51 Quick and Easy Side Dishes That Go with Any Meal
51 Quick and Easy Side Dishes That Go with Any Meal
Read Time: 23 mins
51 Quick and Easy Side Dishes That Go with Any Meal
sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein
sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein. 3/51 Easy Coleslaw 4 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Total Time 15 min Servings 12 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: You won’t have to fuss with a lot of seasonings to fix this easy coleslaw recipe. We’ve shared this old family favorite with many friends over the years. Nutrition Facts: 3/4 cup: 177 calories, 15g fat (2g saturated fat), 7mg cholesterol, 116mg sodium, 11g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 2g fiber), 1g protein. 4/51 Jalapeno Corn Muffins 3 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Favorite Jalapeno Corn Muffins Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 35
min Servings 8 muffins Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator:
min Servings 8 muffins Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Honey butter tastes so yummy spread over these hot and snappy jalapeno cornbread muffins. They’re delicious with soups, stews and chili. —Mary Thomas, Hugo, Minnesota Nutrition Facts: 1 muffin: 175 calories, 7g fat (3g saturated fat), 40mg cholesterol, 277mg sodium, 24g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein. 5/51 Cucumbers with Dill 11 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Cucumbers with Dill Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 15 min Servings 6 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Sprinkling cucumber slices with salt and letting them stand
Try this cucumber dill salad alongside any grilled entree
in a colander draws out excess water so they stay crisp when set on a barbecue buffet. Try this cucumber dill salad alongside any grilled entree. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen. Tired of boring side dishes? Check out our collection of fried chicken sides that perfectly complement your main dish. Nutrition Facts: 2/3 cup: 35 calories, 0 fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 480mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 1g fiber), 1g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1/2 starch. 6/51 Smashed Potatoes 16 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Crispy Smashed Potatoes Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 45 min
Servings 4 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Golden brown and buttery, these crispy smashed potatoes live up to their tantalizing name. A sprinkle of fresh herbs when they’re hot out of the oven maximizes the flavor…and the pretty. —Althea Dye, Howard, Ohio Nutrition Facts: 3 smashed potatoes: 292 calories, 22g fat (9g saturated fat), 31mg cholesterol, 543mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 2g fiber), 3g protein. 7/51 Roasted Asparagus 18 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved DAN ROBERTS FOR TASTE OF HOME Total Time 25 min Servings 12 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Since asparagus is
We all look forward to this side dish each year
so abundant here in spring, I like to put it to use with this tasty roasted asparagus recipe. Not only does it come together quickly, but it calls for just a handful of items. We all look forward to this side dish each year. —Vikki Rebholz, West Chester, OH Nutrition Facts: 1 serving: 73 calories, 6g fat (1g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 122mg sodium, 4g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 2g fiber), 2g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1 fat. 8/51 Glazed Ranch Carrots 24 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Taste of Home Total Time 25 min Servings 12 servings Go to Recipe
From the Recipe Creator: We love these tasty ranch carrots
From the Recipe Creator: We love these tasty ranch carrots. The side dish relies on packages of baby carrots and ranch dressing mix, so there’s no time-consuming prep. —Marion Reed, Omak, Washington Nutrition Facts: 3/4 cup: 156 calories, 8g fat (5g saturated fat), 20mg cholesterol, 1067mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate (13g sugars, 1g fiber), 1g protein. 9/51 No-Fuss Rolls 13 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved No-Fuss Rolls Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 25 min Servings 6 rolls Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: With only 4 ingredients, these delicious rolls are ready in no time. They’re fantastic with
herb butter or jam
herb butter or jam. —Glenda Trail, Manchester, Tennessee Nutrition Facts: 1 roll: 111 calories, 4g fat (1g saturated fat), 3mg cholesterol, 275mg sodium, 16g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 0 fiber), 3g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fat. 10/51 Quick Macaroni Salad 7 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Taste of Home Total Time 20 min Servings 2 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: You can’t go wrong with this time-tested winner. Here it is pared down for two.—Carma Blosser, Livermore, Colorado Nutrition Facts: 1 cup: 276 calories, 15g fat (4g saturated fat), 24mg cholesterol, 544mg sodium, 28g carbohydrate (4g sugars,
2g fiber), 10g protein
