Vegetable Side Dish Recipes & Ideas

Despite being beautiful, delicious, and good for you, artichokes don’t get much play in the kitchen because — let’s face it — they’re a little intimidating. But with just a tiny bit of prep work, artichokes are surprisingly easy to pick, cook, and eat. The next time you’re at the farmers market or grocery store, pick up a few and give it a go. I’ll walk you through everything you need to know.

Everyone will demand seconds.

Tender sautéed greens are an easy go-to vegetable side everyone should know how to make. They pair with everything from quick pastas to weeknight chicken dinners, and come together in minutes. These mustard greens are smothered in lots of garlic, kicked up with a pinch of red pepper flakes, and brightened with balsamic. When you have the main dish squared away, mustard greens are the easiest answer to “What should we have with it?

It’s delicious!

We're not kidding when we say they taste like potato mac and cheese.

It’s the ultimate comfort food.

In about 15 minutes, you have one of the best side dishes you can enjoy.

This umami-packed, buttery glaze will make you love roasted tender carrots.

If you love creamy mashed potatoes, you’ll love colcannon, a traditional Irish dish. Keeping with tradition, we didn’t mess with the potatoes or cabbage, but swapped the plain melted butter that is typically served in a pool on top for fragrant browned butter. We just couldn’t help ourselves! The nutty browned butter is a wonderful warm contrast to the sharp green onions that get scattered before serving, giving this dish an easy, elegant twist.

If you’re skeptical about cabbage, this is the recipe that will turn you into a believer. And if, like me, you already adore cabbage (and are always looking for cabbage recipe ideas), this simple side will deepen your love. Simply put, Southern-style fried cabbage will forever change the way you think about this basic cruciferous vegetable.

Do I have to share?

It’s the perfect vegetable side.

“My husband ate more than half of the bowl.”

"This maque choux beats others I’ve had in Louisiana."

And there isn't even heavy cream.

Cooking eggplant is quite easy and works in a million different ways: grilled eggplant, crispy baked eggplant, stir-fried eggplant, and stuffed eggplant, to name a few. (You just want to know what mistakes to avoid when cooking it!) But whenever fall rolls around I find myself consumed by an abiding drive to roast things, and oven roasted eggplant is one of the best and easiest things to do. Globe eggplant: You’ll need 2 medium eggplants or 1 large eggplant.

While it may feel like kale has overstayed its welcome in the food scene, the hype over the leafy green is very much still alive. And knowing the right way to cook it is a total game-changer. (Don’t miss our in-depth kale guide to learn about the different types of kale and more! )Mastering this method will convert kale-haters, yes, but it will also inspire kale fans who feared they’d never be able to get it right at home.

Crispy outside + fluffy inside = perfection.

Creamy, cheesy, and crowd pleasing dauphinoise potatoes are practically impossible to dislike. This classic French dish is simple yet indulgent, and pairs perfectly with showstopping mains like roasted beef tenderloin, glazed ham, or prime rib. With a few kitchen tools and a bit of prep work, you can easily make dauphinoise potatoes from scratch.Dauphinoise (DOE-PHEEN-NOWAAZ) potatoes is how the French say casserole of potatoes, heavy cream, and cheese.

There's so much to love even for vegetable haters!

Who doesn’t like crispy cheese?

This will be your new favorite side.

This is a bowl of pure comfort.

What's a bowl?

I have the recipe memorized.

Our favorite way to eat cauliflower isn’t as a cauliflower pizza crust or cauliflower rice, it’s an extremely creamy mash. But before we designate mashed cauliflower as just a lighter version of mashed potatoes, let’s consider why it is a side dish with merits all its own. You can’t over-mash or over-whip cauliflower the way you can potatoes. Without potato’s starch to contend with, you can purée the cauliflower all day with no risk of gumminess.

You had me at crispy bacon and gooey cheese.

Fondant potatoes look like a dish you’d order in a fancy restaurant. But don’t be intimidated by their appearance — they take less than one hour to make and use humble ingredients you might already have on hand. They also come together using just one pan, making cleanup a breeze. Serve them with seared steak or roast chicken for a restaurant-quality dinner at home. Or serve them alongside prime rib for an impressive holiday meal.

You've never had creamed corn like this.

Get to know this Southern green.

It’s the mash-up we’ve all been waiting for.

Even Brussels sprout haters will fall in love.

Shatteringly crisp!

So buttery. So garlicky.

From roasted broccoli to sautéed bok choy and everything in-between.

Classic corn on the cob is just the beginning.

No matter what kind of meat you're cooking for dinner, there's a place on the plate for these simple sides.

Here's how I round out pasta night.

The Greek lemon potatoes are a must-try.

Because it's not summer until you have corn on the cob.

Southern grits are rich, creamy, and incredibly easy to make.

You can adapt this simple formula for any fresh vegetables; try a mixture of vinegars and spices for a truly custom pickle pleasure.

This is the best way to cook corn for a crowd.

Learn the secret to the spud.

Like the boxed stuff, but so much better.

Grab the butter and olive oil.

So fast! So crispy!

Roasted cauliflower tacos? Yes, please.

The cream sauce is magical.

Pass the veggies, please!

They can even be frozen.

They're perfect.

I'm never making it another way.

They're rich in flavor, covered in sweet sauce, and flavored with vanilla (which really does make a difference).

The richest, creamiest, most classic version.

The salad that will steal the show.

Don't mess with a classic — unless you can improve it.

Can’t get enough of the crunchy, buttery topping.

In the winter, a baked potato (with the works!) is something my family enjoys on a regular basis. We oil and season the potatoes and roast them directly on the oven rack, then load up the steaming spuds with all the accoutrements our hearts desire. When summer approaches and we turn our attention to the grill, our baked potato habit typically comes to a halt. But this year, it’s only just ramping up.

No spiralizers or any special gadgets required — just an oven and a half-hour of your time.