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Home » Recipes

Simple Side Dish Recipes

These side dish recipes are designed to round out your meals without adding extra stress. You'll find easy vegetable sides, simple grains, and crowd-pleasing favorites that pair well with weeknight dinners, holiday meals, and everything in between.

Reader favorites include this lemon herb couscous and these sheet pan maple bacon Brussels sprouts, both easy wins at the table.

Potato Sides

  • Smashed potatoes on a sheet pan.
    Smashed Fingerling Potatoes
  • Mashed sweet potatoes topped with parsley and a piece of butter.
    Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes
  • A close up of french fries.
    Air Fryer Frozen Shoestring Fries (Seasoned French Fries)
  • A spoon scooping potato salad on a plate.
    Roasted Italian Potato Salad

Vegetables

  • Sheet pan full of roasted Italian veggies with fresh basil.
    Easy Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables (Oven-Baked in 30 Minutes)
  • Rosemary garnished potatoes and carots.
    Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
  • Crispy brussels sprouts and crispy bacon.
    Maple Brussels Sprouts
  • Broccoli on a sheet pan with parchment paper and on a white plate.
    How to Cook Frozen Broccoli (Oven & Microwave Methods) in 20 Minutes

Sides to Pair with Your Favorite Recipes

  • Pulled pork slider with text overlay "21 sides for pulled pork sliders".
    What to Serve with Pulled Pork Sandwiches
  • A photo of fish tacos with the text "What to serve with fish tacos" overlayed.
    What to Serve with Fish Tacos
  • Burger photos topped with text "what to serve with burgers".
    What to Serve with Burgers: 27 Side Dishes

