17 Best New Side Dishes To Pair With Your Favorite Mains
If you’re wondering what to pair with your favorite entrees, keep on reading! You’ll love these new side dish recipes, whether you’re a fan of hearty salads or tender roasted veggies. With 4 and 5-star reviews from EatingWell readers, you’ll find that these dishes are flavorful and delicious. Try options like our Honey-Mustard Roasted Cabbage Wedges or our Roasted Romesco Vegetables for a balanced and nourishing meal.
Chickpea Chopped Salad with Pita Chips
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
Packed with crunchy pita chips, creamy feta and briny olives, this chickpea, cucumber and tomato salad is fresh and delicious. Enjoy it as a side dish or add grilled or roasted chicken or salmon to make it a main dish.
Honey-Mustard Roasted Cabbage Wedges
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Pricilla Montiel, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
Up your veggie game with these roasted cabbage wedges. The natural sweetness of cabbage pairs beautifully with the tangy, caramelized honey-mustard glaze.
Raspberry-Spinach Salad with Avocado & Walnuts
Photographer: Jen Causey, food stylist: Julian Hensarling, prop stylist: Josh Hoggle
This salad includes juicy raspberries, creamy avocado and crunchy walnuts, which create a delightful mix of colors and flavor. The bright, citrusy dressing sets this salad apart and complements the richness of the avocado and the walnuts.
Roasted Romesco Vegetables
photographer: Jen Causey, food stylist: Julian Hensarling, prop stylist: Josh Hoggle
Romesco, a classic Spanish sauce featuring roasted red peppers, tomatoes, nuts and garlic, pairs beautifully with the caramelized sweetness of roasted broccoli and cauliflower in this quick and flavorful side dish.
Balsamic-Parmesan Melting Cabbage
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Pricilla Montiel, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
Slow-roasted with a rich balsamic-infused broth and topped with a light dusting of Parmesan, this dish transforms humble cabbage into a side dish to remember.
Fregola Salad with Olive Relish & Chickpeas
Ray Kachatorian
This recipe, adapted from SUPER ITALIAN by Giada De Laurentiis, is a flavorful spin on pasta salad, featuring a citrusy olive relish, fregola and chickpeas for a boost of protein.
Garlic-Parmesan Green Beans
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
These garlic-Parmesan green beans are a quick and easy side dish made in just one skillet. They pair beautifully with anything from roasted chicken to grilled steak, baked salmon or stuffed portobello mushrooms.
Chile-Lime Roasted Cauliflower
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
This chile-lime roasted cauliflower is the perfect side to spice up your dinner! The combination of zesty lime and ancho chile powder creates a tangy, mildly spicy dish.
Anti-Inflammatory Strawberry Caprese Salad
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
This caprese salad is a fruity twist on the classic Italian dish, with juicy, ripe strawberries standing in for tomatoes. The sweet-tart flavor of strawberries pairs beautifully with fresh mozzarella, basil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
Spinach Feta Cakes
photographer: Jen Causey, food stylist: Julian Hensarling, prop stylist: Josh Hoggle
These savory cakes combine plenty of spinach with the tangy creaminess of feta cheese. Baking them in a muffin tin ensures portions are perfectly sized and easy to grab.
Roasted Carrot Salad
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop stylist: Josh Hoggle
Sweet roasted carrots are the star of this salad, with some reserved for blending into a creamy, vibrant dressing. The carrot-based dressing, brightened with orange juice, whole-grain mustard and rice vinegar, adds a cohesive flavor to the salad.
Roasted Lemon-Feta Broccoli
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
This lemon-roasted broccoli side dish is the perfect weeknight side. It’s quick and packed with vibrant flavors that complement any meal. We love to garnish this dish with fresh mint and oregano, but if you want to skip the fresh herbs, an extra pinch of dried herbs sprinkled over the top will work well too.
Roasted Cabbage Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
Ali Redmond
This roasted cabbage salad combines the sweetness of roasted cabbage with the bright, zesty flavors of lime, orange and cumin.
French Onion Soup-Style Melting Onions
Robby Lozano
These melt-in-your-mouth onions have all the flavors of a classic French onion soup. Beef broth makes the onions super tender, while a cheesy panko topping evokes the bread element of the soup.
Cacio e Pepe Kale Salad
Heami Lee, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley
This easy kale salad draws flavor inspiration from the classic Italian pasta dish. The signature flavors of sharp Pecorino Romano cheese and freshly ground black pepper transform kale into a delicious, anti-inflammatory salad.
Marry Me Melting Cabbage
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Amanda Hostein, Prop Stylist: Keoshia McGhee
We gave Marry Me Chicken a vegetarian twist by replacing the traditional chicken with tender cabbage wedges, all coated in a rich and flavorful sun-dried tomato cream sauce.
Make-Ahead Cabbage Salad
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood, Food Stylist: Sally McKay
This make-ahead cabbage salad is the perfect dish that only gets better with time. As it sits, the flavors meld together, with the crisp cabbage and tender, nutty farro soaking up the tangy dressing.