2g fiber), 10g protein. 11/51 Special Fruit Salad 1 Review Test Kitchen Approved Taste of Home Total Time 10 min Servings 2 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Dress up a sweet fruit salad with this drizzle of citrusy flavor. —Alice Orton in Big Bear Lake, California. Nutrition Facts: 1 cup: 136 calories, 2g fat (1g saturated fat), 7mg cholesterol, 140mg sodium, 28g carbohydrate (22g sugars, 4g fiber), 3g protein. 12/51 Stuffing 4 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Stuffing Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 55 min Servings about 12 cups Go to Recipe From the Recipe
13/51 Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon
Creator: “This nicely seasoned stuffing is our favorite for holiday turkeys,” reports Denise Goedeken of Platte Center, Nebraska. “It doesn’t require a lot of prep time, which I like, and it tastes good whether stuffed in the bird or baked separately.” Nutrition Facts: 1 cup: 249 calories, 10g fat (5g saturated fat), 20mg cholesterol, 1086mg sodium, 34g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 3g fiber), 7g protein. 13/51 Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing 1 Review Test Kitchen Approved KRISTINA VANNI FOR TASTE OF HOME Total Time 30 min Servings 4 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: My spinach salad with
a comforting bacon dressing is a recipe I turn to again and again in winter
a comforting bacon dressing is a recipe I turn to again and again in winter. It’s quick, elegant and so delicious. I can always count on compliments. —Sandy Davis, Prescott, Arizona Nutrition Facts: 1-3/4 cups: 280 calories, 25g fat (6g saturated fat), 196mg cholesterol, 373mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 10g protein. 14/51 Spanish Rice 46 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Spanish Rice Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 25 min Servings 6 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: You’ll find that my easy Spanish rice is better than any boxed mix in grocery stores.
Best of all, it can be prepared in the same amount of time as those so-called “quick and easy” boxes. —Anne Yaeger, Washington, DC Nutrition Facts: 3/4 cup: 217 calories, 8g fat (5g saturated fat), 20mg cholesterol, 886mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 2g fiber), 4g protein. 15/51 Orzo with Parmesan & Basil 17 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Orzo with Parmesan & Basil Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 20 min Servings 4 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Dried basil adds its rich herb flavor to this creamy and delicious skillet side dish that’s table-ready
in just minutes!
in just minutes! —Anna Chaney, Antigo, Wisconsin Nutrition Facts: 1/2 cup: 285 calories, 10g fat (5g saturated fat), 26mg cholesterol, 641mg sodium, 38g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 11g protein. 16/51 Garlic Knots 53 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Garlic Knots Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 25 min Servings 2-1/2 dozen Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: These novel garlic knots are handy because they can be made ahead of time and reheated when needed. —Jane Paschke, University Park, Florida Nutrition Facts: 1 roll: 46 calories, 2g fat (0 saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 105mg sodium, 6g carbohydrate
(0 sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein
(0 sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein. 17/51 Simple Maple Baked Beans 6 Reviews Contest Winner Simple Maple Baked Beans Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 15 min Servings 10 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: I came up with this recipe in a pinch after running out of baked beans at our oldest daughter’s birthday party. I dressed up canned beans with maple syrup and a few other ingredients to produce this sweet, saucy version that tastes like homemade. They’re so easy to fix that I rarely make baked beans from scratch anymore. Nutrition Facts: 1/2
Toasting the grain before it simmers isn’t essential, but
cup: 168 calories, 3g fat (1g saturated fat), 6mg cholesterol, 513mg sodium, 34g carbohydrate (21g sugars, 5g fiber), 4g protein. 18/51 Fried Onions and Apples 6 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Taste of Home Total Time 30 min Servings 12 servings Go to Recipe Nutrition Facts: 1 cup: 137 calories, 3g fat (2g saturated fat), 8mg cholesterol, 230mg sodium, 28g carbohydrate (24g sugars, 4g fiber), 1g protein. 19/51 Quinoa Salad 5 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved TASTE OF HOME Total Time 30 min Servings 6 cups Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Toasting the grain before it simmers isn’t essential, but
💡 Frequently Asked Questions
Tired of boring side dishes?
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⭐ Expert Tips
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Include seasonal or trendy variations to keep your meals exciting.
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Highlight prep shortcuts or time-saving techniques for busy cooks.
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Consider dietary restrictions and include substitution suggestions.
✅ Key Takeaways
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These dinner ideas are perfect for impressing guests or enjoying special occasions.
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Choose recipes that match your skill level and available kitchen tools.
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Presentation and taste both contribute to a memorable dining experience.
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