19 Easy Sides That Make Dinner Better

These easy side dishes go with any meal and make even picky eaters happy at the dinner table. You’ll discover crispy roasted vegetables, smooth pastas, and tasty rice dishes that match up perfectly with whatever main course you’re making. They’re simple enough for regular weeknight cooking but delicious enough when you want to impress guests at special dinners. Each recipe comes together without any complicated steps, using everyday ingredients you probably already have sitting in your kitchen right now. Whether you’re rushing to get dinner ready or feeling adventurous with new tastes, these sides bring something awesome to every plate.

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Table of Contents

1 Mexican Corn Casserole
2 Asparagus Rice with Peanuts
3 Arroz Mexicano (Mexican Red Rice)
4 Creamy Asparagus Pasta
5 Mexican Mashed Potatoes
6 Sautéed Mushrooms
7 Elotes Mexicanos (Mexican Street Corn)
8 Italian Pasta Salad
9 Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus
10 Ejotes a la Mexicana (Mexican-Style Green Beans)
11 The Best Oven Roasted Potatoes
12 Mexican Pickled Carrots
13 Spring Salad for Easter
14 Hot Honey Corn
15 Air Fryer Radishes
16 Roasted Mexican Sweet Potatoes
17 7 Layer Salad
18 Frijoles de la Olla (Pinto Beans)
19 Mediterranean Roasted Cauliflower & Tahini

Mexican Corn Casserole

This Mexican Corn Casserole is a mixture of flavors. From sweet to spicy, it makes a great side dish for any meal.
Get Recipe: Mexican Corn Casserole

Asparagus Rice with Peanuts

A bowl of vegetable rice is garnished with sliced almonds and red pepper flakes. Long green beans are mixed with the rice, which is placed on a wooden surface next to a fork and a cloth napkin. — Asparagus Rice with Peanut. Photo by Cook With Kushi

Ready in less than thirty minutes, this dish brings bright flavors that work perfectly for hectic weeknights when you’re rushed. Asparagus Rice with Peanuts is an easy side that comes together fast but still tastes really good and satisfying.
Get Recipe: Asparagus Rice with Peanuts

Arroz Mexicano (Mexican Red Rice)

Arroz Mexican served in a clay bowl and topped with a cilantro leaf. — Arroz Mexicano. Photo by Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

Plain rice becomes something really special when you add tomatoes, garlic, and warm spices into the mix. Arroz Mexicano keeps the grains fluffy while they soak up all those delicious flavors, working perfectly next to tacos or any grilled meats you’re serving.
Get the recipe: Arroz Mexicano

Creamy Asparagus Pasta

Close-up of creamy pasta with bow tie noodles and asparagus in a pan. The sauce appears rich and smooth, coating the pasta and bright green asparagus spears, offering a delicious and inviting presentation. — Creamy Asparagus Pasta. Photo by The Toasty Kitchen

Soft asparagus pieces and bowtie pasta swim together in a rich, smooth sauce that feels fancy without much work at all. Creamy Asparagus Pasta balances fresh green bites with the velvety sauce in a really nice way that tastes restaurant-quality.
Get the recipe: Creamy Asparagus Pasta

Mexican Mashed Potatoes

A white bowl filled with creamy mashed potatoes, garnished with small pieces of green herbs, placed on a matching white plate. A spoon rests inside the bowl. In the blurred background, there are broccoli florets and a white cloth napkin. — Mexican Mashed Potatoes. Photo By Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

Smooth mashed potatoes get a spicy twist in this version that’s loaded with bold Mexican flavors throughout. Mexican Mashed Potatoes have just the right amount of heat to make them way more exciting than boring regular mashed potatoes.
Get the recipe: Mexican Mashed Potatoes

Sautéed Mushrooms

Buttery mushrooms cook down until they’re golden and juicy, creating a savory side that goes with almost any main dish. Sautéed Mushrooms get extra depth from a splash of garlic and herbs without requiring much work or complicated steps.
Get the recipe: Sautéed Mushrooms

Elotes Mexicanos (Mexican Street Corn)

Elote Mexicano (or Mexican Street Corn) on a white plate topped with chile powder, cheese, and cilantro. — Elotes Mexicanos (Mexican Street Corn). Photo by Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

Sweet corn gets covered with creamy mayo, crumbly cheese, and chili powder for bold flavors in every messy bite. Elotes Mexicanos is totally worth the mess because the taste bursts through in the most amazing way you can imagine.
Get the recipe: Elotes Mexicanos

Italian Pasta Salad

A bowl of pasta salad on a wooden table. The salad includes curly pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, shrimp, and herbs. A striped napkin and a fork are next to the bowl. — Italian Pasta Salad. Photo credit: Cooking with Curls.

