.
10. Semolina roast potatoes with garlic & thyme
Serve this dish hot or cold. The semolina gives the potatoes their characteristic chewy texture. If you don’t have semolina, substitute polenta or cornmeal.
Ingredients:
- Six medium red potatoes.
- 2 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed.
- Two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- 1/2 cup semolina.
- One garlic clove, thinly sliced.
- One sprig of fresh thyme.
Preparations:
1. Heat the oven to400 degrees Fahrenheit. Put the unpeeled potatoes in a large pot and fill with enough salted water to cover.
2. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer the potatoes for about 20 minutes or until tender when pierced with a knife.
3. Drain the potatoes and set them aside. Pour off most of the cooking liquid from the pot and reserve the liquid. In another pot, bring the reserved potato cooking liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the semolina
Conclusion
It is important to eat healthy side dishes as well as main course meals. They are very tasty and satisfy your taste buds. They make your meal more enjoyable and overall very nutritious as well.