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15 Healthy Vegetable Side Dishes

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Anybody else alllllll about the side dishes when it comes to holiday dinners?!

I don't care if it's Thanksgiving or Christmas or Easter, but with any of those high holiday meals the side dishes are a make it or break it situation for me. Good news for my fellow side lovers: I've rounded up 15 Healthy Vegetable Side Dishes that are easy, delicious, and quick to prepare.

Many can be prepared in advance, and all are veggie-forward, flavour-packed vegetarian side dishes that will have your mouth watering before they even hit the table. Shall we dig in?

15 Healthy Vegetable Side Dishes:

photo collage with healthy vegetable side dishes

1. Greek Yogurt Mashed Potatoes

These are not your Grandma's mashed potatoes... they're better! Greek Yogurt Mashed Potatoes made with the skin on for extra nutrients, but don't let that fool you. Lightened up though these may be, they're packed with flavour, moist, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. 

greek yogurt mashed potatoes in a wooden bowl on top of a dark grey tea towel

Greek Yogurt Mashed Potatoes
Greek Yogurt Mashed Potatoes are an easy, healthy, and deliciously creamy mashed potatoes recipe you can easily make ahead. Learn why I love to leave the skin on for an extra nutritious side dish! 
Check out this recipe
greek yogurt mashed potatoes in a wooden bowl with small bowls of yogurt and chives to the side

2. Green Beans Gremolata

If you're looking for a healthy vegetable side dish that doesn't require any oven space, Green Beans Gremolata is where it's at. This dish will punch you in the mouth with big, bright flavours, and it comes together in a flash. 

overhead photo of green beans gremolata on a white and blue platter with a small dish of beans to the side

Green Beans Gremolata
Green Beans Gremolata is an easy vegetable side dish that's simple to make and packed with flavour. Made on the stovetop with a handful of ingredients you've probably already got on hand, this vegetarian recipe comes together quickly and can be made at the last minute or served at room temperature.
Check out this recipe
green beans gremolata on a white and blue platter topped with lemon halves

3. Miso Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I'm confident that any B-Sprout skeptics will be converted with this salty and sweet Miso Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts dish. Just a few ingredients, a quick roast in the oven, and a tangy umami dressing and you'll be adding another plate to your healthy vegetable side dish repertoire. 

A blue plate of maple roasted brussels sprouts with a silver fork and a bowl of roasted sprouts in the background

Miso Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Miso Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts are an easy vegan side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas. This healthy recipe is a cinch to make in your oven. Just roast the sprouts on a sheet pan, drizzle with miso maple dressing, and you're done! 
Check out this recipe
Miso Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts on a blue plate with a white tea towel to the side

4. Hasselback Butternut Squash

Move over potatoes, there's a new Hasselback in town! This Hasselback Butternut Squash is basted with maple sage brown butter and if that's not a good enough reason to make it, I don't know what is. 

overhead photo of hasselback butternut squash on a festive table

Hasselback Butternut Squash
Hasselback Butternut Squash is a beautiful and delicious vegetarian side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas. This Hasselback squash recipe is half roasted for easy slicing, then basted with maple sage brown butter and roasted again. It's fairly simple to make, but is impressive looking enough for the high holidays!
Check out this recipe
hasselback butternut squash in a white casserole dish

5. Roasted Romanesco

If you've never tried this beautifully freaky looking vegetable before, I encourage you to give it a try. Roasted Romanesco Cauliflower is easy and delicious, topped with triple-P combo of Parsley, Panko, and Parmesan to take it to the next level. 

overhead photo of roasted romanesco cauliflower on a blue plate

Roasted Romanesco with seasoned panko bread crumbs
Roasted Romanesco Cauliflower with seasoned panko breadcrumbs is an easy veggie side dish recipe. This funky looking vegetable is kid-friendly, easily vegan, and is fast and easy to make. 
Check out this recipe
roasted romanesco on a blue plate with seasoned panko bread crumbs in a wooden bowl to the side

6. Spicy Pickled Onions

Spicy Pickled Onions are incredibly easy to make, yet the add a punch of both flavour and colour to any vegetable side dish spread. I love combining them with other dishes for a bit of spice and tang, and I'm sure you will, too. 

a jar of pickled red onions on a grey surface with red onions in the background

Spicy Pickled Onions
These quick pickled red onions are the best way to add a punch of flavour to burgers, tacos, salads, and more. I love making homemade spicy pickled onions. It takes only a handful of ingredients, a few minutes of hands-on time, and is an easy low sugar recipe you'll make again and again.
Check out this recipe
a jar of pickled red onions on a grey surface with red onions in the background

7. Stuffed Acorn Squash

If you're looking for a recipe that can hold it's own with the healthy vegetable side dishes while also doubling as a protein-packed vegetarian main, Stuffed Acorn Squash is just the ticket. 

a slice of stuffed acorn squash on a blue plate with platter of squash in the background

Stuffed Acorn Squash
This Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe makes a beautiful and delicious side dish or vegetarian main. Made with a gluten-free quinoa stuffing, lentils add even more plant-based protein and cheese is optional but delicious. If you're looking for a vegetarian side dish or just a fun way to eat squash, this vegetarian stuffed squash is the one!
Check out this recipe
a slice of stuffed squash on a blue plate with a sliver fork to the side

8. Mediterranean Roast Vegetables

You won't believe how easy it is to make these Mediterranean Roast Vegetables. Combine your favourite veggies with lots of garlic, fresh herbs, and potatoes, and roast away. The perfect healthy vegetable side dish.