Full of flavors that work great for potlucks or busy weeknight dinners, this pasta dish is so tasty you’ll make it over and over. Italian Pasta Salad is easy to throw together and good enough to eat all year long without getting tired of it.
Get Recipe: Italian Pasta Salad

Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus

A baking tray with roasted asparagus spears and halved roasted potatoes. The vegetables are evenly spread, showing a golden-brown texture on the potatoes and vibrant green asparagus. — Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus. Photo by The Toasty Kitchen

Crispy potatoes mix with tender asparagus and simple seasonings in this easy dish that matches with basically anything you cook. Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus blend flavors perfectly while keeping textures interesting, making it something you can count on for any dinner you’re planning.
Get the recipe: Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus

Ejotes a la Mexicana (Mexican-Style Green Beans)

A bowl of Ejotes a la Mexicana served in a bowl next to fresh cilantro. — Ejotes a la Mexicana. Photo Credit: Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

Green beans get way more exciting with tomatoes, onions, and spices mixed in for a quick boost of flavor. Ejotes a la Mexicana stays crisp but soaks up all the zesty seasoning, creating a lively side dish everyone will reach for.
Get the recipe: Ejotes a la Mexicana

The Best Oven Roasted Potatoes

A white bowl filled with golden-brown roasted potato chunks garnished with chopped parsley. A silver spoon rests in the bowl, and the dish is placed on a white surface. — The Best Oven Roasted Potatoes. Photo By Simple Everyday Recipes

Golden and crunchy on the outside while staying soft and fluffy inside, these potatoes get amazing flavor from garlic and mustard. The Best Oven Roasted Potatoes are simple to make but so delicious that people always ask for the recipe or seconds.
Get the recipe: The Best Oven Roasted Potatoes

Mexican Pickled Carrots

Crunchy carrots soak up tangy, slightly spicy liquid in this zippy dish that makes any meal taste brighter and better. Mexican Pickled Carrots mix sweet and heat so well that they’re totally addictive straight from the jar you’re eating them out of.
Get the recipe: Mexican Pickled Carrots

Spring Salad for Easter

A plate of salad featuring sugar snap peas, sliced hard-boiled eggs, prosciutto, shaved Parmesan, and parsley, drizzled with a mustard vinaigrette. Two gold forks rest beside the colorful and fresh dish. — Spring Salad for Easter. Photo by Foxes Love Lemons

Fresh greens combine with colorful vegetables and a light dressing to create this bright, refreshing dish. Spring Salad for Easter adds hard-boiled eggs for protein while crisp vegetables keep everything light, making it perfect alongside any main dish or on its own.
Get the recipe: Spring Salad for Easter

Hot Honey Corn

A bowl filled with bright yellow corn on the cob pieces, garnished with herbs and chili flakes, sitting in a creamy, seasoned broth on a woven placemat. — Hot honey corn. Photo by Mama Maggie’s Kitchen.

This Hot Honey Corn is the tasty and easiest side dish. It require just a handful of ingredients and delivers lots of flavor.
Get Recipe: Hot Honey Corn

Air Fryer Radishes

A bowl of roasted radishes seasoned with herbs, displaying a golden-brown crust, sits on a marble surface. The radishes are halved and garnished with small, fresh green parsley leaves. — Air Fryer Radishes. Photo by The Food Blog

Radishes get surprisingly sweet and soft in the air fryer while developing a lightly crispy edge that’s really good. Air Fryer Radishes just need a sprinkle of salt and herbs to become an easy, low-carb side that’s ready super fast.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Radishes

Roasted Mexican Sweet Potatoes

Roasted sweet potatoes sitting on a white plate. — Roasted Mexican Sweet Potatoes. Photo Credit: Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

Sweet potatoes roast up caramelized and tender with Mexican spices bringing warmth to each delicious bite you take. Roasted Mexican Sweet Potatoes get slightly crisp on the edges while the inside stays perfectly sweet and fluffy throughout.
Get the recipe: Roasted Mexican Sweet Potatoes

7 Layer Salad

A glass bowl filled with layered salad. From bottom to top: shredded lettuce, chopped red onion, cherry tomato halves, green peas, diced boiled eggs, crispy bacon bits, and a thick creamy dressing. The layers are neatly stacked and vibrant. — 7 Layer Salad. Photo by Gift of Hospitality

Layers of fresh vegetables, cheese, bacon, and creamy dressing stack up into this colorful dish that feeds a whole crowd easily. 7 Layer Salad stays crunchy and looks really impressive with all the different textures showing through the glass bowl.
Get the recipe: 7 Layer Salad

Frijoles de la Olla (Pinto Beans)

A metal ladle full of cooked pinto beans. — Frijoles de la Olla. Photo by Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

Slow-cooked pinto beans become creamy and rich in this recipe that’s way simpler than the amazing taste would suggest. Frijoles de la Olla develops a flavorful broth that’s perfect for spooning over rice or eating with tortillas on the side.
Get the recipe: Frijoles de la Olla

Mediterranean Roasted Cauliflower & Tahini

A close-up of roasted cauliflower florets topped with creamy tahini sauce, pine nuts, and chopped fresh herbs, served on a white plate. — Mediterranean Roasted Cauliflower & Tahini. Photo by The Rustic Foodie

Cauliflower roasts until it’s nutty and golden before getting drizzled with smooth tahini sauce on top. Mediterranean Roasted Cauliflower & Tahini gets finished with toasted pine nuts and fresh herbs that add crunch and brightness to every single bite.
Get the recipe: Mediterranean Roasted Cauliflower & Tahini