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Photo: Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
TheMediterranean dietis known as one of the healthiest eating patterns not only because it’s adaptable to your food preferences, but also because itencourages you to eat lots of fulfilling foodslike whole grains, legumes and vegetables. And these side dishes make following this diet easier and tastier than ever. With this collection of 5-ingredient recipes (not includingpantry stapleslike salt, pepper and oil), you can effortlessly make flavorful sides with foods you may already have on hand, such as quinoa, beans or spinach. Recipes like our Quinoa with Peas & Lemon and Quick & Easy Sautéed Broccolini Recipe are nutritious, easy-to-prep and perfect for a healthy dinner side you’ll want to make again and again.
01of 20Quinoa with Peas & LemonView RecipeTed & Chelsea CavanaughGreen peas add a pop of color to this bright whole-grain side dish. Plus, choosing frozen saves you time—no shelling required! Want to save even more time? Use a pouch of precooked quinoa.
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Quinoa with Peas & Lemon
View Recipe
Ted & Chelsea Cavanaugh
Green peas add a pop of color to this bright whole-grain side dish. Plus, choosing frozen saves you time—no shelling required! Want to save even more time? Use a pouch of precooked quinoa.
02of 20Quick & Easy Sautéed BroccoliniView RecipePhotographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Josh HoggleBroccolini, with its long thin stems and small florets, is a cross between broccoli and gai lan or Chinese broccoli. This simple crisp-tender sautéed broccolini has zip from lemon and garlic and just a hint of heat from crushed red pepper. Serve alongside anything from roasted chicken to fish or steak.
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Quick & Easy Sautéed Broccolini
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Broccolini, with its long thin stems and small florets, is a cross between broccoli and gai lan or Chinese broccoli. This simple crisp-tender sautéed broccolini has zip from lemon and garlic and just a hint of heat from crushed red pepper. Serve alongside anything from roasted chicken to fish or steak.
03of 20Turmeric-Roasted CauliflowerView RecipeRoasting cauliflower transforms it into a crispy, tender vegetable. A sponge for other flavors, cauliflower can absorb any spice mix or marinade you add, like this warm and toasty combination of turmeric, cumin and garlic. Serve as a simple side dish, or stir it into salads or grain bowls to add more plant power.
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Turmeric-Roasted Cauliflower
Roasting cauliflower transforms it into a crispy, tender vegetable. A sponge for other flavors, cauliflower can absorb any spice mix or marinade you add, like this warm and toasty combination of turmeric, cumin and garlic. Serve as a simple side dish, or stir it into salads or grain bowls to add more plant power.
04of 20Smashed Cucumber Salad with Lemon & CuminView RecipeDon’t skip salting the cucumbers in this quick cucumber salad recipe—just 10 minutes pulls out some of their excess moisture, concentrating the flavor and keeping the salad from being watered down. Serve this smashed cucumber salad at a summer cookout alongside burgers and hot dogs.
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Smashed Cucumber Salad with Lemon & Cumin
Don’t skip salting the cucumbers in this quick cucumber salad recipe—just 10 minutes pulls out some of their excess moisture, concentrating the flavor and keeping the salad from being watered down. Serve this smashed cucumber salad at a summer cookout alongside burgers and hot dogs.
05of 20Balsamic-Parmesan Sautéed SpinachView RecipeTender spinach with a hint of garlic, Parmesan cheese and sweet balsamic vinegar makes a quick and flavorful side dish. The sturdy leaves of mature spinach hold up best during cooking.
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Balsamic-Parmesan Sautéed Spinach
Tender spinach with a hint of garlic, Parmesan cheese and sweet balsamic vinegar makes a quick and flavorful side dish. The sturdy leaves of mature spinach hold up best during cooking.
06of 20Roasted KalettesView RecipeKalettes, a cross between kale and Brussels sprouts, cook quickly in a hot oven in this easy vegetable side dish recipe.
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Roasted Kalettes
Kalettes, a cross between kale and Brussels sprouts, cook quickly in a hot oven in this easy vegetable side dish recipe.
07of 20Cauliflower RiceView RecipeWhen cauliflower is pulsed in a food processor, it magically turns into a vegetable that really resembles white rice. In this easy recipe, cauliflower rice is made into an herbed pilaf.
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Cauliflower Rice
When cauliflower is pulsed in a food processor, it magically turns into a vegetable that really resembles white rice. In this easy recipe, cauliflower rice is made into an herbed pilaf.
08of 20Balsamic-Roasted Green Beans with ParmesanView RecipeSweet balsamic vinegar and nutty Parmesan cheese complement roasted green beans and shallots in this easy and healthy side dish. Roasting the green beans gives them a sweet, caramelized flavor while they still retain some bite. Serve with chicken, fish, pork–you name it. These green beans are also a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving meal.
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Balsamic-Roasted Green Beans with Parmesan
Sweet balsamic vinegar and nutty Parmesan cheese complement roasted green beans and shallots in this easy and healthy side dish. Roasting the green beans gives them a sweet, caramelized flavor while they still retain some bite. Serve with chicken, fish, pork–you name it. These green beans are also a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving meal.
09of 20Air-Fryer Butternut SquashView RecipeCaitlin BenselButternut squash gets tender with slightly crispy edges when it’s cooked in the air fryer. The simple seasonings here complement the subtle sweetness from the squash. Serve this quick and easy side dish with just about anything, from roast chicken to pork.