mediterranean roast vegetables on a blue plate with a glass of lemon water in the background

Mediterranean Roast Vegetables
Mediterranean Roast Vegetables are an easy and healthy way to get a ton of vegetables into your family. Oven roasted with mediterranean herbs for seasoning, these vegan roast vegetables can be used for a side dish, with pasta, rice, potatoes, and more!
Check out this recipe
overhead photo of mediterranean roast vegetables on a blue plate with a tray of roast vegetables in the background

9. Spicy Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

A butternut squash salad might not be traditional on your holiday table, but I'm going to argue that it should be. This Spicy Butternut Squash Salad with Lentils packs big flavours and lots of texture into a delicious and healthy vegetable side dish. 

two bowls of butternut squash salad with a platter of salad in the background

Stuffed Acorn Squash
This Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe makes a beautiful and delicious side dish or vegetarian main. Made with a gluten-free quinoa stuffing, lentils add even more plant-based protein and cheese is optional but delicious. If you're looking for a vegetarian side dish or just a fun way to eat squash, this vegetarian stuffed squash is the one!
Check out this recipe
a slice of stuffed squash on a blue plate with a sliver fork to the side

10. Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole

I've never understood why sweet potato casserole was so loaded with sugar, so I set out to make a HNL version with less sugar, no dairy, and allllll the flavour. This Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole is nutritionist created and southerner approved.

overhead photo of vegan sweet potato casserole on a grey background

Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
This Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole is the easy, healthy side dish your Thanksgiving table is asking for! Made with a pecan crumble topping and naturally sweetened with maple syrup and coconut sugar, this is a refined sugar-free dairy-free sweet potato recipe just in time for the holidays.
Check out this recipe
vegan sweet potato casserole on a white plate

11. Air Fryer Carrots

Whether you've got an Air Fryer or not, these sweet and crispy Honey Roasted Carrots are side dish perfection. Tossed with honey butter and sprinkled with dukkah, these Air Fryer Carrots really elevate your side dish game. 

a blue plate with honey roasted carrots topped with dukkah on a grey background

Air Fryer Carrots
You won't believe how quick and easy it is to make these Air Fryer Carrots! Tossed with honey and olive oil, roasted to perfection, and then topped with dukkah, it's my favourite delicious and healthy carrot recipe.
Check out this recipe
overhead photo of air fryer roasted carrots on a blue plate

12. Spicy Roasted Hokkaido Pumpkin 

Thin-skinned Hokkaido pumpkin is the perfect side dish ingredient because you don't have to peel it. Roasted to perfection in a sweet and spicy crust, these Roasted Hokkaido Pumpkin wedges are as delicious as they are easy to make.

roasted hokkaido pumpkin wedges on a blue and white platter

Spicy Roasted Hokkaido Pumpkin Wedges
These Spicy Roasted Hokkaido Pumpkin Wedges are a simple, healthy, and delicious vegetarian side dish. Made with thin-skinned pumpkin also known as red kuri squash, the skin is edible which makes preparation a cinch for this hokkaido pumpkin recipe.
Check out this recipe
overhead photo of roasted hokkaido pumpkin wedges on a white and blue platter with microgreens and a pair of red scissors in the background

13. Lemony Roasted Tahini Cauliflower

Roasted cauliflower has been en vogue the past few years, and for good reason! This Roasted Tahini Cauliflower is crisp, tangy, and served on a puddle of rich tahini sauce. It is side dish perfection. 

a blue platter of tahini cauliflower topped with capers and parsley, with a silver serving spoon on the side

Lemony Roasted Tahini Cauliflower
Lemony Roasted Tahini Cauliflower is an easy and delicious vegetable side dish. Roast a whole cauliflower or break it down into florets, then serve on a puddle of tahini sauce. Simple, elegant, and healthy.
Check out this recipe
a blue platter of tahini cauliflower topped with capers and parsley, with a silver serving spoon on the side

14. Mashed Potato Stuffing

If you've never tried adding mashed potatoes to your stuffing, you're in for a real treat. Perfectly moist, seasoned with sage and thyme, and studded with buttery fried onions, this is the stuffing of your dreams. I make Instant Pot Stuffing to free up oven space, but it works great baked in the oven too!

mashed potato stuffing on a white plate with a white casserole dish of stuffing and wooden salt and pepper grinders in the background

Instant Pot Stuffing (Mashed Potato Stuffing)
You won't believe how easy it is to make your stuffing for Thanksgiving dinner using the Instant Pot. This Mashed Potato Stuffing recipe comes out incredibly moist and full of flavour using the pot-in-pot technique. Includes instructions for oven baking for those without an Instant Pot.
Check out this recipe
a white casserole dish filled with mashed potato stuffing in front of an instant pot

15. Wild Rice Salad

This Wild Rice Salad is an HNL classic! Studded with chickpeas, cranberries, and toasted pecans, it's always a crowd pleaser. 

overhead photo of wild rice salad on a blue plate with a pot of pecans and a carafe of dressing to the side

Wild Rice Salad
This Wild Rice Salad features chickpeas, cranberries, and toasted pecans. Tossed with a honey-sweetened sesame ginger dressing, and topped with lots of cilantro, this is an easy, healthy recipe. 
Check out this recipe
overhead photo of wild rice salad with chickpeas and cranberries in a black bowl
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