It’s important to have a few great vegetable sides in your back pocket that can be on the dinner table in less than 45 minutes, any time of year. The 20 options below are some of our favorites, from simple glazed carrots to microwave-steamed broccoli to spicy roasted mushroom-stuffed tomatoes. Find a new favorite or an old friend, and invite this dish to dinner tonight!
“The baby potatoes for this recipe should be between 1 and 1 1/2 inches. If your potatoes are large, consider quartering them.” – Kayla Hong, giver of simple recipes
“For this recipe, cut the thick stalks of broccoli rabe in half lengthwise and then cut them into shorter lengths for faster blanching and easier eating.” – Cheryl Julian, giver of simple recipes
“It’s also great on its own as a main dish. Don’t forget the feta and dill at the end. They bring so much freshness and pop to the rice.” – Julia Tarshin, Contributor to Simple Recipes
“If you don’t like spice, avoid green chillies and reduce the Kashmiri chilli powder by half. You can replace the Kashmiri chillies with red chillies.” — Anika Panicker, contributor to Simple Recipes
“For this recipe, use broccoli florets, a combination of broccoli and cauliflower, or broccolini.” – Devon Grimrod, giver of simple recipes
“Arrange all the spears skin side down so that the triangle part is sticking out. This will help the moisture to cook and evaporate instead of being trapped in the baking sheet.” Elise Bauer, founder of Simple Recipes
“When shopping for mushrooms, look for smooth, fresh, unblemished caps that are plump and neither dry nor thin. I recommend buying whole mushrooms rather than pre-chopped mushrooms, but if you’re cooking , so go for it.” -Katie Morford, Simple Recipes Contributor
“For this recipe, we recommend using fresh baby spinach—we got it from a pre-washed package. The leaves are smaller and more tender, steaming faster in the microwave. Baby spinach also has a mature flavor. Sweeter than spinach, which lends itself to the creaminess of this classic side dish.” – Julie and Amy Luxemburg, givers of Simple Recipes
“You want to use uniformly round, medium-sized tomatoes with strong walls for this recipe. I use a variety called “tomatoes on the vine” for their size, uniform roundness, and classic tomato flavor. They are usually sold 4 by 6. Tomatoes are still attached to the vine as the name suggests. – Kalisa Marie Levitt, giver of simple recipes
“If you don’t like zucchini falling apart, don’t add it until the potatoes are mostly cooked.” – Sarah Beer, Simple Recipes Senior Editor
“We developed and tested the recipe using a 1,200-watt microwave. Depending on the power of your microwave, you may need to cook the broccoli longer, in 1-minute increments. Add visual cues—the broccoli is ready when it’s bright green, and tender, but not mushy.” Liz Marwish, Simple Recipes Recipe Tester
“Be sure to cut the carrots into even-sized pieces so that each piece cooks evenly.” – Alice
“Pepironata recipes come in many versions; some are cooked longer, some with potatoes, or without tomatoes. This dish is definitely open to improvisation!” – Alice
“I like the mild flavor of Parmesan or Pecorino Romano, but aged cheddar or Gruyere will also work well.” – Molly Adams, giver of simple recipes
“These onions are just as delicious at room temperature as they are hot.” -Hank Shaw, giver of simple recipes
“You’ll find the most varieties of guchujang at Asian market swings, but most well-stocked mainstream grocery stores, specialty stores, or organic markets also carry it. There’s always Amazon and online shops too. are.” – Katie
“Start cooking the potatoes in cold water: This ensures that the potatoes cook evenly. Otherwise, if you start with hot or boiling water, the outside of the potatoes will cook and become soft. are while medium are hard and crisp.” – Alice
“For extra caramelization, sprinkle the fries with a little sugar before putting them in the oven.” – Alice
“As with any air fry recipe, make sure your green beans are in one layer. Some overlapping is fine. Yes, but if you pile in the green beans, they won’t cook properly. Don’t worry, they will go quickly are.” —Nick Evans, giver of simple recipes
“If you want to try this recipe with other mushrooms, cut them into thick slices (about 1/4 inch), then proceed with the rest of the recipe, but add the soy sauce a little at a time, as you Mushrooms will need more boosting, some will need less.” – Georgia Friedman, contributor to Simple Recipes