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Air-Fryer Butternut Squash
Caitlin Bensel
Butternut squash gets tender with slightly crispy edges when it’s cooked in the air fryer. The simple seasonings here complement the subtle sweetness from the squash. Serve this quick and easy side dish with just about anything, from roast chicken to pork.
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Spinach Salad
11of 20Steamed Fresh Green BeansView RecipePhotographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Phoebe HauserSteaming (but not for too long!) is a foolproof way to get perfect, crisp-tender green beans, every time. This easy recipe is a great starting point for other flavors or preparations, like adding cooked green beans to a salad.
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Steamed Fresh Green Beans
Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser
Steaming (but not for too long!) is a foolproof way to get perfect, crisp-tender green beans, every time. This easy recipe is a great starting point for other flavors or preparations, like adding cooked green beans to a salad.
12of 20Creamy Cucumber SaladView RecipeThis creamy cucumber salad is an easy side dish for any summer BBQ. Bright dill and white-wine vinegar add fresh tartness to cucumbers and red onions. Enjoy this salad the day you prepare it so the ingredients don’t turn watery.
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Creamy Cucumber Salad
This creamy cucumber salad is an easy side dish for any summer BBQ. Bright dill and white-wine vinegar add fresh tartness to cucumbers and red onions. Enjoy this salad the day you prepare it so the ingredients don’t turn watery.
13of 20Roasted Broccoli & CauliflowerView RecipeRoasted broccoli and cauliflower are perfectly cooked with just the right amount of seasonings and char from the oven. Enjoy this simple recipe for any meal or occasion.
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Roasted Broccoli & Cauliflower
Roasted broccoli and cauliflower are perfectly cooked with just the right amount of seasonings and char from the oven. Enjoy this simple recipe for any meal or occasion.
14of 20On the Island of Guadeloupe, I Learned to Love Raw Garlic—Now It Tops My 5-Minute Tomato SaladView RecipeJillian AtkinsonIn this installment ofDiaspora Dining, Jessica B. Harris' series on foods of the African diaspora, the author and historian offers a summer salad that is simply delicious, but not for the fainthearted. Minced fresh garlic gives this salad, inspired from a visit to Guadeloupe, its special flavor.
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On the Island of Guadeloupe, I Learned to Love Raw Garlic—Now It Tops My 5-Minute Tomato Salad
Jillian Atkinson
In this installment ofDiaspora Dining, Jessica B. Harris' series on foods of the African diaspora, the author and historian offers a summer salad that is simply delicious, but not for the fainthearted. Minced fresh garlic gives this salad, inspired from a visit to Guadeloupe, its special flavor.
15of 20Parmesan White BeansView RecipeTed & Chelsea CavanaughStash mirepoix blend—a basic building-block combo of chopped carrots, celery and onion—in your freezer and save some serious prep time on this simple bean side dish.
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Parmesan White Beans
Stash mirepoix blend—a basic building-block combo of chopped carrots, celery and onion—in your freezer and save some serious prep time on this simple bean side dish.
16of 20Quick & Easy Green BeansView RecipeJennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey LowerHere’s a fast, efficient way to cook green beans (and other vegetables), eliminating the fuss of bringing a large pot of water to a boil or draining the veggies.
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Quick & Easy Green Beans
Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower
Here’s a fast, efficient way to cook green beans (and other vegetables), eliminating the fuss of bringing a large pot of water to a boil or draining the veggies.
17of 20Zucchini & Mushroom SautéView RecipeServe this simple side dish with grilled turkey burgers. Other fresh herbs, like thyme or oregano, work well too.
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Zucchini & Mushroom Sauté
Serve this simple side dish with grilled turkey burgers. Other fresh herbs, like thyme or oregano, work well too.
18of 20Garlic & Parmesan Roasted CarrotsView RecipeRoasting carrots in the oven brings out their inherent sweetness, while Parmesan and garlic give this easy side dish a flavorful savory accent.
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Garlic & Parmesan Roasted Carrots
Roasting carrots in the oven brings out their inherent sweetness, while Parmesan and garlic give this easy side dish a flavorful savory accent.
19of 20Lemon-Garlic Green BeansView RecipeWill DickeyThese tender-crisp lemon-garlic green beans have tons of flavor from shallots, garlic and the tangy lemon. It’s the perfect simple green bean side dish that pairs well with everything.
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Lemon-Garlic Green Beans
Will Dickey
These tender-crisp lemon-garlic green beans have tons of flavor from shallots, garlic and the tangy lemon. It’s the perfect simple green bean side dish that pairs well with everything.
20of 20Sunomono (Japanese Cucumber Salad)View RecipeCrystal HughesThis version of sunomono uses more readily available English or slicing cucumbers, but if you live near an Asian market, you could substitute Japanese cucumbers. Some recipes call for salting the cucumbers first, but we found that squeezing them in paper towels removed enough excess moisture without adding additional sodium. This Japanese-inspired salad is cool, crisp and simply delicious.
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Sunomono (Japanese Cucumber Salad)
Crystal Hughes
This version of sunomono uses more readily available English or slicing cucumbers, but if you live near an Asian market, you could substitute Japanese cucumbers. Some recipes call for salting the cucumbers first, but we found that squeezing them in paper towels removed enough excess moisture without adding additional sodium. This Japanese-inspired salad is cool, crisp and simply delicious.
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