More Side Dishes

  • Couscous Moroccan salad in a bowl.
    Moroccan Couscous Salad (No raisins or almonds)
    Cook Time30 Minutes
  • A plate of carrots topped with rosemary.
    Roasted Garlic Air Fryer Carrots
    Cook Time25 Minutes
  • A bowl of lemon orzo salad topped with lemon slices.
    Lemon Orzo Salad with Feta
    Cook Time30 Minutes
  • Roasted broccoli on parchment paper.
    Easy Oven Roasted Broccoli (Crispy in 25 Minutes)
    Cook Time23 Minutes
  • Chopped cucumbers, tomatoes and feta cheese salad in a wooden bowl.
    Greek Cucumber Salad
    Cook Time15 Minutes
  • air fried sweet potato cubes in a basket on a blue cloth
    Easy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes in 20 Minutes
    Cook Time25 Minutes
  • A bowl of pearl couscous topped with lemon wedges with a spoon digging in.
    Lemon Pearl Couscous
    Cook Time17 Minutes
  • Mashed potatoes with melted butter on top.
    Instant Pot Red-Skinned Mashed Potatoes
    Cook Time30 Minutes
  • A spoon scooping into a pan of mac and cheese.
    Old-Fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese
    Cook Time50 Minutes
  • Cubed butternut squash in a white bowl topped with parsley.
    Crispy Air Fryer Butternut Squash (Easy Fall Side Dish)
    Cook Time30 Minutes
  • Potato wedges with ketchup.
    Air Fryer Steak Fries
    Cook Time30 Minutes
  • Smashed yellow potatoes topped with chopped parsley.
    Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes
    Cook Time45 Minutes
  • Green beans garnished with lemon wedges on a white plate.
    Crispy Parmesan Air Fryer Frozen Green Beans
    Cook Time20 Minutes
  • Mashed potatoes topped with butter slices and fresh thyme.
    Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
    Cook Time35 Minutes
  • Pesto pasta salad topped with balsamic glaze.
    Easy Pesto Orzo Salad
    Cook Time20 Minutes
  • A plate of potato salad topped with chives.
    Potato Salad without Mayo (No Eggs!)
    Cook Time25 Minutes
  • Tortellini pasta salad mixed with salami, mozzarella, tomatoes, olives, and artichokes garnished with microgreens.
    Antipasto Tortellini Salad (Easy Summer Pasta Salad Recipe)
    Cook Time20 Minutes
  • Crispy roasted potatoes on a white platter with thyme garnish.
    Parmesan Crusted Potatoes (Garlic & Herb)
    Cook Time40 Minutes
  • Strawberry and tomato salad in a red bowl.
    Strawberry Tomato Salad
    Cook Time10 Minutes
  • Potato and green bean salad, showing the texture of the potatoes, crisp green beans, and creamy feta crumbles.
    Potato and Green Bean Salad
    Cook Time25 Minutes
  • Three-cheese macaroni and cheese on a gray plate, garnished with fresh chives and black pepper.
    3 Cheese Mac and Cheese (No Flour)
    Cook Time35 Minutes
  • A plate of grilled zucchini slices topped with herbs and feta.
    Grilled Zucchini Salad
    Cook Time14 Minutes
  • Greek lemon potatoes with feta and topped with lemon slices.
    Greek Lemon Potatoes
    Cook Time45 Minutes
  • A white plate filled with kidney beans and rice.
    Instant Pot Jamaican Rice and Peas
    Cook Time16 Minutes
  • Brussels sprouts with a serving spoon on a plate.
    Air Fryer Frozen Brussels Sprouts
    Cook Time20 Minutes
  • Salad tongs in a bowl of cold quinoa salad.
    Cranberry Quinoa Salad with Butternut Squash
    Cook Time40 Minutes
  • Hasselback potatoes next to two beer bottles.
    Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes
    Cook Time40 Minutes
  • A spinach and sweet potato salad with salad spoons.
    Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Quinoa
    Cook Time45 Minutes
  • A white plate filled with roasted carrots garnished with sprigs of fresh thyme, placed on a wooden cutting board.
    Parmesan Roasted Carrots
    Cook Time40 Minutes
  • A spoon digging into roasted potatoes.
    Garlic Butter Potatoes
    Cook Time50 Minutes
  • Stuffed peppers in a baking dish.
    Couscous Stuffed Peppers
    Cook Time50 Minutes
  • Acorn squash topped with fresh thyme.
    Air Fryer Acorn Squash
    Cook Time19 Minutes
  • Spinach and arugula salad topped with shaved parmesan.
    Spinach and Arugula Salad
    Cook Time5 Minutes
  • Red and yellow tomatoes in a salad with bread and cucumbers.
    Panzanella Toscana
    Cook Time15 Minutes
  • A tomato salad in a white serving dish garnished with basil.
    Italian Tomato Salad
    Cook Time10 Minutes
  • A bowl of cannellini bean salad.
    Cannellini Bean Salad
    Cook Time15 Minutes
  • A bowl of corn and red pepper salad topped with lime wedges.
    Grilled Corn Salad
    Cook Time30 Minutes
  • Easy summer salads collage.
    Easy Summer Salad Recipes
  • Arugula topped with peaches, proscuitto and burrata cheese.
    Grilled Peach Salad
    Cook Time25 Minutes
  • Summer bbq recipes collage.
    Ultimate Summer Cookout Menu
Sarah Hill, food blogger behind Real Food with Sarah, in her kitchen preparing fresh ingredients for a weeknight dinner.

Hi, I'm Sarah!

I'm a recipe developer and food photographer based in NJ. My goal is to bring you delicious recipes without having to spend hours in the kitchen. I hope you find something you and your family enjoy! Feel free to reach out with any questions, I'm happy to connect.

More about me →

Easter Recipes

  • Spiral ham with a glaze.
    Air Fryer Ham with Bourbon Glaze (Juicy & Easy!)
  • A plate of carrots topped with rosemary.
    Roasted Garlic Air Fryer Carrots
  • Crispy roasted Cornish hens topped with lemon and rosemary, served with Brussels sprouts and roasted sweet potatoes.
    Roasted Cornish Hens (Spatchcocked)
  • A bowl of lemon orzo salad topped with lemon slices.
    Lemon Orzo Salad with Feta

See all Easter Recipes

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Reader Favorites ⭐️

  • A spoon scooping into a pan of mac and cheese.
    Old-Fashioned Baked Macaroni and Cheese
  • A plate of tomato sauce over spaghetti topped with basil leaves.
    Nonna's Authentic Italian Pasta Sauce
  • Close up view of a crispy buffalo chicken sandwich on a bun with lettuce and tomato.
    Crispy Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches (Air Fryer Recipe!)
  • An espresso martini topped with coffee beans.
    Tequila Espresso Martini

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