20 Mediterranean Diet Dinner Sides to Make This Spring
Photographer: Jacob Fox, Food stylist: Sammy Mila
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
Prepare one of these side dishes for dinner this spring. These bright salads, sautées and grains take on seasonal flavors from foods like beets, broccoli and citrus fruit. In addition, they feature healthy ingredients like olive oil, yogurt, herbs, spices and whole grains to align with the Mediterranean diet. It’s been ranked as one of the healthiest diets for seven years in a row for encouraging the addition of nutrient-dense foods, rather than restricting “bad” foods in your eating pattern. Recipes like our Eat-the-Rainbow Chopped Salad with Basil & Mozzarella and Melting Beets with Goat Cheese add a colorful and nourishing touch to your evening meal.
Eat-the-Rainbow Chopped Salad with Basil & Mozzarella
This fresh and colorful chopped salad has all of the delicious flavors you love from a classic caprese salad, plus even more healthy veggies. Add grilled or roasted chicken for a quick main dish.
Melting Beets with Goat Cheese
Roasting the beets with broth makes them crispy on the outside, yet tender on the inside. Crumbled goat cheese tops these melt-in-your-mouth beets for an easy side dish.
Sauteed Broccoli & Kale with Toasted Garlic Butter
In this easy vegetable side dish, broccoli and kale are drizzled with a butter, garlic and crushed red pepper sauce. Serve this healthy recipe alongside roasted chicken, turkey or ham--or on top of your favorite whole grain, such as quinoa or farro.
Citrus-Arugula Salad
This easy salad recipe makes a stunning side dish for anything you've got cooking for dinner. The bright flavor of the citrus pairs perfectly with peppery arugula and avocado, plus a bit of jalapeño for a slight kick.
Cabbage + Caesar Salad = A Match Made in Heaven
Photography: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Kelsey Moylan, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco
In this Caesar salad, we skip the usual romaine lettuce and opt for napa cabbage, a delightfully tender cabbage variety that maintains a crisp and mild sweetness even when eaten raw. The dressing takes a shortcut, using store-bought mayonnaise instead of fresh egg yolks, and gets a savory kick from anchovy paste. Feel free to switch it up by using chopped anchovy fillets, or omit it entirely for a vegetarian-friendly salad according to your preference.
Cheesy Vegetable Bake
This cheesy vegetable bake casserole has 7 grams of protein and only 4 g of fat per serving, making it an ideal side dish for any dinner.
Warm Beet & Spinach Salad
This warm spinach-and-beet salad is inspired by a dish from Penny Cluse Café in Burlington, Vermont. If you have cooked beets on hand, you can have it ready in just a few minutes.
Sautéed Fiddleheads with Lemon & Garlic
Fiddleheads are one of spring's earliest culinary gems. Resembling the curled end of a fiddle, fiddleheads are the tightly rolled tips of ostrich ferns that, when cooked, offer a grassy flavor and texture similar to asparagus. After steaming them, a quick sauté with the simple flavors of lemon and garlic makes for an easy side dish.
Curry Lemon Rice
Inspired by South Indian cuisine, this rice recipe gets bright flavor from lemon juice and turmeric and aromatic, savory flavor from curry leaves, mustard seeds and peanuts. Urad dal, also known as black lentils, add nice crispy bites throughout this dish.
Quinoa Salad with Radicchio, Carrots & Dried Apricots
Bitter radicchio is a strong foil for sweet-tart apricots and maple vinaigrette in this go-with-anything quinoa salad.
Blue Cheese Broccoli Salad
Creamy blue cheese dressing coats fresh, crunchy broccoli in this easy side salad. Dried apricots add pops of sweetness and color, while crispy bits of bacon provide a salty bite. This recipe is easily doubled to serve a crowd.
This Roasted Cabbage Salad with Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette Is “Super Tasty”
Ali Redmond
This roasted cabbage is dressed with a bright and flavorful lemon-garlic vinaigrette. It goes with everything, from chicken and steak to tofu and grain bowls. If you already have your grill on, you can grill the cabbage wedges instead, which will impart a delightful smoky flavor. You can use red or green cabbage—even Savoy or napa works!
Ginger-&-Miso-Glazed Broccoli
A touch of maple or honey balances the flavor of umami-laden miso while thickening the sauce to coat this stir-fried broccoli.
Strawberry-Beet Salad
This beautiful strawberry and beet summer salad is perfect for a picnic or lunch on-the-go--just pack the dressing on the side!
Artichokes with Lemon & Dill
These simply prepared artichokes can be served at room temperature or chilled. Serve as a first course or as a side dish with grilled chicken or fish.
Broccoli & Grape Salad
An unlikely pairing of grapes and broccoli creates an out-of-the-ordinary quick side dish. The sweet snappy bite of the grapes complements the crispy raw broccoli and onion, while the creamy dressing and toasted almonds pull it all together. Enjoy it for lunch or double the recipe for an easy potluck recipe everyone will love.
Sautéed Spinach with Coriander Chutney
This side was inspired by Indian palak chaat. Look for coriander (or cilantro) chutney in the international aisle of well-stocked grocery stores.
Beet Salad with Yogurt Bulgur & Herbs
The bulgur in this salad is inspired by kishk, a crumbly cheese made by fermenting bulgur in buttermilk and yogurt. Chef Reem Assil, owner of Reem's California in Oakland, prepares this quicker version by skipping the fermentation and using labneh or Greek yogurt instead. If you want extra tang, let the bulgur mixture sit for 24 hours before making the salad. Crumbled goat cheese can be swapped in for the bulgur mixture if you prefer.
Arugula & Potato Salad with Herbs
Capers and mustard add tanginess to this creamy salad, while chives, dill and parsley add fresh flavor and a splash of color.
Artichoke, Chickpea & Mozzarella Pasta Salad
This healthy pasta salad draws inspiration from a traditional antipasto platter. Artichoke hearts and pepperoncini add briny flavor, while fresh mozzarella lends a creamy note. Serve this pasta salad at your next dinner party or backyard get-together.
EatingWell.com, March 2024
Read the original article on Eating Well.
