17 Veggie Sides That Upstage the Main Dish

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Veggie sides don’t have to play backup. With bold flavors, fresh ingredients, and satisfying textures, these dishes hold their own and often steal the spotlight.

Each recipe is easy to make and loaded with color and crunch. They’re the kind of sides that make you excited to fill your plate again.

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Simple Smoked Vegetables

Smoked vegetables in a grill basket.Pin
Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Smoked vegetables are a delicious side dish for any protein that you are smoking. They can be done in as little as twenty minutes.
Get the Recipe: Simple Smoked Vegetables.

Smoked Corn on the Cob

Smoked corn piled on a cast iron pan.Pin
Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

As the warm embrace of summer gives way to the crispness of autumn, one culinary tradition bridges these seasons: Smoked Corn on the Cob!
Get the Recipe: Smoked Corn on the Cob.

Smoked Potatoes

Crispy smoked potatoes garnished with parsley.Pin
Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

These Smoked Potatoes are an incredibly easy side dish that you can put in the smoker when you smoke your main dish.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Potatoes.

Smoked Sweet Potato

Sweet potato with parsley on a wooden plate.Pin
Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Smoked sweet potatoes combine the rustic, primal allure of smoking with this root vegetable’s rich sweetness.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Sweet Potato.

Grilled Asparagus – Easy Summer Side

Carred, grilled asparagus on a pewter serving dish.Pin
Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Grilled Asparagus is one of the easiest side dishes that you can make in the summer. Simple and delicious! Takes only about 5 minutes!
Get the Recipe: Grilled Asparagus – Easy Summer Side.

Roasted Corn Salsa

Colorful bowl of corn bean salsa topped with cilantroPin
Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

This Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salsa has a wonderful smoky flavor from the grill! Corn and Black Bean Salsa can be as spicy as you like!
Get the Recipe: Roasted Corn Salsa.

Foil Packet Grilled Potatoes

Foil Packet Grilled Potatoes Pinterest Pin with text overlayPin
Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

These Foil Packet Grilled Potatoes are all spiced up with roasted garlic and herbs of your choice! Easy summer side dish with zero cleanup!
Get the Recipe: Foil Packet Grilled Potatoes.

Smoked Baked Potato

Sour cream topped baked potato on a wooden plate.Pin
Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

A Smoked Baked Potato is the perfect side dish for anything you smoke this season. A new twist on a classic side dish.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Baked Potato.

Southwestern Salad

Colorful chickpea salad in a white bowl.Pin
Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

Southwestern Salad, with garbanzos, and chipotle, lime and roasted garlic dressing loaded with fresh veggies for a colorful summer salad!
Get the Recipe: Southwestern Salad.

Smoked Potato Salad

Potato salad with bacon.Pin
Photo credit: xoxoBella.

This smoked potato salad features a combination of smoked potatoes and smoked hard-boiled eggs that take this classic salad to the next level.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Potato Salad.

Grilled Chili Lime Mexican Street Corn (Elote) Ribs

Grilled chili lime corn on a wooden board.Pin
Grilled Chili Lime Mexican Street Corn (Elote) Ribs. Photo credit: Kim Schob.

These chili lime Mexican corn ribs are grilled to perfection and topped with classic elote toppings, including cojita cheese. They are perfect for BBQs!
Get the Recipe: Grilled Chili Lime Mexican Street Corn (Elote) Ribs.

Marinated grilled zucchini

Marinated grilled zucchini in a bowl.Pin
Marinated grilled zucchini. Photo credit: Carolines cooking.

Whether you eat them straight away, or pack them for a picnic, these lemon and basil marinated zucchini and summer squash make a delicious, easy side dish.
Get the Recipe: Marinated grilled zucchini.

Israeli couscous salad with grilled vegetables

A bowl of couscous salad.Pin
Photo credit: Caroline’s Cooking.

This Israeli couscous salad with grilled vegetables makes a great side or light vegetarian meal. Easy to make, adapt & can be made ahead. Great for summer.
Get the Recipe: Israeli couscous salad with grilled vegetables.

Grilled nectarine salad

Close up shot of Grilled nectarine salad in a bowl.Pin
Grilled nectarine salad. Photo credit: carolines cooking.

This grilled nectarine salad makes the perfect summer side: sweet, juicy nectarines, peppery arugula, smooth goat’s cheese & crunchy pine nuts.
Get the Recipe: Grilled nectarine salad.

Grilled Vegetables

Top view shot of grilled vegetables on a plate.Pin
Grilled Vegetables. Photo credit: cooked and loved.

Easy grilled vegetables with a herb, garlic and lemon sauce. Charred and bursting with flavor – perfect side for summer BBQs or meal prep.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Vegetables.

Grilled artichokes

Close up shot of grilled artichokes on plate.Pin
Grilled artichokes. Photo credit: carolines cooking.

Artichokes may seem a little fiddly, but they are so worth the effort, especially when they taste as good as these grilled artichokes. A great app or side.
Get the Recipe: Grilled artichokes.

Smoked Jalapeno Poppers

Jalapeno poppers with dip on the side.Pin
Photo credit: Three Olives Branch.

Smoked Jalapeno Poppers are a fun BBQ or grilling party appetizer. Peppers stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon, cooked in a smoker.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Jalapeno Poppers.

The 12 Best 9×13 Cakes for When You Need Dessert Without the Fuss

A slice of black forest cake on a plate.Pin
Photo credit: The Dish Next Door.

A 9×13 cake is the perfect dessert for any occasion, offering a simple way to feed a crowd without the hassle. These cakes are easy to make and packed with flavor, making them a go-to for family gatherings, potlucks, or just because. With a variety of recipes to choose from, each one is designed to impress and satisfy every sweet craving. Get ready to enjoy the ultimate 9×13 cakes that are as delicious as they are simple.

Get the Recipes: 9×13 Cakes.

These Layer Cakes Taste Like Sunshine and Long Weekends

Carrot cake with nuts.Pin
Photo credit: The Cookin Chicks.

Layer cakes aren’t just dessert—they’re a full-blown event. Tall, dramatic, and packed with flavor, these cakes bring serious wow without needing bakery skills. Each slice shows off thick layers, rich fillings, and just the right amount of frosting. They’re the kind of cakes people can’t stop staring at, then ask for seconds before they finish their first bite. These recipes don’t play it safe, and that’s exactly why everyone’s obsessed.
Get the Recipes: Layer Cakes.

Dinner in 30 Minutes That Aren’t Chicken or Boring

Pork chops on a black plate with side dishes.Pin
Photo Credit: Binky’s Culinary Carnival.

When time is tight and you’re looking for something quick, these 30-minute meals are the answer. Packed with flavor and made without chicken, these recipes offer a delicious variety of options to keep your meals exciting. Perfect for busy nights, these dishes will have you fed in no time without sacrificing taste. Enjoy simple yet satisfying meals that everyone will love!
Get the Recipes: 30-Minute Dinners That Aren’t Chicken.

Cupcakes with strawberries.Pin
Photo Credit: Chenee Today.

Cookies always show up at potlucks, but they’re not the only crowd-pleasing option. These desserts break the mold with bars, cakes, no-bake wonders, and creamy classics that keep people coming back for more. Every dish is easy to share, simple to make, and built to travel. You won’t find any cookies here. Just bold flavors, fun textures, and guaranteed clean plates.
Get the Recipes: 19 Potluck Desserts That Go Way Beyond the Cookie Tray.

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